RE: ATM parabolizing

[BOB PRABOWO <BOB@bahana.co.id>]

Hi Guys,

Thanks you very much for all your advices. I think I know what my
problem is now.
Here's my conclusion:
There are two knobs in the tester, one is the micrometer knob that move
the K.E back and forth and the other is the knob that controls the right
and left movement of the K.E, the one that adjust the position of the
knife not directly, but by tilting the carriage.

I have to adjust those two knobs to align the tseter. So if inside focus
the K.E cut the light reflected from the mirror right in the middle and
outside focus the K.E doesn't intersect the light right in the middle, I
have to adjust the second knob. Is that right? Man, why didn't I think
of that? I feel so stupid, I didn't know what the second knob for!

I haven't tested my conclusion, I wanted to do the testing last night,
but then the sky was so clear for the first time in 5 months and  I
couldn't resist the temptation to go to my backyard. 

BTW, I highly recomend Harvard Pennington's book "The Year Round Messier
Marathon Field Guide" for beginners like myself. Using this book I
logged 10 Messier Objects in Scorpius and Sagittarius last night and
made 10 sketches of them. And I did it from my observing site in my
backyard!!! 

My observing site is far, far from ideal. Imagine a square (or a box) 
3m x  4m, with walls that will not allow you to see anything lower than 
50 degrees above the horizon, in all directions and to make it worse,
the top of this box is covered with security bars. And this site is
located in the city where sometimes you can only see 3 mag, star with
naked eye, I had to use binocs to find the reference stars.

The best thing that I learned from you guys is your kindness, your
helpfulness. Willingness to help others regardless their race, social
background, religion. When someone needs help, you just help him,
without even ask who he is! That's the best thing I learn.
And another great thing that I learn from this list is to make the best
of what is available. Make a focuser using a PVC pipe, a diagonal holder
using guitar string, a telescope made of plywood, heck, before I joined
the list I thought a telescope tube had to be made of aluminum, or some
exotic material and telescopes can only be made in a big factory! And
all those things I've learned, and more things I will learn, from this
list is applicable to everyday life!

I LOVE THIS LIST!!!!!
Bob P. Sumitro
Jakarta, Indonesia
the new land of the free

"To be able to express your opinion freely, free of fear, ain't that
great!" 

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