Mark,
Whilst I agree that the Unitron scopes have been surpassed in many ways, the best images of the planets (Jupiter & Saturn) have been through
the 4".
Great detail and colour, that has only been bettered by much larger scopes recently.
The 4" scopes had "ears" on the lens cell to allow some collimation.
With a good optical train (from front to back) you were always presented with great images. I've pushed my 4" up to 400x, still with clear results.
Out of all the "ole school scopes" these would have to be one of the best.
The Unitron series is like comparing an old Ferrari with a new one.
Sure the new one does everything better, but it still lacks the soul & history of the old one.
I'm currently restoring my UNITRON/Polarex Telescope 60mm refractor.
The objective is 60mm and focal length is 900mm.It is branded Polarex on the drawtube focuser
Is it an alt-az or eq? I've got the faster 60x700 as a guidescope on my 102mm. There's some good resources around for helping you track down any missing bits - the yahoo Unitron group and the classic scopes list on cloudy nights.
Good luck - I love these old achros, I've got two, and they still get used regularly.
Cheers,
Andrew.
I'm drooling down memory lane here....My high school in Canberra,Narrabundah College, had a 3" EQ that I used for a while in 78-79, it's probably still there. Can still remember the smell of the wooden case it came in. Art masquerading as science...beautiful scopes.
Matt
Is it an alt-az or eq? I've got the faster 60x700 as a guidescope on my 102mm. There's some good resources around for helping you track down any missing bits - the yahoo Unitron group and the classic scopes list on cloudy nights.
Good luck - I love these old achros, I've got two, and they still get used regularly.
Cheers,
Andrew.
It is alt-az mount.Yeah I need parts for it.The drawtube focuser has only one knob/screw on the right hand side.The objective lens will need a clean.
I will need advice on how to fix it.
I'm drooling down memory lane here....My high school in Canberra,Narrabundah College, had a 3" EQ that I used for a while in 78-79, it's probably still there. Can still remember the smell of the wooden case it came in. Art masquerading as science...beautiful scopes.
Matt
I taught in Canberra from 1974 to 1984 and regularly used my 3" Equatorial Unitron with interested parents and students on planned astronomy evenings. It proved to be an ideal telescope in terms of setup and size as it performed very well on planets, clusters and double stars. I still have it and in fact must at least a couple of others around the house somewhere.
I've used that 7" 'scope you mention. At the end of the day its a 7" telescope so unless you are in to deep sky astrophotography, a good 10" Newtonian will leave it for dust visually
It's been a while so the memory has faded a bit, but I think it might be a tiny bit misleading to say that a 10" Newt' would beat the pants off it.. (maybe Andrew could chime in here..?) Certainly, a good 10" Newtonian would afford a better view on most things with the exception of double stars with a high magnitude differential. Resolving Antares for example is pretty much routine with a 7" AP. Also on nights of exceptional seeing, the axial star images would show text book diffraction patterns. In my experience, it is more difficult to see this in even a perfect Newtonian due to light scatter from the reflective coating.
In any event, I will say this;
In my days when I had the option of using either a well baffled 12.5" Newtonian or the 7" AP, the Newtonian was the preferred choice every time without exception by a country mile.... but that was a superb Newtonian.
As for imaging, I think the case for a refractor isn't as strong as it is often made out to be, with perhaps one exception (FSQ106)
Due to the secondary required, it just isn't practicable to build a reflector that can cover that sized image plane with a 500mm focal length.
Maybe Bratislav could do a cameo and present a prescription for a badass Companar derivative and prove me wrong... ?
With the single sided focuser and well made 24mm finder ? If so ,
nice.
Brian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr bruess
I'm currently restoring my UNITRON/Polarex Telescope 60mm refractor.
The objective is 60mm and focal length is 900mm.It is branded Polarex on the drawtube focuser
It is alt-az mount.Yeah I need parts for it.The drawtube focuser has only one knob/screw on the right hand side.The objective lens will need a clean.
I will need advice on how to fix it.
Most of the 60mm Unitrons only had one focus knob, as far as I recall.
The other thing is the aluminium tape in the objective deteriorates and may need to be replaced if you pull the objective apart for a clean.
Clive's point about the merits of a 10 and a 7 is well taken, in fact I've never split Antares with my 10" newt (and it's a good one), but I've only tried a few times. One of my Unitrons does it regularly, the other can't.
I've seen the horsehead through the 10", but I don't think I'll bother with the 'tron.
For Lunar and Solar viewing these scopes are hard to beat, and side by side with my Tak FSQ106, there's not a lot of difference at the same magnification. Correction wise, and photographically, obviously the Tak's a different animal.
But set a Unitron up at any public outing, and it will be seconds before someone says - 'Now that LOOKS like a REAL telescope...' Its even got a very cool set of driveshafts and gearboxes down to where the motor sits on the spreader.
Cheers,
Andrew.
I taught in Canberra from 1974 to 1984 and regularly used my 3" Equatorial Unitron with interested parents and students on planned astronomy evenings. It proved to be an ideal telescope in terms of setup and size as it performed very well on planets, clusters and double stars. I still have it and in fact must at least a couple of others around the house somewhere.
Where did you teach Steve? Did you ever get up to the Oddie on Stromlo? Not sure how my school did it, but sure glad they did Have had the refractor bug ever since. Lastly are the wooden piers solid wood or a veneer over something else? Always wanted one of course.... still drooling
Matt
As a serious ATM'er I read the Cloudy Nights Classic Scopes section avidly and enjoy the stories of restoration and admire the beautiful results. They are works of art for sure and the history just adds to the mana of the equipment. They also appeal to my 'SteamPunk' tendencies. I have a great desire to start an astro\optical section at Motat ( Museum of Transport and Technology) over here in Auckland. One day maybe, plenty of space to build an old style dome and even make it usable.
I have yet to see a Polarex or Unitron come up for sale over here in NZ although amazingly I spotted a 10" Cave mirror at an astro swap meet at Star Dome last year. Couldn't justify buying it but I keep my eye open for old refractors and eventually I hope to be in a position to restore one to it's former glory.
Northland Astro society has one , a Polerex 60mm Alt AZ , and I used to use it as a teaching aid to show the differance between a " Real " scope the Polerex , and the terrible dept store scopes .( trying to save a few x - amateur astronomers . )
I rebuilt this scope after it was donated by an elderly member , yea , REAL ! well made and sexy scopes It is still there , I think .
Brian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
As a serious ATM'er I read the Cloudy Nights Classic Scopes section avidly and enjoy the stories of restoration and admire the beautiful results. They are works of art for sure and the history just adds to the mana of the equipment. They also appeal to my 'SteamPunk' tendencies. I have a great desire to start an astro\optical section at Motat ( Museum of Transport and Technology) over here in Auckland. One day maybe, plenty of space to build an old style dome and even make it usable.
I have yet to see a Polarex or Unitron come up for sale over here in NZ although amazingly I spotted a 10" Cave mirror at an astro swap meet at Star Dome last year. Couldn't justify buying it but I keep my eye open for old refractors and eventually I hope to be in a position to restore one to it's former glory.
Here's a few pictures of my Polarex/Unitron 60mm refractor
Here's a few pictures of my Polarex/Unitron 60mm refractor
It has a metal finderscope. Probaby 8 by 24mm.
I own a museum telescope that still performs well by today's standards.
There's 3 red dots on the objective lens holder.
The tube is all metal.
yea the 6x24 finder ,, the 910mm f/l ,,
,,,, these finders work so well little scopes on their own right's . Cool.
thats why they are rare as hen's teeth these days , lots got stolen by the kids ( and rissoles ) so they had a REAL Piriate's scope ???
fit's in your pocket ???? ...
I caught a 20 year old visiter to the " northland astro societies " public night doing just this ... ( in the club rooms while everyone was using the C14 ) he payed lots of PENNENCE .. for weeks after that man !@! boy ??? .
Good score your baby, Glenn , a real piece of history . .
Brian
Picked up another 60mm today in Canberra ............. its not bad but the foil spacers are shot and have moved, will see what its like should I get a cloud free night.
Hi Peter,
Did you ever get to restoring this scope, still interested in restoring if your keen, have some engineers at my disposal from work (university of Newcastle) and are keen to help, I know is been awhile just come across this old tread.
Cheers Donovan
Hi. New member.
I have a 75mm Polarex In excellent condition. I bought it in the seventies brand new. I didnt use it as much as I thought I would so it has been stored for most of that time. It has an Alt-Az mount,all the eye pieces,wooden tripod,the original wooden case and even the original brown paper and wood shaving packaging. I dont use it and would like to pass it on to somebody who will appreciate it more than I do. Could someone tell me the best way to go about that
Northland Astro society has one , a Polerex 60mm Alt AZ , and I used to use it as a teaching aid to show the differance between a " Real " scope the Polerex , and the terrible dept store 
scopes .( trying to save a few x - amateur astronomers . ) 
scopes It is still there , I think .
( in the club rooms while everyone was using the C14 ) he payed lots of PENNENCE .. for weeks after that man !@! boy ??? . 
.
