RE: ATM First light.

["Day, Jack" <jday@clinitech.net>]

Hi Bill,

Well I tried to do a startest but my setup is a bit to primitive I think.  I
need to build a real mirror cell that properly supports the mirror, tonight
it was just double sided foam taped at 3 points to a piece of partical
board.  Even still, Jupiter looked good with good contrast and even
Cassini's division showed on Saturn.  I looked at Saturn up to 280x and it
still was ok. And that was before I fixed where the foucuser was mounted so
I could collimate the scope correctly.  I think their is a small amount of
astignatism, though it does not look like it is hurting the image much.
Perhaps over the next week I can build a better mirror cell and give this
beast a real test.  Though, tonight looking at the full moon was just
awesome.  Even low on the horizon it looked really nice.  No filter needed!
8o)   No "halo" effect, just sharp contrast between dark and light.  Well I
need to get to bed.  

Later,

Jack

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Bill T. [SMTP:twentiethwave@hotmail.com]
> Sent:	Sunday, April 08, 2001 7:38 PM
> To:	jday@clinitech.net
> Subject:	Re: ATM First light.
> 
> The Rule is, 1 night of overcast for each inch of aperture.  But that only
> 
> applies to COATED mirrors.  In her Infinite Perversity, Nature freely
> allows 
> clear star test nights, and only slaps you with the night/inch Rule
> starting 
> with the first night after receiving the coated mirror.
> 
> Just in case you're not feeling anxious enough already...the coated star 
> test will show up defects much better than the uncoated star test.  But
> the 
> full moon will never look better...really, so enjoy it!
> 
> Congrats!
> 
> Bill Tondreau
> 
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