16" Meade LightBridge

I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

--
Guy Macon
http://www.guymacon.com/

As an optical engineer and optical designer for 30 years I would,
myself, insist on being at the optical tests or at least having a copy
of the optical test results.

You will be spending over 10K by the time your acquisition is over.
You deserve to know whether you are buying a 1/2 wave system or a 1/20
wave system. The difference is unbelievable when the atmosphere is
quiet.

I would also make very sure that the residual vibrations in the system
are acceptible to you. All systems have them but not all systems damp
out at the same rate.

Jim Klein

Guy Macon http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote:



I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

Hi:

Meade Dobsonian optics have been pretty good over the decade plus that
they've been produced. The 12.5-inch mirrors have been better, usually,
but the 16s have generally be quite accepatble. I'd expect the new 16s
to be at least as good as the old ones optically. Probably better, as
GSO optics have a good reputation.

This is not a premium telescope, you will not get laser interferometry
results with one (!), and your scope will be drop shipped from Meade.

Frankly, the optics have always been the _one thing_ in Meade's dobs
(old and new) that have not been problematical.

The new dobs do have a few mechanical problems, but fewer than the old
ones.

There's also a Yahoogroup for the scopes, which should provide plenty
of guidance/information.

Where do you get the 10K figure?



Jim Klein wrote:
As an optical engineer and optical designer for 30 years I would,
myself, insist on being at the optical tests or at least having a copy
of the optical test results.

You will be spending over 10K by the time your acquisition is over.
You deserve to know whether you are buying a 1/2 wave system or a 1/20
wave system. The difference is unbelievable when the atmosphere is
quiet.

I would also make very sure that the residual vibrations in the system
are acceptible to you. All systems have them but not all systems damp
out at the same rate.

Jim Klein

Guy Macon http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote:



I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

RMOLLISE wrote:
Hi:

Meade Dobsonian optics have been pretty good over the decade plus that
they've been produced. The 12.5-inch mirrors have been better, usually,
but the 16s have generally be quite accepatble. I'd expect the new 16s
to be at least as good as the old ones optically. Probably better, as
GSO optics have a good reputation.

This is not a premium telescope, you will not get laser interferometry
results with one (!), and your scope will be drop shipped from Meade.

Frankly, the optics have always been the _one thing_ in Meade's dobs
(old and new) that have not been problematical.

The new dobs do have a few mechanical problems, but fewer than the old
ones.

There's also a Yahoogroup for the scopes, which should provide plenty
of guidance/information.

Where do you get the 10K figure?


Mirror most likely 1/4 or 1/8 wave, that's about the best $2000 can buy,
I think.
Now days for final polishing MRF machines are used, I don't think any
one sit there over Meade and hand figuring optics.
Our MRF machine can do 1/20 wave figuring, but it takes much longer.
We even polished 3/4" dia diamond wafer to 1/20 wave, it took over a
month on and off of polishing time.
JS



Jim Klein wrote:
As an optical engineer and optical designer for 30 years I would,
myself, insist on being at the optical tests or at least having a copy
of the optical test results.

You will be spending over 10K by the time your acquisition is over.
You deserve to know whether you are buying a 1/2 wave system or a 1/20
wave system. The difference is unbelievable when the atmosphere is
quiet.

I would also make very sure that the residual vibrations in the system
are acceptible to you. All systems have them but not all systems damp
out at the same rate.

Jim Klein

Guy Macon http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote:


I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

Hi:

They sure don't. The telescopes are not made at Meade, but in China by
GSO.

;-)

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
and
_The Urban Astronomer's Guide_
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user


Protagonist wrote:
Mirror most likely 1/4 or 1/8 wave, that's about the best $2000 can buy,
I think.
Now days for final polishing MRF machines are used, I don't think any
one sit there over Meade and hand figuring optics.

RMOLLISE wrote:
Hi:

They sure don't. The telescopes are not made at Meade, but in China by
GSO.

;-)

They sure do, I think! Only way to do consistent quality production!
Have you ever seen an MRF polishing machine?
JS


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
and
_The Urban Astronomer's Guide_
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user


Protagonist wrote:
Mirror most likely 1/4 or 1/8 wave, that's about the best $2000 can buy,
I think.
Now days for final polishing MRF machines are used, I don't think any
one sit there over Meade and hand figuring optics.

RMOLLISE wrote:
This is not a premium telescope, you will not get laser interferometry
results with one (!)

Gee, really? And here I was under the impression that I would get an
Obsession for 1/2 the price...

"Guy Macon" http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote in message
news


I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

--
Guy Macon
http://www.guymacon.com/


The 16" LightBridge will sell in the US for $2000 delivered.

None have been sold commercially yet, so no one has tested a production
model. But several distributors are accepting pre-orders.

These scopes will be made in China, so there won't be any approval go/no-go
visits by a prospective buyer... Just as there is no such provision for the
rest of the LightBridge line. For the $2000 price you pay, it's neither a
custom scope, nor a premium scope; you're getting a quasi-mass-produced
scope, but a very nice one... They will be drop-shipped from Meade as they
arrive. If you don't like the quality of the one you get, or it's damaged
or defective in some way, you can return it, and get another one, depending
on the terms of the return policy of the dealer you buy from...

There will be no interferometry reports, nor will interferometry likely be
used in evaluating the mirror during production... But this manufacturer is
known to make generally quite nice mirrors... I own a 12" LightBridge, I
like it, the optics AND mechanics are well made (it LOOKS nice, too), and I
plan on keeping it for a long time... They offer great value... I would
expect the 16" to be of equal quality.

For a review of the 12" LightBridge, check the October issue of Sky and
Telescope. I'd call it an accurate assessment, based on 7 months'
experience with my scope, as well as the comments of many other owners on
the Meade LightBridge Yahoo Group...

Oh. And I am not associated in any way with Meade or any of their
distributors...

--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.6
Longitude: -112.3
http://community.webshots.com/user/janowen21

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:53:25 +0000, Guy Macon wrote:



I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

In general terms, meade is a marketing company that outsources their
newtonians. Of concern to the end user is what the advertising doesn't
tell you. (and in some cases with meade, what the advertising DOES tell
you--i.e.: Ritchey-Cretien? LOL). There are, as I am sure you are aware,
struggles between the bean-counters and the engineers in any company. I
don't think meade is any different in this respect. The bean-counters set
the limits.

You get what you pay for, more or less, in optics. A really good 16"
mirror will cost about 2900.00 US. It will come with interferometer data
and strehl ratio .94-.96, rms error of .034 or so.

So if that's the case for good mirrors, what kind of telescope do you
think you'll get for $2000 in that same aperture? Don't expect to be
perfectly happy with the LightBridge.

I am primarily a dob guy, myself. I'm an engineer, too. I ended up buying
a used 18" dob with an incredible mirror and a horrible structure for
$3000. It was old and beat up, but the glass doesn't wear out. A new
structure, resembling an Obsession telescope cost me 600.00 US and about
40 hrs work. Four years later, I'm still ecstatic about this scope. I
practically get wood every time I see the Veil Nebula in OIII and Hbeta.
Spiral structure in M51 and others. I keep looking for the *shadow* of the
Apollo landers, when lighting is favorable. Of course, I will never see
the shadow, but it's fun looking for it.

Tell me if I'm wrong: Engineers are technically discriminating people.
We're practically techno-snobs. The lightbridge scopes are not for
techo-snobs, but they will delight the hell out of the average user.
And the bean counters know that.

Clear Skies,
Uncle Bob
Fairfax, CA

THEY PUT BUG IN THE SCOPE?!!


"Guy Macon" http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote in message
news


I am considering purchasing a 16" Meade LightBridge in a
few months after they work out any bugs in the new model.
See http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html

What's the general consensus on this model?

--
Guy Macon
http://www.guymacon.com/