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Peter Natscher
sage


Reged: 03/28/06

Loc: Central California
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5625238 - 01/15/13 09:32 PM
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Hi Mike,

Does your new Horizon design trim the box dimensions (HxWxL) vs. your LE design? What about box weight differences between the Horizon and LE? Are you incorporating your new mirror cell design (non-sling) in the Horizon?

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: klim]
      #5625344 - 01/15/13 10:28 PM
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Hi Mark,

At F3.3 (86.25") this scope has a finished zenith eyepiece height of 82.3". These scopes will typically have zenith heights -4" from the focal length.

Mike

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gb_astro
sage


Reged: 01/01/08

Loc: Sydney, Australia
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5625388 - 01/15/13 10:53 PM
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Is that the final position of the focuser ?
In that fifth photo on your website where the scope is about 30 deg off vertical the focuser seems rotated towards the back enough to seem a bit awkward for right eye people to use. Looks like you might have to lean back around the scope a little. Maybe it is just the photo...

http://www.starstructure.com/starstructure3_024.htm

gb.

Edited by gb_astro (01/16/13 05:28 AM)

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Peter Natscher]
      #5625391 - 01/15/13 10:55 PM
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Hi Pete,
I'll have specs on the site soon but considering this 26" scope it's dimensionality smaller then a typical 22" LE in all rocker / mirror box dimensions, which is saying a lot. Weight not so much. They are pretty much going to about the same as the LE's. Maybe a little lighter but nothing worth mentioning. The mirror cell is going to be the same as your LE. There are changes to the overall design of the cell to fit into the Horizon but the same edge system. I'll post some pics of the cell as they come available.

Mike

Edited by michael (01/15/13 10:58 PM)

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klim
member


Reged: 08/24/08

Loc: Matamoras, PA
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5625494 - 01/16/13 12:07 AM
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Thank you Mike.

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crazyqban
Carpal Tunnel
*****

Reged: 12/16/08

Loc: Miami, Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: klim]
      #5625614 - 01/16/13 03:31 AM
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Carl, congrats on the new scope, can't wait to take a peek though it. Mike, keep up the good work. All the best.

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: gb_astro]
      #5625686 - 01/16/13 06:20 AM
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Hi Gb,

The scope on my site is only the concept scope. Focused position can pretty much anyway you would like it. Typically it will be up about 10 degrees from the 90.

Mike

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Chucky
sage
*****

Reged: 04/16/10

Loc: Dublin, Ohio
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: klim]
      #5625724 - 01/16/13 07:35 AM
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Bob, if a 60 might be in your future, possibly the scope atop the San Gabriel Peak near Pasadena would work for you. It's already assembled and ready to use. Who knows, they might sell it to you.

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Carl Wright
member
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Reged: 08/05/04

Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Chucky]
      #5626069 - 01/16/13 11:56 AM Attachment (109 downloads)
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With permission from the builder, here is a pic showing the oval opening on the front of the mirror box.

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Carl Wright
member
*****

Reged: 08/05/04

Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Carl Wright]
      #5627815 - 01/17/13 10:54 AM Attachment (74 downloads)
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Here is another pic showing the top of the mirror box looking straight down the OTA.

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Bob S.
Carpal Tunnel
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Reged: 07/14/05

Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Carl Wright]
      #5627832 - 01/17/13 11:05 AM
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Quote:

Here is another pic showing the top of the mirror box looking straight down the OTA.



Carl, That was the "money shot" many of us were looking for. This scope really represents a shift in Newtonian design. Zammit had said that the design actually scales up better (better performance with larger sizes) than anything he has ever made. This is going to help change the way we view Newtonians. The relationship of the mirror box/rocker box to the truss poles/mirror cell is a real optical fake-out. Thanks again for sharing. Bob

Edited by Bob S. (01/17/13 11:26 AM)

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Bob S.
Carpal Tunnel
*****

Reged: 07/14/05

Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Bob S.]
      #5628700 - 01/17/13 07:20 PM
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I had put a call in to Mike Zammit concerning the new Horizons and he and I chatted this afternoon about many of the new features of the Horizon telescopes. It appears that Mike has really done his homework with this scope and is employing some design features that should really enhance the performance of these new scopes. I will let him discuss these publicly if he chooses to but from what I had heard today, some of the new mods will go a long way toward allowing this scope to outperform most of the scopes on the market. One example I can give is that his 26" Horizon is only 1" wider than my new 20" JPA and is actually 4 inches less tall than my 6" smaller scope. I don't think anyone is going to be able to compete with the amazingly small dimensions that he is putting into these potent packages. As many of you know, Mike enjoys 15 years as a scope maker and well over 20 years in the business of fabricating complex signs out of aluminum and other materials. I was joking with Zammit about how far he has come in the past 11 years that I have been around his scopes. It is really great to see someone continuing to push the envelope. I felt very priviledged many years ago to help him test his first two 28" scopes and have been impressed with all of his scopes up to his 32 inchers that move like ballerinas. These Horizons should make his previous offerings groan just a bit Bob Schilling

Edited by Bob S. (01/17/13 07:38 PM)

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Jeff Porter
super member
*****

Reged: 09/03/10

Loc: Utah
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Bob S.]
      #5628786 - 01/17/13 08:03 PM
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Agreed,

Mike is a great guy and is always looking for ways to innovate and modernize traditional designs.

I look forward to many nights using one of Mike's creations sometime in the future.

Jeff P

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winterprillan
member


Reged: 04/14/11

Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Bob S.]
      #5629812 - 01/18/13 11:56 AM
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I talked to Mike about a week ago. He said that my 30 rocker /mirrorbox is smaller than his 28 inch LE, amazing!
Maybe i donīt need a trailer after all??

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Bob S.
Carpal Tunnel
*****

Reged: 07/14/05

Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: winterprillan]
      #5629885 - 01/18/13 12:40 PM
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Quote:

I talked to Mike about a week ago. He said that my 30 rocker /mirrorbox is smaller than his 28 inch LE, amazing!
Maybe i donīt need a trailer after all??



So you are getting the 30". Wow!!! It is wild that 3 out of the first 4 Horizons are going out of the country. I think you all know something that we are slow to catch on to.

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: Bob S.]
      #5630269 - 01/18/13 05:13 PM Attachment (56 downloads)
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Hi All,
I think the biggest challenge of large fast optical systems falls to mounting and supporting the diagonals. In the photo I’m showing the 26” Horizon 5.5" secondary holder assembly attached to the spider. Note that I have eliminated any axial adjustment (to and from the primary) via the center bolt. The secondary holder is as tight to the spider as possible. Also note how close the adjustment plate is to the base plate of the holder. This helps tremendously with vibration and stability of the secondary assembly and keep the spider / holder profile to a minimum.

Mike

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5630278 - 01/18/13 05:21 PM Attachment (57 downloads)
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This photo shows the 26" Horizon's focuser board with a focuser slide to perform the axial adjustment.
IMO this is not only a much easier way to do the adjustment but a more accurate way as well.

Mike

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5630300 - 01/18/13 05:36 PM Attachment (59 downloads)
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Last...showing the spider mounted in the Horizon's UTA.
The spider vanes are vertical and horizontal not angled. This is the strongest way to support the secondary assembly. Any pull on the secondary, in altitude movement, is always on the vertical axis. By having the vanes in this orientation it gives maximum support.

Mike

Edited by michael (01/18/13 06:53 PM)

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michael
Vendor (Starstructure Telescopes)


Reged: 01/24/04

Loc: Trinity Florida
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5630313 - 01/18/13 05:45 PM Attachment (60 downloads)
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26" Horizon awaiting the Mike Lockwood Primary mirror which I am told is at the coaters.

Mike

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zjc26138
Loved By All
*****

Reged: 02/24/05

Loc: Mingo Junction, Ohio
Re: Starstructure 26" F3.3 Horizon new [Re: michael]
      #5631872 - 01/19/13 05:03 PM
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Looks gorgeous!

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