Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

Discuss other brands of scopes. If the team sees enough activity we will add a new subforum.
User avatar
DozerBolt
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 11:49 pm
3
Location: Northern California
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#21

Post by DozerBolt »


And here's Alan's Big Boy sale priced in 1989:
(they even got him standing next to it!)
Attachments
Odyssey 1 & 2 Data Sheet.jpg
DozerBolt from Northern California
Odyssey 8" Dob, Dynamax 6" Cat, Orion Shortube 90mm, Restored Tasco 9F 60mm, Meade EclipseView 82mm tabletop;
Orion 9x63 Little Giant AK roofs, Orion Ultra 2x54 Galilleans, Vortex Crossfire HD 12x50 roofs, Nikon Owl II 7x50, Atlas Eagle Owl 10x50 Porros;
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 804b(2), 10x42 Orion Otter ED SP Roofs, more;
"My other telescopes are Hubble and Spitzer"
User avatar
StarBru United States of America
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 1:53 am
4
Location: Arizona, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#22

Post by StarBru »


Seeing all these Coulter Odyssey ads bring back great memories! I slobbered over the pages and I knew I could never afford any of them because I was very dirt-poor way back when!
Bruce

Refractors: Meade AR-5 127mm f/9.3, Meade ST-80 f/5 and Meade 60mm f/12, Jason 60mm f/15 #313, Jason 60mm f/12 #306 S7, Bushnell Sky Chief III 60mm f/15.
Reflectors/Catadioptrics: Meade 10" F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian, Galileo 120mm f/8.3 Newtonian, Meade 2045D 4" f/10 SCT, Meade ETX-90EC f/13.8 & Sarblue 60mm f/12.5 Maksutov-Cassegrains.
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro & Meade LXD55 Equatorial mounts, ES Twilight II and Meade 2102 ALT/AZ mounts, a modified 10" SkyQuest Dobsonian mount, various 60mm EQ mounts.
Misc: Celestron 20x80mm binoculars, Revolution II Imager/accessories, & lots of optical accessories/eyepieces.
Projects: 8" f/2.9 and 65mm f/10 reflectors, Dobson-style binocular mirror mount.
User avatar
DozerBolt
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 11:49 pm
3
Location: Northern California
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#23

Post by DozerBolt »


Hi Bruce - glad you could join us!
Looks like you played your hand well after all - you've got a pretty great set of scopes there...

I've been milking the same cow for 30 years - but she still makes good milk!

Clear Skies, buddy...
DozerBolt from Northern California
Odyssey 8" Dob, Dynamax 6" Cat, Orion Shortube 90mm, Restored Tasco 9F 60mm, Meade EclipseView 82mm tabletop;
Orion 9x63 Little Giant AK roofs, Orion Ultra 2x54 Galilleans, Vortex Crossfire HD 12x50 roofs, Nikon Owl II 7x50, Atlas Eagle Owl 10x50 Porros;
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 804b(2), 10x42 Orion Otter ED SP Roofs, more;
"My other telescopes are Hubble and Spitzer"
User avatar
kt4hx United States of America
Moderator
Moderator
Articles: 4
Offline
Posts: 3489
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:18 am
4
Location: Virginia, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#24

Post by kt4hx »


DozerBolt wrote: Sat May 09, 2020 10:15 pm And here's Alan's Big Boy sale priced in 1989:
(they even got him standing next to it!)
Yeah, that was the slimmed down red version by then. Unfortunately I got the first design with that very beefy and very heavy mirror box! Though I did like the Blue Zolatone finish as they called it. :)

I guess that would also be the slimmed down version of me as well, back when I had a decent metabolic rate! :lol:
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Astronomers, we look into the past to see our future." (me)
"Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt." (William Herschel)
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." (Sir Isaac Newton)
"No good deed goes unpunished." (various)
Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't you think?” (Scarecrow, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12277
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#25

Post by helicon »


I remember blue zolatone from the ads. What the heck is that?
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
User avatar
kt4hx United States of America
Moderator
Moderator
Articles: 4
Offline
Posts: 3489
Joined: Sun May 12, 2019 12:18 am
4
Location: Virginia, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#26

Post by kt4hx »


helicon wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 1:47 pm I remember blue zolatone from the ads. What the heck is that?
I just found this reference: "An attractive coating of bluish Zolatone, a water-resistant sealer, gives the original line of Coulter Odyssey telescopes their common namesake."

That quote is from an article about the Coulter scopes and James Braginton, owner of Coulter in the November 2006 Rosette Gazette, the publication of the Rose City Astronomers in Portland, Oregon.

http://www.rosecityastronomers.org/news ... 006_11.pdf

I recall it being smooth with a subtle texture and actually an attractive color.
Alan

Scopes: Astro Sky 17.5 f/4.5 Dob || Apertura AD12 f/5 Dob || Zhumell Z10 f/4.9 Dob ||
ES AR127 f/6.5 || ES ED80 f/6 || Apertura 6" f/5 Newtonian
Mounts: ES Twilight-II and Twilight-I
EPs: AT 82° 28mm UWA || TV Ethos 100° 21mm and 13mm || Vixen LVW 65° 22mm ||
ES 82° 18mm || Pentax XW 70° 10mm, 7mm and 5mm || barlows
Filters (2 inch): DGM NPB || Orion Ultra Block, O-III and Sky Glow || Baader HaB
Primary Field Atlases: Uranometria All-Sky Edition and Interstellarum Deep Sky Atlas
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Astronomers, we look into the past to see our future." (me)
"Seeing is in some respect an art, which must be learnt." (William Herschel)
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean." (Sir Isaac Newton)
"No good deed goes unpunished." (various)
Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't you think?” (Scarecrow, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12277
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#27

Post by helicon »


kt4hx wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 2:22 pm
helicon wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 1:47 pm I remember blue zolatone from the ads. What the heck is that?
I just found this reference: "An attractive coating of bluish Zolatone, a water-resistant sealer, gives the original line of Coulter Odyssey telescopes their common namesake."

That quote is from an article about the Coulter scopes and James Braginton, owner of Coulter in the November 2006 Rosette Gazette, the publication of the Rose City Astronomers in Portland, Oregon.

http://www.rosecityastronomers.org/news ... 006_11.pdf

I recall it being smooth with a subtle texture and actually an attractive color.
Thanks Alan.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
User avatar
DozerBolt
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 11:49 pm
3
Location: Northern California
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#28

Post by DozerBolt »


BTW Alan (@kt4hx), I'm just figuring out the site...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY yesterday!

p.s. you mentioned James Braginton - I talked with him a couple of times - Coulter was a small, family run business, and he did everything, including the support calls! Lovely man ,and Dob pioneer.
DozerBolt from Northern California
Odyssey 8" Dob, Dynamax 6" Cat, Orion Shortube 90mm, Restored Tasco 9F 60mm, Meade EclipseView 82mm tabletop;
Orion 9x63 Little Giant AK roofs, Orion Ultra 2x54 Galilleans, Vortex Crossfire HD 12x50 roofs, Nikon Owl II 7x50, Atlas Eagle Owl 10x50 Porros;
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 804b(2), 10x42 Orion Otter ED SP Roofs, more;
"My other telescopes are Hubble and Spitzer"
User avatar
StarBru United States of America
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon May 13, 2019 1:53 am
4
Location: Arizona, USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#29

Post by StarBru »


DozerBolt wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 1:05 am Hi Bruce - glad you could join us!
Looks like you played your hand well after all - you've got a pretty great set of scopes there...

I've been milking the same cow for 30 years - but she still makes good milk!

Clear Skies, buddy...
Yes, once I raised my kids, my income made quite the jump at the same time and I went a little overboard with buying scopes, but never buying new or when new always a good deal! Still, to this day, I want to buy those telescopes that are still out of my price range: a Unitron or other classic refractor, a Questar or a Quantum, etc. Sigh....maybe someday!
Bruce

Refractors: Meade AR-5 127mm f/9.3, Meade ST-80 f/5 and Meade 60mm f/12, Jason 60mm f/15 #313, Jason 60mm f/12 #306 S7, Bushnell Sky Chief III 60mm f/15.
Reflectors/Catadioptrics: Meade 10" F/4 Schmidt-Newtonian, Galileo 120mm f/8.3 Newtonian, Meade 2045D 4" f/10 SCT, Meade ETX-90EC f/13.8 & Sarblue 60mm f/12.5 Maksutov-Cassegrains.
Mounts: Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro & Meade LXD55 Equatorial mounts, ES Twilight II and Meade 2102 ALT/AZ mounts, a modified 10" SkyQuest Dobsonian mount, various 60mm EQ mounts.
Misc: Celestron 20x80mm binoculars, Revolution II Imager/accessories, & lots of optical accessories/eyepieces.
Projects: 8" f/2.9 and 65mm f/10 reflectors, Dobson-style binocular mirror mount.
User avatar
515bonner United States of America
Jupiter Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:46 pm
4
Location: Bonner Springs KS-USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#30

Post by 515bonner »


I had one of the blue 10" Odyssey Compacts years ago. Think I bought it around 1981. It was a step up from the 3" Jaegers refractor I had been using. After about 3-4 yrs, modified it by extending the mirror box, ever so slightly and put in a 9 point flotation mirror holder. About a year later, I mounted an aluminum bracket to the bottom of the mirror box and put it on an equatorial mount that I made with 2" steel shafts. The mount stayed at the dark sky site and I used it in normal mode (alt-az) at home. Even had a poncet table for it, with a variable speed drive unit for sidereal and lunar tracking. Did all of my 110 Messiers and about 1/2 the Herschel 400 with it. Sold it around 1990 or so and bought 10" Meade LX200.
14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander XP4 | 9.25" Celestron SCT | 8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made) with Sky Commander V3
6" f/12 Orion 150mm Mak | 4" f/9 Celestron Refractor (Vixen) | 80mm f4 unbranded refractor
iOptron CEM40 | iOptron Cube Pro
Large Assortment of Nagler and Konig Eyepieces | ZWO ASI290MC & ZWO ASI120MM-s Cameras

Member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City / Astronomical League
Member of the British Astronomical Association
V.P. of Occultation Services, International Occultation Timing Association
User avatar
DozerBolt
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 11:49 pm
3
Location: Northern California
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#31

Post by DozerBolt »


@515bonner, man you are the Real Deal!

That's quite the modification list - hey, any mods involving "2" steel shafts" gets a gold star in my book! Some serious tin bending...! My forehead gets sweaty from the logistics of an equatorial Dob!

Your Odyssey Compact was MY dream scope, but I just couldn't swing the extra $75 at the time (it might as well have been a million) Funny that nowadays, I've spent more on lunch!

So, why'd you get rid of it? Too big? Back got sore moving it around, like Alan? Got tired of that ballroom dance and wanted some cha-cha? A little different focus? (sorry, bad pun)
DozerBolt from Northern California
Odyssey 8" Dob, Dynamax 6" Cat, Orion Shortube 90mm, Restored Tasco 9F 60mm, Meade EclipseView 82mm tabletop;
Orion 9x63 Little Giant AK roofs, Orion Ultra 2x54 Galilleans, Vortex Crossfire HD 12x50 roofs, Nikon Owl II 7x50, Atlas Eagle Owl 10x50 Porros;
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 804b(2), 10x42 Orion Otter ED SP Roofs, more;
"My other telescopes are Hubble and Spitzer"
User avatar
515bonner United States of America
Jupiter Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 207
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:46 pm
4
Location: Bonner Springs KS-USA
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#32

Post by 515bonner »


DozerBolt wrote: Mon May 11, 2020 3:10 am @515bonner, man you are the Real Deal!
That's quite the modification list - hey, any mods involving "2" steel shafts" gets a gold star in my book! Some serious tin bending...! My forehead gets sweaty from the logistics of an equatorial Dob!
Your Odyssey Compact was MY dream scope, but I just couldn't swing the extra $75 at the time (it might as well have been a million) Funny that nowadays, I've spent more on lunch!
So, why'd you get rid of it? Too big? Back got sore moving it around, like Alan? Got tired of that ballroom dance and wanted some cha-cha? A little different focus? (sorry, bad pun)
Why I got rid of it? Well, can't rightly remember. I suppose with the new and shiny LX200's that started hitting the market I wanted one of those and sold it to help funding. I was in my 30's and worked out quite a bit so weight wasn't a factor. I liked the fact the LX200 could operate in both alt-az or eq mode. I built a wedge and used it in eq mode most of the time. Liked the 'goto feature'. The LX200 actually took up less cargo space. Funny thing though... After about 5 years of the LX200 I sold it, and went back to a dob, buying the 14.5" Starmaster, which I still use today for visual.

Rob
14.5" f/5.3 Starmaster with Sky Commander XP4 | 9.25" Celestron SCT | 8" f/7 Starmaster (only 5 made) with Sky Commander V3
6" f/12 Orion 150mm Mak | 4" f/9 Celestron Refractor (Vixen) | 80mm f4 unbranded refractor
iOptron CEM40 | iOptron Cube Pro
Large Assortment of Nagler and Konig Eyepieces | ZWO ASI290MC & ZWO ASI120MM-s Cameras

Member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City / Astronomical League
Member of the British Astronomical Association
V.P. of Occultation Services, International Occultation Timing Association
Gordks
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:23 am
3
Location: Chilliwack, BC Canada
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#33

Post by Gordks »


Hi folks!

I was watching youtube videos on telescopes today and decided to take a peek in the basement at a couple of 8 inch Coulters I have not looked at in many years (I got into other things like motorcycles and RC flying). Dozerbolt, your first photo looks exactly like one of mine, even the cardboard off-axis aperature stop (right out of their manual) looks like mine, but I can not tell whether yours is f6 or f4.5. The tube in your photo looks longer than an f4.5 but it may be due to the angle the photo was taken from. The one I have, that looks like yours, is f6.
My f4.5 is called a 'New Improved' version, from the early 90s. The tube is covered in brown 'Boltaflex' vinyl, and has has a geared focuser. It also has a destroyed diagonal. It fell off and was laying on the primary when I pulled off the dust cover. The primary itself does not look to be damaged badly but I can't tell for sure until I take it out and clean it. I would have thought it too would be in pieces! Might be an excuse to grind a mirror, something I have wanted to do since somewhere back around 1950. If I am lucky the one in the f4.5 might be salvageable by regrinding. The f6 looks perfect, not even very dirty, but it does need cleaning. Will be taking it out in the next couple of days!
Good to see that there are still folks around interested in the Coulters.

Regards,
Gord
User avatar
SkyHiker United States of America
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2293
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:40 pm
4
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#34

Post by SkyHiker »


I have the 10". It hasn't seen much light since I bought a Z12 but maybe I'll build some travel scope around the mirror. Either that or I'll donate it to someone who can use it.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12277
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#35

Post by helicon »


I always wanted to get an Odyssey as an upgrade to my 8" dob that I built when I was 14. Never did though.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
Gordks
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:23 am
3
Location: Chilliwack, BC Canada
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#36

Post by Gordks »


A couple of days ago I posted that I had a Coulter 8 inch f6. Wrong! It is actually f7. I had been looking at this page: https://www.e-scopes.cc/index.html?load ... og0_0.html. It claims to be selling Coulter Optics mirror sets and lists an 8 inch f6. That is where got the f6. I measured the tube today. It is way too long to be f6, but right for f7.
Does anyone know for sure what size secondary the f7 came with? At some point I replaced it's secondary with a smaller one. I can not find it's specs online, the f7 did not come with a manual and it's not shown in the manual I have for the f4.5. I do have a secondary in the closet that is 1.815 across. I suspect that is the original from the f7. Fortunately it is the same size as the one that came loose in the f4.5. It's not the original size listed for the 4.5, which was 2.14, but it will do.
And, for anyone questioning the durability of the Coulter primary blanks, the mirror is just fine. Some scrapes on the coating, but the Pyrex is fine. That secondary must have fallen about 30 inches right onto that primary. I am amazed how little the primary was damaged, whIle the secondary was destroyed. Looks like a fine excuse to order an abrasives kit and work on that mirror over the winter. In the meantime I think it will work just fine as is.
PSX_20200816_181852.jpg
PSX_20200816_181805.jpg
PSX_20200816_181644.jpg
PSX_20200816_181445.jpg
User avatar
Lady Fraktor Slovakia
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 9860
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:14 pm
4
Location: Slovakia
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#37

Post by Lady Fraktor »


See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
The only culture I have is from yogurt
My day was going well until... people
Image
User avatar
Nakedgun United States of America
Pluto Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 451
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2020 11:03 pm
3
Location: southwest US
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#38

Post by Nakedgun »


I bought a used 10" Odyssey in 2000 as my first dob. Crude mechanics, it was good enough optically to provide my first view Pluto from a dark sky.
I sold it to a co-worker about ten years ago. I'll post any pictures I can dig up.
"A republic, madam, if you can keep it." - Benjamin Franklin
User avatar
helicon United States of America
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 584
Online
Posts: 12277
Joined: Mon May 06, 2019 1:35 pm
4
Location: Washington
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#39

Post by helicon »


Glad that your scope seems to be in mostly OK condition after years of storage. Should not need a new primary.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
Binoculars: Celestron SkyMaster 15x70, Bushnell 10x50
Eyepieces: Various, GSO Superview, 9mm Plossl, Celestron 25mm Plossl
Camera: ZWO ASI 120
Naked Eye: Two Eyeballs
Latitude: 48.7229° N
User avatar
Thomas_M44
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 7:40 pm
3
Location: Modesto, CA, USA
Status:
Offline

Re: Coulter Odyssey Dobsonian

#40

Post by Thomas_M44 »


I owned the f/7 version of the Coulter Odyssey 8-inch.

I bought the telescope new in 1993, and used it until 2006.

The mirror in mine had excellent figure, and gave near-perfect diffraction rings.

I did find the crude helical/friction focuser marginal, and early on replaced it with a JMI 1.25” reverse-crayford focuser which worked extremely well. I also had made a small cloth bean bag which I used as an adjustable counterweight when affixed to the OT with a bungee strap.

The Coulter 8-inch f/7 was an extremely capable general purpose telescope, and gave absolutely superb planetary, lunar and double star performance.

An 200mm f/7 Newtonian is a very attractive combination of relatively portable size and performance, although unfortunately f/7 Newtonians have become less common as compared to f/6 or faster.
STARGAZING SINCE 1986

TELESCOPES: GSO 150mm f/6 Newtonian with 2” linear bearing focuser; TeleVue TV85 85mm f/7 apo refractor MOUNTINGS: Berlebach Uni Tripod with Stellarvue M2C alt/az mount head/pillar EYEPIECE SETS: Masuyama 85-Deg AFOV; TeleVue Plossl’s; KK Fujiyama Abbe Ortho's; Edmund RKE’s; Starbase Kellner's (by Takahashi) BARLOWS: Nikon EiC16 1.6X; TeleVue 2X & 3X; GSO ED 2” TELECENTRIC AMPLIFIERS: TeleVue Powermates 2.5X, 4X, 5X FILTERS, 2”: Baader Contrast Booster; Baader 570nm Orange Longpass; TeleVue Bandmate Type II Nebustar DIAGONALS: APM 2” Standard Prism (BK7); APM 2” Amici Prism (BK7) BINOCULARS: Fujinon 7X50 FMT-SX Polaris
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in

Return to “Other telescopes”