Summerian UL Structures with GSO optics - WOW €€ - WOW

Just came across info about this Dutch company/ATM'er over in CloudyNights

www.sumerianoptics.com/canopus.php

While there, have a look at his smaller travelscope structures

Below is a link to the CN thread with my thoughts and ideas on it

www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat...odyprev=#Post4444508

What does everyone else think. Assuming the Summerian structures aren't like jelly, they look to be pieces of wonderful craftsmanship at an amazing price!!

Intriguing.
This may be exactly what I am looking for. Oh to have the finances to pull the trigger on it!

My requirement is to have a telescope that is airline-portable, lightweight and ideally tool-free. This looks to be a good compromise, though having to carry the truss poles seperately may be an issue.

I'll have to see how my briefcase project turns out - this should have the truss poles disassembling to fit into the case as well.

I love the finish and the setup of the Sumerian scopes though - they really look as though the attention to detail was a big factor in the construction and design. I'd quite like to get a look at one of these in person I think, but I'll have to wait till I get cash together.

How are you dealing with the Truss length Cathal. A really fast mirror meaning that one piece trusses would fit in an overhead compartment or truss pieces that require some assembly.....or indeed when you say airline portable, do you mean in the cargo hold or the overhead 'hand luggage' compartments?

I guess you could adapt the string scope/turnbuckle idea to give you enough rigidity with telescoping or two piece threaded truss poles.

I love the idea of all these atm scopes, I can understand some of the rationale, ideas and technical theory behind them but could never in a million years be able to build them myself. I can bolt stuff to other stuff but am dangerous around tools more complicated than a screwdriver :laugh:

What amazed me about these Summerian structures was the price, quality and UL design. I thought this was one of those cases where you only get to 'Pick any Two' :laugh: Although the jury isn't in till I find reviews it certainly looks like its got the price and UL design sorted.

Putting aside for a moment the fact that I bought my own 16" Lightbridge brand new for €1100 during a perfect storm of circumstances of retailer xmas discount, Meade promotional discount and euro/Sterling parity back in Dec '08, well had I paid full price then I would have paid €2400. The LB16's are still €1999 right now. I could have a Summerian Canopus with GSO focuser, GSO primary and Secondary for not a great deal more considering the dramatic difference in design and quality between the Meade Structure and the Summerian Structure. (GSO optics available from Summerian as their Budget mirror option are the same as whats in a Lightbridge) In fact, if Summerian have been allowed to cherrypick somewhat by their GSO supplier, then the odds are the mirror you are getting would be more than good enough. ie, much less of a chance of a lemon than the turkey shoot when the public by from GSO direct or by a GSO scope like the Meade Lightbridges. ie, because they can supply GSO mirrors, its easy to elliminate the cost of the Optics from the equation and be able to compare the cost and value of the structures alone.

I reckon with this structure I could have the best of both worlds. With my Primary in my Lightbridge modded and equipped with all sorts of great gear and with all the stability and collimation stability niggles sorted out, I have a powerhouse of a tool for visual, planetary imaging, mallincam Video astronomy and an outreach workhorse. However this scope is only feasibly used within a 50 mile radius of home really because literally its me and the scope and associated equipment that can fit in the car and nothing else. If I want to travel further afield to Astro events that involve over night stays be they out 'Wesht' or across the water in the UK, I wouldn't have room for an overnight bag never mind another passenger or tent! :laugh:

Here is where the Summerian Structure would shine. The cost is even more reasonble when one already has your own Primary. For about €1300, instead of buying a small SCT for 'away games' so that I could fit more stuff in the car, I could get this Summerian Canopus structure with a GSO secondary and Focuser, and after transferring my LB16 primary in when travelling, still get the same great 16" views and not have to settle for less apeture on trips away, but be able to fit a heck of a lot more in the car besides, and even be able to carpool with someone who is heading there too from my neck of the woods. I've certainly found a reason to hold onto and not sell yet my Equatorial Platform I used with my last scope (have a servocat alt/az drive on my current LB16). Actually with the purchase of another set of Encoders, I could even use my Sky Commader DSC from the LB16 on the Summerian. How cool is that. Object location, tracking and 16" apeture on away trips and still room for a friend and a 4 man tent and camping gear......:laugh:

Heres my 'problem'....

My first attempt (currently dismantled) can be seen here:


I was building something that could use an 8" f6 mirror that I got, while awaiting the design completion and getting the various fixings that would allow me to do what I wanted to do. I was going to copy this design as much as was feasible:
Peter Pekurar's briefcase scope

The main reason for my needing a briefcase scope was put on hold (holiday in South Africa) so I am fiddling with the design and materials again, and I will start again from scratch once I figure out what to do with the old 222mm mirror I have.

The truss (more properly Cantilevers) were going to be unscrewed into three sections each and these were going to be short enough to fit into the toolcase as well as all of the structure.

I'll have it done in a year or two I hope!

Calibos wrote: Heres my 'problem'....

Simple solution, ditch that car and get one with a bigger boot.
Cathal, thats a nice looking scope, have you made use of it yet under a dark sky ?

Dave_Lillis wrote:

Calibos wrote: Heres my 'problem'....

Simple solution, ditch that car and get one with a bigger boot.
Cathal, thats a nice looking scope, have you made use of it yet under a dark sky ?

Dude, in this economy even my car is probably in negative equity!! Buying another structure to use the primary in now and again is the cheap and easy option!! :laugh: