Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector

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Brand and Model:Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector
Price ($USD):65
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:102mm (4")
f Ratio:f/10
Focal Length:1020mm
Finder:6 x 23
Electric Power:
Mount:Eq
Tripod:
Weight (lbs):
Dimensions (w/h/d):
Description:Beginner's 4 1/4" reflector manufactured in the 1956 - 1960 era. No clock drive nor slow motion controls. The mirror was spherical. Included two eyepieces and a barlow. The tube was black or white.

1.25" Rack & Pinion Focuser
4 Vane Spider
1.5" MA Secondary
4.25" Primary

Vote Highlights Vote
Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector
I have the later version of this from the late 60's early 70's. It has the red tube OTA and the optics are known to be better than the older versions.

I changed the secondary to a 0.8"MA and textured interior of tube. The contrast is wonderful. I have it mounted on a CG-4 that has been relubed and de-burred. Operation is smooth and the views show wonderful clarity. Cassini divisions easily diserned. Seeing how I paid $30.00 for the OTA and traded even up a Dynascope 4" for the new CG-4 I am very impressed by this portable scope.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:10 Ease of Use:8 Value:10
Weight: 40 (Reputable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=91202

Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector
This was my first telescope, given to me by my parents as a christmas present in 1957. Sadly, it was a terrible instrument, and almost cost me my interest in astronomy.

Planets and stars were always fuzzy - only the moon looked half way decent. The mount was a perpetual motion machine - a tap on the tube would start a 20 second dance! You could see a bad weld on the equatorial mount, which may have contributed to the instability. The eyepieces were of very poor quality (ramsden, as I recall).

In all fairness, I may have gotten a bad model, and since I didn't know much about collimation, it may have been way off, thus compromising the optics.

At any rate, a friend had a 2.4" refractor, and the views were so superior I ended up selling the Edmund and getting a Unitron. From that one bad experience, I have avoided reflectors and the brand Edmund from the rest of my life!

Overall Rating: 1
Optics:1 Mount:1 Ease of Use:4 Value:1
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=139315 

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You were acurrate in that is was most likely out ov collimation. These were optically very good. The mounts were poor to keep it an entry level scope.

Too bad you did not have someone to collimate for you. It would have blown you away. I have mine mounted on a CG0-4 and love the little rascal.

iven to me by my parents as a christmas present in 1957.  Sadly, it was a terrible instrument, and almost cost me my interest in astronomy.
>
>Planets and stars were always fuzzy - only the moon looked half way decent.  The mount was a perpetual motion machine -  a tap on the tube would start a 20 second dance!  You could see a bad weld on the equatorial mount, which may have contributed to the instability.  The eyepieces were of very poor quality (ramsden, as I recall).
>
>In all fairness, I may have gotten a bad model, and since I didn't know much about collimation, it may have been way off, thus compromising the optics.
>
>At any rate, a friend had a 2.4" refractor, and the views were so superior I ended up selling the Edmund and getting a Unitron.  From that one bad experience, I have avoided reflectors and the brand Edmund from the rest of my life!
Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector
These are numerous,some optically excellent. i have two,1 made in the 50's, mirror was cast by Upco(chicago) figured
by some prof. at a local university. f/11.3,wonderful images.the 2nd. probably made in 89' by Edmund ,and build quality is terrible(so much for the storied red tube edmunds) it sports the 4.25" primary,and a 2and1/8" secondary. way oversize for f/10.6? basicly it seems to have been constructed by a drunk. i have used the 'scope and it is needing "adjustment" why anyone thinks the red tubed edmunds are of better quality is crazy, the "comet halley" curse was upon this industry. try a nice circle v,
(vixen)or even a towa? sadly after '85 the money maddness ruined manufacturing lof quality 'scopes.
however if you look for earlier insturments you can find
good ones(ps.try your local university? they used to sell
nice'stuff , to make way for new expensive stuff.)
was upon this

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Mount:6 Ease of Use:8 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=601113

Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector
Orion XT 6 Classic (Electronics)I've had my SkyQuest XT6 for almost a month. One of the parts didn't make it with the leoesctpe and it was a week later until it came. So I had a brand new leoesctpe that I couldn't use for a week. I've always heard that Orion has a reputation of great customer service, and I don't doubt that. But it shouldn't have taken a week after the day my leoesctpe arrived to get a very small part to me small but required, to be able to turn the scope on its mount. As to its performance, to me the XT6 is pretty amazing. I once had a Newtonian with an 8 mirror that I had custom-made to precise optics and it didn't perform as good as this off the shelf XT6. I live in the city so deep sky objects that are observable are few, so I haven't been able to test it on those yet. But my passion is lunar and planetary observing anyway. The craters and mountains on the Moon are absolutely razor sharp. Jupiter is also crisp and well-defined, and is a spectacular sight with its 4 largest moons. Seeing 2 moons on each side of the planet, all 4 lined up in a straight line, is an awesome sight. The Dobsonian mount is very sturdy and stable. And that's the one thing I would put a note of caution on the weight of the leoesctpe if you're a senior citizen (like me) and/or have a bad back or bad neck (like me), or bad knees or whatever. The optical tube weighs about 13 lbs and the Dobsonian mount about 20 lbs. Doesn't sound like much, but the 20 lbs all concentrated in a relatively small area even using the handle on the mount may be very heavy for certain people, or for a child to try to handle. But if you're strong and in good physical shape, the leoesctpe should be no problem for you. And last of all, the most amazing thing about the XT6 is the unbelievable quality of the optics and mount at such an incredibly low price. This has got to be the best deal on the market for a moderate size Newtonian leoesctpe. I can't imagine anyone having a better 6 f/8 Newtonian reflector even at a higher price. The XT6 is a beautiful optical instrument that I'm extremely proud to have. One other thing that I forgot to mention before: The leoesctpe was almost perfectly collimated upon delivery. I had only to tweek it just a hair to get it centered. This is very remarkable when you consider how easy it is to get a Newtonian's optics out of alignment, and that the XT6 arrives by UPS truck. I tip my hat to Orion for that.

Overall Rating: 1
Optics:6 Mount:0 Ease of Use:8 Value:6
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=599756

Edmund 4 1/4" Reflector
I had the Palomar 'white' tube. The scope matched or bettered a Cave 6" Newt. Apparently there were some better than others? The eyepieces were first class. I am tempted to buy another for nostalgia reasons. I currently own; 3 1/2" Questar, Sv80s, CGE1400, 4" Vixen FL, C8 orange

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Mount:8 Ease of Use:8 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=583526

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