Compact Precision Telescopes

I saw one of the Compact Precision Telescopes (CPT) for sale earlier this week and was quite impressed with these scopes:

http://astronomy-mall.com/regular/products/cpt/

Did some searching but did not find much in the way of reviews or user information about the CPT. So, to those of you who may own one or to those who are knowledgeable about the CPT, I have a few questions:

1. Overall, how pleased are you with your scope? I am interested only from a visual use perspective.

2. What are the pros and cons of this design that you have come to experience?

3. Being this is an open cell/open frame design, does dew ever become a serious concern? How do you cope with dew? I ask because I live in a generally humid climate.

4. I notice some users use Kydex shields for light suppression. Is there any possible way or need for using some type of shroud?

5. These scopes cool down faster since they are an open cell/open frame design. How does the mirror track with the ambient temperature since it relies soley on passive cooling? Has anyone decided to use a cooling fan or are these really not necessary or practical on this design? If you use a fan, how did you rig it up?

Thanks for any information any might share, and if you have any other pointers about these scopes, please chime in!

There are details of building an 18" Cass here:
http://www.narrowbandimaging.com/cc18_page.htm
Perhaps contact the author....

I own a 10 inch CPT Newtonian Dob. It is perhaps the best designed Dob out there. It is certainly one of the most beautiful.

I have a 10 inch f6.4 Wessling mirror in it but other makes are available too.

The First Base collapsable Dob base is very rigid, really the best Dob base. Teton Telescopes uses it with one of their Mak Newts.

Google Compact Prescison Telescopes, go to the web site, which is very informative, and email Mark Wagner, who makes them, for more information.

Mark is a very classy and trustworhty guy, well known on the West Coast as founder of the TAC, a group of very accomplished Callifornia observers. He is easy to reach by phone as well.

I use a Kydex light baffle Mark provided. I have noticed no dew problems even is southern Ohio. Mark will provide a shroud if you wish.

You can customize it, in focal ratio etc. I have Sky Commander with mine, for example. And a Feathertouch focuser.

I don't use a cooling fan, i find it;s not necessary with a 10 inch mirror. But one can be rigged up if you want; Floyd Blue, an AM moderator, sells them for mosts scopes I believe.

The collapsable tube arrangement works well and makes the scope very compact and portable. it seems to hold collmation well since the tube never is disassembled between uses.

Hope this helps.

Bill Meyers

Joseph McInnis said:

I saw one of the Compact Precision Telescopes (CPT) for sale earlier this week and was quite impressed with these scopes:

http://astronomy-mall.com/regular/products/cpt/

Did some searching but did not find much in the way of reviews or user information about the CPT. So, to those of you who may own one or to those who are knowledgeable about the CPT, I have a few questions:

1. Overall, how pleased are you with your scope? I am interested only from a visual use perspective.

2. What are the pros and cons of this design that you have come to experience?

3. Being this is an open cell/open frame design, does dew ever become a serious concern? How do you cope with dew? I ask because I live in a generally humid climate.

4. I notice some users use Kydex shields for light suppression. Is there any possible way or need for using some type of shroud?

5. These scopes cool down faster since they are an open cell/open frame design. How does the mirror track with the ambient temperature since it relies soley on passive cooling? Has anyone decided to use a cooling fan or are these really not necessary or practical on this design? If you use a fan, how did you rig it up?

Thanks for any information any might share, and if you have any other pointers about these scopes, please chime in!