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Celestron Omni XLT 102ED "Glass Type"

Started by vct, 09/23/2010 10:08PM
Posted 09/23/2010 10:08PM Opening Post
Does any one know whay type of ED element is used in this scope?
FPL-51 or 53? maybe?
I have checked all over and cant find a review or any mention.
Posted 09/24/2010 03:40PM #1
FPL glasses from Ohara are exceedingly expensive and not readily available in China. Import costs for this glass are very high. I doubt that any Chinese made lens will contain Ohara glass. The Chinese have their own ED, equivalent to Ohara FPL51. If made right, the lens will perform very well, and you would not see any difference visually.

Chinese ED is limited in size to about 120mm at this time. It becomes very expensive to produce in larger sizes at the quality level needed for astronomical objectives. What drives the market for ED glass is not amateur telescopes, rather it is the camera market, and there really is no need for larger apertures in that market. Glass companies are not rushing out to produce 8", 9" and larger blanks of ED material, and will probably never do so.

Even Ohara has cut back on their maximum size to around 7". Many years ago they tried to produce ED up to 16" diameters but failed in their attempt. There are technical reasons why this cannot be done routinely, mostly because of the fragile nature of the glass and its tendency to become crystalline and cloudy while being cooled from a molten state.

Rolando