Re: [ATM] Astronomium Metal Mirror

["David Harbour" <scarab2@cox.net>]

Jeremy, all:

I used to have a collection of forty years of Sky and Telescope magazine;
over the years there appeared several articles about very large (70"
aperture or better) Cassegrain reflectors equipped with aluminum mirrors. I
am not sure where all of them are (I think I know) but I remember that in
most cases, the astronomers (and the opticians who figured the mirrors) were
surprised to note that the finished optic in question FAR exceeded the
resolving power predicted for it. With my blooming Alzsheimer's (kidding, I
hope) I can remember little else about those articles in Sky and Scope.

That huge stack of magazines almost caused me to tangle in some power lines,
when I stupidly took off in my PA-28 on only one magneto. Didn't know,
could't figure out why the airplane wasn't climbing so snappily, as, when I
passed very, very close to the tops of the power lines, I noticed the
Magneto switch on "L". It is these many foolish experiences of mine in an
airplane that have given me the vain notion that I cannot be hurt flying an
airplane. Never be able to test it (this strange theory)- my flying days are
over.

One of those aluminum scopes was in Italy; I believe it had a coating of
some other metal on the aluminium substrate. There are a couple in the U.
S.; I forget where. Big ones, too.

Dave

P.S.- "Krell Metal" would work, if only we could get to Altair  IV to ask
Morbeus how the Krell made it. Oh- I forgot; Morbeus blew up the giant Krell
machine and Altair IV, and himself. Too bad. Neutronium won't work, 'cause
it will sink to the core of the earth, immediately. Vexations; life is full
of them, no?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeremy Batterson" <jdbaterson@msn.com>
To: <atm@atmlist.net>
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2005 1:19 AM
Subject: [ATM] Astronomium Metal Mirror


Was talking about unusual ideas with Charles Hughes again, and what came up
this time was metal mirrors. Hughes told me there was a debate decades back
about finding a perfect metal, to be called ASTRONOMIUM, ideal for mirror
making:

Being soft enough to grind easily, having a low melting point, being highly
reflective, resilient & NON-CORROSIVE. Lightness is another useful quality,
and also cost. The most obvious advantage is that you need not SILVER such a
mirror.

Did you try ALUMINUM? That nearly fits the bill, it seems to me.

Jeremy D. Batterson
Ridgefield Park, NJ
(201)441-4888/(877)305-8856
Literary & Astronomy Page:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/jeremybatterson<http://members.lycos.co.uk/jeremybatterson>
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