CUSTOMER COMMENTS

Tom Bennett
California
16.25" f/4.5
His Home ground mirror.

"My 16.25" F4.5 mirror was nearing completion and a structure for that mirror would soon be needed. Making a mirror this large was so laborious that I didn't look forward to having to also build a structure.

After weighing my options, I contacted Jim Nadeau about building a structure to carry my mirror. Jim was willing to make a few custom adjustments that were necessary. My mirror was actually a non-standard 16-1/4" in diameter with a somewhat oversized diagonal (4" minor axis) and I requested that the structure be configured to work with a short extension (2") placed in the focuser so I would have plenty of back focus available. Jim made the structure with these custom features and shipped it out to me within a few weeks. It arrived in great shape with only some minor damage on the focuser board that Jim offered to replace but a little Elmer's glue took care of it".

"This was my first truss tube scope so I was a little concerned about the scope holding its collimation since a scope this fast requires dead-on alignment to produce sharp planetary performance. Was also concerned about being able to manually track planets smoothly at high power and adequate support for my thin (1.6" thick) mirror. On its first night out, this scope produced exquisite views of Saturn and Jupiter throughout the night without additional collimation. Was also able to hand-track smoothly at 300X which is an indication of the stiffness and stability of the structure design. An equatorial table that Jim recommended is on its way that will make even higher power tracking a snap. The 18-point removable mirror support with 4 point support on the lower edge that is fully adjustable supports my thin mirror with no noticeable deformation. The wheelbarrow handles are also included and once I get a ramp for my van, this scope will truly be portable".

"What is most impressive about this structure is how much you get for your money. I was expecting a fairly Spartan rig that got the job done but the NightSky goes beyond the basics and is a high performance product that is also well designed and attractive."

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