Re: [ATM] Ball Scope First Light

["Jerry" <wa4guu@verizon.net>]

When you decide you have done all you are going to do to your mirror get it
coated and use it in the very nice home you've made for it.

Don't let anyone else figure on that thing! At some point you accept that as
good as you can do is as good as you can do and then you declare it finished
and use it. 

When the aluminum coating gets bad and you are ready to have it recoated you
can decide if you want to have it refigured. You might be happy with your
figure on it.

I'll bet you will like your views better than what you will get if you get
someone else to finish your mirror.

Jerry 






-----Original Message----- snipped
From: Jason Hissong
 

Now, a couple of notes...  the mirror is still not finished being 
figured.  I am still struggling with Foucault getting zones 5 and 6.  So 
I have pretty much given up on that and went strictly to Ronchi.  
According to the Ronchi test, I am still under corrected with a raised 
edge (I think). Also, the optics are not lined up yet (remember, I just 
threw the mirror into the scope! :-) so I was getting severe coma.  
However, with my 25mm eyepiece, I was able to see a circle at focus and 
light and dark areas on Mars.  I also glimpsed M45 for grins.

So now I know how you guys feel after first light.  It is an awesome 
feeling knowing that I took a hunk of glass, polished it out, and was 
able to focus starlight.  Also, because I used TurboCAD to design the 
scope (and do all the measurements), things came to focus without having 
to recut the trusses.

Wow...  

My last resort on the mirror is to send it off to get figured by a 
professional.  I already contacted Discovery Optics in regards to this 
and they seem to be able to do the job for me (and coat the mirror while 
they are at it..)

Clear Skies

Jason Hissong




_______________________________________________
ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/