Equipment: The Elfer

11cm Newton (Bresser)	Mount

Background

This was my first "real" telescope. I received it in 1986 as a gift from my parents. Since then I enjoyed oh so many great nights with it. Even after finishing the 20cm and the 16" I continued to use it, for example for these events: Shoemaker-Levy 9, Hyakutake, Hale-Bopp (Piggyback-photos), Merkurtransit, Venustransit, Mars-Opposition 2003 ... I observed some of the biggest astronomical events of the last 10 years with this telescope.

There is not much to say about this telescope: Back in 1986 it did cost some 700 DM (350 Euros today, a 8" Dobson!). It has an equatorial mount but no motors. The eyepieces have a diameter of (24,5mm) and are of a bad quality ... nevertheless, I learned a lot of things with that telescope! And I'm still happy about the observing results.

Technical Data

(c) by Frank Leiter