Do curved spiders really lessen the diffraction at the eyepiece?
No, curved spiders actually create MORE diffraction. Curved spiders enjoyed a brief comeback a few years ago. But, truly experienced observers know that although the obvious spikes are absent, the OVERALL image resolution is degraded. Why? 1. A straight vane causes diffraction in a 2% area. A curved vanes diffraction is equal to its curvature, thus a 90 degree curve in a vane equals a 90 degree swath of diffraction.
