Help!

[ninjanicki]

So I am brand new to astronomy, telescopes, all of it. It's something I've always wanted to get into but never made the time/had the extra money for a telescope, etc. I was at the local Goodwill the other day and came across this for $40.  I know nothing about it aside from its missing the piece to mount it onto that base. The lady told me I could return it if it didn't work so I figured I didn't have much to lose. To start, I guess can anyone guide me to where I could possibly get the pieces to attach it to the mount? And just from this one picture of it here can anyone tell me if there's any other obviously missing pieces? Again I know absolutely nothing about this but it'd be amazing to get up and running but I'm also wondering if maybe I'm in over my head as such a beginner. 

Thanks in advance! 

[paul]

Hi,

It looks like you have a "dobsonian" style reflecting telescope that someone disassembled

Normally it should look like this:

If you are up to doing some woodworking you could make a replacement frame/bearing for the tube to rest on the base. Or perhaps Meade may have spare parts to reapply - likely to cost as much as your scope though😉.

 

But that is only worth doing if the mirrors are still in place and look ok ...

 

When you look into the tube from the open end you should see two mirrors. You should see the back of the first mirror closest to you and the second bigger one at the opposite end of the tube. Something like this picture:

 

If they are missing or damaged It won't be worth spending time on IMO.

A local astronomy club may be able to give you more hands on advice. As a telescope with mirrors intact it is worth more than $40 to a diy-handy astronomer IMO.

 

FYI someone was probably intending to adapt it for an equatorial mount like this:

 

It would make a good telescope for viewing the planets.

[TerryMcK]

Great advice from Paul

[Nightspore]

The Dob' base looks like it belongs to an old Meade Starfinder. The OTA may not actually have anything to do with the mount itself and may be a different make. It doesn't look like a Meade in your picture. Even if it is a Meade OTA it doesn't look like it belongs to that mount. I'd get someone from a local astronomy club to check the mirrors and focuser for you. If they are OK you could probably get an EQ mount/tripod for the scope. 

 

Sky-Watcher Mounts

 

The aperture looks like it is around 150mm. You'd need to buy rings that fitted the outside of the OTA.

 

 

And some form of dovetail bar to attach the rings to.

 

 

 

 

 

[paul]

@NightsporeI think you might be right. I tried decoding the text on the OTA and I think is says "Sovietski Collection ". I understand Tal used the that name.

[Nightspore]

32 minutes ago, paul said:

@NightsporeI think you might be right. I tried decoding the text on the OTA and I think is says "Sovietski Collection ". I understand Tal used the that name.

 

Sounds about right.