Re: ATM 6" f/4 or not?

[Neil Pegg <Neil.Pegg@src.bae.co.uk>]

Hi tom,

You asked ...

  
>        I recently purchased a partially completed 6" mirror from a 
>     friend.. apparently this being his first mirror, he thought he was 
>     making an f/8 but actually made it f/4...it is almost completely 
>     polished, but f/4 seems a little impractical for a 6" scope...
>     
>     Does anyone have any advice as to what I should do with this 
>     mirror?

This mirror should make a good RFT.
I've just finished a 6" f/3.9 newt with a 1.5" secondary.
I'm using a 25 mm Lanthanum (LV) eyepiece with it.
Initial views of the moon and brighter stars look good ... should
be even better when I get the mirror aluminised 8^)

What do other people think about a system like this?
If you get the full correction on this mirror and a smooth figure
then any scratches should have little influence on the image.
After all, a four-vane spider = 4 big scratches anyway.

Good viewing

Neil

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From:    Neil E Pegg
email:   Neil.Pegg@src.bae.co.uk

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