Search Results for 'espin telescope'

[Dominic Ford (site admin)]

Posted by Paul A Brierley at 18:31 on 2010 Feb 17

Thank you David, and thank you Callum and Dale,David’s web site is very interesting. Had I been of workable age in the 1970’s I would have had one of those telescopes made by AE.It is encouraging to note, in this day and age of US, Japanese and Chinese made telescope. We still have two British manufactures of telescopes Orion Optics and David Lukehurst. So at least we are keeping the tradition alive of British built astronomical equipment.

[Dominic Ford (site admin)]

Posted by David Arditti at 21:51 on 2010 Feb 15

I used an AE Dall-Kirkham-Dall Cassegrain for some time. It was featured in a paper I wrote for the Journal (Vol 117 no 3) and I still have a webpage on it here:http://www.davidarditti.co.uk/astro/DKD.htmHowever it is now sold to a new owner. The new owner has a collection of AE scopes which he has lovingly restored. This collection also includes the smaller of Martin’s two AE Newtonians. However, he has no website concerning his collection.AE ceased production around 1980 I think. Jim Hysom, who ran it, continued to make optics under a new company name of Hytel for some time after that. He is now retired, but a restoration job he did for me on the above telescope was one of the last jobs he did.There is not much on the web about AE telescopes. There are still quite a few in use and they sometimes come up on sale on websites such as UK Astronomy Buy&Sell. A feature of the Newtonians generally was the skeleton construction with a single-legged secondary support, which allowed the whole secondary and focuser assembly to be moved up and down the tube, so easily facilitating the different focus positions needed for visual and photographic use. AE scopes were solidly-built and optically excellent and good value for their time, but I expect (hope) Jim will not mind me saying they were necessarily rather crude compared to what is available to amateurs today, and there would be little purpose in acquiring one today except for the historic interest and as a "period-piece".

[Dominic Ford (site admin)]

Posted by Paul A Brierley at 20:54 on 2010 Feb 15

I’ve been looking at this telescope on Martins web site. And wanted to know about the company who made it AE.Now I think that this company is know longer in business. But I seem to remember seeing an old catalogue from Telescope House (B C and F) from the mid 70’s showing telescopes made buy this company. Sadly I don’t have any more information.I’d be interested to know, whether there is anybody here with a web address where I can see telescopes made by AE if anybody has any information please can you pass it onto me.I think that these telescopes were at the time, the work horse of most UK amateur astronomers during the 1960s and 1970s and, although some were big, Martins is a fine example. They were British built and looked very professional. Today I’m afraid, with the GOTO revolution, amateur astronomers have it to easy (me included) and we are forgetting what it was like to do Astronomy in those good old day’s.

[Dominic Ford (site admin)]

Posted by Paul A Brierley at 17:54 on 2010 Feb 15

Dale Holt wrote:

What happened to that big reflector of his I wonder?Kind regards, Dale

That is a very good question Dale. It certainly did look impressive and I liked the novel approach for Paul’s observatory.When I had finished watching the video. I did a search to see whether there are, any UK based manufactures who make Fork Mounts, with large telescopes, of the type Paul was using. Sadly I didn’t find anything, which I thought was sad.I’d much rather use a Fork mounted reflector, over a Equatorial mounted reflector any day. I’m sure if Patrick was on here he wood agree.It is my wish to own a large telescope before or when I retire. And use it for visual Planetary and Lunar work. If I can find a 15" fork mounted telescope then I’d be very happy.In the mean time I’ll make do with my Orion SPX 200-800 "AG" on it’s Losmandy G11.

[Dominic Ford (site admin)]

Posted by Len Entwisle at 12:04 on 2010 Feb 12

Hi Paul , You may find this webpage of interest http://washedoutastronomy.com/content/kruger-60 . Kruger 60B component is a flare star DO Cephei . Might be worth a try with the Bradford Robotic Telescope Galaxy camera ? Let us alll know how you get on,Best wishes , Len E

[Dominic Ford (site admin)]

Posted by Paul A Brierley at 20:11 on 2010 Feb 07

HI Dale,I can’t help you with the drawings. But have you seen the February Sky at Night CD?There’s a fantastic archive Sky at Night program, featuring Paul with his telescope in Stoke on Trent.