RE[2]: ATM Collimation Question

[Dwight Elvey <elvey@hal.com>]

"Bertapelle, Ken" <Bertapelle.Ken@tci.com> wrote:
---snip---
>   The final adjustment, against a star, moves that spot to 
> the center of the FOV.  Wouldn't you agree?
> 
> - KenB

Hi
 I 100% agree. Unless you are doing a true total system
alignement with your laser, you have to final with a
real object at distance. Remember, the laser at the
eyepiece does not make any compensation for secondary
offset. Also, you are just aligning the center of the
mirror, which may not even be well aligned with the
outer edge of the mirror.
 If you had a large collimating mirror or lens ( full
aperture ) you could do as good an alignment with a laser
as a star. This isn't what most mean by a laser alignment
when people talk about laser alignment today. Shining
a laser light down the focuser tube to the secondary, to
primary and back is not full alignment.
Dwight