A Rare Opportunity by Auction: Special Telescope, Special Observatory, Special Fund
Roy Bishop’s David H. Levy Comet Hunter telescope is for sale by silent auction. All proceeds will go to the soon-to-be established St. Croix Observatory maintenance fund. This fund is being established in the name of the late, and great, Dave Lane.
The Telescope:
- Optical Design: Maksutov-Newtonian
- Aperture: 152mm (5.98")
- Primary Mirror Diameter: 152mm
- Focal Length: 731mm
- Focal Ratio: f/4.8
- Resolving Power: .77 arc seconds
- Limiting Stellar Magnitude: 13.4
- Tube Diameter: 180mm
- Tube Length: 696mm
- Carbon Fibre Optical Tube Weight: 15.4lb.
- Universal 44mm Dovetail plate with stainless steel rail (fits Vixen SP/GP; Meade LXD75; Skywatcher EQ5; Bresser EXOS I/II)
- 8 X 50 erecting straight-through finder with illuminated reticle
- dew shield.
- focuser accepts both 2-inch and 1.25 inch eyepieces
- Alt-az “track & train” motor driven Vixen mount
- German made Berlebache Mulda adjustable wooden (ash) tripod
- No eyepieces with the telescope
Designed to be a high quality, lightweight, versatile instrument, this gem of a telescope offers fast optics, sharp resolution, and is well suited to much more than comet hunting! So bring a friend and prepare your wallets for this unique opportunity!
Bidding starts at $500.
Early online bidding by email starts at 9:00 am Monday, December 2, and closes 6:00 pm Friday, Dec. 6. Early bids will be tabulated and held until the in-person bidding closes at the Centre meeting on Saturday, December 7. Early bids can be emailed to the auction host at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
In-Person Bidding will open at 1:00 pm in SMU AT101 on December 7, by bidder number cards and a bid sheet. If a second or third round of bidding is required it will be done by texting bids to the auction host’s cellphone. The number will be provided at the time. In person bidding will start at $25 above the value of highest early online bid. Bidding increments will be $25.
The winning bid will be announced immediately after the final bidding closes, at the December 7 Centre meeting. The new owner will be expected to make payment (cash, cheque, e-transfer) and pick up the telescope. The telescope will not be shipped. It must be picked up by the winning bidder, or other arrangements made and paid for by the winning bidder.
Please remember, the Halifax RASC is not a registered charity, and this is not a charity auction. It is a sale. There can be no tax receipts issued for the sale of the telescope.
For a look at the scope, see this website: Explore Scientific David H. Levy Comet Hunter OTA
(click on the images below for a larger view)
