NavList:

Thanks Al,
I’ve read that Celestaire comment several times in the last few days. It’s both good (“Astra produced under - GLH 130-40”) and bad (“Clones”) news.

The good part is that there’s a good argument for the GLH 130-40 drawing to be referenced in the papers inside the 1989 Astra case.
The bad is that I couldn’t tell them apart without the sticker.

I’m feeling better about mine considering the box with accessories, the Astra sticker, the Astra IIIb instructions even though they don’t have the serial number, the China Changzhou certificate with my serial number and GLH 130-40, and the partly Chinese specification booklet.

I guess I’d feel better if the Astra name and my serial number were on the same paper.

I’ve looked at Astra labeled, GLH 130-40 labeled, and sextants that referred to both on eBay recently. I don’t see any difference that couldn’t be put down to changes within models over time (I think Astra changed from a round to rectangular index mirror and I think the telescope shape changed over time.).
The only difference I see from photos is the stick-on label.

I don’t have any problem with my 1989 Astra at all. It’s relatively light, precise, and the telescope matches the mirrors so there’s little light leakage past the shades.
I still wear 3M shade 5 welding flash safety glasses when the sun is out. It’s interesting how much more careful I am of my 79 year old eyes compared to how I treated my 20 year old eyes.

This is my first Full Horizon mirror. It seems to me that everything is fuzzy through it. I’m having to select shades to give different colors to the two images.

I’d be interested if anyone has found definite visible differences between an Astra and a GLH 130-40 sextant.
Regards, Noell