gregbradley
18-04-2010, 05:05 PM
After a long time considering my next move I ordered a Planewave CDK17 (corrected Dall Kirkham). It goes on a Paramount ME on a permanent pier at my new observatory I am about to construct. It should be here within 3-4 weeks. I'll be imaging with a MMOAG and either a FLI ML8300 or Proline 16803. I will have my TEC180 on a separate pier so I can image with 2 scopes at once (perhaps one for colour and one for luminance like Thomas Davis does sometimes).
As far as I can tell these are one of the absolute best scopes out there of large aperture bar none. There are no unhappy customers and only very happy customers who are extremely happy with them. They also have some excellent reviews from 2 high end imagers I respect.There are a number of images out there from them (not a lot but there are some).
I notice Don Goldman is using one now as well.
The other scope I was seriously considering was an Orion Optics UK 16 inch ODK (optimised Dall Kirkham). They are considerably cheaper but none out there with examples of images. Also Orion Optics has experienced a lot of extra business and their delivery times are extending out further and further. There were a couple of other factors. I also preferred a truss design rather than a tube (less tube currents, shorter cooldown time, lighter, less affected by wind).
But on paper their scopes could be very very good once the production catches up and more examples out there and any little bugs sorted.
He has some nice features plus you can upgrade the optics to 1/8th wave for not that much extra plus he uses a triplet for the corrector and
enhanced aluminizing for the mirrors.
Starizona have an excellent bang for your buck 12.5 inch corrected Cassegrain that comes with a rotator, electronic focuser and fan temperature control, super small spot sizes for US$9990. Too small though and again too slow to produce.
RCOS, Officina Stellare are also more expensive and are not the latest in-vogue designs although RCOS still remains the brand with the runs on the board. But the days of the $50,000 16 inch compound scope are well and truly over. Its way competitive now and these GSO 16 inch truss RCs when they hit will make it even more intense.
Deep Sky instruments sell a 14.25 inch RC astrograph with Star Instruments optics at US$14,995. It has excellent spot sizes. But too small and not a truss design.
Philip Keller, Takahashi, Orion Optics, Planewave, Starizona, Ceravolo even Vixen and Celestron all have shown the optics trend for compound scopes is for corrected Dall Kirkham or Cassegrain optics. Well made RCs though can still produce some mighty fine spot sizes but they do require a nicely made flattener/corrector to achieve that so the formula seems to be 2 mirrors and a corrector/flattener. Tak was one of the first to bring out corrected 2 mirrored scopes with the BRC and FRC.
The cost of making the complex RC mirrors is now making them a target for easier to make and thus high accuracy corrected Dall Kirkhams/Cassegrains.
So stay tuned for first light in about 5 weeks.
Greg.
As far as I can tell these are one of the absolute best scopes out there of large aperture bar none. There are no unhappy customers and only very happy customers who are extremely happy with them. They also have some excellent reviews from 2 high end imagers I respect.There are a number of images out there from them (not a lot but there are some).
I notice Don Goldman is using one now as well.
The other scope I was seriously considering was an Orion Optics UK 16 inch ODK (optimised Dall Kirkham). They are considerably cheaper but none out there with examples of images. Also Orion Optics has experienced a lot of extra business and their delivery times are extending out further and further. There were a couple of other factors. I also preferred a truss design rather than a tube (less tube currents, shorter cooldown time, lighter, less affected by wind).
But on paper their scopes could be very very good once the production catches up and more examples out there and any little bugs sorted.
He has some nice features plus you can upgrade the optics to 1/8th wave for not that much extra plus he uses a triplet for the corrector and
enhanced aluminizing for the mirrors.
Starizona have an excellent bang for your buck 12.5 inch corrected Cassegrain that comes with a rotator, electronic focuser and fan temperature control, super small spot sizes for US$9990. Too small though and again too slow to produce.
RCOS, Officina Stellare are also more expensive and are not the latest in-vogue designs although RCOS still remains the brand with the runs on the board. But the days of the $50,000 16 inch compound scope are well and truly over. Its way competitive now and these GSO 16 inch truss RCs when they hit will make it even more intense.
Deep Sky instruments sell a 14.25 inch RC astrograph with Star Instruments optics at US$14,995. It has excellent spot sizes. But too small and not a truss design.
Philip Keller, Takahashi, Orion Optics, Planewave, Starizona, Ceravolo even Vixen and Celestron all have shown the optics trend for compound scopes is for corrected Dall Kirkham or Cassegrain optics. Well made RCs though can still produce some mighty fine spot sizes but they do require a nicely made flattener/corrector to achieve that so the formula seems to be 2 mirrors and a corrector/flattener. Tak was one of the first to bring out corrected 2 mirrored scopes with the BRC and FRC.
The cost of making the complex RC mirrors is now making them a target for easier to make and thus high accuracy corrected Dall Kirkhams/Cassegrains.
So stay tuned for first light in about 5 weeks.
Greg.