Home Built 8 inch Newtonian
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After using the 6 inch for some years aperture fever set in combined with an urge to try deep-sky imaging. So, in 1978 I bought from Fullerscopes in London, England an 8 inch f/8 mirror, a primary mirror cell, a secondary mirror, a 4-vane spider and secondary holder. a rack-and-pinion focusser, a small finder 'scope, a 4 inch f/12 guide 'scope, a massive Mk IV equatorial mount with motors and tube rings to match and an electronic drive controller with handbox.
My attempt at making a fibreglass tube resulted in a serviceable but pretty rough looking product. The two counterweights were salvaged from a junk yard. The steel tube pier was cemented deep into the ground.
By modern standards this was a curious beast indeed. It was a massive affair for an 8 inch 'scope. The optics were passably good but not fantastic. The 4 inch guide 'scope was simply junk. Nevertheless despite all that the extra aperture of the 8 inch did give me more depth of sky to view. The motorised drives were a blessing and the 'scope tracked surprisingly well. I spent many enjoyable hours with this 'scope. It went to a hotel in Malindi when we left Kenya in 1981.
My attempt at making a fibreglass tube resulted in a serviceable but pretty rough looking product. The two counterweights were salvaged from a junk yard. The steel tube pier was cemented deep into the ground.
By modern standards this was a curious beast indeed. It was a massive affair for an 8 inch 'scope. The optics were passably good but not fantastic. The 4 inch guide 'scope was simply junk. Nevertheless despite all that the extra aperture of the 8 inch did give me more depth of sky to view. The motorised drives were a blessing and the 'scope tracked surprisingly well. I spent many enjoyable hours with this 'scope. It went to a hotel in Malindi when we left Kenya in 1981.