Hubble Optics Lightweight Sandwich Mirror
We have developed a revolutionary lightweight sandwich mirror, which is a cost
effective, and superior alternative to other lightweight and solid mirrors available on
the market.
Our sandwich mirrors have been used by many prestige and extremely demanding
customers such as NASA, US army, California State Polytechnic University, and
numerous other organizations and individuals around the world. The Hubble
sandwich mirrors have been designed and built under the same principle used by
the primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope, the most advanced telescope
ever built.
Currently, our lightweight sandwich mirrors are available from 8” to 24" in diameter.
Please contact us for larger mirrors.
We have developed a revolutionary lightweight sandwich mirror, which is a cost
effective, and superior alternative to other lightweight and solid mirrors available on
the market.
Our sandwich mirrors have been used by many prestige and extremely demanding
customers such as NASA, US army, California State Polytechnic University, and
numerous other organizations and individuals around the world. The Hubble
sandwich mirrors have been designed and built under the same principle used by
the primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope, the most advanced telescope
ever built.
Currently, our lightweight sandwich mirrors are available from 8” to 24" in diameter.
Please contact us for larger mirrors.
After years of research, ASTS concluded that "thinner substrates dramatically reduce
the thermal time lag", Technical Note #0028 by Nathan Dalrymple. For any mirror,
cross sectional thickness of the glass is the primary factor in determining the thermal
time temperatures during observing or imaging, your full thickness mirror may never
reach equilibrium, and never reach its full optical potential. This is one of the major
reasons why our lightweight-sandwich mirror has superior optical performance in real
world situations, even without an active cooling system. (Active cooling systems, such
as fans, introduce their own serious problems, such as micro vibration, which can
seriously degrade the image quality if not done correctly.) Our mirrors reach
equilibrium extremely fast, and without aid.
So, with our lightweight-sandwich mirror, what is measured in the laboratory is
observed in the field.
Hubble Optics Lightweight Sandwich Key Features:
The Hubble Optics Lightweight Sandwich Mirror Price:
OD Thickness (mm) Price (Plate glass) Price( Pyrex glass)
12.0" (F/5) ~49 $850 $1,100
14.0" (F/5) ~49 $1,200 $1,550
16.0" (F/5) ~53 $1,650 $2,150
18.0" (F/5) ~53 $2,100 $2,750
20.0" (F/4.5) ~53 $3,050 $3,850
22.0" (F/4.5) ~60 $4,250 $5,250
24.0" (F/4.5) ~65 $5,950 $7,150
25.0"-40" Contact us
Strehl Ratio >= 0.975
For faster mirror, there is 15% surcharge for each 1/2 stop of the speed.
The above prices include the standard Al + SiO/SiO2 overcoating.
The 92% Semi-enhacned, 96% Enhanced Aluminum and 97% Protected Silvercoatings are available with additional charges:
Semi-Enhanced Enhanced Aluminum Protected Silver
8" $70 $225 $315
10" $100 $230 $325
12.0" $110 $235 $335
12.5" $115 $240 $345
14.0" $125 $245 $355
16.0" $180 $250 $370
18.0" $220 $275 $400
20.0" $230 $320 $500
the thermal time lag", Technical Note #0028 by Nathan Dalrymple. For any mirror,
cross sectional thickness of the glass is the primary factor in determining the thermal
time temperatures during observing or imaging, your full thickness mirror may never
reach equilibrium, and never reach its full optical potential. This is one of the major
reasons why our lightweight-sandwich mirror has superior optical performance in real
world situations, even without an active cooling system. (Active cooling systems, such
as fans, introduce their own serious problems, such as micro vibration, which can
seriously degrade the image quality if not done correctly.) Our mirrors reach
equilibrium extremely fast, and without aid.
So, with our lightweight-sandwich mirror, what is measured in the laboratory is
observed in the field.
Hubble Optics Lightweight Sandwich Key Features:
 | Thermal and Structural optimized open core, and dynamically stable closed | |
| back design | ||
| Rapid Thermal Response: cools down about 10 times faster for mirrors up to | |
| 24", and about 20 times faster for mirrors between 25"-36",f than a solid mirror of equal thickness. | ||
| Outperform both conventional solid and closed cell lightweight mirrors in term | |
| of image quality in the real world observation | ||
| Simple Flotation Mounting | |
| Lighter than the solid mirrors (with weight saving about 20% for mirrors up to | |
| 20", and about 40% for mirror larger than 20" comparing with the solid mirrors of equal thickness) | ||
| Cost competitive and unprecedented price/performance ratio |
The Hubble Optics Lightweight Sandwich Mirror Price:
OD Thickness (mm) Price (Plate glass) Price( Pyrex glass)
12.0" (F/5) ~49 $850 $1,100
14.0" (F/5) ~49 $1,200 $1,550
16.0" (F/5) ~53 $1,650 $2,150
18.0" (F/5) ~53 $2,100 $2,750
20.0" (F/4.5) ~53 $3,050 $3,850
22.0" (F/4.5) ~60 $4,250 $5,250
24.0" (F/4.5) ~65 $5,950 $7,150
25.0"-40" Contact us
Strehl Ratio >= 0.975
For faster mirror, there is 15% surcharge for each 1/2 stop of the speed.
The above prices include the standard Al + SiO/SiO2 overcoating.
The 92% Semi-enhacned, 96% Enhanced Aluminum and 97% Protected Silver
Semi-Enhanced Enhanced Aluminum Protected Silver
8" $70 $225 $315
10" $100 $230 $325
12.0" $110 $235 $335
12.5" $115 $240 $345
14.0" $125 $245 $355
16.0" $180 $250 $370
18.0" $220 $275 $400
20.0" $230 $320 $500
The main problem is not the aberrations due to deformation, but the layer of warm
air in front of the primary mirror. This layer of warm air is the main cause of the
image distortion called "mirror seeing", which is caused by the non-uniform index
of diffraction in the cooler air over the warm mirror surface. No mirror, regardless of
the type of glass used, will perform adequately until the mirror is close to the
temperature of the ambient air. This occurs when the temperature difference
between glass and air is less than one degree centigrade (°C), and best
performance is achieved when this difference is less than 0.2 °C.
air in front of the primary mirror. This layer of warm air is the main cause of the
image distortion called "mirror seeing", which is caused by the non-uniform index
of diffraction in the cooler air over the warm mirror surface. No mirror, regardless of
the type of glass used, will perform adequately until the mirror is close to the
temperature of the ambient air. This occurs when the temperature difference
between glass and air is less than one degree centigrade (°C), and best
performance is achieved when this difference is less than 0.2 °C.
Therefore, the goal is to bring the
temperature of the mirror to within 0.2 °C of the ambient air temperature as quickly as
possible. This will greatly reduce image distortion due to mirror seeing. This is why
all large professional mirrors, regardless of the type of glass used, employ
complicated cooling systems to cool the primary mirror. For example, the Advanced
Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) 4.24-meter primary mirror uses a jet cooling
system.
temperature of the mirror to within 0.2 °C of the ambient air temperature as quickly as
possible. This will greatly reduce image distortion due to mirror seeing. This is why
all large professional mirrors, regardless of the type of glass used, employ
complicated cooling systems to cool the primary mirror. For example, the Advanced
Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) 4.24-meter primary mirror uses a jet cooling
system.
You are welcome to visit our eBay store for some of our stocked mirrors:
http://stores.ebay.com/hubbleoptics
http://stores.ebay.com/hubbleoptics
Why Lightweight Sandwich Mirrors?
Telescope mirrors are manufactured in a strictly controlled temperature and
humidity environment. In particular, each mirror is carefully measured after it has
reached equilibrium in our laboratory. This is not the environment that your mirror
will be used in. While cooling, gradients in the mirror will cause deformation of the
surface, and the aberrations induced by these gradients will be proportional to the
CTE of the substrate. These gradient-induced aberrations die out as the mirror
cools and equilibrates.
Telescope mirrors are manufactured in a strictly controlled temperature and
humidity environment. In particular, each mirror is carefully measured after it has
reached equilibrium in our laboratory. This is not the environment that your mirror
will be used in. While cooling, gradients in the mirror will cause deformation of the
surface, and the aberrations induced by these gradients will be proportional to the
CTE of the substrate. These gradient-induced aberrations die out as the mirror
cools and equilibrates.
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