Interesting 6" newtonian on e.bay

[John]

I doubt many people would give this a 2nd glance:

REFLECTOR TELESCOPE on eBay (end time 01-Mar-11 21:34:04 GMT)

I believe the optical tube is an Astro Systems (Bedford) 6" F/6 which used David Hinds mirrors in them (which themselves had an excellent reputation). The downsides are the mount, which looks unsteady to me, the 1.25" focuser, and the lack of information on the condition of the optics. If I lived near to where the scope is being sold I'd probably pop along for a look - it could make a nice scope on a different mount.

The 7" quoted by the seller would be the tube diameter rather than the primary mirror I suspect.

[JAO]

John

Well spotted! This will be a good buy for someone. Rob Miller at Astro Systems made excellent telescopes. The Hinds optics in the OTA would justify putting it on a better mount. The buy it now price is a steel for the Hinds glass alone in my opinion.

[brianb]

The buy it now price is a steel for the Hinds glass alone in my opinion.

If it is Hinds glass & assuming it's in a reasonable condition - I'd certainly forgive it needing realuminizing.

The 6" Newt I had over 40 years ago had a Hinds mirror - nominally f/8 but in fact about f/7.2 - it was a real beauty from the optical point of view, delivering truly refractor-like images on nights with steady seeing.

[Peter Drew]

It certainly looks like one of ours. If so, the tube would be 7" od seamless aluminium with silver-grey stove enamel finish, the optics 6" F6. You would be hard put to get a better 6" than this. (Ex Director, Astrosystems)

[Peter Drew]

Oops, I should have added, NOT one of our mounts! .

[John]

Oops, I should have added, NOT one of our mounts! .

I can completely understand why you added that Peter

It looks like a tuning fork and probably vibrates like one as well

I had one of the 6" F/6 OTA's back in the 1980's - it was my 1st "proper" scope, moving me on from the 1960's Tasco 60mm F/13 that so many of us started out with back then.

I put it on a Fullerscopes MKIII equatorial with a homebrew wooden tripod. Solid as a rock and showed my wife and I much better views of Halley's Comet than many had in the UK

[yeti monster]

I'll be watching this, I do like old Newts! Well, I like ALL scopes actually, except the fresh water fish ones, of course.

[angusb1]

I have a 10" version and its the one scope I will never part with.

[tom33pr]

Hi,

This is one very eccentric looking mount

Forgive my ignorance, I'm a newbie

[WayBig]

Ha ha, love the mount.

[gliderpilot]

It's too far north for me but £50 sounds a bargain