Rare Vintage 1974 Questar 3. 5 " Standard Telescope - Many




Item History & Price

Information:
Reference Number: Avaluer:521273Type: Catadioptric
Max. Magnification: More Than 100xBrand: Questar
Objective Lens Diameter: 61-100 mmModel: Standard 3.5'
Mount Type: Equatorial or AzimuthMPN: Standard
Features: Dew Shield, Lens Cover, Motorized, MountedLens Coating: Fully Coated
Original Description:
pghtechie presents...Rare Vintage Questar "Standard" 3.5-inch Telescope*** Includes Many Additional Accessories ***You are bidding on a gently used Questar "Standard" model 3.5" telescope that I purchased new in 1974. It is in excellent working condition.  The Questar Standard 3.5 has long been regarded as the finest personal telescope in the world. In addition to the telescope's legendary resolution, flatness of field and contrast, the Standard has integrated features that ...are unavailable with other telescopes. The American made Questar telescopes have for more than sixty years conveyed fun and awe by means of their innovation and state of the art precision construction. Imitated but still not yet equaled, these are the finest Catadioptric (mirror-lens) telescopes ever in production. They have been highly evolved to take advantage of technology improvements over the decades, yet without compromising those attributes that make them uniquely attractive to their owners.This instrument has the vitreous ceramic ("Cer-Vit") mirror that minimizes optical changes due to temperature fluctuations. It also has the broad-band and low-reflection coatings that improve the optical performance. It comes in the original leather case with all of the original standard accessories and documentation, plus many optional items. It weighs just 7 pounds (12 with case) so it is compact and easy to carry. The Standard slips out of its carrying case and can be used "as-is" for general viewing in altazimuth mode. Attach the included legs to convert it to a polar-equatorial mount for celestial viewing. The base has a 1/4"-20 threaded fitting so that it can also be mounted securely on a tripod. The built-in synchronous motor drive keeps it in sync with the earth's rotation to maintain your viewing subject in the field of view.This unit shows no wear and will be shipped in the original "drum" shipping container that it came in. Serial number is #4-CV-5182-BB.I last used this telescope to view the eclipse in 2017 and it worked fine.Background: Questar was founded in 1950 by Lawrence Braymer, who set up Questar to develop and market Maksutov telescopes and other optical devices for the consumer, industrial, and government customers. The Questar Standard telescope has been in production since 1954. In development since 1946, the Questar 3-1/2” has been the company's most notable product. Braymer’s basic concept for the telescope was one of portability, compactness, and ease of use. He used a catadioptric Maksutov design, named after its inventor Dmitry Maksutov, for the optical tube assembly. Braymer used a modified Cassegrain design that added an aluminized spot to the Maksutov corrector plate, creating a compact folded light path (this design is sometimes called a "Spot-Maksutov"). Braymer designed a built-in “Control Box” that allowed the user, looking through the main eyepiece, to switch between the main telescope and a coaxial finder scope via moving a diagonal out of the way with a flick of a knob. This also allowed a camera or other device to access the focal plane through a hole on the back of the Control Box. A knob for focus and another to switch in and out a magnification-doubling Barlow lens rounded out the controls. The cast-aluminum double-fork arm mount was designed with a built-in clock drive and became equatorial by adding the collapsible legs included. It also included a star chart engraved in white on a blue aluminum sleeve (this doubles as a dew cap), around the barrel which contained a moon map.

The Questar 3.5” entered commercial production in 1954 with ads for the model run in many astronomy, science, photography, and nature related magazines such as National Geographic, Scientific American and Sky & Telescope. The ads focused on the telescope's mechanical and optical design, educational value for children, ease of use, and adaptations as a spotting scope and telephoto lens. Note: I am also offering separately a Gitzo heavy-duty tripod that I used for this telescope. It makes a great companion for this telescope because it's rock solid and provides a very stable telescope platform. It is in a separate listing that started at the same time as this listing. In the tripod listing there is also a photo of the Questar on the tripod (I hit the max number of photos for this listing). See my current listings (use the "me" link  or "seller information" above, then click on "items for sale"). Built-in features:Diagonal erecting prism Barlow lens (for double magnification) switches in and out Sidereal synchronous electric clock drive Clamps for altitude and declination adjustments. Finder scope. Finder sun filter switches in and out. Barrel has perpetual star chart that slides forward to form a dew cap. Moon chart engraved on barrel, under star chart Standard Accessories Included:Leather, velvet-lined, compartmented case Polar-equatorial table-top legs Two eyepieces: 16mm (80-130x) and 24mm (50-80x) Partial aperture solar filter Lens cap Power cord for electric drive Sliding dew cover with star chart engraved Moon chart under dew cover Original instruction book (1973 version), color Questar brochure (1972 version), b&w Questar "Instruments and Accessories" catalog with  price list (1978 version), flyer "On the problem of choosing a telescope" (1973 version). Additional Optional Accessories Included:Vinyl "Naugahyde" slip-on protective cover (goes over leather case). Full aperture solar filter in wooden case Piggy-back camera mount (for mounting a camera on top of the telescope) Camera counter-weight 8mm Questar Brandon eyepiece 12mm Questar Brandon eyepiece 32mm Questar Brandon eyepiece Additional separate 2x Barlow lens Specifications:TYPE: Maksutov Cassegrain Catadioptric. No coma, astigmatism or spherical aberrations.
CLEAR APERTURE: 3.5 inches, 89mm (Center Obscuration, 27.9mm)
FOCAL LENGTH: Basic Visual 50.5 inches, f/14.4, 1300mm
FINDER LENS: 4" Fl., 4x and 8x, Field 12° and 8°
POWERS: Powers are eyepiece dependent and can range from 40x to 270x with Questar Brandon eyepieces
POWERS LIMIT: Resolves 1 sec. Arc at 50feet EFL
LENS: BK7, MgFl2 coated, passes UV to 3300 A, IR to 1 micron, parfocal
AMPLIFYING/BARLOW LENS: Minus 43.9 mm FL
ERECTING SYSTEM: Star Diagonal type, 90° BK7, MgFL2 coated
BARREL ASSEMBLY: Barrel: forged aluminum, machined full length
LENS CELL: Aluminum 24S-T4, black anodized
REAR CLOSURE PLATE: Stainless steel CENTRAL TUBE - precision machining and alignment after assembly.
DEWCAP: Internally black-flocked Synthane seamless tube 1/32" thick, to which is bonded a pre-rolled aluminum sheet
FOCUSING MECHANISM: Mirror thimble, stainless steel sliding tube. Slides on stainless, fixed, light-baffle
tube, with front-end insert tube of .010" wall thickness. Conical ss spring-loaded. Focus
rod ss 303, ground shaft, 56 T.P.I. precision ground threads
KNOBS: Aluminum 24S-T4, corrosion-resistant, hand-turned on turret lathe, stainless steel shafts and levers
EQUATORIAL MOUNT: Aluminum sand casting, virgin alloy 356-T6 heat treated. Tool room hand-turned and polished.
Highly corrosion-resistant. Jig-bored and precision threaded for legs. Bottom flange 7" o.d. Fits tripods with 1/4-20 threads
TURNTABLE OR LOWER FORK BASE: Sand casting same alloy, toolroom turned, jig-bored and precision-reamed, aircraft
polyurethane painted
LEGS: Aluminum 61 S-T3, centerless-ground and threaded, anodized. Center leg adjustable. Butyl rubber tips
SYNCHRONOUS DRIVE MOTOR: 110V. 60 cycles. Sealed, lubricated gear train, 2.7 watts
RIGHT ASCENSION GEAR: Bronze, 4" diameter, and 4" diameter teflon-facing bearing surfaces
SIDE ARMS, INNER FORK BRACKETS, CONTROL BOX: Die castings of corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy 13, toolroom
turned, milled, jig-bored, tapped and reamed. Special painted aluminum and clear-urethane protected
FINDER MIRROR CAGE: stainless steel, brushed satin finish
ALTITUDE OR DECLINATION CIRCLE: 3-15/16" diameter, 301 s.s., cemented and riveted to bracket ring assembly, 10
divisions with etched and filled markings
CLAMP: Bakelite padded s.s. stud clamps dec. circle to side arm
AZIMUTH OR R. A. CIRCLE: 6" diameter, anodized aluminum, silk-screened, graduated to 10 and 4 min of time. May be set as
celestial clock. Manual slow-motion independent of drive
SLOW MOTIONS: Continuous 360 degree rotation, safety clutch held. Permits control to a few seconds of arc. Absolutely free of
backlash, lag, or play. Ratio 31 to 1
DIMENSIONS: Height, upright, 14". With barrel horizontal, 11" high and long. Weight, 6.7 poundsThis is bulky and awkward to pack for shipping, hence high shipping cost.I will accept payment via  PayPal. Buyer pays flat shipping and insurance fee. Returns accepted.



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