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16"
Dream Astrograph - featuring
Dream's Filtered Air System Technology (FAST) |
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Like almost every Optical Support Structure (OSS)
and sub structure Dream produces, carbon fiber and carbon fiber
skinned sandwich core (CFSC) technology
is used extensively. In fact, no other standard optical instrument
in the world uses more CF and CFSC than Dream. We design and
fabricate all composite parts in-house using vacuum bagging and
one of Dream's composite ovens.
The use of high temperature epoxy ensures higher performance
in the parts. |
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A raw 20" OD hybrid
profile tube is shown below. Dream is at the leading edge in
its use of sandwich core technology
by using the thickest core feasible. The tube for the 16"
Dream Astrograph has a wall thickness of just over 1". The
few other companies that use sandwich core only use ~0.375"
thick sandwich core in this size instrument. |
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~355 lbs is sitting on a raw 20" OD hybrid tube
while it spans a gap of 52.0". |
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Dream Telescopes is the only company with such extensive knowledge
of sandwich core and using such thick sandwich core in it's products.
Review this simple chart to see
the enormous stiffness gains by doing so, while producing a product
with the highest stiffness to weight ratio, and extremely low
CTE. |
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"Within a temperature
range of 10 degrees C we see no measurable change in focus. Also,
there was no change in focus as a function of telescope position.
All thanks to rigid carbon fiber." |
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- Michael Schwartz, Tenagra
Observatories, 16" f3.75 Dream
Astrograph owner |
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"I went
to bed at about 10PM and I let it run all night without focusing.
I blinked through the images and focus did not
change. Also, I did all my other images by letting it run
through the night without focusing." |
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- Mel Helm, Sierra
Remote Observatories, March 20th,
2010 |
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The telescope tube attaches to the Software Bisque
Paramount ME, shown to the left, using Dream's 20.0"
x 7.0" x 0.815" dovetail plate. |
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Vintage photo of when Dream did a few trade shows;
April of 2010. No time for that now... |
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