Posts Made By: Markus Ludes

after 1.5 year delivery time for the optics, we completed 23 days ago the next 16"F/10 Maksutov Cassegrain, OTA, build for a US customer at the west coast
Matthias made the tube again with cooling fans, attachments for Astro-Physics Traveller Guider Scope, 3" Starlight focuser etc.....

Tube weight is about 114 pound
tube diameter is about 20.4 inch
Tube length is about 43.4 inch

This is the third 16" Mak we build over the last few years of this size

happy weekend
Markus

New APM Product:

The Riccardi Astrograph
Riccardi Astrograph tube

APM Telescopes presents a premium type of Astrograph with an extremely fast focal ratio and high performance CCD imaging capabilities. The Riccardi Astrograph – named after its optical designer Massimo Riccardi – has a primary mirror of 305mm in diameter plus a built-in 3-element ED Wynne corrector. Both in combination allow the short focal length of only f/2.8 without limiting the optical quality.
Riccardi Astrograph 3DRiccardi Astrograph 3DRiccardi Astrograph 3D

The conical primary mirror has a center hole for easy mounting and back meniscus shape for fast cool down. It also implements the system's unique feature: Primary mirror focusing with center axis zero image shift. The front corrector with backfocus stays fixed. This keeps the central obstruction as small possible, enables precise adjustments and therefore superior astrophotography results can be achieved. The primary mirror motor focuser with spindle linear-actuator-motor (stepper motor with 1/100mm resolution) has a USB connector port for controlling the focuser remotely from a PC.

Besides its extraordinary optical design, the Riccardi Astrograph has also a very good mechanical construction and manufacturing. The system is assembled in truss tube design with carbon fibre rods. All metal parts are made of aluminium and are powder-coated. The telescope (without CCD imager) has a total length of 1m and a maximal width of 391mm - the weight is about 30kg.

The main mirror is made of pyrex, and together with all other used materials (carbon fibre and aluminium) it provides substantially a thermo compensated system, minimizing the contraction of the material due to temperature decreases.

Telescope Blueprints
High performance CCD imaging
Riccardi Astrograph filterholder

The CCD camera is attached in prime focus on-axis right on top of the spider, which also holds the corrector. In this position the backfocus from the last corrector lens to the CCD chip is 80mm (or 79-78mm depending on the thickness of the optical window of the CCD). The spider/corrector mounting is fixed, stiff and strong enough to support filter wheels and full format CCD cameras "cantilevered" 15cm away from the corrector-lens cell.

Moreover we developed an additional adapterset that can be attached to the CCD camera. With this adapter either square or circle (depending on customer specs) filters can be integrated between the camera and the corrector. In case of any need for changing the filter, the camera could simply be removed, a new filter added, and the camera re-installed without moving the corrector and having to recollimate.
3-element ED Wynne Corrector for optimal spot sizes

The diameter of the largest corrector lens measures 130mm, with a mechanical corrector assembling outside diameter of about 140mm (= 16% of the central obstruction). All corrector lenses are multi-coated and optimized for the visual and near infrared range (400nm to 800nm). For this range our polychromatics RMS spot diagrams show spot diameters of 4 microns (on-axis) and 6 microns at full field.

The special optical design of the system has substantially no vignetting because of the large lens diameters. An image circle of 52mm corresponds to a large 3.5 degrees angle with no vignetting and there's even only 8% vignetting at an image circle of 64 mm. So this Astrograph produces absolutley acceptable images up to a huge 4.2 degrees angle!
Riccardi Astrograph spot diagramRiccardi Astrograph spot diagramRiccardi Astrograph spot diagram
Configuration and shipping

Shipping includes also a mounting plate to customers specs and a support plate for guide scopes, the collimation of the primary mirror and corrector as push pull system, a collimator tool and all needed cables, screws and tools. We provide 2 years guarantee time - delivery time: 3 to 4 months.

Note: The Riccardi Astrograph is also available as 16" f/2.8 system on request!

Details see at our new profi webside http://www.professional-telescopes.net/Product-Line/Optical-Tubes/Riccardi-Astrograph

merry christmas

Markus Ludes

wish you all a happy new year and 365 clear day and nights in 2012 :-)

enjoy our hobby

Markus Ludes

Finaly we decited to start a small 50 pc production again of the long time discontinued TMB 1.8x ED Barlow 1.25"

Production time takes around 12 weeks from start,means delivery will start at begin of June 2012.

We start accept pre-orders now with a 50% deposit.

The TMB Barlow will be made in 100% same design again at same place in germany, using the same high index glases from Schott in Germany with the same coating.
The TMB 1.8x ED Barlow has a compression ring eyepiece clamping system, is a cemented doublet design, has most excellent multicoatings and a unmatched inside blackening and baffle system.

Delivery contains :
- TMB Barlow with 2 sides caps


Per today 30 pc already pre-ordered , so send in your firm order with 50% deposit now , iftomany orders coming, we can increase the numbers of production till end of this month

thanks for your trust into APM-Telescopes

clear skies
Markus

Triton - Tecnosky eLLe Binomount - stable alt/azimuth Mount for photo tripods

The Triton / Tecnosky Binomount combines both elegant and stiff design. Even big binoculars up to 100 mm aperture, big spotting scopes and medium refractors are supported stable. It allows free observing across the whole sky.

Fields of use:

Astronomy: Visual observation with binoculars, spotting scopes and short telescopes up to ca. 18 lb and 20 cm diameter
Pan head for nature observation and photography with heavier cameras


Technical details:

Alt/azimuth single arm fork mount
Weight only 3.7 lb
Payload capacity up to approx. 18 lb
Tripod connection with 3/8" photo tripod thread
Panning area 360 , tilting from horizon to zenith
Accessory interface with slotted hole for 1/4", 3/8" and M6 screws
Adjustable friction in Altitude and Azimuth

Type of mount:Single Arm Forkmount for large Binoculars
Weight equatorial head:3.7 lb
Length:140 mm
Width:210 mm
Hight:200 mm
Payload max. (depending on using and demand):ca. 17 lb
Telescope attachment:with 1/4" Mounting Screw
Tripodpional with 3/8" Thread connectable



Delivery contains:

Forkmount
1/4" Mounting screw
Packaging

find our more about it with pictures on my new webside under apm az mounts

clear skies
Markus Ludes

the first 304 mm F/7.5 triplet Super ED from LZOS arrived, second comes on monday.Matthias Wirth almost finished the mechanics, it will be a large binocular telescope in a rotating ring on a large german equatorial mount.

It will be to my knowledge the largest apo binocular telescope in the world :-)

clear skies
Markus Ludes

APM comacorrected 1.25" ED Barlow 2.67 x, designed by Gerd Duering/Germany

New Product at APM-Telescopes, Unique in the World

APM comacorrected 1.25" ED Barlow 2.67 x, designed by Gerd D?ring/Germany. The Barlow use the chinese ED Glas FK61 ( similar to Ohara FPL51), has blackenededges, a measured transmission von over 99% from 400 nm to 700 nm, optimized for F/4 Newtonian-Telescopes. The barlow has a negative focal length of - 62.9 mm and a working backfocuse of 105 mm from center last lens to focuse ( eyepiece field stop). You will need now a 1.25" eyepiece holer 104 mm long

On Stock now

Markus Ludes
APM-Telescopes

see my Astromart add, we started a new small production of this finest planetary eyepieces

clear skies

Markus

we starting soon again the production of a small run of parfaocal TMB Supermonocentric eyepieces with the focal length 4 mm, 5mm, 6mm , 14 mm as well as last 22 pc TMB 1.8x ED Barlowlens 1.25"

Next days we starting to ship the pre ordered TMB Supermonocentric 12mm, 14mm, 16 mm


each cost Euro 370 which equals to US $ 440

if you want now get in tough with me

thanks
Markus Ludes

Hi Everybody,

I hope you enjoy your christmas 2013 with your family and friends, merry christmas from Germany.

Russian have christmas holidays only at begin of January, so i received today news from Russia, good news.

Phd in Astrophysics Philipp Keller from Germany, the famous creater of Autoslew for ASA Mounts and big APM Telescopes is a very very scilled opticial designer and optician. His has a long history and polished him self schmidt cameras and the famous deltagraphs.

I asked Philipp if he can design for me the optics for the new planetary Maksutov Cassegrain I am interested to produce in small numbers. Philipp is very busy with his professional job, so I have had to wait long time in the line, but finaly he got a bit time and designed a outstanding new Planetary Maksutov. The Optics we get manufactured by INTES MICRO to our specs, the mechanics by Matthias Wirth in germany, called by Roland Christen a Artist in Telescope making .

The final price of the optics we received today, now I need the quote from Matthias.

Some first infos of the Optical design:

Meniscuslens made from Russian K8 ( equal to Schott BK7 ) , melted by LZOS in high pure quality has a optical used diameter of 275 mm ( 10.82" ), all spherical surfaces, center thicknesser 23 mm

The Meniscuslens , made from zero explansion Glas-Ceramik Astro-Sital, melted by LZOS has a optical diameter of 288 mm ( 11.33"). The mirror will have a conical shape and with side polished

The Meniscuslens , made from zero expansion Glas-Ceramik Astro-Sital , mechanical diameter 33 mm, optical diameter 30 mm, means without secondary mirror baffle the central obstruction will be 12% of the diameter only , this is Refractor-Apo Like.

both mirrors are spherical with a sligh aspherical retouching on either primary or secondary, we recomment on primary, but we leave that decision to INTES MICRO who must guarantee the final system quality which is

1/10 wavefront p.t.v.
1/50 wavefront RMS
98.4% strehl
as guaranted minmum quality.


The Optimum backfocuse is 250 mm ( 10" ) from primary mirror surface.

The secondary mirror is seperated from meniscuslens.

the mirrors reflection coating is a broadband 96% reflection coating, the meniscus will have a broadband multicoating on both sides.

Regards Focusing we have 3 choices:
a, fixed mirrors, so fixed focuse , we dont like that, because Binoviewer users will have to use in any case a optical path corrector

b, primary mirror focusing system with no image shift

c, secondary rough focuse + a 2.5" short Starlight Feather Touch focuser at the end.

The production time for the Optics is 10 month from now


this means this Telescope, we ordered for first run 5 sets , will be ready before christmas 2013.

Our final price will be fixed after the mechanical fully calculated , a ball park right now for europe include our 19% VAT is Euro 20,000 ...if we take the VAT off , add estimated shipping to USA and 8% Import dutie for USA it will turn out at present exchange rate 1 Euro = $ 1.32 at about US $ 24,500.00

with such high quality and such small C.O. we expect a 10" high quality Apo Performance for less then half the cost of a 10" Apo.

your thought

--------------------
clear skies

Markus Ludes