TheSkySearchers

I responded to an ad I found on CN for an Orion Ultrascopic 20mm where the seller wanted a money order for $70 shipped. The ad had been there a bit, and there was a previous ad by the same person for the same eyepiece for $80. I cannot do a money order, since my wife and I went back into isolation due to the Covid infection rate in our area, plus the local politics related to personal response to it and perceived rights. I asked him if the eyepiece was still available and if I could work out another way to pay him, giving the reason. I said I would give him $80 instead of the $70 to compensate him for the extra trouble.

His response was that the eyepiece was still available and that either a check or cash would work. I was just not up to speed on PayPal. I responded that I would send him a check for the eyepiece and that I just needed his address to send it to. He responded with the information and then said he had some other UltraScopics and (forget the name but Celestron's 82 degree eyepieces) that he was "fixing" to post on CN if I was interested. I have a full set of Meade UWA eyepiece, including some older focal lengths, but responded that I would be interested in finding out what Ultrascopics he had. His reply was that all together, he had 10, 15, 20, and 25mm. After thinking about it for a minute or two, I asked him how much would he take for all four, if paid by check, including shipping. His response was, "$280 for all four eyepieces shipped!" My reply was I would write a $280 check tonight and get it in the mail tomorrow (which was yesterday, and the mail lady did pick up the letter with the check).

Using those eyepieces and the Celestron Ultimas that I have bought, I will have 7.5, 12.5, and 30mm in Ultimas, then the 10, 15, 20, and 25mm in Ultrascopics. The only two I might be interested in beyond that is the Celestron 18mm, which nobody else carried, and maybe the 35mm. With a Meade #140 2X APO Barlow, a GSO 2.5X APO Barlow (really 2.2X), and a GSO 3X ED Barlow (is also really good IMHO), I see absolutely no need for the 5 or 3.8mm). I have no use for any focal length longer than the 35mm at all, even if available or really even free.

The recent withdrawals from my astronomy piggy bank have pulled a hard vacuum on it, so there will not be much active searching for the two remaining focal lengths for a while. I do have an ES 82 18mm, a Vixen SLV 10mm, and the Parks GS 10mm I could trade if something fell into my lap, but my trading or selling skills are very near zero, so I think I am done for a while. This is the reason I am reluctant to buy an eyepiece in a series I do not already have. I bought the 7.5 Ultima to work with the ES 52 eyepieces I have bought and look what happened!

Good for you Bill; $280 well spent Hope the astronomy piggy bank fills up again soon!

All the best,

Thanks, Mark! This person is located maybe 60-70 miles west of where I grew up, so I know the culture. Just going by my gut feeling, I feel pretty good about this purchase.

MistrBadgr wrote: ↑Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:30 pm Thanks, Mark! This person is located maybe 60-70 miles west of where I grew up, so I know the culture. Just going by my gut feeling, I feel pretty good about this purchase.

Hope this all goes well.

notFritzArgelander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:43 pm

MistrBadgr wrote: ↑Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:30 pm Thanks, Mark! This person is located maybe 60-70 miles west of where I grew up, so I know the culture. Just going by my gut feeling, I feel pretty good about this purchase.

Hope this all goes well.

Thanks, NFA.
We have yet to see how it all transpires, but I believe it is a good thing all around.

Hope the eyepieces work out well Bill!

Thanks, Michael. I think they will. I am buying these primarily to use with my refractors, most of which start at f/8 and go longer. I do have the Infinity 80 f/5 that I ran the Messier List with from my back yard (mostly) that I will try them with, but I have newer eyepieces that do have correction for shorter focal ratios.

Congrats on the new glass Bill!

Congrats! The Ultrascopics (and other pseudo Masuyama makes: Baader Eudioscopic, Celestron Ultima etc) were a great EP line. I think you will really be pleased with them.

Thanks, Frankie! I am certainly looking forward to them.

My eyepieces came today. They were mailed yesterday morning and I did not expect to see them for a few more days. The gentleman I bought them from had sent me a message, stating they were in the hands of the Post Office and that he had put a "bonus" in the box also. He hoped I could use it. The bonus is the 35mm eyepiece, well worn from long time use, but the glass looks perfect. All of the eyepieces were handled a lot, but were well taken care of. The wear in the body paint, I consider badges of honor, which adds more value to them in my opinion. I now have everything I can use except the Celestron 18mm.

The 35mm requires a lot more in travel of the focuser than the others, but is a special eyepiece. You'll see.
I far preferred it to a 32mm Plössl.

Thanks, Don. I think I read in Bill Paolini's book about the 35mm having a "stand out in space" look to it like the Edmund Scientific 28mm RKE, just not as much. I am definitely looking forward to trying it out.