16" official

[Kieken]

TS (astronomie store in Germany) is selling a 16" mirror from GSO.

I've noticed the add on astronomie.de but the producer was not known. So I've mailed TS about it and this is their response:

Hello Mr. en Carina,

thank you for your interest, the mirror set comes from GSO, which is well known for good optics.

Regards

Wolfi Ransburg

So, it's 16" with a focal length of 1800mm (F/4.5). Price of the mirror is 1250 euros (with secondary and focusser). So I guess the complete scopes will not take long to pop up .

[h0ughy (David)]

thats funny on their web site in english I cant find mention of the products. Be great news though, will be saving the pennies.

[Davelrkn]

Thats a good price for 16'' mirror secondary and focuser 1250 euros is around $2100 AUD.if of good quality.Just sold my 16'' for $1500 was built from the ground up ,a ten year project working on in spare time lost count of hours spent on mirror

Dave

[Kieken]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

thats funny on their web site in english I cant find mention of the products.

To be honest, their english site is not updated very often (their german site almost daily). You can find it on the german page under the section Teleskop-selbstbau (somewhere in the middle of the page) and then Haupt und Fangspiegel.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Keiken,

Just keep in mind that whilst the smaller GSO mirrors are of very good quality it is far more difficult to produce a high quality mirror of this size and focal ratio than a smaller, slower F-Ratio mirror. This is even moreso in a mass produced environment, particularly when it is new turf for the manufacturer. I really hope these larger mirrors are to the same high standard as the smaller ones, it will be a creditable achievement by GSO if they are. I am sure some feedback will flow through in due course.

CS-John B

[Kieken]

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Keiken,

Just keep in mind that whilst the smaller GSO mirrors are of very good quality it is far more difficult to produce a high quality mirror of this size and focal ratio than a smaller, slower F-Ratio mirror. This is even moreso in a mass produced environment, particularly when it is new turf for the manufacturer. I really hope these larger mirrors are to the same high standard as the smaller ones, it will be a creditable achievement by GSO if they are. I am sure some feedback will flow through in due course.

CS-John B

Yeah, I know. Still it's great news that large mirros will be available at a low price.

[IanW]

I'd hazard a guess and say the 16" F4.5 GSO will come in around 2500 AUD or so.

[gbeal]

And reading between the lines this may open the door on the 16" LightBridge?? I saw a 12" LB in Bintel last weekend, and was VERY impressed. That so I nearly bought it!!!!

[Kieken]

I think a truss is necessary (or a split tube) because of the weight. My 12" starhopper is at the limit of comfortable use.

[h0ughy (David)]

http://www.teleskop-service.de/Selbs...el/spiegel.htm at the bottom. by my german is very rusty (ie non existant) have to try to translate that.


EDIT: translated it - very badly too LOL

We can make each self farmer of Newton telescopes an irresistible offer, naturally are new the mirror: The following complete package we offer to you: Hauptspiegel 16"f 4,5 -- illustration guarantees better, than diffraction limited -- diameter 406mm -- thickness at the edge 42mm -- mirror carrier B 270 -- aperture ratio 1:4,5 Catch mirror -- diameter small axle 88mm Okularauszug -- 2"Crayford okularauszug with ring wedging and reduction on 1,25" -------------------------------------------------- The absolute complete price for all three products........................... ................................... .......................... Euro 1250, - That is an introductary price, which is only limited valid, we gotten only a number limited by this set pure. ---------------------------------------- Of course we offer also hauptspiegel and catch mirror versions in high-quality execution to you. Left to mechanical parts for the telescope - self's building.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

This is good news!

My big hope is that the 16" scope when released is decent mechanically and that they use a better design than the lightbridge, which I dont think will scale up well to 16".

Here's a babelfish translated version of the page