ASTRO-PHYSICS OVERVIEW
ASTRO-PHYSICS was founded by Roland and Marj Christen who have been developing telescopes and accessories for the advanced amateur since 1975. The company has featured prominently at the forefront of optical design since the early 1980's when their telescopes first began to earn the company acclaim.
Up to the time when the Astro-Physics company was founded the refracting telescopes available up to then were achromatic designs that showed significant chromatic aberration, typically made with focal ratios as long as f/15. These telescopes are lengthy and awkward to manage, this is particularly a hindrance if portability is desired. Both five inch f/15 or 6 inch f/15 doublet achromat telescope optical tube assemblies (focal lengths of 75 and 90 inches respectively) require a substantially massive mount atop a tall pier or tripod to accommodate the length of the instrument and counteract the torque reactions of such lengthy telescopes. Their comparatively long focal ratios and residual chromatic aberration limited their astrographic usefulness, and that coupled with the length and weight of these instruments and their mount with tall pier deterred amateurs from transporting refractors larger than about four inch. Any of the better-made achromatic telescopes made, including Unitron for example, were comparatively costly telescopes. Their cost of five inch and larger models limited their sales to the more affluent consumer, or schools. Roland and Marj Christen with their company would change all that.
Right: Roland and Marj Christen alongside several of their telescopes and mounts, visiting Company Seven's showroom on 2 April 2009 (55,845 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (169,585 bytes).
Roland Christen is an avid amateur astronomer who founded his original shop in Rockford, Illinois retailing astronomical telescopes for the amateur astronomy market. Among the products sold there were Celestron telescopes and accessories, among others. Roland developed and manufactured several models of electronic drive correctors and inverters for the telescope marketplace from the mid to late 1970s. These allowed the consumer to operate their telescopes, then mostly incorporating an AC synchronous motor, in the field from 12 volt DC sources. Furthermore, the Drive Corrector allows one to vary the telescope motor speed and thus vary the tracking rate (Solar, Sidereal, or Lunar) and make momentary adjustments to the tracking precision of the telescope drive. These were the first products to bear the "Astro-Physics" trademark, and were advertised in the popular astronomy magazine of the day. Roland's background in electronics would become apparent to us at Company Seven years later as we observed the high design standards and excellent qualities of materials and programming employed by Astro-Physics in the electronics of their later equatorial mount drive motors and drive control components. This experience and discipline remains apparent the still unrivaled 'GTO' electronics that control their 'go to' series of German Equatorial Mounts.
Above: Astro-Physics Model 8002 Dual Axis Drive Corrector of the late 1970's. Shown with hand-held control resting on the top (48,352 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (170,041 bytes).
Roland Christen outgrew the limited performance of consumer telescopes that were then available. He sought out telescopes that would be more versatile and produce views and astrophotographs that with striking contrast and clarity of stars and with high definition planetary images; this pointed towards a refracting telescope design. He understood that even the achromatic refractors then available showed 'snappier' images than that provided by his 8 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, but he wanted a more versatile telescope than the lengthy f/12 to f/15 achromatic refracting telescopes that were typical of the time. Roland began experimenting with triplet lens designs, the triplet offering the capability of bending light over shorter length optical tubes with less adverse impact on the final image. But triplet lenses were notoriously difficult to manufacture, especially in series production. Regardless, over a period of several years he designed and built several triplet refractors with shorter focal ratios than what was then common in production. The color correction was very good, even with lenses he made as short as f/6. Roland would make a new telescope, take it to a star party or amateur astronomer convention (Stellafane, etc.), and there let people look through the telescope while taking note of their feedback.
He developed several new lens designs for production that became prominent among the amateur astronomy community. Telescopes of note included the five and six inch aperture f/6 'Wide Field' and f/8 'Christen Triplet' telescopes, the five and six inch aperture f/12 'Super Planetary' series; by the late 1980's the Astro-Physics name was on the path to notoriety. It was these photos and a five inch f/12 'Super Planetary', the first Astro-Physics telescope evaluated by Company Seven, that in July 1986 cemented what would become a long friendship and business relationship between the two companies owners. Company Seven remains the sole full-line retailer of Astro-Physics products in the Americas, also serving a world-wide clientele.
Right: "Refractor Row". Just part of what awaits those making the pilgrimage to Company Seven's showroom near Washington, DC. (90,142 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (205,107 bytes).
Soon after then Tony Hallas and Daphne Mount started turning in astrophotographs taken with these telescopes; many of these were published in the popular astronomy magazines prompting even more people to seek out the Astro-Physics telescopes. By using the then state of the art Pentax 6x7 film cameras with hypersensitized films, and with longer exposure times than were then typical of the time they produced amazing wide-field of view astrophotos that attracted even more attention to the line and provided feedback to Roland and Marj Christen. These early Astro-Physics refractors were quite revolutionary and were a major influence in the rebirth of refractors at a time when mass-produced Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes had become all the rage.
In the 1986 Astro-Physics introduced the 'Starfire' triplet apochromat series including the 5.6" F/7 Starfire sold in 1986 and 1987. This was their first high performance yet comparatively affordable line of triplet apochromatic refracting telescopes. We sensed Astro-Physics was being built on the popularity of the 5" F/8 Starfire, 6" f/9 Starfire, and 7" f/9 Starfire telescopes; the 7" completed in November 1988 for Company Seven's owner is now a featured telescope of the University of Maryland, College Park observatory facility. Even these earlier Astro-Physics lenses attracted the attention of third parties who purchased lenses for O.E.M. applications; this included the 94mm and later the 130mm "Brandon" telescopes. In August 1987 Astro-Physics relocated to their first facility that could truly be called a factory capable of managing most aspect of production. By 1989 lead times were becoming increasingly longer as more and more people put in deposits, then 1/3 later and since 1/2, to buy a new Astro-Physics telescopes.
The availability of new extra-low dispersion optical glass types developed in particular by Nikon and Canon for state of the art camera lenses, and in higher purity grades, with improvements in computer aided lens design software combined with the extensive experience and customer feedback at Astro-Physics to the development of the landmark 'Starfire EDF' series triplet apochromat telescopes. On 1 December 1989 the first Starfire EDF telescope, the Astro-Physics 6 inch EDF, an f/7 triplet apochromat with 4 inch diameter field flattener and focuser, was announced and shown at Company Seven's "Astro-Physics Day" event; Company Seven remaining their first and still sole full line retailer in the Americas. Shown alongside it were stunning astrophotographs taken with one of these first two prototype telescopes by Tony Hallas and Daphne Mount. The EDF series announced in 1989 set the standard for an entirely new level of optical performance and versatility. These lenses were matched only by the 'APQ' series 150mm f/8 triplet apochromat telescopes made in small numbers by the then Carl Zeiss Jena concern of East Germany, although the Astro-Physics were more practical telescopes and better supported with a growing line of visual and astrographic accessories. The EDF is the telescope that put Astro-Physics unquestionably at the forefront of Apo tech.
At the same event a new 'ED' doublet apochromat design was also announced, marketed as the Astro-Physics 12cm ED a 4.7 inch f/8.4 doublet apochromat, it was nicknamed the almost five since it provided visual astronomers with a less costly alternative to the five inch aperture triplet Apos of the time. The 12cm ED was the first of their telescope models designated by a metric measure.
Left: artwork by an enthusiast depicting an Astro-Physics telescope atop a mount that appears similar to the late 1980's production '800' Mount (15,401 bytes).
The images taken with the two prototype 6 inch EDF telescopes were so stunning, and the feedback at the "Astro-Physics Day" even were so positive, that discussions concluded on 3 January 1990 with Roland Christen agreeing to make the first three of the most massive EDF's ever made: the Astro-Physics 206 EDF, 8.15 inch f/7.9 air-spaced triplet apochromat telescopes. These remain the largest, and arguably finest and most versatile 8-inch (20cm) class refractors ever made. The first of these telescopes was completed in July 1992 and is still owned by Martin, the owner of Company Seven. Martin used the telescope with the first prototype 1200GTO, Astro-Physics's first 'go to' german equatorial mount; this set (with motors that spun up sounding wonderfully like jet turbine engines!) was quite the center of attention at the Winter Star Party in the Florida Keys in February 1993. At the conclusion of the event and after all telescopes had been packed away, the only sign that any of the hundred or more telescopes had ever been there was a worn-out path worn in the grass surrounding the spot where the 206 EDF had been. This telescope has led a charmed life, showing amazing views of celestial events including the impact of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 into Jupiter that was observed with the 206 EDF in real time by invitation of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, DC for their open house on 16 July 1994.
But getting back to 1990; to handle the increasing demand for their telescopes and mounts, and to add even more new products Astro-Physics purchased land and in June 1990 they broke ground to build their own new purpose-built factory. Opened in November 1990, this remains their current production facility and observatory. It would soon become packed by state of the art precision manufacturing equipment, all being operated with an even larger disciplined staff. With the increased production capacity we at Company Seven thought the waiting lists would be reduced however, it seemed that everywhere we delivered a new Astro-Physics telescope simply returned many more new orders! To this day it is not uncommon for Astro-Physics owners to first meet, greet then inquire about how many years each waited for their own new Astro-Physics telescope or mount.
"All the while Roland and Marj, and yes those of us at Company Seven remained proud that
somewhere in America, there are still being made some things that are worth waiting years for"
These telescopes have been developed with the active observer and astrophotographer in mind with the emphasis on those things that make participation in the hobby a joy or research a success: sharp high-resolution optics, rugged vibration-free mountings, complemented by easy to use and effective accessories. Since so many of the most demanding people have employed these telescopes over the decades and since Astro-Physics controls all design and production in-house, they have been quick to adapt new ideas and technologies into production at a rate much faster than larger companies.
Astro-Physics refractors have come to represent the highest standard for optical performance, appearance, fine mechanical design and construction, and with the most comprehensive proven system of matched accessories of any telescopes of their type. Even as early as the late 1990's the marketplace had voted Astro-Physics as being the standard of excellence against which all others would be compared. This remains proven with resale prices often higher than retail, and demand unrivaled by any other product line. So if refracting or catadioptric telescopes suit your ambitions, then the Astro-Physics line provides the highest performance and greatest versatility of any of these telescopes in their respective aperture sizes in the market.
Below center: artwork by Astro-Physics (64,480 bytes).
ASTRO-PHYSICS DESIGN AND PHILOSOPHY
The name Astro-Physics has come to represent cutting edge telescopes and equatorial mounts, with a waiting list for their telescopes that extends for years. Even though Astro-Physics places few advertisements, their legend has continued to grow in the best way possible - by positive public critical acclaim. These have been proven to be superb products not only in published reviews and by our own estimation, but by the positive work published by their more demanding consumers. In fact a number of famous and awesome astrophotos (CCD and film) taken over the past decade or more have been accomplished by a number of Astro-Physics telescope owners. People often pay inflated prices to acquire a used Astro-Physics telescope (this happens with no other product line) just to have a chance to own that which most consider to be the best products in their class; this flattering inflation of prices while unwelcome, happens with no other products in this industry.
Right: Business end of the Astro-Physics 160mm f/7.5 EDF telescope (67,605 bytes).
Click on image to see enlarged view (204,264 bytes).
This is a product line that makes "Made In The USA" resound. The work of grinding and polishing the lenses, the lens coatings and the precision mechanical components are all entirely made by highly expert craftsmen in the USA. We invite you to visit Company Seven's showroom, the only full line Astro-Physics showroom in all the Americas (aside of the factory) where we show their product line including many other rare or discontinued telescopes and mounts.
a product line that makes "Made In The USA" resound
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