No eBay APP ID défined in Kunena configurationI was on ebay and what do I see only the folowing


So I thinking why not, sure it's only located down the road in Westmeath, I be able to collet it myself to save on the shipping. I almost had the observertory build in my head where I was going to house it and to my dismay I saw that the auction had only just finished 2 hour previous.

Id love to know the story behind that, who had it and how did it end up in westmeath of all places.

wow, what an item. anyone know the spec? was it even useable. and i wonder what condition the objective was in?

I think - from a small bit of searching that this is a telescope that never flew in space or anything life that - obviously.
But it could perhaps be converted into something useful although it weighs in excess of 150kg and is about 1300 in lenght (i think the objective is over 330mm?)
Anyway who ever boughgt it has a big project ahead of them and a fairly unique piece of kit.

Now that is a serious piece of kit, the weight alone makes it a serious challenge to mount.

Dave_Lillis wrote:

the weight alone makes it a serious challenge to mount.

... or launch

I saw the auction Pat a couple of days ago and am almost certain there was a couple of bids on the lens. I am not sure why it now shows it has ended without any.

Lots of work probably required to make adapters, mount the instrument, etc. Still, it would be an amazing project. The capabilities remind me of the ariel camera lenses you see around now and again -- some pictures in Burnham's Celestial Handbook were taken with such.

best,

John

donnellan.brendan wrote:

Id love to know the story behind that, who had it and how did it end up in westmeath of all places.

In the hands of someone who uses ebay mostly for selling collectible stamps.

It's possibly not sold yet either ... or the KGB got to him!
"This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing."

€800 is a tempting price. Within the limits of a few individuals here chipping in to buy it... but mounting something that size would be a challenge.

That's not your average scope!
With the weight, it certainly is not the ideal scope to start off with as a first scope in an observatory. A mount for that could cost a 5 figure sum.
As for you the seller is, I think I know whom it may be - a few of us here may know the person in question actually. However. i won't name the person as I could be wrong. Not many people in this country would be able to get equipment like that.

Even if you went ahead and got this scope, its not like it comes with a 2" focuser, you'd need to make up your own rear cell adapter in order to do anything with or you will be stuck using very particular film with it .??
It says it has an aperture of 370mm and its collimatable. how would you even start collimating something like that ??
Is the focal plane curved ? and since it was designed for space with zero G, maybe its lenses are ultra thin so would they distort in earth gravity, ?? dunno...
I can think of much easier ways of getting a 14.5 inch scope ...

I could take a guess at the seller aswell ...

IF I was in charge of a museum or won the lotto (the add says its worth over 200,000e), then maybe.
I don't think you'd get it for e800 somehow

The add says "This listing was ended by the seller because there was an error in the listing."
so guessing there's no one with a nice project

Like others here, I'd love to know the story behind this one. The mind boggles as to how a scope from the outskirts of Moscow, ends up in Westmeath, in the hands of a philatelist.

Granted it hardly a "Grab and Go Scope", but what a potential project