Hilux Enhanced Aluminium mirror coatings and
Anti Reflection lens Coatings
Light is the most valuable commodity in telescopes but, all too often it is wasted unnecessarily. As an analogy, high quality optics are comparable to a formula one racing engine. The design is of great importance but, the attention to detail, especially any detail which can improve the power output of the engine is adopted and applied. To achieve all that horse power from a relatively small engine is only possible by applying skills, experience, quality materials, excellent design and innovation. We incorporated all these into Hilux coatings. We wanted to offer you the highest output possible from your telescope, we think we have achieved it. Having said that we do not sit back and relax thinking nothing else can be done. Development work on coatings is an ongoing programme within Orion Optics and when new developments are available to us, we pass them on to you.
We have developed and introduced, along with one of the UK's leading coating designers, a new aluminium coating with enhanced multi layered overcoats to increase the reflectivity of telescope mirrors to almost 97% over a wide range of the visible spectrum. All coatings are carried out in our own optical coating laboratory with newly installed computer controlled coating plants. This arrangement allows us to ensure we test every single coating we apply for optimal performance.
Q. Where is Hilux used on a telescope?
A. Hilux is a two part system. For reflectors there is the application of Hilux to the mirrors and, in our Maksutovs, it also has Hilux anti reflection coatings on the corrector lens additional to Hilux enhanced aluminium on the mirrors.
Q How does it work?
A. In the case of reflecting surfaces the enhanced aluminium increases significantly the amount of light which is reflected back from the mirror. In a Maksutov, or any other lens surface, the multi layer anti reflection coatings reduce the reflection at the optical surface enabling more light to pass through the lens and eventually reach your eye.
Q. What exactly, in every day terminology, will it do for a telescope's performance?
A. It depends on the telescope. However, to give a representative example the following two telescopes will show the difference between a 200mm reflector with 'standard' commercial coatings and, the same telescope with Hilux enhanced coatings. The second example will show the comparison between a 200mm Maksutov coated with 'Standard' commercial coatings and one coated with Hilux enhanced coatings.
200mm Reflector (e.g. Europa 200f6).
Has two reflective surfaces. With standard coatings each surface will reflect back around 86%* per surface. When this is applied to both mirrors in a telescope, the result is around 75% of the light reaches your eye. Individual reflective surfaces coated with Hilux are capable of 97% reflection per surface yielding a combined figure of almost 94% reaching your eye, a 25% increase in brightness. This has the effect of apparently increasing the optical light gathering power of your telescope by 25%. The graph below shows a typical reflectance curve for Hilux Enhanced Aluminium coated mirrors.
200mm Maksutov Cassegrain (e.g. OMC200GP).
Is, for all intents and purposes, the same as above but with the additional consideration of the corrector lens. When light strikes an uncoated polished glass surface, around 4.5% is reflected back. In a lens with two surfaces, this amounts to around 9%. A very small amount is lost due to absorption of the glass but this is minimal and constant so it is not taken into consideration for this argument. With standard commercial coatings** this amount per surface is cut down to around 1.6%. This passes a further 6% to your eye. With Hilux Anti Reflection (AR) coating, the reflection is cut down to an average of less than 1%. An obvious benefit in increased image brightness of course. However, the other major benefit with Hilux is the large reductions of 'stray' reflections within the lens itself.
Q What difference will I actually see in my telescope?
A. In a nut shell: Images 25% brighter than normal. Higher contrast images, which relates to more visible detail.
Q How long will Hilux coating last on my mirror?
A. We are frequently asked how long do aluminium coatings last for before the mirror (s) need re-coating. This is virtually impossible to answer because it depends on how well you look after your telescope's optics. Keeping them dry and ensuring all moisture (dew or condensation) is allowed to dry off before putting your telescope away should give easily 10 years of service before a re-coat. Hilux however is a different situation. If our experiences over the last 3 years are a reasonable guide, the expected life span of the coating on a Hilux coated mirror is 25 years+.
Q. Does Hilux coating change the overall surface accuracy of the mirror?
A. Not at all. Every batch of mirrors have 'witness' pieces placed in the vacuum plant to monitor the regularity of the materials being deposited on your mirror's surface. If any irregularities occur during the coating process, the mirror has the offending coating removed and then is re-coated.
Q. Is it expensive?
A. Yes, but, if you look at the much longer life span of the reflective surface compared with normal coatings and the overall efficiency increase, in real terms it is less expensive.
Q. Can Hilux only be coated on new mirrors?
A. Any mirror, new or old, can have Hilux coating. We have a downloadable chart (please use download button below) which shows prices for most common sizes.
*Based on aluminium with single layer Silicon monoxide protective layer
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If Hilux Enhanced Aluminium and Hilux AR coatings are applied to a telescope, the performance improvement is startling.
You do not need to mentally ask yourself the question. . . ."Is it really all that different?" . . . the visible difference will shock you as thousands of satisfied customers will confirm.!
Click Here to see some procedures in the Hilux process
Some procedures in the Hilux process
