wookie1965

I love my Tal 100rs which I bought off Jules brilliant scope had a couple of great nights with it waiting for clear skies get it out again. 

Moon from last night supposed to have been clear for a couple of hours.

Here is one of the Mercury Transit I took a load of pictures getting it from beginning to the end. Skywatcher 150p solar filter with Galaxy S7

I have same sort of screws for the adjustment screws on secondary mirror for 200p when I bought them had get 10 so I have two spare sets if anyone wants them

Wonderful pictures my first scope was the 150p on the eq3-2 mount I put play sand in the legs until I got heq5 tripod sadly due to medical conditions I needed a goto mount so bought a eq5 fella selling it give me a 200p with it so sold the eq3-2. Thank you for sharing the pictures. 

Whether anyone wants it or not I will bring it anyway black eq3-2 in very good condition. Maybe someone needs something for a project.  Now SOLD sorry.

Great pictures I knew you could get good results off a eq3-2 I have seen great posts from people using these. 

On 23/09/2016 at 20:26, Paul73 said:

I need to de litter. So I'll be bringing a big box of bits and pieces.

Incomplete tripods, Self centring adapters etc. All as cheap as chips. Have a browse.

My study is looking like a ransacked Astro Boot storeroom. I'm told by local government that this is unacceptable. Please help.

Paul

May have the self centering adapter is it 2in to 1.25 and how much please. 

Wow that is one nice dob like to get a look through that one day Mike.

Anybody bringing cheap good Barlow 2x.

Brilliant build love the colour of the box 

Cracking build Damian couple of questions how do you stop detritus material getting on mirror when out in field through wind and such and when pointing up how tall is it looks like i would need steps look through finder lol.

Paul

I need the standard 2" adapter for my scope i bought one off astroboot which does not fit.

It is looking like a cracking build Damian i would not know where to begin, really is a thing of beauty and engineering.

Damian I will look forward to that, Cheers mate.

This scope is going to be awesome pity ere not going Buxton so i could see it and through it.

What will the new mirror be for Raymond as it's a fair size?

If the foucault test and couder mask have worked for you already is there a reason why you have tried the Ronchi test first?

I'm a big believer in if it's not broken then don't fix it philosophy.

I have been working using the Auto collimation or double pass null test with the experience of John to guide me along.

It is interesting to see how the two test's compare working at the radius of curvature with the Ronchi and the focal length with the null test.

The test shows the lines as straight when a mirror is parabolic so it is easier to judge but the cost of an optical flat the same size or larger than the mirror being worked is prohibitive to the amateur.

Maybe figure XP is the way forward for the amateur mirror maker I really don't know as I just couldn't get on with the foucault test? It is difficult to set up and really subjective to use? It is just me probably as thousands of mirror makers can't be wrong.

But I can categorically say that auto collimation is by far and above easier to use than either but obviously out of the realms of the amateur.

I have struggled, and as many of the ATM books say get one to one help from an experienced mirror maker. I have been reluctant to do so but wish I had done it sooner.

Damian

I always like to do things myself to say I did that but im not adverse to saying Help when someone more experienced can give me a jump start and there is no shame in asking.

A bit of inspiration,Master optician John Brashear, seen in his optical shop in (1915) Pittsburgh during the grinding, polishing and optical figuring of the 1.82-m Plaskett Telescope mirror. Few opticians in history have equaled Brashear's skill at producing objectives for astronomical telescopes. One that does come to mind would be E. Harvey Richardson, former staff member of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and the scientist responsible for many innovative improvements to the telescopes here, as well as being involved in the design of many telescopes and spectrographs world-wide. The legacy of world-class optical design is continued here in Victoria by Richardson's former grad student John Pazder. This excellent mirror, now located in the Centre of the Universe, was replaced by a ceramic mirror that was affected less by temperature changes. (Photo from the DAO archives courtesy NRC / Dr. Dennis Crabtree).

Looking good im always checking on your progress will be great when you finish it, keep up the posts its very interesting.

These are mine cheap ones i want some new ones looking at revelation 15x70 where is cheapest place get

Brilliant write up again Damian, enjoying the build dont think i would do it i would either end up with a fruit bowl or an ash tray and no one smokes in our house. Gives a whole new meaning to the daily grind.

I bought a laser found out it was out when my viewing session was ruined mirror was that far out, at the time did not know about barlowed way. I ended up binning the thing after spending two days trying to collimating it went back to Cheshire/sight tube and will never go back to laser here is a guide i used in conjunction with Astrobabys the first time i did it helped me enormously.

 http://www.schlatter.org/Dad/Astronomy/collimate.htm

This and changing what i was looking for has made my nights viewing more enjoyable and it is all down to Nick who told me this in person im ever so grateful, it has renewed my enthusiasm in this hobby.

My added to case few more eyepieces and Cheshire collimator.

Although i dont have a S C scope that was a very comprehensive and easy to follow write up.