Posts Made By: Peter Petrone III

I found a rather interesting thread on the Cloudy Nights site that provides some additional insight on the performance metrics associated with various telescope designs. Though we have covered much of it here, there is some new information (and opinion) that you all may enjoy reading.

The thread is found on their homepage as shown below:

Top Forum Threads (updated 07/03/03)
1. Apo vs achro vs ED vs SCT

I am considering using a Losmandy dovetail mount to couple an Orion 80mm ED refractor to my Meade 8" LX-200 GPS scope. Will the LX-200 be able to deal with the added weight and if so - what Losmandy dovetail is needed for the 80mm ED.

I was looking at the Orion site considering the purchase of an 80mm ED scope and could not help but notice the cost/aperture of the achros. For the price of the 80mm APO you can purchase a really large achro on the order of 4.7". I know that the APO will provide color free images - but with the exception of the planets not much shows color anyway (unless you are imaging). Are there advantages favoring the APO refractor that compensate for it's decreased light grasp (only 80mm). Are there advantages using an APO on DSOs and nebulas? I like what I read about apochromats, but something in my gut says go for the aperture. Any thoughts?

Any thoughts as to why they did not start with a 100mm APO. I would be interested in trying such a scope if the price was around $750.00. It would provide some pricing sanity compared with the loony costs associated with the typical APOs. The 80mm does not even seem to classify as a light cup.... well maybe a tea cup.

Anyone care to predict how web cam performance (from astro perspective) may advance over the next few years. Since web cameras do not need active cooling, noise will always be a problem - but the pixel count and detector responsivity seem to be improving over time. It would great to use this setup on DSOs.

Assuming that I receive my telescope before I die, can we toss around some mounting options that are likely to work well with this scope. I guess that I will go for polar mounting so that I can do some imaging. Does anyone have a few recommendations on reasonably priced (whatever that means) mounts?

Orion has an f/6 100mm Achro on a Skyview Pro mount for $469.00 and they are able to ship today. Is the Burgess product really that much superior? When you consider the cost of the scope (~$400.00 when ordered now) and the endless delays - you have to wonder. I guess I will stick it out through Christmas but I have to wonder how much worse the Orion scope would be. Some thoughts:

1) The Orion scope is made in China and as far as I know, the Burgess scope is also made in China.

2) All reasonably fast Achros will show false color. The Burgess 102mm is no exception.

3) The light grasp of the Orion is about equal to that of the Burgess.

4) The benefit of the Burgess scope is likely in the "improved" optical figure. From what I have read, the Orion pulls off a reasonably good star test. Can the Burgess be that much better?

5) Mechanically, I expect that the Burgess scope will beat the Orion - but you have to factor in the never ending delay. Also, the Orion scope comes with a decent mount and a Azimuthal drive.

As I said before, I will hang out for the Burgess scope - the benefits are not all that well defined (at least in my mind). someone once said "after all, there is only so much you can do with an Achro". I hope that Bill can provide a decent chunk of that "so much".

I am one of the guys in line for a 102mm from Mr. Bill. Since we never hear any real news and face the prospect of the delays going on indefinitely - you have to ask yourself is it worth the wait? Fundamentally, how good could any 102mm Achro be, even if it is designed and manufactured to exacting standards? I am considering (though not likely to) purchase an 80mmED scope from Orion (at $429.00) and be done with it. The Orion unit is also on back order - but I think that they can deliver sooner than a couple of years from now! Like someone said, just tell us the damn truth! If you will ship in April of 2004 then just say it - we are adults and can make our decisions accordingly. Does he feel that if he gave us the true delivery date we will all cancel our orders? I know that we all want the best scope possible, but it is not cutting edge science to make a 102mm f/6 achromatic lens. This was done and done well before most of our parents were even born.

Just for the heck of it, try posting something critical of Burgess Optical on the YAHOO Burgess Optical site. It seems that the moderator is not keen on anyone questioning the "speedy" delivery of Burgess Optical products. I feel as if we are waiting for the Hale Observatory to be delivered. It is really a great thing that AstroMart (Herb) allows for the open and free echange of ideas and opinions unlike other moderators. In the long run, the "selective control" of information will not serve that site well.

Just for grins, consider this. If Bill is having difficulty delivering an achromatic lens due to manufacturing problems, why is it reasonable to assume that he will be able to deliver a semi-APO or a triplet APO on time and at cost. It would appear that the manufacturing tolerances on these lenses exceeds those imposed by the current design thus increasing the level of manufacturing difficulty. How can he be focused (excuse the pun) on future lens designs, when the construction of a technology from the 1800s evades him?