Eason's 1/14 wave mirror

Eason, Dale (deason@msmsmtp.StPaul.NCR.COM)
Wed, 26 Apr 95 15:47:00 CDT

I took yesterday off and polished all day long. I got the mirror to 1/14 wave if I am doing the Foucault test correctly. I was able to depress the lap where the small radial grooves were in the mirror. I used wax paper strips placed over the pits when pressing. I tried to aligne them over the channels in the lap as well.

The project took me about 60 polishing sessions. Each session took at least 1/2 hr total including polishing and testing. I learned a lot. I am sure it would take much less with what I know now.

I may try for 1/20 wave tonight. I just need to reduce zones 3 a little (.010 ).

I am using Suiter's Basic Foucault data reduction program listed in Texereau Appendix B. I modified the program to graph the mirror surface error as described in section II-38 Fig. 44. of the book. My modifications also provide a data file for Suiter's Apeture program (companion program to Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes.)

Thanks for all the help from the net.

Almost done pushing for awhile. Dale Eason