Orion Optics UK AG16 Optical Tube Assembly Only

Modern technology is now capable of applying space age materials to amateur telescopes. However, it is also relatively easy to produce these materials to different grades and of course, different qualities and prices. Our tubes are made from materials which are exactly the same as ones used on both Formula 1 racing cars, aerospace technology and orbiting Earth satellites. The reason we use this extremely high grade of carbon and resin is to achieve a virtual zero expansion rate and incredible strength. Both of which are essential to produce the highest quality images by maintaining a precise focal plane position and, an extremely rigid, and non flexible tube. Anything less is susceptible to focal plane movement through temperature change and flexure which produce irregular shaped star images, particularly at the field edge of an image. It is relatively easy to produce significantly lesser quality tubes and the lower price of the telescope is a feature of this. However, this can be a false economy if you are after producing the finest images possible. If you have a tube which flexes slightly or has a lower grade carbon/resin construction, there is virtually nothing you can do about it, you have got what you paid for and must live with it.

AG telescopes are precision computer designed, hand built instruments. The flat fields are achieved by employing a state of the art, lens corrector system, designed especially to produce a wide, flat fields up to 60mm diameter. All our AG 'scopes are supplied as standard with our ‘ACU-3' custom designed and built 3" focusers (76.2mm) to offer excellent stability over a wide range of camera loads. For the ultimate focusing set up, we supply and fit customised adaptors to allow the fitting of the renowned FLI Atlas focuser in just a minute or so by customers which has an amazing carrying capacity. To aid stability even further, we also offer our 'FocusForm' equipment to reinforce every possible position where the smallest amount of flexure could take place, ensuring a rock steady platform for perfect, reliable, repeatable focusing of the image on your camera chip. Air cooling fans are fitted as standard in the telescope's main mirror cell to introduce cooling air to reach ambient temperature quickly and evenly assuring you of steady air within the tube and little or no possible currents to detract from a perfect image.

All our AG telescopes are extensively tested in our optical laboratories in our factory. However, there can be some small yet irritating effects created on long exposures of subjects on virtually all telescopes which may have a bright star in the field. This effect, if not corrected, can detract from a perfect image of stars and give a little roughness to the edge of a star's edge. It is caused by microscopic ground pits around the extreme edge of the chamfer of the primary mirror which can disturb ever so slightly the light and create this problem. To counter act this small problem, all our AG and ODK primary mirrors have a perfectly formed circular field stop placed around the chamfer of the mirror to eliminate completely this artefact. This stop creates a razor sharp star image, completely free from any slight scattering of light caused by this effect to yield star images, second to none in sharpness and contrast. Correct engineering and testing are essential to create designs such as this. We employ every design feature possible to get that little bit extra out of your telescope, we like to think on a par with the engineering success of F1 cars where nothing is spared for that little bit of extra power.

For clients in colder areas of the world or, ones who live in humid locations with large temperature ranges, we offer a range of internal tube heaters which, are fitted snugly inside the tube by means of a spring loaded mild heating element embedded inside a spring loaded carbon split tube placed just above the primary mirror. This can be removed when not required in a matter of minutes. Also available are secondary heaters which drive off any unwanted dew or frost, on the secondary mirror.
Because of the extensive range of camera, filter wheels, guiders etc which are on the market, we offer a full range of adaptors which will enable you to position your camera chip exactly in the optimum focal plane position of 79mm to achieve the best possible performance of the telescope and corrector combination. These are all listed on each product's page along with some explanations as to their uses and combinations.

The AG series of Astrograph Newtonian telescopes are the best available anywhere, our optics are the key, which is proven even further by some of our OEM competitors buying our optics to fit into their own telescopes. There can't be a better recommendation.

Our AG16 has got to be the largest model which can be considered transportable. It also requires a mounting of considerable capacity, anything less than perhaps a Paramount ME2 will not yield the true potential of this telescope. We recommend that all users of this telescope have it sited permanently and in a secure observatory.

What can the AG16 do for you that other telescopes cannot? Well, quite a few things actually. It will open up the skies like you have never thought possible. The detail the AG16 is capable of resolving is breathtaking, it's just incredible. Large format chipped cameras are usually fitted to the AG16 with some of the largest chips available. Because of the unique 4 element design of our Corrector system, you will be able to capture fields which are (no other word for it), enormous for a 400mm telescope.

The optional fitting of both primary and secondary heater systems is strongly recommended to avoid imaging delays and wasting valuable time. Many options are available.

Optics: Hand finished and all Zygo tested as are all our AG models. Unless the mirrors pass stringent quality tests we don't bother sending them for coating, they have to be of excellent optical quality prior to coating with Hilux. We don't even consider sending out mirrors which would not satisfy the most critical eye or camera, they have got to be right.

Coatings: Hilux is applied as standard which not only increases the brightness of the image but, it also improves the contrast of the image yielding superlative, flat, totally coma free images to your camera.

Build: All our AG telescopes are hand built. All the impressively accurate CNC machines we use to manufacture the parts for the telescope are of very high quality but, we trust the eye of an experienced technician when assembling and final testing of the telescope to pick out and rectify any small fitting problems which might occur. We treat every telescope as an individual, that way we ensure it receives the special attention it requires and deserves. It takes longer than mass produced telescopes, yes, they are more expensive than most imported telescopes, yes . . . but, quality relies on experience, attention to detail, supery materials and attention. Our AG16's and it's smaller siblings, have all this in abundance, that's why they are good, very good.