Notification Update

Other What's New! sections:
New Products
New Updates, Firmware and Everything Else at the Astro-Physics Website
Technical Support - Check this section for updates on our instructions and manuals. All entries are dated so you can easily see what's new and if your original manual has been updated.

Throughout the year, we will plan the production of various telescopes and mounts. We typically produce our products in production runs. Prior to the beginning of each run, we determine the number that we will make. As each production run opens for orders, we will post information regarding our notification process in this section.

Warning: Please understand that there are some *SPAM* filters that may delete e-mail that you would like to receive from Astro-Physics (we send some e-mail via bulk mail). We cannot be held responsible for e-mail that you do not receive as a result of using a filter. If we get a bounce from your ISP, we will attempt to contact you in a different way. Please keep Astro-Physics on your list to receive e-mail address changes. Keeping the above in mind will assist us in making sure you receive our notification.

October 6, 2018

92mm F6.65 Stowaway
We have contacted all of the people on the old list and given them two weeks to respond. A larger percentage of them have ordered than we had anticipated. At this point, we have filled all of the orders that we can at this time. HOWEVER, there is still a possibility that a few people from the new list could be contacted toward the end of this production run (see background below).

If you aren’t contacted, please don’t despair. We are planning another production run for early next year.

Background: There are 100 scopes in this production run. We never sell all of the scopes in a run at the outset since it is possible that some will have to be rejected due to glass quality issues or possible breakage during production. We always consider the last ones in the run as “backups”. We only accept orders for those scopes once they are completed. A few of the backup scopes have been designated for the last few people on the old list who indicated that they would like to order. There are also a few spots that could go to the new list if those final scopes are completed.

September 12, 2018

92mm F6.65 Stowaway
Today, we began the notification process for the 92mm Stowaway. After our initial announcement last April, we discovered there was an existing Stowaway list from 1999-2002. We thought this list had been exhausted; however, this is not the case. In our last communication with the people on the original 90mm list, we left open the possibility of future production. Consequently, here is our notification process:

We are notifying the people who are on the original list, in batches. The notification process will be rapid, notifying the oldest requests first, followed by another notification within a few days, and continuing this process until we have notified the original list in its entirety or have sold all of the scopes in this production run.

We are hopeful that some of the people on the newer list, started in April, will also have the opportunity to order from this run. We plan to make another run of these scopes next year. We may contact you at that time if you are not notified on the first run.

August 3, 2018

1100GTO German Equatorial Mount
Notification for the 1100GTO has begun. We will send e-mails and letters to all people who have signed up on the list. Mounts are also available to anyone who wishes to order. This production run features special offers:
1100GTO - includes Astro-Physics Command Center Standard Software (APCC Standard)
1100GTO-AE and 1100GTO-AEL (mounts with Absolute Encoders) - include Astro-Physics Command Center Pro Software (APCC Pro) and $1,000 price reduction!!

130 StarFire GTX "Gran Turismo" and 305mm Riccardi-Honders
All of the scopes that were in production have been completed and shipped. We do not have additional production of these scopes scheduled at this time.

November 15, 2016

130 StarFire GTX "Gran Turismo"
Notification for the 130mm f6.3 StarFire GTX "Gran Turismo", featuring our 3.5" focuser, has begun. As usual, we will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully. Good luck to you!

April 22, 2016

GTOCP4 Control Boxes
Introductory pricing for the GTOCP4 Control Box has now ended. The price for all new orders is now $1,195. This includes control boxes purchased for mounts purchased during the "Best Deal Ever" promotion.

Mach1GTO and 1100GTO Mounts with GTOCP4 Control Box Delivery Update
We expect to start shipping these mounts in early May.

February 22, 2016

Mach1GTO, 1100GTO and 1600GTO with the new GTOCP4 Control Box and Auto-Adjusting Motor/Gearboxes
Today, we begin accepting orders for our mounts. You may order online or give us a call. We will contact all people that have signed up on the notification list so that they are aware that the mounts are available to order. These are the estimated shipping dates:
Mach1GTO German Equatorial - mid-late March
1100GTO, 1100GTO-AE and 1100GTO-AEL German Equatorial - late April or May
1600GTO German Equatorial - June

February 15, 2016

GTOCP4 Control Boxes
The new GTOCP4 Control Box is now available as an upgrade for all previous GTO mounts that we have produced, even the ones shipped in the first 1998 production runs! Check the webpage for special pricing available through April 22, 2016.

November 30, 2015

"Best Deal Ever" Special Mount Pricing
Our special deal has now ended.

October 14, 2015

* * Best Deal Ever * * Limited Time Only * *
We have changed our pricing structure for all mounts and are offering a $-500 discount for mounts currently shipping with the GTOCP3. Read all about it on these webpages: Mach1GTO , 1100GTO, and 1600GTO.

September 4, 2015

130 StarFire GTX "Gran Turismo"
Notification for the 130mm f6.3 StarFire GTX "Gran Turismo", featuring our new 3.5" focuser, begins today. The first scopes in this run are nearly complete, so they will be shipped soon after they are ordered. As usual, we will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully.

September 4, 2015

180 FASTMAX Maksutov-Newtonian
We have completed a very limited run of 180 Maksutov-Newtonians, dubbed "180 FASTMAX", These scopes were first introduced many years ago and we had a notification list already in place. We contacted those lucky individuals and all of the scopes are now sold.

February 24, 2014

130 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo"
Notification for the 130mm f6.3 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo" begins today. There are two scopes that will ship right away and others will follow in late March and continue through the summer. As usual, we will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully.

August 26, 2013

1100GTO German Equatorial Mount
Notification for the 1100GTO German Equatorial Mount begins today. We expect to start shipping them in early November 2013 and continue through the early months of 2014. We have sent e-mails and letters to all of the people on our notification list. On Friday, August 30th at 5 pm, we will make the 1100GTO available to order online, even if you were not on the notification list. This new mount is a very sweet size for many of the popular telescopes in common use today. Performance is outstanding! Check out our full range of mounting plate options and order your 1100GTO today.

April 4, 2013

130 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo"
Notification for the 130mm f6.3 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo" begins today. We expect to start shipping them in late May 2013 and continue through early Fall. As usual, we will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully.

April 2, 2013

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The last of the 900GTO mounts has now been sold. Within a few days, we will announce the specifications of the new 1100GTO, the next generation mount in this size class. Check the What's New section of our website for further information.

November 30, 2012

3600GTO and 3600GTOPE German Equatorial Mounts
All mounts in the most recent production run are now sold out. Estimated delivery for the next production run is 2014. Please sign up on our online notification form, if you would like to be notified when we begin accepting new orders.

October 2, 2012

175mm f8 StarFire EDF with 4" Focuser and CCD Field Flattener ***** SPECIAL LOTTERY *****
Orders for all eleven scopes that were part of this lottery have now been confirmed with deposits. If any of these orders cancel, we will draw another name. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all of you who participated.

September 21, 2012

175mm f8 StarFire EDF with 4" Focuser and CCD Field Flattener ***** SPECIAL LOTTERY *****
At 2 pm today, we drew names for the eleven 175 StarFire EDF refractors currently in production and have been contacting the lucky winners since then. At this point, we are waiting for a final decision from a few that we spoke to and a call or e-mail back from a few others that we had to leave messages for. If any of these people do not ultimately order the scope, we will draw additional lucky names on Monday.

September 14, 2012

175mm f8 StarFire EDF with 4" Focuser and CCD Field Flattener ***** SPECIAL LOTTERY *****
We have contacted all people on the very old 180 EDT/EDF lists (refer to June 15 posting below) and still have eleven scopes available for delivery in October/November 2012. In order to be fair to all of the people who have expressed an interest in the 175 mm f8 StarFire EDF since its introduction at NEAIC/NEAF in April, we have decided to set up a special lottery drawing on Friday, September 21st.

We invite you to sign up for this lottery by selecting: 175mm f8 StarFire LOTTERY on our Online Product Notification Request Form. You will receive a confirmation that you are signed up on this list. We will close the lottery sign up process at noon Central time so that we will have time to prepare for the drawing at 2 pm. ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY???

All winners will be notified immediately at the time of the drawing. If you win this lottery, you will be offered the opportunity to purchase this limited edition instrument. The normal terms of 50% deposit to reserve the scope will apply and the deposit will be due within one week. Final payment will be due just before shipment.

We will not publish or broadcast the names of the winners in order to protect the privacy of the lucky winners. When all of the scopes have been sold, we will post an update on this page and make announcements in the ap-gto, ap-ug and Astromart user groups. Please do not call the office to find out if your name was selected.

September 13 , 2012

1600GTO German Equatorial Mount with optional Absolute Encoders
We have contacted all of the people on the 1600GTO notification list and there are still some mounts available from our current production run for delivery in February and March 2013. We have just assembled the first production 1600GTO mount and it is very impressive! We plan to post a photo sometime next week. The remainder of the parts for the first group of 1600GTO mounts is nearly ready for painting and assembly. The October estimate for delivery of the first mounts is on time.

August 10, 2012

1600GTO German Equatorial Mount with optional Absolute Encoders
Yesterday, we started the notification process for the first group of people who signed up on the 1200GTO list prior to April 20 of this year and those who put their names on the new 1600GTO list since April 20. Production of the new 1600GTO German Equatorial is well underway and we expect to begin deliveries in October. If this mount fits your needs, we encourage you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form.

June 15, 2012

175 mm f8 StarFire EDF with CCD Field Flattener
At last, we have started our process to contact people who will be offered the opportunity to order the 175 mm f8 StarFire EDF. These are the largest refractors we have produced since the mid 1990s and we are unlikely to make this size again. The 175 StarFire EDF will be offered to people who signed up on the notification lists for the 180 mm f/9 StarFire EDT and 180 mm f/7 StarFire EDF many years ago. Today, we will begin contacting these very lucky individuals.

For additional history regarding the 180EDT and 180EDF notification lists, click here.

February 17, 2012

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have contacted all of the people on the Mach1GTO notification list and there are still some mounts available from our current production run for delivery from late March - May 2012. All of the performance and function of our larger mounts in a compact grab-and-go size. Order yours before they are sold out.

February 10, 2012

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
Today, we contacted all of the people on the Mach1GTO notification list. We have started to assemble the mounts and expect to start shipping them in early March. After we give these people a chance to place their orders, we will make the mount available to people who had not signed up prior to today. If you would like us to contact you at that time, please sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form. Otherwise, watch for a further update announcement.

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
We are currently shipping the 900GTO mounts and have some available for immediate purchase. Spring is right around the corner. Order yours today.

October 5, 2011

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
On September 23, we contacted all of the people that had signed up on the list for the 900GTO. Today, we are inviting all other interested people to order this mount. Deliveries for new orders are estimated for November and will continue for several months. The earlier you place your order, the sooner you will receive your mount.

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
The Mach1GTO mounts in the current production run are now sold out. We have started machining another run that will be ready in early 2012. If you would like to obtain a mount from the next run, we invite you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form.

July 20, 2011

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO mounts in the current production run are now sold out. If you would like to obtain a mount from the next run in 2012, we invite you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form.

July 5, 2011

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have contacted all of the people on the Mach1GTO notification list and there are still some mounts available from our current production run for delivery from August - September 2011. If you are looking for a fun, portable mount that is easy to grab and go, we invite you to order before they are sold out.

June 9, 2011

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
The Mach1GTO notifications went out today. All of the parts have been machined and we have begun assembly. We expect to begin shipment later this month and continue through the summer. E-mails and letters were sent to all the people on this notification list. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

March 4, 2011

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have now sold out all the 900GTO mounts in this production run. If you are interested in a mount from the next run, we invite you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form.

February 1, 2011

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have contacted all of the people on the 1200GTO notification list and there are still some mounts available from our current production run for delivery from May - July 2011. If you are looking for a solid, reliable mount that has proven itself over the years, we invite you to order right away.

January 18, 2011

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO notifications went out today. Most of the individual parts have been machined and assembly will begin soon. We expect to begin shipping in March and continue through June 2011. E-mails and letters were sent to all the people on this notification list. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have just a few 900GTO German Equatorial Mounts available for February 2011 delivery. If you plan to purchase a 900GTO this year, now is the time to order. The next production run will not be available until the end of the year at the earliest.

3600GTO German Equatorial Mount
This is the ideal mount for permanent installations of large instruments. If you are drawing up your observatory plans or looking ahead to the purchase of a large Ritchey-Chretien in the next 18 months or so, you may wish to consider our 3600GTO German Equatorial Mount. They are only available on a limited production basis. Order yours now while it is still available.

November 18, 2010

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have contacted all of the people on the 900GTO notification list and there are still some mounts available from our current production run for delivery in January or February 2011. If you are looking for a highly portable mount just in time for spring observing, we invite you to order right away.

November 1, 2010

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 900GTO notifications are going out today. All of the individual parts have been machined and we are presently assembling the first group that will begin shipping later this month. We anticipate that shipments will continue through February 2011. We sent e-mails and letters to all of the people on the notification list for the 900GTO. On November 17, we will allow anyone else to order any remaining mounts. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

August 30, 2010

305mm f3.8 Riccardi-Honders Astrograph
Today, we began our notifcation process for 305mm f3.8 Riccardi-Honders Astrograph. We plan to notify only a few people at a time as these instruments are nearing completion. As a result, the notification process will be very slow. This is necessary due to the specialized nature of this instrument. If you are on the list, please be patient.

August 25, 2010

3600GTO "el Capitan" German Equatorial Mount
On August 19, we began our notifcation process for "el Capitan", our largest mount by notifying all people on the list. Today, we opened up the order process to anyone who would like to order this mount. Most of the parts have been machined and we have started assembly. We anticipate that the first orders will ship in October.

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
These mounts are now well into production with delivery expected later this Fall. Sign up on our Online Product Notification Request Form, if you would like to order this mount. We will begin our notification process soon.

May 18, 2010

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have now sold out all the Mach1GTO mounts in this production run. If you are interested in a mount from the next run, we invite you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form.

February 4, 2010

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have contacted all of the people on the Mach1GTO notification list and there are still some mounts available from our current production run. Delivery is scheduled for March 2010. If you are looking for a highly portable mount just in time for spring observing, we invite you to order right away. They may go fast!

January 7, 2010

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO mounts in this production run are now sold out. We invite you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form if you are interested in a mount from the next production run.

December 16, 2009

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We began notifications for our current production run of Mach1GTO mounts today. Many of the parts are through production and are ready to be assembled. We expect to begin shipping in late January and continue through spring. E-mails and letters will be sent based on our notification process, so watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

December 8, 2009

130 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo"
Notification for the 130mm f6.3 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo" begins today. We expect to start shipping them in January 2010 and continue through early summer. As usual, we will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully. Good luck to all of you who signed up!

November 2, 2009

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
We are now accepting immediate orders from people who wish to purchase a 1200GTO mount for delivery in February or March 2010. The next production run for this mount has not yet been set and will likely be sometime late 2010 or possibly even early 2011.

October 19, 2009

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO notifications went out today. Most of the individual parts are through production and assembly will begin soon. We expect to begin shipping in December and continue through March 2010. E-mails and letters were sent to all the people on this notification list. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

October 15, 2009

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 900GTO mounts in this production run are now sold out. We invite you to sign up on the Online Product Notification Request Form if you are interested in a mount from the next production run.

August 18, 2009

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
We are now accepting immediate orders from people who wish to purchase a 900GTO mount for delivery in October or November. The next production run for this mount will be available sometime in mid 2010, at the earliest.

July 1, 2009

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 900GTO notifications are going out today. Most of the individual parts have been machined and we are presently finishing, anodizing and painting them. Assembly will begin soon. We plan to ship the first mounts in August and continue shipping through October. We sent e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

March 11, 2009

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We started the notification process for the Mach1GTO today. Many of the parts are through production and are ready to be assembled. We expect to begin shipping in late April and continue into summer. E-mails and letters will be sent based on our notification process. Watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully. Good luck to all of you who signed up!

January 21, 2009

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We are well into the production of these mounts and look forward to beginning delivery in late Spring. We plan to begin the notification process for the Mach1GTO in a few weeks.

November 19, 2008

130 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo"
Notification for the second production run of 130mm f6.3 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo" begins today and we expect to start shipping them in January 2009 (all of the scopes from the first production run have been sold). As usual, we will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully. Good luck to all of you who signed up!

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO notifications are going out today. Most of the individual parts have been machined and we are presently finishing, anodizing and painting them. Assembly will begin soon. We plan to ship the first mounts in January continue shipping through April. We sent e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have started production on these mounts and look forward to delivery this Spring. We are not accepting orders for these mounts yet.

August 27, 2008

3600GTO "el Capitan" German Equatorial Mount
Today, we began our notifcation process for "el Capitan", our largest mount. Most of the parts for this mount have been machined and we have started assembly. We anticipate that the first orders will ship in October. For this production run, we have decided to notify all people who have signed up on the notification list by e-mail and mail. These people will have a two week head-start to order the 3600GTO. Orders will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. On September 10, we will open up the order process to other people who are not currently on the notification list.

1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO is currently in production. We will begin accepting orders within a couple of months. We hope to begin the shipping the first mounts before the end of the year.

June 5, 2008

130mm f6.3 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo"
Wow! Notification for the 130mm f6.3 StarFire EDF "Gran Turismo" begins today and we will begin shipping the first scopes in a few weeks. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and postal mailbox carefully. If you are not notified this time, take heart, we have planned the second production run of these scopes so that we can ship into 2009. Good luck to all of you who signed up!

May 9, 2008

3600GTO German Equatorial Mount
We expect to begin our notification process for this mount as soon as we finalize some information on our website. Production is now underway for this massive mount.

130 StarFire EDF 'Gran Turismo'
We are presently finalizing information relating to the accessories for this telescope and plan to begin our notification very soon. Production is well underway and the first scopes are likely to be shipped in early June !!!!!

May 8, 2008

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
We have contacted all of the people on the 900GTO notification list and there are still a limited quantity of mounts available for delivery in July 2008. If the 900GTO meets your observing needs, we invite you to order right away. The next production run will not be available until sometime in 2009.

March 31, 2008

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
Today we began the notification process for the 900GTO. Many of the individual parts are machined, and we anticipate shipping starting in May and continuing through the summer months. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

March 5, 2008

140mm f7.5 StarFire EDF
The notification process for the 140mm StarFire EDF is now complete. We will assemble and ship the final orders for this production run very soon to people who have already been notified. Thank you very much for your interest in this scope.

February 1, 2008

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mount
Today, we will start the notification process for the Mach1GTO. We expect to begin shipping in March and continue for several months. E-mails and letters will be sent based on our notification process. Watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully. Our notification list includes the names of people who signed up with Astro-Physics or Perceptor on the 400GTO, 600EGTO or Mach1GTO lists (they were combined into one list). The list goes back to August 2004. Please read the special note below dated November 30, 2006 for Perceptor customers.

900GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 900GTO mounts are also in production. We anticipate the notification process will begin when we have a better idea when these mounts will be ready.

130mm F6.3 StarFire
Production is well underway and we will probably begin notification on the first 130mm StarFires in late Winter.

3600GTO "el Capitan" German Equatorial Mount
We are finalizing some new features of the "el Capitan" mount and plan to go into production soon. Stay tuned for more details.

January 7, 2008

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The 1200GTO production run is now complete and all mounts have been shipped. We will begin production on the next run later this year.

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We are in the final stages of machining and will begin assembly of the Mach1GTO production run soon. We anticipate we will begin notification within the next few weeks.

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We have begun the machining process for the next 900GTO production run. We anticipate the notification process will begin sometime in late spring.

130mm F6.3 StarFire
Production has begun and we will begin notification on the first 130mm StarFires within the next few weeks.

September 6, 2007

140mm f7.5 StarFire EDF with 2.7" Focuser (140EDF27) or with 4" Focuser (140EDF4)
The notification process for this superb instrument is now ready to begin. Interest in this new scope has been very high and the notification list is already quite long. Unfortunately, the number of refractors in this production run is far less than the demand. After much consideration and based on customer feedback, we have determined that we will continue our notification process. by contacting individuals chronologically. We believe this to be the fairest way of making these hotly demanded products available to our customers.

Detailed information updates will be sent to everyone who is on the 140 StarFire notification list, and actual notification notices will be sent to those lucky individuals who have been on the list the longest.

August 9 , 2007

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The current Mach1GTO production run is now complete and all mounts have been shipped. The next run will be ready sometime in late 2007 or early 2008. Production has already started on this new run of mounts.

August 1 , 2007

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
Today, we opened the production run for 1200GTO mounts to everyone. We have contacted all of the people on our notification list and still have a few mounts remaining for delivery this Fall. You won't have to wait long at all to get your 1200GTO up and running! While they last........

July 12, 2007

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The 1200GTO notifications are going out today. Most of the individual parts have been machined and we are preparing to ship the first mounts this month and plan to continue shipping through November. We sent e-mails and letters to all of the people on the list as of today encouraging them to place an order soon if they want to be assured of one from this run. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We are in the final stages of notification and shipping for the Mach1GTO production run. We have started machining parts for the next production run and hope to begin shipment of these late this year or early next year.

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The 900GTO production run is now complete and all mounts have been shipped. The next run will be ready sometime in 2008.

140mm f7.5 StarFire EDF
We will have more information on these instruments and begin the notification process soon. Optical production is well underway, but production of the mechanical parts was a little delayed as we finished up parts for the 1200 mount. We still anticipate that we will begin shipping this summer.

130mm F6.3 StarFire
Production will begin this summer and we hope to ship the first 130mm StarFires by the end of the year or early next year.

February 19, 2007

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The notification process for the Mach1GTO mount has begun. All individual parts have been machined and we will begin assembling them soon. The first mounts will likely begin shipping in April 2007. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. Watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully. Our notification list includes the names of people who signed up with Astro-Physics or Perceptor on the 400GTO, 600EGTO or Mach1GTO lists (they were combined into one list). Please read the special note below dated November 30 for Perceptor customers.

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We are presently shipping 900GTO mounts. The notification process is still underway. Since we are allowing two weeks response time, the process is quite slow. Keep watching your e-mail if you are on this list.

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The next production run of 1200GTO mounts is currently underway with shipment expected this summer. We will begin our notification process when we have a better idea of the delivery schedule.

November 30, 2006

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
Today, we begin our notification process for the 900GTO mounts. All individual parts have been machined and we are now assembling them. We anticipate that the first mounts from this run will ship in February 2007. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully. Our notification list now includes the names of people who signed up on Perceptor's 900GTO list. Please read the special note below.

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The parts for the current production run are well underway. This is a larger run than the first one, so it will take a little longer to finish up all the parts. We plan to start our notification process for this run soon. Shipment will likely start at the end of Winter.

Special Note to Perceptor Customers in Canada
We were greatly saddened by the death of John Kidner in September of this year. Perceptor's tradition of fine service to the Canadian astronomer is now carried on by Lauri Kangas, the new owner. Lauri will continue to offer Astro-Physics accessories to his customers.

Suzanne Kidner is providing Perceptor's prior notification lists for telescopes and mounts to Astro-Physics. We are incorporating these lists into our own database in chronological order according to the dates signed up with Perceptor. We have already received the names of people on the 900GTO list through the end of September 2004 in preparation for the notification starting today. We will receive all other names in the near future for all lists. Customers will be contacted by Astro-Physics when a scope or mount becomes available to order.

Please do not contact us to confirm if your name is on the list since we don't have all of the information yet. We will post a note to this area when the Perceptor customers have been integrated into our database. Thank you.

September 15, 2006

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We started the notification process for the Mach1GTO on September 13 and will start shipping the mounts in this production run as early as next week! The people we are contacting had originally signed up on the 400GTO or 600EGTO lists, which were merged together. The list dates back to early 2000. We arel sending e-mails and letters based on our notification process. Since delivery is so near, we may also make phone calls. Production of the second run of these mounts has already started. The next run will be larger than the first one.

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We are well into production on the next run of 900GTO mounts and hope to begin shipment by the end of the year. I anticipate that we will begin accepting orders within a few weeks. The notification run for this mount goes back to late March 2004.

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We are still shipping mounts in our current production run and will continue to do so for the next couple of months. At this time, we have a few more mounts to sell before the production run is sold out. We are presently notifying people who signed up in early July 2006, so the waiting time is improving for these mounts. Our expanded machine shop is enabling us to reduce our waiting time for mounts, though this will be a gradual process. The next production run will be available in 2007, though it is too early to project a date yet.

Telescopes
Roland is finishing up production of the 160mm f7.5 StarFire EDF refractors. He has a few ideas in the works, but has not decided yet which scope will be produced next. We'll let you know when that decision has been made.

February 10, 2006

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
The first batch of our 1200GTO notifications are going out today. Most of the individual parts have been machined and we will begin assembly in the next week or so. We estimate that the first mounts from this production run will ship in June continuing until early next year. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

Mach1GTO German Equatorial Mounts
We have ordered the material for this exciting new mount and will begin machining in the next couple of weeks. We plan to begin notification in the late Spring.

August 19, 2005

900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
Today, we begin our notification process for the 900GTO mounts. All individual parts have been machined and we are now assembling them for shipment. We anticipate that the first mounts from this run will ship in September of this year and the remainder throughout the end of 2005 and early 2006. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

Other German Equatorial Mounts
We will begin the next 1200GTO production run within the next few weeks. We plan to accept orders for these mounts in late 2005 or early 2006. Development of our new smaller mount is underway, however details are not available at this time. We will use the existing 400GTO and 600EGTO notification lists for this new mount. We do not plan to start a new list at this time.

August 3, 2005

1200GTO German Equatorial
The current production run is now sold out and the mounts have shipped.

February 11, 2005

160mm f7.5 StarFire EDF
We have completed notifications for this scope. We started fhe 160mm f7.5 notification with entries from May 1999 and notified people through mid-November 1999. Please refer to the Notification Process page for information regarding cancellations and "backups."

November 3, 2004

160mm f7.5 StarFire EDF
Today, we begin our notification process for the 160mm f7.5 StarFire EDF that are well into production. We anticipate that the first scopes from this run will ship in December of this year and the remainder through the first half of 2005. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. We will utilize the 155mm StarFire notification list, which dates back to May 1999. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

October 27, 2004

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
Today, we begin our notification process for the 1200GTO mounts that are well into production. We anticipate that the first mounts from this run will ship in December of this year and the remainder in early 2005. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

Other German Equatorial Mounts
We will begin the next 900GTO production run within the next few weeks. We plan to accept orders for these mounts in early 2005. Later in 2005, we will introduce our new smaller mount that will replace the 400GTO and 600EGTO. We will use the existing 400GTO and 600EGTO notification lists for this new mount. We do not plan to start a new list at this time.

Refractors and Maksutov-Cassegrains
The new 160mm StarFire f7.5 is well into production and we are planning to begin the notification process very soon. Since the size of this instrument is very similar to our previous 155mm StarFire EDF/EDFS, we plan to use the notification list for that scope. In 2005, we plan to upgrade our 130 and 105mm refractors and Maksutov-Cassegrain models. This may include new sizes and configurations. The details on the newer models will be revealed as they are re-introduced. We plan to use the existing notification lists for new products with similar size characteristics.

September 9, 2004

1200GTO German Equatorial
The current production run is now sold out and the mounts have shipped.

March 18, 2004

Super Planetary Eyepieces
We are now accepting orders for Astro-Physics Super Planetary Eyepieces - 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm. Delivery of the next shipment is expected to begin in June. Orders are now open to everyone. You may order single or multiple eyepieces of whatever focal lengths you wish to have.

Today, we sent an e-mail to all of the people on the Super Planetary Eyepiece Bulletin List. Now that these e-mails have been sent, the bulletin list database has been erased. We will not send any further e-mails to the people who signed up. Since we are now accepting orders, the bulletin list has been de-activated.

February 13, 2004

Super Planetary Eyepieces
All of the available eyepieces have been sold. Since we have been very pleased with the quality of these SPLs, we have given the go-ahead for much larger production in the future. We anticipate that these will be ready in a few months. If you would like to order the SPL eyepieces, please fill out the form on our new Super Planetary Eyepiece Bulletin List. You may select the eyepieces that you would like to order and quantity. We will contact the people on this list when we are ready to accept new orders. This will take the pressure off of watching the user groups and this update.

February 12, 2004

Super Planetary Eyepieces
On Friday, February 13 at 1 pm. CST we will accept orders for a limited number of complete sets of the new Super Planetary Eyepieces. Please do not send e-mail orders since we do not have control over when they are received or may not see them right away. The set will consist of six eyepieces: 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, priced at $245 for each eyepiece. If you have already purchased a 5mm SPL eyepiece, you will need only 5 eyepieces to complete your set. We also have a few extra eyepieces of various sizes that we will sell as singles, while quantities last. The eyepieces will ship in March. Once the eyepieces have been sold, we will invite everyone else to sign up on a special eyepiece list. More details on the list tomorrow.

Only one set per customer due to the low quantities. We reserve the right to decline sales of these eyepieces to known "flippers."

February 10, 2004

1200GTO German Equatorial Mounts
Today, we begin our notification process for the 1200GTO mounts that are well into production. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

Other German Equatorial Mounts
We do not have any other mount production runs planned at this time.

Refractors and Maksutov-Cassegrains
We are planning the next production runs for the telescopes. When that information is finalized, we will post it here.

Super Planetary Eyepieces
We will accept additional orders for these eyepieces very soon.

December 22, 2003

5mm Super Planetary Eyepiece
Today, we offered and sold out a limited number of the 5mm Super Planetary Eyepieces (SPL050) eyepieces from our first production run to the first people who responded to our posting on the ap-ug user group and website. Additional eyepieces are expected in March. We did not have and do not plan to start a notification list for this item at this time.

July 25, 2003

Mark V Binocular Viewer from Baader Planetarium
We have received our first shipment of the new Mark V Binocular Viewers from Baader Planetarium. Today, we began the notification process for the people who have signed up on this list. We will follow our typical process of sending e-mails and a snail mail letter, allowing one week for response so that we can deliver all of these binocular viewers in time for Mars. If you would like to be added to this list for future delivery, please give our office a call.

April 2, 2003

All Scopes
All of the 155mm f7 StarFire EDF and EDFS scopes have been completed and shipped. We will be shipping the 130mm f8.35 StarFire EDTs next with the 130mm f6 StarFire EDFs and Travelers following later this year. We are currently on schedule with these shipments. Please refer to the Notification Process page for information regarding cancellations and "backups." Future production runs will not be planned until later this year.

1200GTO
Production of the 1200GTOs will begin soon. We will begin our notification process for these mounts after we are well into production and can provide reasonable estimates for delivery.

900GTO
The current production run is now full. Please refer to the Notification Process page for information regarding cancellations and "backups." The next production run will follow the 1200GTOs later this year..

December 19, 2002

130 f8.35 StarFire EDT
We have completed notifications for this scope. We started fhe 130 f8 notification with entries from April 1998 and notified people through mid-December 1999. We do not plan any further production of this f ratio. Please refer to the Notification Process page for information regarding cancellations and "backups."

November 11, 2002

Several production runs have been closed in the last week and the 130f6 closed this morning. Please refer to the Notification Process page for information regarding cancellations and "backups."

92mm f7 Stowaway
All of the Stowaways have been sold. We have no plans to produce the f5 or f7 Stowaways in the future. The scopes were sold to people who had been on the list from February 1996 (when it was debuted at the Winter Star Party) to September 1999.

Traveler
We have completed the notifications for the Traveler. The process started with people on the list since December 1998 and ended with mid-June 1999.

130 f6 StarFire EDFS
This production run is full. We notified people from mid-May 1999 to mid-September 1999.

130 f8.35 StarFire EDT
We have one more scope available in this run. At this time, we are waiting to hear from someone on the list since mid-December 1999. We started fhe 130 f8 notification with entries from April 1998. We do not plan any further production of this f ratio.

155 f7 StarFire EDF and EDFS
Notifications are complete. We started with January 1999 and ended with mid-May 1999.

10"f14.6 Maksutov-Cassegrain
Roland is finishing the last of these scopes, so we are contacting a few lucky people who date back to January 1999. We are considering options for the next compound scope design, perhaps a faster focal ratio.

900GTO German Equatorial
We still have a few more mounts available. At this time, we are contacting people who have been on the list since mid-August 2001. This is the largest production run we have ever made of this mount so the notification process has taken a long time. If we contact you, we ask you to respond as soon as possible.

1200GTO German Equatorial
We will begin the next production run and notification in the next month or two.

400GTO and 600EGTO German Equatorials
We are not planning to produce these mounts for the remainder of 2002 or 2003.

May 8, 2002 - Refractors

Today, we started the notification process for the refractors listed below. As you can see by the dates, many of the people on these lists have been waiting quite a long time. We are certain that we will not be able to accommodate everyone this time around. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully.

92mm f7 Stowaway
We have produced a limited number of the 92mm Stowaway for delivery beginning this month - they are almost completed! This is the only production run that we have planned for this scope and we will notify people that have been on the 90mm list as far back as 1996. We are not accepting names for future production runs since we do not plan any.

130 f8.35 StarFire EDT
In response to popular demand, we decided to produce a limited number of these longer 130mm f8.35 StarFires. The list for this scope goes back to mid-1998. We are not accepting names for future production runs since we do not plan to produce more.

Traveler
This compact scope has been a mainstay of our product line since 1991 when we travelled to the Baja peninsula of Mexico for that fabulous eclipse. The current notification list goes back to mid-December 1998.

130 f6 StarFire EDFS
For many, the 130 f6 StarFire EDFS is the ideal size for portability and performance. We will be contacting people who have been waiting patiently on our notification list since mid-May 1999.

155 f7 StarFire EDFS and EDF
We offer your choice of either a 2.7" or 4" focuser (with 4" field flattener) for this highly-prized refractor. This list goes back to January 1999.

March 26, 2002 - 1200GTO German Equatorial Mount
The 1200GTO production run is now full. We have completed the notification process.

March 14, 2002

10" Mak-Cas
Roland is completing seven more of these scopes for shipment in the next couple of weeks. We have already contacted people on the notification list and these instruments have been sold. He plans to finish a few more in the next few months.

Traveler, 130, and 155 StarFires
We plan to begin the notification process for the next production runs of Traveler, 130 and 155 StarFires in mid-April. We will post the start date here.

1200GTO and 900GTO German Equatorial Mounts
These production runs are nearly filled, however we are still notifying people on the list for a few open spots. We are presently shipping 1200GTOs and the 900GTOs are well into production.

January 22, 2002 - 900GTO German Equatorial Mount

Today, we started the notification process for the 900GTO. We will notify people in chronological order based on the date that they asked to be placed on the list. Unfortunately, this list is quite long and we will probably not be able to accommodate everyone, even though this production run is the largest ever produced. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully. Estimated delivery of these mounts is from August 2002 to February 2003.

We are in the planning stages for the next production runs of telescopes and plan to begin the notification in mid to late February. The 1200GTO notification process is coming to an end, however we have a few more people to notify for the last few mounts. The next 600EGTO and 400GTO production runs have not been scheduled yet.

October 2, 2001 - 1200GTO German Equatorial Mount

Today, we started the notification process for the 1200GTO. We will notify people in chronological order based on the date that they asked to be placed on the list. Unfortunately, this list is quite long and we will probably not be able to accommodate everyone, even though this production run is the largest ever produced. We will send e-mails and letters based on our notification process. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and mailbox carefully. Estimated delivery of these mounts is from January to July 2002.

We plan to announce the next production runs for the telescopes later this year or early next year. We will begin the notification process for the 900GTO in a few months. The next 600EGTO and 400GTO production runs have not been scheduled yet.

August 27, 2001 - 900GTO German Equatorial Mount

After reviewing the update list, it came to our attention that we never indicated that the notification process for the 900GTO has been closed. The notification process is completed for the 900GTO and all mounts are shipped.

January 25, 2001 - 600EGTO German Equatorial Mount

Today, we started to contact people on the notification list for this mount. As promised, we will notify people in chronological order based on the date that they asked to be placed on the list. Unfortunately, this list is quite long and we know that we cannot accommodate everyone. When the production run is full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and answering machines (if we don't have your e-mail address) carefully.

January 17, 2001 - Polar Alignment Scopes

Today, we notified all the people on the polar alignment scope list. Over the last few years, we have maintained an in-house notification list (not available as a choice on the web pull-down notification list) for people who were interested in polar scopes. This product is now available to order so there is no further need for a notification list. We will not accept additional names for this list or send future notifications for polar scopes.

December 22, 2000 - Traveler

The notification process is completed for the Traveler. If there are any cancellations, we will notify the next person on the list per our usual policy.

September 26, 2000 - 900GTO German Equatorial Mount

September 26, 2000 - Traveler, 130mm f6 StarFire EDFS and 155mm f7 StarFire EDF and EDFS

The notification process is completed for the 130mm f6 StarFire EDFS and 155mm f7 StarFire EDF and EDFS. Traveler notification is almost completed. If there are any cancellations, we will notify the next person on the list per our usual policy.

July 11, 2000 - Traveler, 130mm f6 StarFire EDFS and 155mm f7 StarFire EDF and EDFS

Today, we started to contact people on the notification lists for these instruments. As promised, we will notify people in chronological order based on the date that they asked to be placed on a particular list. Unfortunately, the number of people who have expressed an interest in these scopes exceed the number we are producing and we know that we cannot accommodate everyone. When the production runs are full, we will post a notice on this page. In the meantime, watch your e-mail and answering machines (if we don't have your e-mail address) carefully.

May 10, 2000 - 1200GTO German Equatorial

Our current production run for the 1200GTO is now sold out. Unfortunately, the number of people who expressed an interest in this mount exceeded the number we are producing. As a result, we could not offer everyone a chance to order. Everyone who was not contacted will remain on the notification list.

March 14, 2000 - 1200GTO German Equatorial

Production of our current run of 1200GTO German Equatorial mounts is well underway. Today, we started to contact people on the 1200GTO notification list. Unfortunately, the number of people who have expressed an interest in this mount exceed the number we are producing. As a result, we cannot offer everyone a chance to order at the same time. Estimated delivery of these go-to mounts is from August to December.

January 26, 2000 - 400GTO German Equatorial

Production of our current run of 400GTO German Equatorial mounts is well underway. Today, we started to contact people on the 400GTO notification list. Unfortunately, the number of people who have expressed an interest in this mount exceed the number we are producing. As a result, we cannot offer everyone a chance to order at the same time. Estimated delivery of these go-to mounts is from March to July.

January 21, 2000 - 10" f14.6 Maksutov-Cassegrain

Ten of these instruments were offered to select individuals on our Maksutov-Cassegrain notification list. This production run is now full. We anticipate that additional scopes will be available later in the year. Refer to the specifications and photographs of the 10" f14.6 Mak-Cass for additional information. We anticipate that deliveries will begin in April 2000.

Astro-Physics, Inc.
11250 Forest Hills Road, Machesney Park, IL 61115, U.S.A.
Phone: 815-282-1513 Fax: 815-282-9847