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Re: ATM beginner projects
Eric Eggleston wrote:
> Greetings all. About 25 years ago, when I was about 11 years old, I
> ground (with much help) a 8" about f8 Pyrex mirror with the San Diego
> Astronomy Club in the basement of the Space Theater in Balboa Park. (I
> still have a observation plot at the club's property, which I haven't
> seen in over 10 years) In the fullness of time I finished the telescope
> and did some viewing. Years later the cardboard sonotube was shriveling
> and I took all the optics out and stored them. Now I find myself living
> to rural Texas with a great sky, very little light pollution, and a
> hankering to do some more observing. I'm also taken with the idea of
> making a 4" or 5" refractor, but find the objectives very expensive.
>
> Questions:
> 1. Is there a good source for a 4" or 5" refractor objective at a price I
> can afford?
> 2. Is it possible to grind my own objective? If so, where would I get a
> kit?
http://www.newportglass.com/ngwkitp.htm
> 3. Anybody want to talk me out of doing a refractor and into just
> rebuilding an 8" reflector?
If you have a good 8" mirror you are going to pay bucks to buy an
objective to beat it, or spent a bunch of time to make an achromat
that doesn't have the color correction of the mirror,
then there is the question of making the cell, tube, and mount for it,
try putting your old 8" in a dobson style mount and compare it to a
4" or 5" refractor at a star party, it would take less time, money
and give you an idea of what you have.
--
Aloha 159 36 W, 21 58 45 N
Brian Middle of the Pacific,
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