I wanted something bigger than 12" and my first design criterion where:

  • Reflector
  • As big as possible within the physical limitations and economy
  • Maximum OTA length < 2m
  • Primary use: imaging
  • Deep sky 
  • Remote controlable focuser
  • Good looking

My local equipment shop, Erik Persson, offered me a good deal for a new 16" parabolic, f4,5. I decided this was to be used and the rest of the design had to be adjusted to this mirror and the preliminary specs now looked like this:

  • Newton design
  • 16"
  • f4,6
  • Back focus: 68mm
  • Secondary mirror: 100mm
  • Baader MPCC corrector
  • OTA overall dimensions: 1805x500x500mm
  • Weight: 54kg

The project should not last for several years so I decided to buy some of the parts (beside the mirrors) so I orderd a MoonLite focuser and a custom made spider from Astroparts-Unger in Germany who also delivered the secondary mirror from Teleskop Service.

My mentor in optics, Jens Jacobsen, helped designing the important parameter - especially details for the primary mirror cell. For this work the programs PLOP,  NEWT and MODAS have been a great help.

Overall design given by NEWT


Dimensions given by NEWT


Performance given by NEWT