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Old 29-07-2009, 09:41 AM
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Satchmo
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,883
Ah the Newtonian tube baffle rings. There seems to be a recent trend by Chinese scope makers to incorporate these into Newtonians to apparently increase the baffle quality.

There is absolutely no evidence that baffle rings in a Newtonian achieve anything but to stiffen the tube. Black velvet lining of the tube , particularly immediately above the primary mirror , and behind the diagonal mirror is all that is needed.

Steve Lee , telescope operator at the AAO made a nice post n the ATM list years ago regards this. If you wade your way right to the end of it , you will see the sense in his criticism.

http://astro.umsystem.edu/atm/ARCHIV.../msg00552.html

That being said I certainly applaud the supply of larger diagonals and extra long tube end to help with photography, which everyone wants to get into at some satge. I am a bit of a purist though. I think an `astrogragh' is a complete optical system , including matched field flattening and coma correcting lenses if need be . Without that the 'scope it is just a photo optimised fast Newtonian.

Last edited by Satchmo; 29-07-2009 at 12:14 PM.
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