Posts Made By: John Bambury

I have actually owned both scopes Brian and at one stage had them both together for a month while I was selling the 8". The 8" is slightly easier to handle but you can definately see more with the 10" than the 8", on both DSO's and the planets. Cool down time with the 10" is significantly longer than with the 8", allow at least 30 mins for good planetary views in the 10", this is not such an issue with the 8". Also something to consider is that if your local seeing is unsteady the 8" is less affected by poor seeing than the 10". So consider the above exceptions carefully before you decide. I will conclude by saying that once in position, set up, cooled down and with good "seeing" the 10" wins comfortably everytime.

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John Bambury

If you dont need to wear eye glasses you will be hard pressed to find better planetary eyepieces than the UO orthos. I love them but unfortunately I have to take my glasses off to use them under the 10MM Focal Length. If you are on a budget at all keep what you have and add some longer FL Naglers or Panoptics. The 27MM Panoptic is my favourite low power eyepiece in my 10"/F5. I also like Radians as planetary eyepieces but they are no sharper than the UO orthos, just a wider field and a LOT more eye relief.


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John Bambury

Leif Edmondson said:

I am finally ready to install my 16" mirror into its new mirror box. I built it right along the lines of Krieg/Barry dob book. Is it better/safer to install the mirror into the cell and then put that assembly into the mirror box? Or is it better to install the cell into the box and then insert the mirror? does it matter? I'd really appreciate some input from those with some experience.

Hi Leif,

It is definately better to install the cell into the mirror box without the mirror. If you have built everything according to "the book" and built it with 1/32nd clearance, it may be necessary to "shim" the outside of the mirror cell with some thin kydex, between the bolts, to get it as a nice snug fit. It would be almost impossible to hold the cell and shim it with the mirror in place. I have an 18" Obsession which I have done quite a bit of modification to and I found it infinitely easier to remove and refit the mirror cell without the mirror in it. In addition this significantly reduces the risk of damaging the mirror. The primary mirror should be the last thing that goes "on" or "in" the telescope. Dave Kriege actually ships the Obsessions with the primary mirror in a separate box and the installation instructions recommend installing the primary as "the last thing".

CS-John B