Astronomy test reports

This section presents public astronomical equipment test reports.

Starting on November 2015, report will be presented in French and English. For older reports that are only in French, please see the first bilingual report that contains the same type of measurements.

Usually those reports present the following information:

– Lyot test picture (reflectors only) : qualitative overview of the high frequency defects (ripples) of the primary mirror surface

– Wavefront map featuring PTV and RMS errors in several wavelengths (if refractors, otherwise measures are done at 635nm)

– PSF (Airy spot) with its dimensions and Strehl ratio (corrected at 0% obstruction)

– MTF with theorical cut frequency

– Focusing shift over wavelength (longitudinal chromatism, compound and refractors only)

– Spherochromatism (compound and refractors only)

– Sometime spherical aberration over color or backfocus

– field curvature and full light cone size

– Spot diagram up to 21mm from the axis, with and without field curvature (visual and CCD applications)

Note regarding best focus results :

New reports since 2013 mention the best focus wavefront error (WFE) in addition to the raw WFE.

 

The HASO delivers WFE at the null curvature focus position. In that sense, it’s a raw measurement as focus is not meshed with 3rd order spherical aberration. Although it is the good measure to evaluate precisely the optical performance versus its theorical ZEMAX design for example, it doesn’t reflect perfectly the real utilization on the field.

 

For visual or imaging utilization, the focus is done at the best focus position, the position that delivers the best result (minimum PSF size).

 

If some spherical aberration is present, part of it (about one third) can be compensated with some defocus. The best focus result takes that into account and it is the best position in real usage.

 

Astro-Physics

– Astro-physics Starfire 130EDF #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

– Astro-physics Starfire 155EDF #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Alluna Optics

– Alluna Optics 410/4 #1 #2

Altair

102 F6.5 triplet

APM

80/480 triplet

– 107/700 Triplet

Astroprofessional

102/714

115/800

130/900

Astreya

– A&M & Starway 152 APO quadruplet (Astreya)

Borg

71FL #1 #2

Celestron

Celestron C5

Celestron C9 Circa 1990

Celestron C8 Circa 2000

Celestron C8 Edge HD

Celestron C9,25 Edge HD #1 #2

Celestron C11 Edge HD #1 #2

– Celestron C11 #1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Celestron C11 Circa 1990

Celestron C14 Edge HD

– Celestron C14 #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7

GPU/CFF

102/635 Triplet

GSO

Kepler 250/4

Jean Marc Lecleire

– Jean Marc Lecleire 400/4

Jean Marc Lecleire 254/4,7

Lightholder

400/4

Meade

Meade 5000 127ED

– Meade LX90 8″

Meade LX200 8″

Meade LX200 10″

Meade 14″ ACF

Meade LX200 14″

Meade LX600 10″

– Meade Lightbridge 12

Mirrosphère

– Mirro-sphère 400/4 #1 #2

– Mirro-sphère 350/4

Nikon

Nikkor 105/2.8 Micro VR

Officina Stellare

– UCRC 300

Orion Optics UK

Orion Optics CT8

– Orion Optics UK 300/5.3 (<2000)

– Orion Optics UK 300/4 (2007)

– Orion Optics UK 400/4 (2010)

Orion Optics UK 2012

Orion Optics ODK16

Orion Optics ODK20

OTI

– OTI Quantum 6

Russian optics

– Intes Alter M703 deluxe

Intes Alter M715

Intes Alter M715 deluxe

Intes Alter M603

– APM / LZOS 203mm F7

Astrosib RC250

Astrosib RC400 2014

Lomo 80/480

Skyvision

– Skyvision 500/3.3 2013

– Skyvision 400/4 2014 #1 #2

– Skyvision 400/4 2016

Skyvision 300/4 2013

Skyvision 250/3.6 2014

Skywatcher

Skywatcher 80ED

Skywatcher Achromat 150/1200

Skywatcher 150ED Esprit

– Skywatcher Equinox 80ED

Skywatcher Maksutov 180/2700

Skywatcher 200/4 carbone

Skywatcher MN190

Takahashi

Takahashi BRC250

Takahashi CCA250

Takahashi CN212 #1 #2

Takahashi MT200

– Takahashi Mewlon 250 #1 #2

Takahashi Mewlon 300

– Takahashi TOA 130

Takahashi TOA 150

– Takahashi TSA102

– Takahashi TSA120

– Takahashi FSQ85 #1 #2

– Takahashi FSQ106 ED #1 #2

TEC

– 110 FL #1 #2

140 + Zeiss diagonal

Teleskop Service

– TS 100Q

TS 80/480

TS 150/1000 Apo

Televue

Televue NP101is

– Televue NP127is #1 #2 #3

– Televue NP127 #1 #2

Vixen

Vixen VC200L “Visac”

Vixen ED81S

Perl Vixen 102/900

Vixen VSD 100/3.8