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Orion Optics Dobsonians?

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GordonCopestake

GordonCopestake

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Orion Optics make the best mirrors in the UK as far as im aware. They are excellent and without peer. However for that you pay a premium, and they can be costly. Their dobs are the same as their newts on a metal rocker box (which is also a good design). They currently have an offer on where the optics upgrade is free to 1/6th wave mirrors and hilux 97% reflective coatings. This puts the dobs on the same quality as their DX range of scopes but without the (optional) focuser upgrade.

I myself am thinking of purchasing an 8" f6 dob from them to take advantage of the offer, but i will have to wait a little while to save up the £600 it'll cost me :)

I look forward to hearing other peoples comments

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nitram100

nitram100

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I can only comment on standard orion optics 1/4 th wave optics, i use the europa 10" f4.8 and have compared it with a skywatcher 10" and 10" revelation dobsonian, my mirror was clearly of higher standard.

I could pick out smaller details easier on my europa, as an example.. a ganymede transit on jupiter was easy to see through my scope using a 12.5mm UO ortho, it just popped out at me. Using the same eyepiece in the revelation and skywatcher i could just about see the transit, i really had to concentrate and im pretty sure all the scopes were properlly collimated, if anything my collimation was the worst!

So i can imagine a 1/6th wave with hilux coatings would be considerably better! I dont think you can go wrong when it comes to orion optics to be honest, apart from the damn chunky 2 vane spider on my europa, im not sure if they have changed to a 4 vane for the dobs, might wanna check that out!

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russ

russ

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I agree with Arthur.

Excellent optics married to Blue Peter build quality. Although they have improved certain aspects since I owned a DX250.

Best bet would perhaps be to buy the OO mirrors only and also buy a Revelation dob, then plonk the OO optics into the Relevation tube. Sell the Revelation optics.

Russ

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nitram100

nitram100

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my 10" f4.8 tube is perfect, made from rolled steel i believe, only criticiscm would be the crappy crappy GEM1 mount that it came with, the thing can just about hold a 6" let alone a 10"!

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Ambermile

Ambermile

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Spoke to Adrian several weeks ago before that review went in and he was seriously impressed with the Lightbridge..s as much with the optics as the build/size of the thing.

Arthur

PS - can't remember what the 10" was at PSP though, sorry :oops:

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russ

russ

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Had a poke around at the 10" Lightbridge yesterday in the Pulsar showroom. Can't testify to the optics but the build is very nice. Could see myself with one those.

Russ

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russ

russ

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Can you mount the lightbridge OTA in tube rings and EQ mount it?

I don't think so. Unless all the weight is at the bottom and you attached a dovetail to the side of the bucket. Perhaps it may work?

Russ

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GordonCopestake

GordonCopestake

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Thats one advantage of the Orion Optics design, it's simply a newt OTA in special tube rings with the bearing attached. They do sell the rocker box's seperate, you could always just buy a big newt and an OO rocker box... Personally i like the high quality optics. With a curved spider and an upgraded focuser i dont think you can go wrong with Orion Optics stuff.

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Andrew

Andrew

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I've been thinking about a 12" dob for the future and debating the relative merits of the lightbridge and revelation. I'm leaning towards the lightbridge at the moment - largely because I will have to carry it down two flights of stairs to observe! I did see a review that suggested that when you add a light shroud to it the truss arrangement means the shroud blocks off part of the primary, necessitating additions to the trusses to overcome this.

Also, I'm wondering whether it will be harder to look after - i.e. are covers supplied for the primary mirror cell and the upper part that holds the secondary? If not, does that mean that you need to buy cases for storage to prevent dust gathering on the mirrors?

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