Who Makes the Best Dobs?

[umadog]

Re-figures are definitely worth considering, particularly if your current mirror genuinely is a dog. If it's a marginal case and you're still interested in a better mirror then you might want to look into buying a premium one outright. It will cost more, but you'll get more for your money: the mirror will be thinner and cool faster and, if the optical house knows its stuff, it will be correctly annealed to avoid stresses during cool-down, etc. In Europe, I've heard good things about these guys: Welkom op de website van www.huygensoptics.com. Orion UK had a reputation for being a bit hit and miss but I think they've improved. The US opticians will ship to Europe. Should do you decide to go through with it, you should do your research.

I do agree that a Newt can make a great all-round telescope.