G'day from downunder...24" project.

That is truely one amazing looking scope.

I guess he would need a 20" Dob for a finder scope. :lol:

Wht's the advantage of a curved secondary rather than a flat secondary?

As I go through it, I may have a question or two as I would like to construct something similar in the future now that I've finishyed building the 16". Folded newtonians are the way to go with really large aperture scopes I think.

Thanks for the welcome and comments guys.

There is no problem in answering any of your questions Michael.
I can see a future with this design, I mean if your not comfortable observing through a telescope it's not as enjoyable.
Not having to climb up ladders is a bonus.

Congratulations on your 16"

Have you considered making a few of these to sell.
I know others here who might be interested in making a scope like that.
You say in that thread that the primary is an F5 and with the secondary the scope works at F7, that makes the secondary a F1.4 or thereabouts, so did you grind the secondary yourself or did you buy it ? Does the secondary weigh alot, my main worry about a scope like that is supporting the secondary and been able to hold such a massive secondary firmly in place using a spider.
Did you have to remove the third mirror in order to collimate the secondary with the primary?

Hi Dave,
At the moment it is a work of love and I haven't got the time to build a few to sell. But you never no what the future holds.

A mate of mine does the optics as he has more time than I have to spend on it.
The cassegrain secondary is convex which helps bring the light rays further down the telescope. The secondary is not as heavy as you might think and the spider veins are tensioned making it very rigid.

There is a technique in collimation the optics but there is no need to remove the tertiary.

Wht's the advantage of a curved secondary rather than a flat secondary?

The advantages are that it brings the light rays further down the telescope (the cone of light is made longer than what it would be if you used a flat) allowing the focuser to be positioned at a comfortable height.

There is a technique in collimation the optics but there is no need to remove the tertiary.

oops, I presumed you'd use a laser for this, of course you'd leave all three mirrors in there if doing it by eye.
Thanks for the prompt answers.