Laurieast

@mce I think it might say "Gardener" ? https://doitinhebrew.com/Translate/default.aspx?kb=IL+Hebrew+Phonetic גתנית

Thank's for that, now all I need is somebody that speaks Hebrew. I do have another mirror of 6 3/4" diameter F10 , Given to me by L F Ball, but there are no markings on it. That one is perfectly figured and gave me superb views of the planets! I had one night with it when Saturn was just sitting there as if there where no atmosphere, amazing.

Just been out the back to decide set up or not, lasted three minutes, and decided not. 🥶 Indoor astronomy through the patio doors, and maybe a fake polar align on the AVX, just so I remember how to.

Thank you @Mark at Beaufort, and please thank your colleague for all the historic information, really interesting read. I have now heard from the museum, and they would be most interested in acquiring it, I have let them know I will take it to them when we are allowed outside again after lockdown restrictions. Laurence

Got my Norton's out, planning.. But Minus 7C ! Is this wise 🤔

I got this, fit perfectly. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Camera-DSLR-Hot-Shoe-to-Finder-Red-Dot-Shoe-Adapter/283165189806

Enhanced the markings on the back, I can't make out what that says after G H With? and I can't remember what the characters at the bottom say, I do remember it was something religious. The mirror weighs 3.4kg and the steel cell 4.6kg. Not heard back from the museum or the historical society.

Stargate Film ( Terrified me, years ago) Close Encounters Alien 2001 Star Wars A New Hope On the telly The Expanse Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy

Sounds good to me! Astro kit is probably not worth much on the street or down the pub I'm thinking. Smartwater pen and stickers on your windows are also a good idea.

No reply from the museum yet, feel free to PM the auther of the research about this. Will take a proper read of Bob Marriott's pages tomorrow, thank you for the link! Laurence

The cast mount and brass clockwork drive went to another astronomer, it was incredibly heavy, but fairly accurate for visual, but not good enough for astro photography. The tube was four octagonal iron rings with 2x1" wooden bars along the length, about 6ft, a heavy metal spider in one of the tube formers, and the cell was an octagonal piece of wood about an inch thick with three 3/4" bolts in threaded holes with springs for adjustment, there was a black machined steel mirror cell, with three shaped wooden mirror retainers. A brass R&P focuser. I still have the tube rings, spider, R&P, and probably the cell, but it's a bit cold to go looking in the loft at the moment. I have always wondered why it was left spherical, guess we will never know. On first set up I had a very bright image of Vega, and after trying for some time to get it to focus had to give up, very dissapointed and perplexed. I took it to a member of the local club and we did a focault test and determined it was spherical. Laurence

Will do that, not keen on the idea of posting it, no matter how I wrap it up. I have a cousin I go to stay with in Leamington Spa, so just an hour and a half drive over from there, I'm sure I can convince them it's a worthwile trip! (When we are allowed out again that is) Will post on here if/when I hear from either the museum or the Bartonsham History Group.

I found another of his mirror's on display at Herefordshire Museum, I have contacted them to see if they are interested in it. https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/history-lives/museums-collections-search?Id=32371 HerefordshireHerefordshire

I'll take a read of those, thank you! He is also mentioned in the Webb to Ranyard letters, ftp://ftp.ast.cam.ac.uk/pub/rwa/outgoing/ranyardcd/The Webb to Ranyard Letters Volume I.pdf "George Henry With 1827-1904. Teacher, agricultural chemist and maker of silvered glass mirrors for reflector telescopes. From humble origins he qualified as a certificated teacher. In 1851 he was elected Headmaster of the boys Bluecoat charity school in Hereford where he remained for 25 years. He introduced elementary science to the curriculum. After his retirement he was employed by the Hereford Society for Aiding the Industrious as their agricultural chemist. In the 1860s and 1870s he produced over two hundred mirrors ranging from 3½ to 18 inch diameter. Obit MNRAS" I never did find out why it was spherical and could not come to focus, the farmer had built a domed observatory for it.

No, nothing, I bought the entire telescope with cast iron mount and clockwork drive from a farmer in Lancashire for £10 about forty years ago.

Do G H With mirrors have any value? I have a 9 3/4" Henry With mirror made in 1878, it does not have a finished optical surface, it is of ground glass appearance on the front, and inscribed on the back, I know it was spherical and not parabolic. A museum perhaps?

I should have said GradientXterminator, here : https://www.rc-astro.com/resources/GradientXTerminator/ And the photoshop plugin here https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/595610-photoshop-color-preserving-arcsinh-stretch/ , it's a free plugin, works great! There is discussion there by the auther about how to use it with grey layers, I did not do any of that, just did my levels and curves first, then applied an Arcsinh 10. I only found out about this a couple of days ago, and came across it when watching this video. https://youtu.be/cLUcyil3GLE

I used Gradiant Exterminator on it first, and then levels and curves and then applied Photoshop Color Preserving Arcsinh Stretch

I know, there are a couple of cloned craters 🤦‍♂️