2. Other

Other Telescopes & Optics

I have owned, made and acquired various instruments over time. I've made the optics to a number of reflector telescopes over the past 35 plus years. Most of the homemade telescopes were given away or sold for a very reasonable cost. I don't have many pictures of the old instruments. At this time I own several Jaegers refractors, a Cave and a large Star-Liner and the neat little Palomar Jr. They are listed under seperate Galleries. I have other homemade instruments in various stages of completion and some that are in use. The largest project is a 16 inch f-5 f-20 Newtonian Cassegrain I have been building for more than 15 years. The optics are done, but everything is so expensive it still will be a number of years till the telscope is finished to my satisfaction. This Gallery will show some optical testing equipment, the old folded Buchroeder off axis mirror, a Horace Dall spherometer, etc. Also you can see other telescopes I use on occassion and they are interesting to see too. More to follow!!
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  • I watched a lot of the 2003 Mars Opposition with this telescope as pictured in my back yard in the summer of that year. This 3.25 inch Jaegers lens is mounted in a homemade telescope. The instrument yeilds very beautiful images! The mount is an Edmund Scientific from late 1960's or early 70's. The colorful tripod is from a surveyors transit.

    I watched a lot of the 2003 Mars Opposition with this telescope as pictured in my back yard in the summer of that year. This 3.25 inch Jaegers lens is mounted in a homemade telescope. The instrument yeilds very beautiful images! The mount is an Edmund Scientific from late 1960's or early 70's. The colorful tripod is from a surveyors transit.

  • 10 inch f-20 Primary Mirror damaged. This was to be a primary mirror for an f-20 Off axis Schiefspigler Telescope.

    10 inch f-20 Primary Mirror damaged. This was to be a primary mirror for an f-20 Off axis Schiefspigler Telescope.

  • Al Paslow, and my 10 inch f-20 primary mirror for a Buchroeder reflecting Schiefspigler Telescope. I broke this mirror in the early 70's while attemping to remove a small central zone during "hot pressing" the mirror on the pitch lap. I slipped on some water on the floor and broke a section from the mirror trying to place a heavy weight on to the combination. I made this mirror shortly after this particular design was sent to me directly from Richard Buchroeder, in 1971. It was a modification of the design which appeared in Sky & Telescope Dec 1969. The modification was called O'Neil- Buchroeder Schiefspiegler" and no one had compleated an instrument of this type. This mirror might well have been the first.

    Al Paslow, and my 10 inch f-20 primary mirror for a Buchroeder reflecting Schiefspigler Telescope. I broke this mirror in the early 70's while attemping to remove a small central zone during "hot pressing" the mirror on the pitch lap. I slipped on some water on the floor and broke a section from the mirror trying to place a heavy weight on to the combination. I made this mirror shortly after this particular design was sent to me directly from Richard Buchroeder, in 1971. It was a modification of the design which appeared in Sky & Telescope Dec 1969. The modification was called O'Neil- Buchroeder Schiefspiegler" and no one had compleated an instrument of this type. This mirror might well have been the first.

  • This is an original spherometer made by the world famous telescope and instrument maker "Horace Dall" sitting on a 4.25 inch Pyrex telescope mirror blank. I obtained this device directly from a former telescope maker in England and have all documentation on this including letters from Mr.Dall himself! Horace Dall is the co-inventor of the Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain Telescope. Also pictured is a 6 inch optical flat used for referencing the dial indicator on the spherometer. Al Paslow telescope collection.

    This is an original spherometer made by the world famous telescope and instrument maker "Horace Dall" sitting on a 4.25 inch Pyrex telescope mirror blank. I obtained this device directly from a former telescope maker in England and have all documentation on this including letters from Mr.Dall himself! Horace Dall is the co-inventor of the Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain Telescope. Also pictured is a 6 inch optical flat used for referencing the dial indicator on the spherometer. Al Paslow telescope collection.

  • This is a 6 inch Zerodur optical flat with a percision digital spherical micrometer. All part of my collection.

    This is a 6 inch Zerodur optical flat with a percision digital spherical micrometer. All part of my collection.

  • This is an 8 inch optical flat made of Zerodur ceramic glass. I use this flat for making refractor or cassegrain optics. The instrument next to it is a spherical digital micrometer which is accurate to within 50 millionths of an inch !! Al Paslow telescope collection

    This is an 8 inch optical flat made of Zerodur ceramic glass. I use this flat for making refractor or cassegrain optics. The instrument next to it is a spherical digital micrometer which is accurate to within 50 millionths of an inch !! Al Paslow telescope collection

  • Joe Begandy at the eyepiece of the historic 11 inch Brashear Telescope. Located in Deer Lakes Park, Russellton PA.

    Joe Begandy at the eyepiece of the historic 11 inch Brashear Telescope. Located in Deer Lakes Park, Russellton PA.

  • This is the tube assembly of my original 8 inch relector telescope built between 1967 and 1970. I ground and polished the mirror and used a Parks "blue" fiberglass tube. The focuser is Telescopics and the finder is a genuine "Unitron" 10 x 40 mm item. I placed some photography charts to the instrument in the early 70's and they are still attached .

    This is the tube assembly of my original 8 inch relector telescope built between 1967 and 1970. I ground and polished the mirror and used a Parks "blue" fiberglass tube. The focuser is Telescopics and the finder is a genuine "Unitron" 10 x 40 mm item. I placed some photography charts to the instrument in the early 70's and they are still attached .

  • Another image of my homemade 8 inch f-8 reflector telescope. I made the 8 inch primary mirror and polished it to about 1/12 wave or better. The larger finder is a University Optics 2.4 inch refractor. The small other finder is a Unitron.

    Another image of my homemade 8 inch f-8 reflector telescope. I made the 8 inch primary mirror and polished it to about 1/12 wave or better. The larger finder is a University Optics 2.4 inch refractor. The small other finder is a Unitron.

  • The Moon Aug 2004 in 20 inch Manka telescope

    The Moon Aug 2004 in 20 inch Manka telescope

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  • Al Paslow, me observing with the 10 inch f-12 Refracting telescope at Mingo Observatory, in Washington County Pennsylvania in October 2004. Eugene Kulakowski, of Cannonsburg, PA helps steady the ladder.

    Al Paslow, me observing with the 10 inch f-12 Refracting telescope at Mingo Observatory, in Washington County Pennsylvania in October 2004. Eugene Kulakowski, of Cannonsburg, PA helps steady the ladder.

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  • 6 inch Zerodur Optical Flat in my collection. Also pictured is a percision spherical micrometer accurate to 50 millionths of an inch!!

    6 inch Zerodur Optical Flat in my collection. Also pictured is a percision spherical micrometer accurate to 50 millionths of an inch!!

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  • C-8 on left and 6 inch refractor on the right. The telescopes were used to compare images of the moon and Mars during the 2005 Aparition of Mars. The C - 8 revealed modest detail, primarly due to the telescopes large central obstruction. The images of Mars and the moon were a lot better in the 6 inch refractor, exhibiting more detail and contrast. The planet Mars's entire disk actually looked noticably "redder" in the refractor. Image taken during the fall of 2005.

    C-8 on left and 6 inch refractor on the right. The telescopes were used to compare images of the moon and Mars during the 2005 Aparition of Mars. The C - 8 revealed modest detail, primarly due to the telescopes large central obstruction. The images of Mars and the moon were a lot better in the 6 inch refractor, exhibiting more detail and contrast. The planet Mars's entire disk actually looked noticably "redder" in the refractor. Image taken during the fall of 2005.

  • C - 8 with factory Byers Drive.

    C - 8 with factory Byers Drive.

  • Here we see the observers end of the 6 inch Jaegers instrument. Notice the original red focusing knobs.

    Here we see the observers end of the 6 inch Jaegers instrument. Notice the original red focusing knobs.

  • 8 inch Celestron and 6 inch Jaegers refractor waite as the sky grows darker to do Lunar & planetary Observing. The refractor gave much better images. Taken during opposition of Mars October 2005.

    8 inch Celestron and 6 inch Jaegers refractor waite as the sky grows darker to do Lunar & planetary Observing. The refractor gave much better images. Taken during opposition of Mars October 2005.

  • An 8 inch Celestron with star bright coatings and factory Byers Drive getting ready to look at Mars.

    An 8 inch Celestron with star bright coatings and factory Byers Drive getting ready to look at Mars.

  • ...Looking into another refractor lens assembly.

    ...Looking into another refractor lens assembly.

  • Another project finish a new 6 inch refractor. Here you can see the doublet.

    Another project finish a new 6 inch refractor. Here you can see the doublet.

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  • This is a 4 inch Jaegers f - 8.6 refractor that I acquired from Vincent J. Catanzaro of Philadelphia, PA 19152. The telescope tube assembly was bought and assembled by Vincent from all Jaegers parts in 1970. It has sharp, contrasty images despite the short lens focal length.

    This is a 4 inch Jaegers f - 8.6 refractor that I acquired from Vincent J. Catanzaro of Philadelphia, PA 19152. The telescope tube assembly was bought and assembled by Vincent from all Jaegers parts in 1970. It has sharp, contrasty images despite the short lens focal length.

  • The Jaegers tube assembly is mounted on an Edmund Scientific Co mount. In this close-up you can see the classic red focusing knobs which were trademark of the Jaegers telescopes.

    The Jaegers tube assembly is mounted on an Edmund Scientific Co mount. In this close-up you can see the classic red focusing knobs which were trademark of the Jaegers telescopes.

  • 4 inch Jaegers f 8.6 telescope tube assembly on Edmund mount. Typical Jaegers lens quality, yields very nice lunar and planetary images that exceeds 60x per inch.

    4 inch Jaegers f 8.6 telescope tube assembly on Edmund mount. Typical Jaegers lens quality, yields very nice lunar and planetary images that exceeds 60x per inch.

  • Observers end of the 4 inch Jeages telescope.

    Observers end of the 4 inch Jeages telescope.

  • In this image my 5 year old daughter Stormie hugs the telescope.

    In this image my 5 year old daughter Stormie hugs the telescope.

  • Equatorial mount of the 11 inch Breashear Telescope

    Equatorial mount of the 11 inch Breashear Telescope

  • 11 inch Brashear refractor at Wagman Observatory

    11 inch Brashear refractor at Wagman Observatory

  • Me working a 4 inch blank

    Me working a 4 inch blank

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    C-8 on left and 6 inch refractor on the right. The telescopes were used to compare images of the moon and Mars during the 2005 Aparition of Mars. The C - 8 revealed modest detail, primarly due to the telescopes large central obstruction. The images of Mars and the moon were a lot better in the 6 inch refractor, exhibiting more detail and contrast. The planet Mars's entire disk actually looked noticably "redder" in the refractor. Image taken during the fall of 2005.
    C - 8 with factory Byers Drive.