Thiccsonian - 8 inch, f/4 newtonian telescope

8" f/4 Reflecting Telescope - Inspired by the Iconic 114 Hadley

Embark on a journey to the stars with this custom-designed 8" f/4 reflecting telescope, a project deeply inspired by the legendary 114 Hadley. Building on the principles of simplicity, performance, and accessibility that made the Hadley a favorite among makers, this telescope takes those values to the next level with enhanced features and a larger aperture for breathtaking views of the cosmos.

Key Features:

• Homage to the Hadley: The design philosophy borrows heavily from the Hadley’s minimalist yet robust approach, scaling up to an 8" f/4 optical system to deliver stunning clarity and resolution for both visual astronomy and astrophotography.
• Enhanced Optical Performance: Featuring a high-quality GSO 8" f/4 primary mirror and a 70mm secondary mirror, this telescope provides sharp, wide-field views of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters, perfect for deep-sky exploration.
• Lightweight and Modular Structure: Like the Hadley, this telescope emphasizes a balance of strength and portability. The support structure is carefully engineered for easy transport and rapid setup, making it ideal for both backyard stargazing and remote dark-sky adventures.
• 3D-Printable and Maker-Friendly: Staying true to the Hadley’s legacy, this project is fully maker-centric. All structural components are 3D-printable, and the design is optimized for common filaments like PLA and PETG. The STL files are included alongside detailed assembly instructions, ensuring a straightforward build process for all skill levels.
• Precision Mirror Support: The custom-designed mirror cell incorporates lessons from the Hadley’s thoughtful engineering, enhancing weight distribution and minimizing optical distortion for sharp, high-quality imaging.

Why You’ll Love It: 

Inspired by one of the most beloved maker telescopes, this project builds on the Hadley’s principles to deliver a larger, more powerful instrument. It’s an ideal project for astronomy enthusiasts who appreciate the joy of crafting their own high-performance gear while paying homage to a design that set the standard for DIY telescopes.

Who’s It For?

• Fans of the 114 Hadley looking for a next-level DIY project
• Amateur astronomers
• Makers passionate about combining engineering and astronomy

The 114 Hadley paved the way for accessible, high-performance DIY telescopes. This 8" f/4 design builds on its legacy, inviting you to explore the universe with an instrument that blends inspiration, innovation, and creativity. Download the files today and start crafting your window to the stars!

Seamless Compatibility with Hadley Accessories

Designed with the same tube diameter as the 114 Hadley, this 8" f/4 telescope offers unparalleled flexibility for makers and astronomers who already own Hadley-compatible accessories. Whether it’s mounting rings, dovetails, or other add-ons crafted for the single-tube Hadley design, they will integrate seamlessly with this build.

Parts List

• 1/2 inch or 13mm outer diameter tubes (3)
• 200mm f/4 or f/5 primary mirror
• 70mm secondary angled mirror
• Silicone glue
• M2x2x3.2 heatset inserts (6)
  • Used for the mirror clips on the primary mirror cell
• M2 x 8mm screws (6)
  • Used for attaching the mirror clips to the primary mirror cell
• M4x6x6 heatset inserts (3)
  • Used for attaching the primary mirror cell to the bottom housing
• M3x4x4.2 heatset inserts (4) *optional
  • Used for attaching a 60mm cooling fan to the primary mirror cell
• M3 screws (4) *optional
  • This is only for if you're going to be attaching a cooling fan to the primary mirror cell, use lengths that correspond with the thickness of fan that you plan on using
• M4 socket head cap screws
  • M4 x 50 (7)
    • 3 are used for attaching the primary mirror cell to the bottom housing
    • 4 are used for the secondary mirror (3 for collimation and 1 for attaching the secondary mirror cell to the spider
  • M4 x 8 (3)
    • Used for attaching the spider
  • M4 x 10
    • This will vary based on whether you go for the tripod route or the dobsonian mounting route
    • Dobsonian mounting method (16)
      • 6 for bottom assembly
      • 3 for middle assembly
      • 1 for top assembly light baffle
      • 6 for top housing
    • Tripod mounting method (20)
      • 6 for bottom assembly
      • 3 for middle assembly
      • 2 for each middle assembly brace (2 middle assembly braces suggested)
  • M4 x 30 (8) *Dobsonian mounting version only
• M4 nuts
  • This will vary based on which mounting method you choose
  • Dobsonian mounting method (35)
    • 6 for the bottom assembly
    • 8 for the Dobsonian wheels
    • 3 for the middle assembly
    • 1 for the top light baffle
    • 6 for the top assembly
    • 4 for the spider (3 embedded, 1 top)
    • 1 for the secondary mirror cell
    • 6 for the collimation knobs
  • Tripod mounting method (31)
    • 6 for the bottom assembly
    • 3 for the middle assembly
    • 4 for the middle assembly braces
    • 1 for the top light baffle
    • 6 for the top assembly
    • 4 for the spider (3 embedded, 1 top)
    • 1 for the secondary mirror cell
    • 6 for the collimation knobs
• 2" focuser, I personally used a 2" GSO crayford focuser off of Aliexpress.
• 8mm OD 0.8mm wire size springs
  • 30mm length (3)
    • Primary mirror cell
  • 20mm length (4)
    • Used for the secondary mirror cell

Printing

Printing this telescope is fairly straightforward and support-free. There are a couple of spots that differ:

Primary Mirror Collimation Knobs

For these parts you'll need to embed some nuts into the print. So in your slicer, after slicing, you should drag down the layer-by-layer view and put a pause into the print on layer 25. When your printer pauses, place some nuts in the hexagonal holes in the print and then resume the print

The spider

Same story with the spider, you need to embed 3 nuts into the spider for the collimation screws. Place a pause on layer 27, when the printer pauses - place some nuts in the three hexagonal holes and then resume printing.

Assembly

If you've built a Hadley, assembly will be super easy for you. You use screws to attach parts or clamp down onto the tube and then. place nuts into the rectangular holes for the screws to hold their place.

The spots that differ are all going to be on the primary mirror cell. The top of the primary mirror cell has 6 spots that need M2 heatsets. Only 3.2mm wide heatsets are going to work here, so make sure you're spot on with the parts list in that regard. The bottom of the primary mirror cell has 7 heatset insert pilot holes. 3 of them are mandatory and used for collimation. They take M4 heatset inserts. The 4 around the central hole are for a 60mm cooling fan. They require M3 heatset inserts.

Use 3 30mm springs around the M4x50 screws between the bottom assembly and the primary mirror cell.

Use 4 20mm springs between the spider and the secondary mirror cell.

Spacing

Being an f/4 scope, spacing is super important. If you go with the same focuser that I did, your spacing will be identical to mine. You're going to want the spacing between the bottom and top assemblies to be 527mm, this puts your spacing between the primary mirror and middle of the secondary mirror at 597mm, the distance from the middle of the secondary mirror to the end of the focuser tube right at the 800mm focal length.

The original is based around a spherical 6" mirror, this telescope is built around an 8" f/4 parabolic primary mirror and a larger, 70mm secondary mirror.