Master optician workbench showing a half-polished 8-inch parabolic mirror catching studio light, brass tube assemblies and star atlas beneath magnifying loupe
Spring Equinox Collection · 2026

APOGEE
Instruments.

Hand-ground mirrors and machined brass focusers, produced one at a time in a workshop where the only deadline is the sky clearing.

Collection closes at Spring Equinox

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Spring Equinox · 2026

The Collection.

Twelve instruments. Each made once. When the collection closes at the Spring Equinox, the molds rest until autumn.

Celestine 102 APO — Apochromatic Refractor handmade by Edmund Voss
3 / 6
3 left

Apochromatic Refractor

Celestine 102 APO

by Edmund Voss

$4,800
Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Celestine 102 APO
OpticsFPL-53 ED triplet, air-spaced · λ/12 wavefront
HardwareMachined 360 brass focuser · 4" rack-and-pinion
Aperture102mm
Focal Length714mm
Gradeλ/12 P-V verified

A quintessential planetary and double-star refractor. The FPL-53 triplet produces inky-black backgrounds and colour-free stars to the edge of a 2-inch field. Every glass surface is hand-polished to λ/12; every brass surface is turned on a 1944 Schaublin lathe.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-R-003 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Darkfield 8" Parabolic — Newtonian Reflector handmade by Hilde Brauer
2 / 4
2 left

Newtonian Reflector

Darkfield 8" Parabolic

by Hilde Brauer

$3,200
Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Darkfield 8" Parabolic
OpticsBorosilicate 8" f/6 · hand-figured parabola · λ/10
HardwareMild steel spider · aluminium alloy tube rings
Aperture203mm
Focal Length1200mm
Gradeλ/10 P-V Ronchi verified

Hilde spends 40 hours on each primary — rough-grinding, fine-grinding, polishing, and figuring by hand using a full-size tool on a pitch lap. The result is a mirror that routinely resolves 0.6-arcsecond double stars on a steady night.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-N-002 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Meridian Eyepiece Set — Eyepiece Collection handmade by Tobias Kern
5 / 8
3 left

Eyepiece Collection

Meridian Eyepiece Set

by Tobias Kern

$1,650
Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Meridian Eyepiece Set
OpticsLanthanum crown · multi-layer broadband AR coatings
HardwareTurned brass barrels · rubber grip rings
Aperture1.25"
Focal Length6mm / 10mm / 18mm
GradeMatched set · 100% transmission verified

Three matched eyepieces — 6mm, 10mm, and 18mm — sharing the same optical formula and hand-turned brass barrel profile. The lanthanum crown elements give 72° apparent field with no kidney-beaning and sub-millimetre eye relief variation across the set.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-EP-005 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Observer's Journal No. 7 — Hand-stitched Journal handmade by Marta Lindqvist
7 / 12
5 left

Hand-stitched Journal

Observer's Journal No. 7

by Marta Lindqvist

$290
Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Observer's Journal No. 7
OpticsAcid-free 120gsm cartridge · sewn signatures
HardwareVegetable-tanned leather cover · brass corner guards
ApertureA5 format · 320 pages
Focal Length
GradeArchival quality · pH neutral

Marta binds each journal by hand, sewing the signatures with linen thread and pressing the leather cover onto boards cut from reclaimed oak. The interior pages are ruled with a custom grid designed for deep-sky sketching alongside the standard log columns.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-J-007 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Solstice 80 Semi-APO — Apochromatic Refractor handmade by Edmund Voss
Claimed
6 / 6

Apochromatic Refractor

Solstice 80 Semi-APO

by Edmund Voss

Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Solstice 80 Semi-APO
OpticsFPL-51 doublet · air-spaced · λ/14
HardwareBrass draw-tube focuser · anodised aluminium body
Aperture80mm
Focal Length480mm
Gradeλ/14 P-V verified

The compact travel companion. All six were claimed within 48 hours of release.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-R-006 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Zenith 12" Truss Dob — Dobsonian Reflector handmade by Hilde Brauer
1 / 3
2 left

Dobsonian Reflector

Zenith 12" Truss Dob

by Hilde Brauer

$7,400
Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Zenith 12" Truss Dob
OpticsBorosilicate 12" f/5 · machine-tested parabola · λ/8
HardwareCarbon-fibre truss poles · turned aluminium pole sockets
Aperture305mm
Focal Length1524mm
Gradeλ/8 P-V interferometer tested

The flagship of this collection. A 12-inch truss Dobsonian that breaks down into a carry bag yet achieves diffraction-limited performance on globular clusters and planetary nebulae. Hilde's best work.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-D-001 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Nadir 2" Widefield Pair — Eyepiece Collection handmade by Tobias Kern
Claimed
4 / 6

Eyepiece Collection

Nadir 2" Widefield Pair

by Tobias Kern

Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Nadir 2" Widefield Pair
OpticsSchott N-FK51A · 82° apparent field
HardwareMachined brass barrel · titanium-anodised filter threads
Aperture2"
Focal Length26mm / 35mm
Grade82° verified · flat field to edge

Matched pair in 26mm and 35mm. Sold out. Join the waitlist for the autumn run.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-EP-004 · Hand-engraved on delivery

Transit 130 Fluorite — Fluorite Refractor handmade by Edmund Voss
1 / 2
1 left

Fluorite Refractor

Transit 130 Fluorite

by Edmund Voss

$11,200
Macro photograph showing tooling marks and optical surface of Transit 130 Fluorite
OpticsNatural fluorite objective · λ/16 wavefront · zero secondary colour
HardwareLacquered brass tube · turned rosewood focuser knobs
Aperture130mm
Focal Length1040mm
Gradeλ/16 P-V · natural fluorite certified

Edmund's masterwork. A 130mm fluorite refractor with natural crystal objective — the last natural fluorite blank he was able to source. Rosewood focuser knobs turned on a hand-powered lathe. One instrument remains.

Optical Test Certificate Included

Serial: APG-F-001 · Hand-engraved on delivery

The hands
behind the glass.

Three craftspeople. A combined 71 years of grinding, figuring, and machining. Every instrument carries all three signatures.

Edmund Voss, Master Optician at Apogee Instruments
94 instruments

Master Optician · 31 yrs

Edmund Voss

Refractor objectives & fluorite grinding

"A mirror is a conversation with light. I just ask the questions slowly."

Watch at work

30-second loop · this instrument

Hilde Brauer, Mirror Figurer at Apogee Instruments
67 instruments

Mirror Figurer · 22 yrs

Hilde Brauer

Newtonian & Dobsonian parabolic primaries

"Forty hours on a single mirror. You know every square millimetre by touch before you test it."

Watch at work

30-second loop · this instrument

Tobias Kern, Brass Machinist at Apogee Instruments
210 instruments

Brass Machinist · 18 yrs

Tobias Kern

Focusers, eyepiece barrels & tube hardware

"The focuser is the interface between the eye and the universe. It deserves the same patience as the glass."

Watch at work

30-second loop · this instrument

Hand-engraved serial on delivery

Optical test certificate in every crate

Artisan signature on objective cell

Lifetime figuring warranty

Spring Equinox · All 12 Pieces

The full ledger.

3

Claimed

8

Available

11

Total

27% of the collection has found its home

Celestine 102 APO — 3 remaining
3/6

Refractor

Celestine 102 APO

by Edmund Voss

$4,8003 left
Darkfield 8" Parabolic — 2 remaining
2/4

Reflector

Darkfield 8" Parabolic

by Hilde Brauer

$3,2002 left
Solstice 80 Semi-APO — Claimed
Claimed
6/6

Refractor

Solstice 80 Semi-APO

by Edmund Voss

Meridian Set — 3 remaining
5/8

Eyepieces

Meridian Set

by Tobias Kern

$1,6503 left
Nadir 2" Pair — Claimed
Claimed
4/6

Eyepieces

Nadir 2" Pair

by Tobias Kern

Zenith 12" Truss Dob — 2 remaining
1/3

Dobsonian

Zenith 12" Truss Dob

by Hilde Brauer

$7,4002 left
Observer's Journal No. 7 — 5 remaining
7/12

Journal

Observer's Journal No. 7

by Marta Lindqvist

$2905 left
Transit 130 Fluorite — 1 remaining
1/2

Fluorite

Transit 130 Fluorite

by Edmund Voss

$11,2001 left
Aphelion 6" Mak-Cas — Claimed
Claimed
3/3

Catadioptric

Aphelion 6" Mak-Cas

by Hilde Brauer

Perihelion Binoviewer — 2 remaining
2/4

Accessory

Perihelion Binoviewer

by Tobias Kern

$1,4002 left
Vernal Equinox Filter Set — 2 remaining
4/6

Filters

Vernal Equinox Filter Set

by Tobias Kern

$6202 left
[Prototype — Unreleased] — 0 remaining
Unreleased
0/1

Prototype

[Prototype — Unreleased]

by Edmund Voss

← drag to explore →

Night sky over mountain observatory, stars sharp against deep blue twilight
Close-up of an unreleased prototype telescope objective lens showing hand-ground optical surface in workshop lighting
Prototype · Not Yet Released

Serial: APG-P-███ · Edmund Voss · 2026

One instrument · One chance

The instrument
that isn't ready yet.

Edmund has been figuring this fluorite triplet for eleven months. It has no name yet. The aperture is 160mm. The wavefront target is λ/20. When it passes star-test, one person will own it.

Objective160mm natural fluorite triplet
Targetλ/20 wavefront — if it passes
StatusFinal figuring — est. Q3 2026

Be notified when it passes star-test

No spam. One email. When the star-test passes.

Optical test certificate will accompany delivery

Ronchi · Foucault · Star-test — all three verified

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