Third Light, Unitron Model 142

[bladekeeper]

July 20, 2019

Had my third light on the Unitron. What about your first and second lights?

Got my first light in on Friday, 12 July. Had some nice views of Jupiter, the Moon, and Albireo. Also got a fun lunar image with the Unitron here: viewtopic.php?f=67&t=1739

I’d also set out the SV102T on the AVX. It was interesting to contrast the newer and older scopes with each other.

Second light came on Wednesday, 17 July. I was hoping to try for some doubles with the old scope. Dew was fierce. After a brief look at Jupiter and several eyepieces fogging over, I packed up.

Last night (third light) I was again hoping for some doubles. The finder scope on the Unitron is great, but being a straight-through finder, I thought it might be fun to see if I could mount the OTA on my Twilight II mount along side the ST80 and use the ST80 as a finder. Problem was, I didn’t have any rings small enough to fit the OTA. I ended up pulling the rings and dovetail off the C80, wrapping the Unitron in a hand towel, and enclosing the rings around that. Not quite as snug as I would have liked, but secure enough for safety.

While this worked well enough, I didn’t quite have the altitude synced between both scopes. Actually, the Unitron sagged just enough in the loose rings to make the FOV about one FOV lower than the ST80. A little frustrating.

I watched Jupiter a while. I kept a 32mm Plössl in the ST80, and with the Unitron I used an old 26mm Celestron Halloween Plössl, a 12.5mm Coulter Volcano top ortho, a 15mm Plössl, and my KK 18mm ortho.

Seeing wasn’t the best. Jupiter would be sharp one second and fuzzy the next. I did see nicely contrasted equatorial belts with the 12.5mm. Nary a hint of CA.

Saturn provided a similar view. A hint of the Cassini division and Titan was on display.

I tried to locate globular cluster M4. While it was readily available in the ST80, I just couldn’t manage to get the Unitron on the glob. That made me stop.

I kicked off an imaging sequence on the nearby SV102T, and then grabbed my 11×70 binoculars and sat back in my chair. Nabbed M4, M22, M20, M17, M81, M82, M57, the Coathanger, Albireo, and some other random things.

Once the Moon made an appearance, I kept the Unitron trained on Luna for the remainder of the evening. Excellent and sharp views of the lunar surface, even with the 12.5mm. I should have pushed it further with a 9mm, but I didn’t. The view is quality and high definition during moments of steady seeing. Lots of bad air last night.

The humidity ramped up considerably and when the temperature met the dewpoint, I closed up shop on the visual portion of the evening.

The Twilight II experiment with the Unitron was fun, but I think I prefer this scope mounting on its original equatorial mount and tripod. Far more stable that way. That mount and tripod are quite robust and solid as a rock. So is the Twilight II, but the older mount is better suited for the longer OTA.

Anyway, that was my night last night with the Unitron. I really like this scope and am proud to have it. Hoping to get my good doubles session in soon. Just been too stressed out lately to get my head in the proper frame of mind.

All I’ve got. Peace and clear skies friends.

[Lady Fraktor]

Very nice Bryan, such a beautiful telescope. Glad you have had some chances to enjoy it.
Now if you would just put an eyepiece in the SV instead of a camera

[bladekeeper]

Very nice Bryan, such a beautiful telescope. Glad you have had some chances to enjoy it.
Now if you would just put an eyepiece in the SV instead of a camera

I know! I was planning on working back through the Messier Catalog with the SV! I've only got five logged!

[notFritzArgelander]

Very cool. I would envy but in retirement I'm developing an internal Chancellor of the Exchequer. I'd like to get a look through a Unitron someday.

[bladekeeper]

Very cool. I would envy but in retirement I'm developing an internal Chancellor of the Exchequer. I'd like to get a look through a Unitron someday.

I've got a total of $27.00 invested in this Unitron so far, and that was for the 1.25" visual back from ScopeStuff.

If you ever find yourself in my area, you are always welcome try this one, my friend!

[notFritzArgelander]

Very cool. I would envy but in retirement I'm developing an internal Chancellor of the Exchequer. I'd like to get a look through a Unitron someday.

I've got a total of $27.00 invested in this Unitron so far, and that was for the 1.25" visual back from ScopeStuff.

If you ever find yourself in my area, you are always welcome try this one, my friend!

Such a deal! Great job on the acquisition! I had forgotten....

[KingNothing13]

Sounds like it was more than worth it!

[AbbN]

She looks like a real sweetheart Bryan!

Abb

[Bigzmey]

Congrats on the first lights Bryan! Sorting out accessories and tweaking mounts for the new scope is fun (at least for me ). I have 6x30 RACI from Orion which is much lighter than 8x50 and also gives wider FOV. I wonder if you can adapt similar RACI for your Unitron.

[bladekeeper]

Sounds like it was more than worth it!

Thanks, Brett!

She looks like a real sweetheart Bryan!

Abb

Thanks, Abb!

Congrats on the first lights Bryan! Sorting out accessories and tweaking mounts for the new scope is fun (at least for me ). I have 6x30 RACI from Orion which is much lighter than 8x50 and also gives wider FOV. I wonder if you can adapt similar RACI for your Unitron.

Thanks, Andrey! I enjoy the tweaking as well. I will look into the 6x30 option. I have a Celestron straight finder that size. I will check and see if it will fit the existing rings and looking into the Orion option.

[John Baars]

Very nice instrument, the Unitron.
Never take a grand old lady from her rightfull old mount and put it on one of those modern things. Well.....she punished you for that by sagging through.
Thanks for your report!

[bladekeeper]

Very nice instrument, the Unitron.
Never take a grand old lady from her rightfull old mount and put it on one of those modern things. Well.....she punished you for that by sagging through.
Thanks for your report!

Hahaha! True, indeed! Thanks, John!

[StarBru]

Okay, third try to comment on this. ( I keep getting kicked off!)

Such a beautiful classic telescope! I thoroughly enjoyed this report and the pics, Bryan! I hope the weather allows more observing for you soon so I can hear of some comparisons between this scope and your other refractors!

[helicon]

Just beautiful frac! I hope it gives you many more hours of enjoyment.

And Congrats on the third light.

[bladekeeper]

Okay, third try to comment on this. ( I keep getting kicked off!)

Such a beautiful classic telescope! I thoroughly enjoyed this report and the pics, Bryan! I hope the weather allows more observing for you soon so I can hear of some comparisons between this scope and your other refractors!

Thanks, Bruce! Should hopefully have some good sky tomorrow evening. Been too tired and stressed lately to do much with anything.

Just beautiful frac! I hope it gives you many more hours of enjoyment.

And Congrats on the third light.

Thans, Michael!

[Unitron48]

Congrats on the Third Light! Glad the Unitron is getting some use!!

Dave

[bladekeeper]

Congrats on the Third Light! Glad the Unitron is getting some use!!

Dave

She has some battle scars, but she's a good one, Dave! Sitting right here in the living room all mounted up right beside me.

I had a heck of a time trying to figure out how to focus the finder scope. I accidentally pulled on the eyepiece...huh, ain't that something?

[kt4hx]

Nice Bryan, something special about excellent vintage scopes.

[bladekeeper]

Nice Bryan, something special about excellent vintage scopes.

Thanks Alan!

I tried it again last night but between phone calls, texts, and a 45 minute spiel about the status of play on a video game, I was so stressed out that just went back inside and left everything sitting in the yard. Sheesh!

[kt4hx]

Nice Bryan, something special about excellent vintage scopes.

Thanks Alan!

I tried it again last night but between phone calls, texts, and a 45 minute spiel about the status of play on a video game, I was so stressed out that just went back inside and left everything sitting in the yard. Sheesh!

Life finds a way to ruin almost every good thing at some point!