Tubless scope

[GordonCopestake]

Came across this. I've seen tubeless scopes before, but thought i'de share this design with you folks. A little steep at the price end of things, but a nice scope. Not sure where the dew shield goes though...

http://www.unitronitalia.it/gladio.htm

[FLO]

WOW :shock:

Are those images for real - check this one out:

Not sure about the design ... looks vulnerable :?

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

I would have to shoot our neighbour's pigeons before setting that up during the day, and the bats at night.

Captain Chaos

[Jamie]

Here is a superb image taken with it.

[Jamie]

Well a bigger view anyways.

[GordonCopestake]

Another tubless scope, a dob this time.

http://www.freewebs.com/brucemills/20inchf4telescope.htm

I like the idea of a lightweight large aperture 'scope. Not sure about how i feel about the exposed optics though

[FLO]

Hey, Arthur...

Check out all that luverly Aluminium 8)

[Jamie]

I have been considering a truss dob but its like you say Gordon the exposed optics worry me.

[GazOC]

That scope looks like a long f# classical Cass. It must be a hell of a size.

[Astroman]

The second scope looks a lot like a 16" F/4.5 I'm designing for a member of my astro club. Not too sure how he balances this example, but it can't be easy and of course he doesn't show you this.

The first scope looks a lot like another scope I saw by Mike Spooner. His was an 8" F/6 he called a "Scope on a Stick". It was really just an adjustable test bed for optics up to 10". The view of M17 was unforgettable.

[OXO]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

[MartinB]

Dew city :shock:

[Mick.G.]

I'd be worried just taking it out of the box, not alone using it! :shock:

[GazOC]

Dew city :shock:

The blurb claims dew will not be problem "under normal conditions", I don't see how though?

[OXO]

The blurb claims dew will not be problem "under normal conditions", I don't see how though?

Curvature of the mirror?

[GazOC]

Dunno James, the corrector on my Mak is pretty curved and it loves dew.

[GazOC]

From the blurb...

"Under average humidity conditions mirrors only get wet after a long period of exposure, expecially the primary mirror thanks to its thermal inertia which keeps the glass slightly warmer than the air"

I remain to be convinced.....esp. on a winters night in the UK.

[OXO]

I remain to be convinced.....esp. on a winters night in the UK.

You and me both mate

[geppetto]

Almost certain to dew up...

Those images of the moon sure are special :shock: 8)

[Astroman]

Does anyone know where these scopes are located? The first one I see is in Italy, but the second one....? Here in Arizona, scopes like these wouldn't necessarily need dew protection. I've used my dew zapper exactly 3 times in 12 years, two of which were up north at the Canyon. The 20" F/4 could hold a spandex shroud which would cut down on dew problems. The first one suggests it's used in a non-dew-prone zone of some kind.

Pro scopes are usually at the tops of mountains and so fairly dry anyway. Newer designs and modifications to older scopes allow circulation of air over the glass which overcomes the thermal inertia mentioned by Gaz.

[GordonCopestake]

The Dob i came across on cloudy nights, so I guess it's in the US somewhere, not sure where though.

[Astroman]

Ok, the 20" owner says he's from Saddleworth, West Yorkshire, England. Click on the "home" link at the top of the page and you'll see. If this is true, any ideas what the mountains are behind him?

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Saddleworth Moor. Hills, not mountains.

Beware googling Saddleworth moor as there are links to Hindley and Brady who were child killers in the 1960s. One child still unaccounted for on the Moor. Not pleasant.

(BTW the Pennine hills, of which the Moor is part, are visible from the top of our road.)

Captain Chaos

[Astroman]

Thanks, CC. Hills, mountains, moors, cliffs, whatever. We don't have moors in Arizona, so I have no clue. >shrugs<

[MartinB]

Think cold wet and boggy and you just about have it