The Maksutov (also called a "Mak")[1] is a catadioptric telescope design that combines a spherical mirror with a weakly negative meniscus lens in a design that takes advantage of all the surfaces being nearly "spherically symmetrical".[2] The negative lens is usually full diameter and placed at the entrance pupil of the telescope (commonly called a "corrector plate" or "meniscus corrector shell"). The design corrects the problems of off-axis aberrations such as coma found in reflecting telescopes while also correcting chromatic aberration. It was patented in 1941 by Soviet optician Dmitri Dmitrievich Maksutov.[3][4] Maksutov based his design on the idea behind the Schmidt camera of using the spherical errors of a negative lens to correct the opposite errors in a spherical primary mirror. The design is most commonly seen in a Cassegrain variation, with an integrated secondary, that can use all-spherical elements, thereby simplifying fabrication. Maksutov telescopes have been sold on the amateur market since the 1950s.
- ^ Paul E. Kinzer, Stargazing Basics: Getting Started in Recreational Astronomy, Cambridge University Press - 2015, page 43
- ^ John J. G. Savard, "Miscellaneous Musings"
- ^ John Woodruff (2003). Firefly Astronomy Dictionary. Firefly Books. p. 135. ISBN 978-1-55297-837-5.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
weasnerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).