DAVID LUKEHURST
ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE MAKER
Astronomical Telescopes for the Discerning Visual Observer
News & Special Offers
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Winter 2023
Dobsonian Telescopes
10-inch f/6.4 Standard truss-tube Dobsonian with David Hinds primary mirror. (See picture on front page). New apart from primary mirror which is newly re-aluminised. Optically excellent and equally suitable for Deep-Sky and planetary observing and in a easily portable package. Dismantles quickly and reassembles easily without tools and without lossof collimation.
(Now SOLD but suitable mirror set in stock available to make a similar telescope)
Classic Mirror Sets (primary and elliptical secondary mirror) from Well Known English Makers:
All of the following are complete mirror sets: Primary mirror and matching flat elliptical secondary mirror.
All mirrors are newly re-aluminised or the coating is in excellent condition
1. 10-inch f/5.8 plate glass Oldham Optical: £375 (x2)
2. 10-inch f/7 in LE glass by Henry Wildey: £450
3. 10-inch f6.4 by David Hinds: £450
4. 8¾-inch f/6 in LE glass by David Hinds: £375
5. 200mm f4.5 by Orion Optics: £250
6. Calver 10-inch f/8 : £500
These mirror sets can be fitted to truss-tube Dobsonians. Please enquire if interested
Plane-Parallel Optical Window made by David Sinden and suitable for telescope up to 12":
Very high quality, new (NOS "new old stock" - made some time ago but never used and carefully stored in its original box): £995
8" f/4.5 Ultra (Ultra) Portable Telescope: (This telescope is now SOLD but I will be happy to make others if there is a demand. I currently have a suitable mirror set in stock)
I have just finished constructing a prototype of, for want of a better description, an ultra ultra portable 8" f/4.5 telescope with the aim of making a telescope that could be taken onboard a plane or on holiday when space is very limited but still give a telescope with significant power and very easy handling. Has "Hilux" coated Orion Optics mirrors. A great little telescope. Very portable and easy to use but with excellent light-gathering power and resolution.
Please contact me if you are be interested. Available now:
Dimensions:
Total height when pointing to zenith - 955mm
Total weight (excluding eyepieces) - 10Kg
Dimensions when dismantled (UTA fits into the mirror-box) - 340mm x340mm x
350mm
Length of truss-tube pairs (the pairs fold together) - 490mm
This telescope has been designed so that it is feasible to take it on an
aircraft on holiday or to use when travelling and space is very limited but
a telescope of reasonable power is desired.
The telescope can be dismantled and re-assembled in the space of only a few
minutes and due to the precise attachment of the truss-tubes, collimation is
not lost. The mirrors are fully adjustable for alignment.
It comes with a high quality Orion 6 x 30mm correct image right-angle finder
on a quick release mounting.
The focuser is a Baader low-profile 1.25" helical.
Ultra-Portable Telescopes
In response to requests, I am now making an ultra-portable version of my telescopes with the aim of making the telescopes as light and easy to transport as reasonably possible and as small as possible when dismantled for transportation/storage. This design is be available in all of the standard sizes.
I have also started work on an "Ultra-ultra-portable" telescope that is intended to be light enough and compact enough to be taken onboard an aeroplane. Initially, I am working on an 8" f/4 model. Please enquire if this might interest you.
Please see: Ultra Portable
March 2007
I have recently delivered three more telescopes to French customers.
The design of my telescopes has remained more or less the same for several years as it generally seems to work very well but I continue to make small improvements to the telescopes as time passes. In particular I have been trying whenever possible to find stainless steel components to replace the zinc plated parts I have formerly used. I intend to continue this process and slowly refine the design and construction as new ideas come to me or I find suppliers for better quality components.
French Orders
I have now delivered the last of my current orders for French customers. An 18-inch, went to the NEMESIS Astronomy Society in Saverne, and I had the pleasure of meeting Matthieu Sibon and Pierre Sylvestre when I delivered the telescope to them in Calais. I hope they enjoy using the telescope when they have some clear skies and I look forward to receiving more enquiries and orders from Europe.
22-11-06. I am happy to report that I have received several new orders from customers in France and Spain that I will be delivering over the next few months.
Portability
I have recently delivered two large (16 & 20-inch) telescopes to French customers and this involved meeting one of them in Portsmouth and transferring both telescopes to his car for the onward journey. When I arrived, I discovered that his car was a Renault Clio! However, after a little bit of thought and to my mild amazement, we managed to fit both telescopes into the back of this car quite easily although with only a couple of inches to spare! I consider this to be a very good advert for the high level of portability of these telescopes, when dismantled, as illustrated by the picture of the 12-inch telescope.
European Orders
Recently, it has been my pleasure to have received quite a few enquiries and orders from customers in France and Belgium. I myself have French relations as one of my grandmothers was French. I have also been inspired by Jean Texereau's fascinating and very practical book "How to Make a Telescope" which I have read many times.
I hope that prospective customers will have the chance to see one of my telescopes when the current group of orders are delivered and I welcome enquiries. Telephone: 00 44 (0)115 9602266. E-mail:davidlukehurst108@gmail.com If there is still no response, please write to me at: David Lukehurst, Astronomical Telescope Maker, 87 Victoria Road, Sherwood, Nottingham, NG5 2NL, UK. It is my intention always to respond promptly to enquiries .
Secondary Spiders
I have heard that some prospective customers have expressed concern about the single curved vane spider that I use on the smaller telescopes (although it works very well and my experience is that it has no disadvantages). However, the classical 4-vane spider is fitted as standard on telescopes of 16-inches and larger and is available on request for telescopes of any size at no additional charge
David Lukehurst
13th October 2023