Re: [ATM] Draper mirror testing Boy do I hear that!

["Stars" <rocketmaker@intergate.com>]

I understand that sentiment very well. I inherited this mirror
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,778568,00.html made by John 
Edward Millish in about 1928. While in the hands of a College, it was used 
by the Earth Science's Lab Tech for practice in removing coatings. He used a 
felt pad "orange peeling" the surface. I traced it down, obtained it and 
then refigured it. It actually had been masked to 15 inches because when 
made, turned down edges was the norm. I refigured it to its full aperture 
and Spectra Physics agreed to do a 99.5% reflective coating. While in their 
hands, the lab burned down and the mirror was lost for seven years. Lets 
just say the fire did its figure no good. We had a Star Party the night 
before it was sent off for coating. I had welded a quick fork mount and put 
the mirror in a BurkeTube. Yes, uncoated it still gave the best view of the 
Orion Nebula that I had ever seen. Just the right amount of contrast and so 
sharp...

Clarence Friend, Martin Sloan, Carl Meyer, Bill Lucas, Clarke Diggs, Pete 
Pedersen, Dennis Palm and other notable San Diego County ATMs all friends 
and all gone now,  had a chance to use the original telescope and a few of 
them were there for the last view in the mid 70s. I understand it was the 
largest mirror Mellish had finished before his Workshop burned down. About 
17 comets had been discovered with this scope, the crackpot George Adamski 
claimed to see his first UFO and cities on the moon through it. Eventually I 
will refigure it again but I may have to anneal it first.
Best-o-Luck
Rick Crockett


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "waldo kitty" <wkitty42@alltel.net>
To: <atm@atmlist.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: [ATM] Draper mirror testing


> Dale Eason wrote:
>> What size is that mirror?  A 16 x 1 will mail easily
>> but not a 16 x 2.
>
> hehehe, i can just see the ugly headlines now...
>
>  HISTORIC DRAPER MIRROR BROKEN. USPS DENIES ANY WRONGDOING.
>
> :shock: :ouch:

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