DAVID LUKEHURST
ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPE MAKER
Astronomical Telescopes for the Discerning Visual Observer
News & Special Offers
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Spring/Summer 2012 Offers:
18.5-inch f/4.3 1/10th-wave Mirror set
£1800
I have a 1/10th-wave 18.5-inch f/4.3 mirror set from Oldham Optical in stock. This is complete with certificate of conformity and the primary is BVC low-expansion ceramic. This mirror set is NOS ("new old stock"). It was purchased unused and still sealed in the original wrapping from being coated and is in pristine condition. As this mirror set was purchased for less than the normal cost, I can construct a telescope around this 18.5-inch 1/10th-wave mirror set for the same price as an 18-inch 1/4-wave telescope. Please e-mail me if you are interested.
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. I have heard that some people have not received replies when they have tried to contact me. If this has happened, please try again with the e-mail link on this page or telephone me as I always respond to enquiries. Main e-mail address: Main E-mail Address. Alternatively, if you experience any difficulty with this e-mail address, please try this address: Alternative E-mail Address. Telephone: 00 44 (0)115 9602266. If there is still no response, please write to me at: David Lukehurst, Astronomical Telescope Maker, 87 Victoria Road, Sherwood, Nottingham, NG5 2NL, UK.
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.
David Lukehurst
9th May2012