Re: Alternative mirror technologies, WAS ATM Liquid-mirror telescopes

["John D. Gwinner" <gwinner@northnet.org>]

Chuck:

> > If you are careful with the epoxy, it might be such
> > that you could either charge electrostatically the epoxy to repel the
mylar
> > just a *smidgen* above the epoxy, or just let the Mylar drape
realllllly
> > close to the epoxy.  I don't know, just a thought.
> 
> Not a bad idea, but I don't know what benefit it would provide. 

My concept was that the epoxy sub-strate, which would not actually contact
the mylar, would act as a 'form' to get the desired focal length and
parabolic shape that you need.

The idea here is that the mylar would be suspended by a very slight barrier
of air or some other way (i.e. the electrostatic repulsion) *just* above
the substrate.

Actually using the epoxy as a mold is different -- this was a more
speculative idea for making sure you get a parabola, instead of a caternary
of rotation [sp?] or whatever shape you do get.

                == John ==