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For anyone, (like me), who doubted how dirty a mirror could be....


Brent

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I've just got round to watching this month's The Sky At Night and was amazed to see the "state" of the 20" Kielder Observatory telescopes primary.

I took the screen capture below for anyone who hasn't seen the programme (I left it big to make it out easier).

All I can say is I will be a lot less worried about dust from now on :D

20-inch-Kielder.jpg

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Just to be clear, in no way am I having a go.

It's obviously working just as it should (as the great images on the programme will testify!).

The point of my post was to show (particularly newbies) just how dirty a primary can get without having a noticeably detrimental effect on the image - something that over my last year on here, I have seen multiple members say, but I only maybe half believed!

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Incidentally, I love the mount design it's a real beauty:

equip-20inch.jpg

Indeed it is. I remember these being exhibited at Astrofest a few years ago. Gary Walker, then of Pulsar, was involved and the guy who designed it was also on hand. I wonder what happened to the project?

Olly

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I've just got round to watching this month's The Sky At Night and was amazed to see the "state" of the 20" Kielder Observatory telescopes primary.

I took the screen capture below for anyone who hasn't seen the programme (I left it big to make it out easier).

All I can say is I will be a lot less worried about dust from now on :)

20-inch-Kielder.jpg

Looks like a tramps been shaving in it !

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That makes me feel better, Just checked mine when collimating and it had spiderwebs as well.

I drew the line though with the leaf that was laying on the mirror.

That had to go.

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A bit of emery paper (or normal sand paper will do if you havn`t any) will soon get the stuborn marks off, finnish off with some ajax and a good scub! :)

Careful what you say..... Some people might actually try that.. What grade of emery cloth should I use?

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A bit of emery paper (or normal sand paper will do if you havn`t any) will soon get the stuborn marks off, finnish off with some ajax and a good scub! :)

So, when I get my new 200P I'll use your method to remove the dust/shop detritus from the new mirror then. :)

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Careful what you say..... Some people might actually try that.. What grade of emery cloth should I use?

i sure no one would be that daft, i`m sure anyone would want to do a little more research, but i was wondering why i wasn`t getting any good views after my cleaning routine;)

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I have to admit that I thought it had to be some type of special cover that was on the mirror. Never thought they would let it get into that state, after all its not like its hard to get into to clean it. But I suppose it has showed us clean freaks to relax a little and that a little dust isnt going to matter too much. Oh and I always find a little coca cola beneficial to wash mirrors with and can even be shaken to help reach those awkward parts :-D

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