D&G Refractor.

[Doc]

I would love one of those large D&G Refractors. Spotted this one on CN.

It's a 11" F18.

Awesome isn't it.

[skye at night]

Jeez..

How much is that going to cost?

I wonder if he just upgraded from the little ones behind him?

Real bad case of 'aperture fever'

What must it weigh as well?

It must be around 18 feet long!

Steve

[Peter Drew]

I've got a 8.5" f12.5 refractor (not D&G) and I thought that looked big! I think a "Hargreaves" strut from the OG end to the end of the Dec shaft would improve its stability. Peter Drew

[Doc]

Peter could you tell us a bit about your scope such as make, mount, what are the views like and what does it excell at?

[JamesK]

That's gonna need one hell of a mount, but when you think about it, on a great night (50x per inch) it will get 550x with refractor image quality! Imagine Jupiter through that thing!

[TheThing]

Dolce and Gabanna make telescopes now? Fashionistas will try anything to make a sale!

[Wobbly Bob]

Hells bells I have seen the old 12" refractor at Ipswich, and that is mounted o a humungas mount under a huge dome.

[skye at night]

Dolce and Gabanna make telescopes now? Fashionistas will try anything to make a sale!

SSSHHHH!!

Those ladies will be in again talking about eyelashes and handbags and pink things!

[omneferuss]

hehehehehe... not when the boys are imagining having one as big as that one!!

..but where would you put it?? would the Missus tell you Not in HER backyard !! ???

[MG1]

nice....

I've been following this guys self build 10" f16 on CN. Looks like an old sci-fi prop!

Telescope Reviews: Building the OTA of my 10"f/16 refractor=

If only I had a garage!

[Astro_Baby]

So its not Dolce and Gabana then ?

[John]

I've got a 8.5" f12.5 refractor (not D&G) and I thought that looked big! I think a "Hargreaves" strut from the OG end to the end of the Dec shaft would improve its stability. Peter Drew

Is that one of your own make Peter ?.

I recall seeing pictures of a folded 8" a while back which looked pretty impressive

John

[Peter Drew]

Hello Doc and John. The refractor is one I built myself using an achromat that originated from the Hong-Kong area. It is on a mount somewhat beefier than an AP1200 which I also built as the AP is rather expensive. The whole rig is mounted on a 6 foot concrete pillar and housed in a 12 foot obsrvatory. Although I built the scope a few years ago the logistics of carrying it in and out has meant that it has been little used until recently. I mentally compared it to a 8" TEC at kelling and felt that although the TEC was a tad better on resolution and colour correction, I wouldn't have paid the price difference if given the option. Seeing conditions lately and a low jupiter haven't really done it justice yet but lunar views have been most impressive with very little CA in evidence. I have a 16" LX200 for comparison and apart from the extra brightness with the 16" and lack of CA, on the average night there is little difference re lunar and planetary, Mars is on its way so that might be a better test. The folded 8" that John mentioned I built for Ian Ransom, the then curator of equipment for the BAA. I used an F20 achromat from AE (Luton) and flats from David Hinds.

[Towa]

A picture of the folded 8" refractor with Peter at the eyepiece appears in the August 1993 edition of Astronomy Now.

A couple of years later it was sold again, with a picture advert again appearing in Astronomy Now.

[Doc]

Thanks Peter it must have been one hell of an achievement to build something like that.

[TheThing]

That is one neat scope!

Next time can you do one in the Burberyy Tartan? (Just kidding!)

Do you have any pictures of it in action at all? Or pictures taken thru it?

[johninderby]

I'd like to see photos of the APM 530mm (20.86") f/12.2 APO triplet refractor when it's finished. The TMB designed optics are being made by LZOS. It's only £278,000.00 for the OTA and the GOTO mount is another £280,000.00.

John

[Doc]

I'd like to see photos of the APM 530mm (20.86") f/12.2 APO triplet refractor when it's finished. The TMB designed optics are being made by LZOS. It's only £278,000.00 for the OTA and the GOTO mount is another £280,000.00.

John

Well if I win that £90 Million on the Euro Lottery tonight John I might just treat myself

[johninderby]

Well if I win that £90 Million on the Euro Lottery tonight John I might just treat myself

Well If you do don't forget the villa in Tenerife with the attached observatory (and the guest quarters for visiting SGL members) .

John

[Doc]

Thats what I would do John. I would get a really big observatory built with two relly big scopes in Tenerife and any one from SGL can stay free of charge with all meals and booze included.

What a life

[Peter Drew]

Thanks for the reminder Towa. I've just looked up the 1993 Astronomy Now and that was another one I had a hand in. To be honest, it was a case of trying to make "a silk purse out of a sow's ear" as the objective was an ex submarine periscope lens and despite AE's best efforts at refiguring it was a cemented achromat and was not really of astronomical quality. Was impressive looking though!

[Peter Drew]

This thread is really expanding! I bought an apartment in Tenerife earlier this year with a view to getting some cloudless astronomy in for a change. At present I have only a Celestron Nextstar 8se,102mm binoscope, 90mm ETX and a Helios 1 Ha scope out there, but if I can get some locals interested enough to help with getting a site I have some big kit that would do better out there.