Re: [ATM] ritchey cretians

["Khail Rosenberg" <mikhail.rosenberg@rosenbergtelescopes.com>]

Hi Francis,

Thanks for your kind words, and I have made the decision to go for a
machine, looks like my own motto went out the window...

I will make two mirrors side by side, a 24 inch and the 48 inch, just a
coincidence they are in half... everything is already under weigh for this
projects, I am not doing too much of the manual work, I have my employees to
perform this task... I will start getting involved after they finish the
polishing on the primary, which i predict they will finish in about 2 weeks
time, working in shifts.. (this is there full time job, grinding away for
me)..

For the 48" RC, i think i will make it a donation to a university, hopefully
make a scholarship set up for this. by donating it to them, i will ask for a
certain amount of scholorships they should give to there science dept
students..  it is a deep space photography scope (probably why they chose it
for big ol hubble)...

as for your 50th birthday... DONT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!

take a step back and think about what you want in life :) I still get lost
in reality living in NYC... its not real at all here, and also why I am this
business.. brings new dreams to people...

Thanks again Francis!
Mikhail



On 1/20/08, Francis J. O'Reilly <foreilly@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> Mikhail,
>
> We spoke by telephone a couple of weeks ago and we discussed my potential
> purchase of an 800 mm fused silica blank. You seem like a very nice guy
> and
> quite sincere. I will vouch for you to the list as I believe that I am the
> one who referred you here.
>
> As far as I am concerned you are a welcome addition to the list and a
> gentleman.
>
> A 48 inch RC is an ambitious project to say the least. I am impressed with
> your ambition. I am considering an RC project as well, but my abilities
> are
> limited as are my available finances. I might suggest that if you intend
> to
> go forward with such a project, you fully research tha availability of
> machines to assist you in grinding, polishing and figuring. I suggest that
> for a start, you look at Dennis Rech's Mirror-O-Matic, which has plans for
> various sizes. I would also suggest that before putting a 48 inch piece of
> glass at risk, you might want to start with a smaller project to see how
> it
> goes.
>
> I am just finishing a 12.5 inch f/7 and that has about reached the limit
> of
> the strength in my arms. I don't think at this time that I could propelry
> handle a larger piece of glass in an adequate manner to whip it into a
> good
> mirror. I may need to spend more time at the gym in order to be able to
> undertake such a project. As my 50th birthday approaches, an asteroid was
> due to hit Mars on my birthday, I now understand that that day may never
> come. With that reality in mind, I now must reassess my goals.
>
> As I do further research, I find that an RC is most appropriate for
> astrophotography. I am not an astrophotographer and therefore I am
> reconsidering my next project. I just purchased an old Meade 8" f/6 with a
> badly chipped primary and a secondary that is in pieces. I may make a
> mirror
> for that scope and put it back together. I also have some old projects
> that
> I should complete before starting a new more ambitious project.
>
> The commercial telescope makers have their place, and for the money, they
> make acceptable telescopes. They could be better, but then they would be
> more expensive, placing them out of reach of many people. I for one
> respect
> the work that they do and I am content to know that they open astronomy to
> many who otherwise would go without seeing the wonders of the universe.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Francis J. O'Reilly
> (Can you believe that after wining just two regular season games, the NY
> Giants, who are really from New Jersey and don't seem to understand that,
> are in the second round of the playoffs?)
>
>
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