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Subject: Re: vote by xxx.xxx.6.55 By: Anonymous (xxx.xxx.96.79) Date: 06/05/2004 08:04:40 pm PST I agree with this, having owned one since 1972. I've since moved up to bigger and better scopes, but I would recommend this scope highly, it is very dependable, easy to setup and use and like already mentioned the optics are excellent. If you beef up the mount ( I mounted the GEM on an concrete pier) you will have a wonderful scope. I used to slpit doubles that my 8" reflector couldn't. I'll never regret having purchased this scope nor will ever part with it. >This is a "NO FRILLS" nothing fancy telescope form the 60's or 70's. The rating is mostly based on the optical performance. It's a white aluminum tube lined with flocking paper on the inside and three cardboard stops.It does not have an adjustable cell and the focuser is not very smooth. It is however optically excellent. Planetary perforemance is superb! Excellent contrast and sharpness. Under good conditions it easily handles 350X showing a wealth of detail on Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter's moons are resolved into tiny orbs and the GRS is easily visible. Detail within the belts is also visible. The Cassini,s division is obvious along with the Crepe ring. Diffraction patterns are virtually identical in and out of focus. It does have some negligable color that is practically gone as magnification increases. It's wonderful scope to own! Subject: Re: vote by xxx.xxx.6.55 By: Anonymous (xxx.xxx.89.94) In Reply to: Anonymous (xxx.xxx.96.79) (Original Message) Date: 05/30/2005 09:23:52 pm PST I wholly concur with the other two opinions on here. After having wanted a 4" Edmund refractor as a teenager in the late 1970s (but purchasing a RV-6 and later an orange C-8 instead), I recently bought one of these on an online astronomy classifieds website. Although build quality (especially of the mount) is fair at best, the optics (rumored to have been Zeiss seconds) are absolutely exquisite. I put my newly acquired 4" Edmund refractor up against a Questar 3.5" at a recent star party, and contrast and resolution were comparable if not better. On head-to-head tests on stars, Saturn, Jupiter and the moon versus my orange C-8 and a Meade 826 8" f/6 (made circa 1980), the 4" Edmund refractor provided crisp razor-sharp views and is bested in resolution only slightly by the Meade 826, which has a superb mirror. Star images provide textbook diffraction rings. If you like long-focus refractors for viewing planets, the moon and double stars and can find one of these increasingly rare gems used, buy it! It's a great value and piece of history. >I agree with this, having owned one since 1972. I've since moved up to bigger and better scopes, but I would recommend this scope highly, it is very dependable, easy to setup and use and like already mentioned the optics are excellent. If you beef up the mount ( I mounted the GEM on an concrete pier) you will have a wonderful scope. I used to slpit doubles that my 8" reflector couldn't. I'll never regret having purchased this scope nor will ever part with it. >> >>This is a "NO FRILLS" nothing fancy telescope form the 60's or 70's. The rating is mostly based on the optical performance. It's a white aluminum tube lined with flocking paper on the inside and three cardboard stops.It does not have an adjustable cell and the focuser is not very smooth. It is however optically excellent. Planetary perforemance is superb! Excellent contrast and sharpness. Under good conditions it easily handles 350X showing a wealth of detail on Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter's moons are resolved into tiny orbs and the GRS is easily visible. Detail within the belts is also visible. The Cassini,s division is obvious along with the Crepe ring. Diffraction patterns are virtually identical in and out of focus. It does have some negligable color that is practically gone as magnification increases. It's wonderful scope to own! Page 1 of 1 | ||||||||
