Diffraction spikes

[Tomjo59]

Apologies if the answer to this is obvious, but in a Newtonian that is well collimated, do the diffraction spikes around a bright star appear sharper and better defined than in a scope less well collimated?

I ask because I have just collimated my scope for the first time with a newly purchased laser collimator, and the spikes looked a lot sharper. I think I must have improved things because the detail I could see on the moon last night was stunning, and Saturn was much better than before as well.

Tom

[rwilkey]

Hi Tom, not sure you should see diffraction spikes any clearer, seeing these usually just means you are at too low a power.  Have you seen Astrobaby's guide to collimation, look particularly down the page about star-testing and particularly the illustrations of the page, and see if you can get the 'airey disk' in perfect formation, that will be the true test, but congrats on seeing your chosen objects clearer.  Here is the link: http://astro-baby.com/collimation/astro%20babys%20collimation%20guide.htm

[ollypenrice]

Certainly yes. Sharper and clearer when collimated; When out of focus diff spikes appear as double spikes. When all else was failing I have even used this as a test of focus though it is not a very good test. When out of collimation you can get a kind of twisting of double spikes or various effects which just don't look like clean spikes.

Sorry, internet is not playing so I give up!

Olly