[ATM] grin optics for telescopes

[jess tauber <phonosemantics@earthlink.net>]

Hi. Just joined the ATM list and wanted to say hello. My own interests in building are ultralight optics and more aesthetically pleasing housings/mounts. I like Normand Fullum's designs, but my own tastes run towards Frank Lloyd Wright. Many of the ATM reflector scopes built between 1900 and 1950 are quite interesting. I've noted they are nearly impossible to find on the market these days (e-bay, astromart, etc.). Where'd they all go?

On the ultralight end of things I've been catching up on the dialogue here on the ATM list over the past seven years- including work on metal mirrors, Peter Chen's efforts, etc. I'm particularly interested in gradient index (GRIN) lenses and correctors for astronomical purposes, something that's been proposed but never really developed in over thirty years, due to difficulties in making them in all but the smallest sizes. They are currently used in laser application (including optical digital media), fiber optics, etc. I have some ideas on how to economically build them quite large (meters)- in fact the larger the easier! Maybe.....

I haven't seen any references to GRIN optics here on the list archives, and wondered what any of you might think of the notion, at least potentially. Thanks.

Jess Tauber


_______________________________________________
ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/