Lunt LS50 Double Stacked with Mount/Tripod

Auction No.:
15712
Buy Now Price:
$2,000.00
Current Bid:
$1625.00
High Bidder:
Andrew Maina
Bid History:
38 Bids [View History]
Location:
Union City, CA - United States
Started:
06/13/2022 07:45AM
Ends:
06/27/2022 12:51AM
Shipping:
Buyer pays shipping
Payment:
PayPal
Hits:
920
I purchased this telescope to be able to do solar astronomy outreach in El Salvador, so I bought a lightweight mount and modified the foam in the telescope case so I could fit the tripod into checked baggage, easily carry everything in two hands, and set up in less than 5 minutes. I usually carry the tripod/head/weight in one hand and the telescope case in the other. The case foam has cutouts for the tripod tray, the slow-motion handles, all of the screws, and all of the tools needed to completely disassemble everything. It is a very portable setup that I spent far too much time engineering. The optics are still in just as good condition as when I bought the telescope in 2019, as they don't see much use between my occasional trips to El Salvador. Although the image in this scope is not as bright and detailed as that in my LS80, it is far cheaper to double stack, and has resulted in much personal enjoyment and much amazement in Salvadoran kids who never knew the sun is so full of detail. I have now owned 4 Lunt telescopes and am very happy with their products. This one is going to make room in my apartment (and pocketbook) for a larger outreach solar telescope.

I had to slightly modify the EQ-1 mount to replace a plastic piece in the mount that wore out and led to significant slop. It has been replaced by a metal piece and I have not had issues since. If you buy a new EQ-1 mount you will probably have to make the same adjustment. The biggest downside to the mount is that it currently only attaches with a single 1/4-20 screw, which has to be cranked down pretty hard to prevent slipping. But the mount certainly has gotten me through many hours of observing and several trips. I have used the SolarQuest mount for outreach - that mount is much more convenient, but much more expensive and the user does not get to feel like they are "driving" the telescope. I also keep the Vixen dovetail plate in the case so the scope can be easily attached to bigger mounts.

I hope the next user finds and shares as much enjoyment as I have. Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding details of this scope or how it compares to the LS80 (single stack) I have.

Current price of included gear (new):
$885 Lunt 50mm OTA with pressure tuned etalon
$395 Lunt B600 blocking filter
$89 Lunt 1.25" helical focuser
$935 Lunt LS50C front-mounted double stack etalon
$40 Tele Vue Sol-Searcher
$220 Lunt zoom eyepiece
$40 Lunt 4" dovetail bar
$89 Lunt aluminum case and custom-fitted foam
$120 Orion EQ-1 equatorial mount
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$2813

(apologies for the rotated images - astromart seems to automatically rotate them)
Time Placed User Bid Amount
06/27/2022 07:46AM Andrew Maina $1625.00
06/27/2022 07:45AM Daniel Carter $1600.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/27/2022 07:45AM Andrew Maina $1600.00
06/27/2022 07:45AM Daniel Carter $1575.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/27/2022 07:45AM Andrew Maina $1550.00
06/27/2022 07:45AM Daniel Carter $1525.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/27/2022 07:45AM Andrew Maina $1500.00
06/27/2022 05:30AM Daniel Carter $1425.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/27/2022 05:30AM Andrew Maina $1400.00
06/26/2022 01:34PM Daniel Carter $1375.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/26/2022 01:34PM Dalton Ortega $1350.00
06/25/2022 11:33PM Daniel Carter $1325.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/25/2022 11:33PM Ernie Spragg $1300.00
06/25/2022 03:23AM Daniel Carter $1275.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/25/2022 03:23AM Dalton Ortega $1250.00
06/22/2022 01:19AM Daniel Carter $1175.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/22/2022 01:19AM Dalton Ortega $1150.00
06/21/2022 10:56PM Daniel Carter $1100.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/21/2022 10:56PM TROY VARELA $1075.00
06/21/2022 01:23PM Daniel Carter $1050.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/21/2022 01:23PM TROY VARELA $1025.00
06/21/2022 01:09PM Daniel Carter $1000.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/21/2022 01:09PM TROY VARELA $980.00
06/21/2022 01:08PM Daniel Carter $960.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/21/2022 01:08PM TROY VARELA $940.00
06/21/2022 02:48AM Daniel Carter $920.00
06/18/2022 08:19AM Zhenxing Wang $860.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/18/2022 08:19AM Jim Kloeppel $840.00
06/18/2022 06:06AM Zhenxing Wang $820.00
06/16/2022 10:13AM deleted132583 deleted132583 $670.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/16/2022 10:13AM Dalton Ortega $650.00
06/16/2022 01:26AM deleted132583 deleted132583 $520.00
06/15/2022 01:08PM Jim Kloeppel $440.00 [ Auto Bid ]
06/15/2022 01:08PM Fernando Rivera $430.00
06/15/2022 10:29AM Jim Kloeppel $420.00
06/15/2022 12:10AM Jim Kloeppel $410.00
06/14/2022 05:08AM dennis zywiczynski $399.00
06/14/2022 02:11AM Kai Longridge $260.00