Please, let's don't make this wwIII over what scope is best!
I just want to offer some experience using small spherical mirror newts from 80mm to 114mm.
Over the years for backyard viewing I usually grab or leave outside one of my small newts for the planets doubles and bright deep space objects. In a previous life I moonlighted repairing scopes for a local shop and wound up collimating and repairing lots of small newts for customers and rediscovered what I knew but didn't appreciate decades ago as a kid. Small spherical mirrors that are mechanically made produce exceptional images. They are long enough to be "diffraction limited" without being parabolic. In fact I think small mirror parabolas can't find the radial space for accurate transition especially if hand crafted. Some gifted craftsmen may differ.
The views are exceptionally crisp throughout a wide mag range and stars are airy discs and diffraction rings.
Collimation is very forgiving since the mirror is spherical.
The 4.5" newt is a Russian tube with an old "Mayflower" mirror and secondary. I found the Mayflower at a yard sale for $5.00. It had been run-over by a Buick and left for dead.
The other newt is a 84mmX760mm Mirador from who knows when that I purchased from a fellow astro buddy.
Both scopes produce high contrast planets and great double views. You'd have to see it to believe it. I can see Jupiter moon transits, shadow transits and other detail (Red Spot and band stuff) on an average night of seeing.
Newts in these configurations are extremely comfortable and hassle free. If you're looking for an easy project that produces results for small change........
Thanks for your patience :S
John W.
I just want to offer some experience using small spherical mirror newts from 80mm to 114mm.
Over the years for backyard viewing I usually grab or leave outside one of my small newts for the planets doubles and bright deep space objects. In a previous life I moonlighted repairing scopes for a local shop and wound up collimating and repairing lots of small newts for customers and rediscovered what I knew but didn't appreciate decades ago as a kid. Small spherical mirrors that are mechanically made produce exceptional images. They are long enough to be "diffraction limited" without being parabolic. In fact I think small mirror parabolas can't find the radial space for accurate transition especially if hand crafted. Some gifted craftsmen may differ.
The views are exceptionally crisp throughout a wide mag range and stars are airy discs and diffraction rings.
Collimation is very forgiving since the mirror is spherical.
The 4.5" newt is a Russian tube with an old "Mayflower" mirror and secondary. I found the Mayflower at a yard sale for $5.00. It had been run-over by a Buick and left for dead.
The other newt is a 84mmX760mm Mirador from who knows when that I purchased from a fellow astro buddy.
Both scopes produce high contrast planets and great double views. You'd have to see it to believe it. I can see Jupiter moon transits, shadow transits and other detail (Red Spot and band stuff) on an average night of seeing.
Newts in these configurations are extremely comfortable and hassle free. If you're looking for an easy project that produces results for small change........
Thanks for your patience :S
John W.
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