[ATM] Fw: telescope

["David Williams" <dwilliams1128@earthlink.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: David Williams 
To: stargazer@voyager.net 
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2004 2:34 PM

Hello ATM list

I have been working on my 20" telescope (it's a 20" mirror, F5, 1" thick) and it's getting closer toward completion.  The mirror is getting more and more polished out so that I can see a reflection even at a higher angle almost straight on.  Right now I'm doing the foucault testing or I should say that I have the tester, don't know how to use it, because I bought it ready made. So I should say that I have it and would like to know or learn how to use it or what to do with it.  

Any  instructions would be nice and appreciated.
Thank you.


Do you know the name of some of the people in the Chicago area that work for the Adler Planetarium (or their phone number)?  I need a reference for a cource in telescope making.  It would be neat to have a video about telescope making and particularly the mirror making process.

I have a friend named Jerry Martinsen who lives at the Maple Towers in Sturgis MI and he knows the man Mike Sinclair.  I see that Mike teaches math, physics, and is in the astro group there in Kalamazoo.  You know Jerry wants to have a place close by that has meetings about astronomy and the subjects;  So he said that he wants to start an astronomy group in the Sturgis area.  But we agreed that that would take a lot of dedication (meaning that the leaders, we would have to be there most or all of the time).  

PS

I've been told that the mirror is too thin.  But some people say it's alright as long as I use a certain mirror cell or mount.  (it is called a flouting mirror point cell)  Does this make sence?  I've got a 24" diameter, 8 foot long sonotube for the optical tube of the scope.

It's pretty neat.

Thank you.
Bye
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