Classic Refractors

[JimiJames]

Ok Thank's M8.

[Polar Bear]

no I pain £35.00p, all in exalent condition and lots of bits and bobs in big wooden box,

You must have better car boots down your way , I have been to hundreds and never seen a decent scope !

Great find .....

[JimiJames]

31st Aug / 1st Sep 2011, at 22:00 to 05:00 Jupiter looks outstanding, managed to take a few images, [/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[JimiJames]

I call the middle on the egg and spoon race, Hahaha

[philj]

You have a good scope there James with teh 339. I have one which I have modified with crayford focuser and its a superb planetary scope, pin sharp detail and excellent colour. I dont use the original mount either, just too wobbly I have a vixen dovetail fitted to it and I use it eiother on my Giro 2 altaz for grab and go or on my HEQ5 for more serious stuff.

They are also excellent at double stars

Philj

[yeti monster]

I've now got a Lyra Optics 102mm f/11 achro and would definitely recommend it over the TAL as it has better optics and better overall build quality with beautiful fit and finish, but then it is over £100.00 more than the TAL.

http://www.lyraoptic.co.uk/Telescopes.html

John

Good to hear your thoughts on the 102mm f/11. This is the scope I didn't buy off Mr. Wu at KUOC last year. Instead I bought my 28mm UWAn. I'm still hoping to have the spare cash and opportunity to make a personal visit to Mr. Wu's telescope factory, but I've got other stuff to deal with for the time being.

To satisfy my need for a frac, I recently picked up a 90mm f/10 skywatcher, which has given me a brief, but nice, view of Jupiter.

[JimiJames]

Hi Philj, The original mount is only good if you place it on a sterdy stand, I've placed mine on a Tal stand, works very well. I just need a better Imager.!!!

[JimiJames]

I've just found out,,, What I throught was a Towa 339 ended up to be a ( Circle K )

same year 1960s pluss, I cant find too much about it, can eney-one help...

[JimiJames]

[/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Hear are some pic's of my Circle K Refractor from the 1960s

thinking it was a Towa 339 just found the K on the focuser.

F: 1250 / D: 76.2

[AndresEsteban]

I'd like to share some pics from my vintage japanese Dan Beam 76.2 mm f/16.4 (FL=1250mm) refractor. A real planet killer from 30 or 40 years ago.
Dan Beam brtand has a "Circle K" on the focouser, so we know this is one of the models built by OKKK telescopes.

[AndresEsteban]

More pics for the avid colectors! many bramndslike Yamatar, kenko, Tasco, Towa, Royal Astro, etc has the same 76.2mm model. Either in the long version (FL=1250mm) or the short version with 900mm FL.

[AndresEsteban]

The original focuser has the old japanese 0.965" eyepiece diameter standard, but an adapter from a short focuser allows to use 1.25" eyepieces.  Aklthough long focus refractor do not demand outstanding eyepiece like the short focus counterparts, moder 1.25" ep mainly those with wide filed, give a new dimension to the telescope views.

Equatorial mount details

[AndresEsteban]

More EQ mount details

[AndresEsteban]

Another view of the EQ mount

Newton rings visible using a CFL lamp

Aiming to the stars

[AndresEsteban]

So, if this is a "planet killer", nothing better than showing the kills, right?

The general arrangement I use, is the one shown below, cat inlcuded is:
Stady Pix Deluxe camera support
Canon Powershot A630 8 Mpx camera with CHDK firmware that allows to use an USB adapter (remote shutter)
the EQ mount has no motors therefore all exposure are time limited

These pics of the moon are all single shot

Thse images of Jupiter are 640x480 30fps videos processed with Registax

[AndresEsteban]

Mars and Saturn.
Again all images are the final output of Registax program applied to 640x480 videos (30fps).
Hope these pics give you an idea of how these vintage refractors perform.
I don't doubt that despite of their long focus, these refractors are able to give beautiful DSO pictures (using Deep Sky Stacker for example) if a motorized EQ is available for long expsures anlomng a decent DSLR. the idea would be to put one of these OTAs on a modern EQ mount and see how performs. The same thing recording HD videos on planets with a DSLR, certainly more frames and sharpness will give better pics of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn!!!

[AndresEsteban]

Moon viewa are excellent, with no visible CA of course. But using wide field eyepieces in afocal method may introduce some bluish line on the moon disc thta's not present in the visual mode. Also, the full moon disc centered on wide fild eyepieces brings the moon's disc over the border of the eyepice, thus being prone to produce some CA in this border zone. (Skywatcher wiled angle 66° eyepieces). Despite all these. I believe these are amaziong images for so simple settings.

[AndresEsteban]

Some experiments trying to take some images of double stars... Certainly this is almost impossible without a motorized EQ.
However some positive results may be obtained...

Castor (Alfa Geminorum)

[AndresEsteban]

One important thing to get better contrast is telescope flocking. I've found that velvet glued over a cardboard sheet gives an excellent light absorbing surface.
Moon and planet views show better contrast!

Objective end flocking

Focuser end flocking

Focuser flocking

[AndresEsteban]

Some videos of th Moon and planets to show the views given by Classic Refractors...

The Moon
http://youtu.be/oXeZvBRR_vQ?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ

http://youtu.be/pATzwlHz4M8?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ

Jupiter

http://youtu.be/ZZBL6Ex1Vu8?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ
 

Mars
http://youtu.be/su20U3-39W8?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ

http://youtu.be/OrPttYoSws8?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ

Saturn
http://youtu.be/44egQ2DpO7k?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ

Castor (alfa Geminorum)
http://youtu.be/YxRq9laU9XQ?list=UUwMN3FPhdY041Y-7t_Wf8KQ
 

[Dave Lloyd]

Lovely clsssics

[Dave Lloyd]

Or even classics!

[SunshineTuna]

Hello everyone, I would like to sell my ToPic Towa 339, 1970s classic, F : 1250 / D :800   The 20 page manual Says 600x power but I found 300x was best.

I have owned it from new in 1974  44years! Have receipt.  Everything is in the Wooden Case  Think in Good condition but with some user marks. 

Some of you guys seem to know this model and I wondered if you could guide me on price?  I am in Surrey in UK

I think this model was also marketed as the Jason 324 Saturn - can anyone confirm?

Many Thanks