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Sumerian Optics 18 inch Canopus

alan potts

By alan potts
in Member Equipment Reviews

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alan potts

alan potts

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Sumerian 18 inch Canopus.

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Taken by Michael in Holland prior to shipping

Well at last it has arrived here at home and as they say good things are worth waiting for.

The Dob Mob

I decided it was time to try to join the ‘Dob Mob’ as it is called on site, a little known and secret organisation where meeting places to observe are sent to members in code and are on a need to know basis only. They use Newtonian type telescopes and some of them have very large apertures most of them are a manual operation though the computerised goto systems are starting to make an appearance. Having done a good deal of research into the scopes I decided to go for a fairly large hand built Dobsonian and this would be made by Sumerian Optics in Holland, this is a one man operation that has been in business a few years and I very much liked the look of what he manufactured, in particular the Canopus model. I was also looking for a high quality mirror and those offered by John Nichol of Nichol Optics had a very good reputation.

Order and Feedback   

I ordered this back in early to mid October but the time it has taken to arrive was never an issue, after all it was well into November before the mirror arrived from John Nichol at Sumerian so what can one do without the main ingredient for the dish, a bit like Jamie Oliver cooking Salmon en croute with the salmon.

In the time it has been on order and in the time it was being built Michael stayed in touch keeping me informed of any set backs that would affect the time line and answering many questions. At no time was there any pushiness or pressure brought to bear over the payment process, I did have a few problems at the time caused by banks taking their time to do a transfer and he was very understanding over the whole matter.

I have to say to his credit that his English is very good indeed never seeming to be stuck on a reply on any subject and all enquires were dealt with promptly, it is one thing being able to speak another tongue but writing it is another matter altogether. One thing is for sure his English is much better than my Bulgarian or Dutch for that matter. I also took the liberty of ordering a couple of things from the UK, a Cheshire and a used Paracorr, to make the journey from England with the mirror, this was not an issue either for John who received delivery of them or Michael. I will report in depth on the mirror performance at a later date as the weather Michael packed in the three boxes was not the kind I like to see, I thought it was polystyrene not snow. It was clear although one box went to England twice that none of the bad weather managed to escape.

Packing and delivery.

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Enought Polystyrene to insulate a house

The first delivery of two large boxes arrived a week in front of the other and one and this included the truss poles or something that had been in a car crusher. I could tell that the other box was the main mirror purely by the weight, all were totally unmarked and packed well enough to survive a bomb blast. The other case had gone off trying to collect air-miles  

When the other box showed up after its European tour where it made two trips to England in the space of 4 days, both Michael in Holland and I were both relieved, he had made many telephone calls trying to find out what was happening to it . I was informed it was the first time in two years of working with this courier that such a thing had happened and let’s hope that my scope marks the last occasion for everyone. Again the packing was first rate and needed to be because there were a few scuffs and knocks around the edges but all was well inside. I had a good look but could find no stickers from Peru, something that appeared after a suit case of mine was lost for two weeks by a well known airline. It was clear that this was not the first time that he has sent a telescope by a courier, all boxes were very well marked with the Dutch word for fragile.

I think great testament to the packing of my scope, albeit one part of it, is if it can arrive after the Counties it visited undamaged then anyone ordering any scope from Sumerian has little to worry about. 

Un-boxing.

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Mini roundabout.

This  was a done over a week period because of the delay which in some ways was a good thing, I thought I had a fairly large house but when something the size of this and the cases it came in are spread about the idea of building an extension crossed my mind. Once I got the mirror sitting in the base part it was like a mini round-about in the middle of the basement floor. I was left with a few pieces that I could not account for which prompted another e-mail to Michael, however later that day finding a large piece of bubble wrap in my Son’s bedroom with full details thereon of what they were meaning I had wasted both our times. At this point I had not set the scope up with the truss poles as it was clear that this was a bit bigger than I thought it was going to be and the basement has a low ceiling with large solid oak beams that would not be fussy as to what they damaged. I wanted to get the base and mirror outside into an outbuilding where it was going to be kept but the snow and rain would not give up, the last thing I wanted to do was slip over, I might hurt myself.

Build quality.

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Sorry no beans will corn do?

As I was taking it apart it was clear that a great deal of time, care and effort had gone into the build and finish of the scope parts. At first I only had the mirror box to look at and that was a good deal bigger than I thought it was going to be. The last time I saw something 18 inches in diameter was a crash cymbal on a drum kit I once had, where after a bit of practice I thought that I could be Buddy Rich, stupid boy. This clearly was a serious piece of astronomical equipment and with the 4 fans on the back and collimation knobs facing upwards I could see the design was well thought out. I  wanted to turn the mirror box over for a better look but had to be content with lying on the tiled floor lifting it slightly and peeping underneath. I could see fans very nicely incorporated into the design of the mirror box with what appeared to be a socket for some sort of power cable, to have the cable supplied would have been a nice additional touch as for me buying such things is none to simple.

The truss poles were interesting as I had only seen them as bare metal in photographs that had been sent a couple of weeks beforehand, these were the cause of a short delay as the coating for the poles had been out of stock at the suppliers. I am guessing here but they seem to be covered with some sort of heat shrink over tubes in matt black that really add a touch of class to the whole thing, not that it really needs it. Even though at this point in time I only had two of the packages the weather was dealing out the usual new toy treatment, there seems to be dark forces at play when ever anyone orders a new scope.

When the base and secondary top box arrived it brought along a load of snow and power cuts just for good measure, one of them 14 hours long. These parts were finished to the same high standard as the mirror box and looked very nice indeed in the natural wood and black trim I had asked for, though I have to say it also looked beautiful in black as well and maybe even a little sinister, this scope was seen on photographs that were sent in the ordering process that was made for another client.

What had become very clear as soon as I removed the top secondary cage and base section from the packing was I had completely under estimated just how big this thing was, not over heavy for me to lift but awkward to move around in one piece without demolishing the house or scope. It was clear that I would have to become more skilled at putting it together and taking it apart or get to work building another observatory.

I think at this point I should say that I felt the instructions could be better as there were one or two areas that had me somewhat perplexed, but building one of these is not too difficult and many people used to this type of scope may never need any instructions at all, this is after all my first sight of a Dobsonian telescope, but this issue should be addressed.

The Scope.

The scope has 4 main parts and all were finished beautifully as you should expect from a bespoke telescope maker. I did notice having read Scoot’s (a site member) fine review on his 16 inch Canopus scope that his was a slightly different design to mine, how much of this is because mine is a little larger and how much is because it was made clear that Michael was changing the design of things I don’t really know, but differences are there to be seen, though both look wonderful.

Top cage that houses the secondary mirror.

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Full top box and 60mm finder.

Once again; very nicely finished, thoughtful design, strong construction and fairly light. Sadly I have no way of weighing the parts as they will all be way over the limit of my Argos kitchen scales.

The secondary mirror comes with built in heater as standard, the wires for this on mine a very cleverly run inside a double spider vein using two pieces of thinner metal to make one vein part. This visually is barely thicker than the others and a nice touch. I went for the black Moonlite focuser option which looked very small on the side of what is a fairly large scope part.

I think though had I have know about the Feather touch focuser with the TeleVue Paracorr within I may well have gone for this if it could have been supplied. This was not if I recall correctly offered as an option and only got to know about it after reading that someone else on Star Gazers Lounge had ordered one from the Untied States. I am however as a result of not knowing somewhat better off in the wallet department, as the SIPS system is a whopping 1000 plus Euros, but I guess it is a once you have it item, as this scope is not the sort of thing you buy and keep for a few months, this is a scope for life.

Mirror adjustment was fairly easy with two reasonable sized knobs that were so much easier to use than allen keys and another adjustment screw that would require metallic intervention, not that I had the first idea as to what I was doing by turning any of them.

Truss poles.

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Truss pole connection system

These came very nicely finished with the black shrink tube covering and seemed very strong for what was just tubular aluminum, these were held neatly together with two Velcro straps. There are 8 poles in total all held                 together with metal angular slotted connectors that bolt on to the top box and mirror cell. I did have a little difficulty with the bolting up process as there was just not quite enough room for my hand, this though could be purely me and after a little practice this aspect may well be much easier.

I did anticipate leaving the scope assembled but after seeing its bulk I may well have to rethink this. It is not the weight of main scope, this is well within me, I liken it to trying to carry a coffin on your own and if I were if may well be a useful optional extra for me to fall into afterwards.

Mirror box.

Finished to the same degree as all the other parts but with much more beef, this is after all holding a rather costly piece of Nichol’s glass which must weigh at least 15kgs, it looked absolutely flawless and Michael has affixed a triangular centre spot where the three angles point towards the appropriate collimation adjuster, something I had not expected. The adjustment bolts were again fairly easy to move with just two having black finger knobs attached with the other one not requiring regular tinkering being covered with a black rubber cap. On such a large scope this system will have many advantages over the alen key and regular trips to the back of mirror, this is something that I will have to learn and I can’t say I am finding this aspect of astronomy that easy at the moment.

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Upward facing collimation knob

There are 4 metal plates for the truss pole to connect to which means the wooden parts will not get damaged unless you are careless with the poles and the mating between to two surfaces will be much more precise.

The mirror is covered with a large circle of strong but thin high quality reinforced board of some type with a small notch so the underside Velcro strips always fall into the same place. These affix to the three mirror retaining plates that are also Velcro covered. Personally I would have like the cover to bare the Sumerian logo like the one on the website and in the instructions, though this is only a small point and hardly a criticism.

On the underside of the mirror cell are 4 fans for cooling or maybe flight, I am not sure which. These are quiet I am told but have not had a chance to test them yet. I am not sure with keeping the scope outside if I will require them but as already said a connection cable would have been a nice inclusion or chargeable option. This may sound a bit picky but for me buying any form of electrical connector here is always a case of ending up with a cheap and nasty device made in a back street garage somewhere far away.  

When four parts became one.

Fitting the scope together for its first sky trials was not as difficult as I thought now I had all the parts outside where little harm could come to them, no oak beams to navigate. Both altitude and azimuth movements were smooth with what felt just about the right degree of resistance against my push. I loaded the focuser with a 41mm Panoptic which is not an eyepiece that will ever appear in a slimmer magazine, this weighs just less than 1kg. Once the finder which is a 60mm model from Teleskop Services was placed in its very poor fitting but adequate shoe the secondary cage had increased its weight by about 20%, I can’t say this had a massive effect on the scope but I set the elastic balance system in any case. This is two pieces of elastic cord that can be wrapped around anchor points in different ways to offset the turning force, they can be used alone or together, simple but it works very well. One thing I did notice which must have been carefully thought through in the design was the lack of weigh at the cage end actually made it difficult to keep down near to the horizon, so fitting the finder is a must there is also a Paracorr which was not fitted at the moment but am sure was built in the maths. Once you get to know the ins and out of the scope I am sure all becomes second nature.

I spent a good amount of time pushing and pulling in all directions and was very pleased indeed with the way it handled, not as if I had anything to compare against after all I was a Dobsonian new kid off his rocker.

I had a go at collimation which to me is a black art and no matter how many helpful threads I read about this I just seemed to get more confused, I underwent the same torture with the Meade SC telescope years ago, now I don’t think twice about it. Of course it is a learning curve and I imagine most of us would like perfection at the drop of a hat but I know a seasoned Dob Mob member would just twist this check that and all would be dandy. 

Conclusion.

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Canopus with naked poles taken by Michael

I have read many reviews and comments on Star Gazers and it would seem to me that buying a mass produced type of Dobsonian seems to lead to a major do-it-yourself project the week after for a good number of buyers. I see the change of almost everything has been done at some time or another, including, alt bearings, base re-enforcements, truss poles and focusers. I am not opposed to changing things but really wanted to avoid a telescope re-build which is why I went for a more up-market model, also I was after a size where there is little off the shelf choice.   

This is not a cheap telescope but it is also by no means the most expensive custom built scope on the market, it can be offered with a selection of different cost and quality mirrors in many sizes to suite all tastes. The scope is very well made and beautifully finished and looks much more expensive than it actually was. Above all Michael who is Sumerian Optics was a very nice person to deal with to whom nothing was too much trouble. I am sure once I lean the dark art of collimation for Newtonian scopes this will dish up sights of the night sky many only dream of. If you are considering buying a variable specification handmade scope that I am sure with care will last a lifetime I have no hesitation in highly recommending a scope from Sumerian Optics.

Thanks for reading it and I hope you enjoyed it,

Alan 

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Paul73

Paul73

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Worth the wait!! Seiously jealous here. Hoping that that jealousnes hits fever point on reading your first light.

Good to see that they are back on form after Daniel K's experiences.

What mirror option did you go for?

Paul

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hgjevans

hgjevans

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Certainly a thing of beauty! If it functions even half as well as it looks I'm sure it's going to be an absolute delight. Looking forward to that next report - I hope that weather clears up for you. 

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alan potts

alan potts

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Calvin,

I was guessing 15kg though I probably read it on John Nichols site when I bought it, I would think they are both made from the same blank size. In my normal way the first time I saw it though, I wouldn't want to drop that on my foot.

There may well be bigger faster and better on site and around about but it is a very pretty scope.

Alan

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mapstar

mapstar

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Lovely looking bit of optical hardware Alan and another fantastically detailed and photographed write up.

Many thanks for sharing it with us and your buying experience both the scope and the glass inside.

Damian

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Dannae

Dannae

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Lovely review of a lovely scope Alan :)

You are going to have some serious fun with the 18"! What will be your first target I wonder????

I heartily recommend a very light wipe of silicon 'Mr Sheen' type polish or a turtle wax product every now and then on the Teflon bearings. Don't do any of the lovely woodwork with it though as it will bead and drip with dew if you suffer from it.

Have you given thought to a shroud yet? I heartily recommend Heather's Shrouds (Teeter's) in the US if you are needlework-challenged.

The mirror centre spot is set up for a catseye collimator which in my opinion is the final word for OCD Collimators and I heartily recommend one once you've got the handle on things.

Have fun

Regards

Dannae

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alan potts

alan potts

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Lovely review of a lovely scope Alan :)

You are going to have some serious fun with the 18"! What will be your first target I wonder????

I heartily recommend a very light wipe of silicon 'Mr Sheen' type polish or a turtle wax product every now and then on the Teflon bearings. Don't do any of the lovely woodwork with it though as it will bead and drip with dew if you suffer from it.

Have you given thought to a shroud yet? I heartily recommend Heather's Shrouds (Teeter's) in the US if you are needlework-challenged.

The mirror centre spot is set up for a catseye collimator which in my opinion is the final word for OCD Collimators and I heartily recommend one once you've got the handle on things.

Have fun

Regards

Dannae

I am sure I will get to grips with collimation with the tools I have before too much more water has fallen, in fact Faulksy sent me a PM and in three lines it all became clear, it is a shame that he didn't manage to clear the clouds as well as it is still raining.

With regards to a shoud I am going to see how things go and my Wife has two friends that make clothes, they are very good and above all else, cheap, maybe even free as Vani used to take one of them to work in the morning.

I think at the moment it will be a see how I go, I had a play and managed to move clouds to where ever to scope pointed, which is a neat trick. The scope nudges very well, though with me at the moment it is not so much nudge as manhandle but I will get there. These press button goto systems sort of spoil you and I feel I may miss the tracking, especially on planets.

Above all else many thanks to everyone that has passed on congratulations in some way.

Alan   

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Daniel-K

Daniel-K

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I am sure I will get to grips with collimation with the tools I have before too much more water has fallen, in fact Faulksy sent me a PM and in three lines it all became clear, it is a shame that he didn't manage to clear

lol i taught him everything he knows about collimation :p glad your happy Alan.

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