ATM Beginners questions

[Ross_Dawson@county.com.au]

Hi everyone,
                 First thanks for taking the time to read a beginners
post... I appreciate it.

OK down to business.  I am investigating what sort of cost/effort is
required to study deep space astronomy and CCD photography.  I have a
background in computers and electronics so Berry's Cookbook CCD camera
looks like it would fit the bill nicely but that is much later down the
track (gotta get/build a scope and prove to myself that I am committed
before I start building a CCD camera).  The tricky part is the scope,  I
suspect that large (8"-12") appature reflectors are relatively expensive
and what what I read on this mailing list and the web it would seem that
constructing a 10"-12" Newtonian is not as impossible as I first thought.

OK here are the questions:-

1.  I am thinking about constructing a 10" f/5 Newtonian reflector.  Is
this a suitable design for deep space CCD photography.  Would a lower ratio
be better for the CCD as this would make the scope shorter and more
portable (also easier for the kids to see the eyepiece)

2.  What about eyepieces for the above scope both for the CCD (does it need
one?) and for people?

3.  I have read on the web that motorised Dobson mounts are not suitable
for use with a CCD, but then I have seen pictures captured using just such
a setup (ala Mel Bartels).  I haven't been able to acertain the reason why
the mount is not suitable but I suspect that it is because it has to rotate
around 2 axis to track the object where an equatorial mount only has to
rotate around 1 axis.  Can anyone help clarify this for me?

4.  Australian suppliers...(for Melbourne) can anyone point me in the right
direction for Mirror blanks (7740 Pyrex),  Pitch, aluminumizing etc.  I
intend on going to the next public meet of the Victorian Astronomy Society
to see what they have to offer (but that is two weeks away).

5.  Are there any good sources/descriptions on Mirror construction and
testing on the Web.  I'm trying to chase up copies of Berry and Texereau
but the cost of books here in Australia tends to be astranomical (pardon
the pun).  So if I can glean as much info from the internet I can save my
self probably about $150.

Thanx

Ross Dawson
Melbourne
Australia