Progress with the dob...

[Smithfire]

Hi Guys

Managed to strip the mirrors out of my 12" Dobsonian this avo. Didnt take as long as I was expecting fortunately. 

Cleaned a good amount of residue off anyway.....stuck to the cotton wool swabs and DI water method.

Also added some skateboarding grip tape to the OTA for better grip, works well!

Collimation next.

Clive

[John]

Looks good Clive

Nice scopes those solid tube 12" Skywatchers. I saw my 1st spiral structure in a galaxy and my 1st supernova with one of those

[Paul73]

I wish that my mirror looked like that........

Worth doing, but not a job to be hurried.

Paul

[Smithfire]

Thanks John. Can you remember which galaxy it was and the eyepeice you were using?

Paul, I agree totally....it took me about 3.5 hours to strip and clean them. I'd put aside all day!

Clive

[John]

Thanks John. Can you remember which galaxy it was and the eyepeice you were using?

Paul, I agree totally....it took me about 3.5 hours to strip and clean them. I'd put aside all day!

Clive

Hi Clive,

We saw the spiral structure in Messier 51. It was at the SGL star party and the skies were nice and dark. The eyepiece was I think my Nagler 22mm Type 4. The scope was not mine I ought to add but belonged to an SGL member called Alex. I've since acquired my own 12" dob and can just about see the spiral form of M51 from my back garden but it's more apparent under darker skies.

I can't recall which supernova it was I'm afraid !

[Smithfire]

Thanks John

I thought it might be M51.....I could just about resolve some structure in that with a 16" dob I had 25 years ago, but that was from a light polluted back garden too!

I think the potential of this scope is really good....had it out a couple of nights ago before I'd cleaned or collimated the mirrors and STILL had a good view of M31 with a 32mm WA eyepeice, 

Under darker skies and good collimation I think those spiral arms are going to be much more apparent.

Clive