scope goes boom-boom, what to do now!?!!

To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on wheely
bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move earlier in the
week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed like slow motion, but
because the mount is equatorial and very heavy with everything attached, all
I could do in the position I was in was to slow the impact, but it did touch
the ground. I have a JMI no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me
trying to stop the fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where
the focuser control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I
changed the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small scratch on
the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help wondering if
damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on what I should look
for? What types of damage are possible to the mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo

I assume everything seems OK mechanicaly? Re-Collimate and then do a star
test. I imagine a lot could go wrong. If not, would your homeowners
insurance cover it?

Good Luck

bob

"Jack Dalfonzo" jack_ wrote in
link.net:

To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on
wheely bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move
earlier in the week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed
like slow motion, but because the mount is equatorial and very heavy
with everything attached, all I could do in the position I was in was
to slow the impact, but it did touch the ground. I have a JMI
no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me trying to stop the
fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where the focuser
control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I changed
the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small
scratch on the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help
wondering if damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on
what I should look for? What types of damage are possible to the
mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo

I assume everything seems OK mechanicaly? Re-Collimate and then do a star
test. I imagine a lot could go wrong. If not, would your homeowners
insurance cover it?

Good Luck

bob

"Jack Dalfonzo" jack_ wrote in
link.net:

To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on
wheely bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move
earlier in the week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed
like slow motion, but because the mount is equatorial and very heavy
with everything attached, all I could do in the position I was in was
to slow the impact, but it did touch the ground. I have a JMI
no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me trying to stop the
fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where the focuser
control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I changed
the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small
scratch on the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help
wondering if damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on
what I should look for? What types of damage are possible to the
mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:31:47 GMT, "Jack Dalfonzo" jack_
wrote:

To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on wheely
bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move earlier in the
week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed like slow motion, but
because the mount is equatorial and very heavy with everything attached, all
I could do in the position I was in was to slow the impact, but it did touch
the ground. I have a JMI no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me
trying to stop the fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where
the focuser control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I
changed the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small scratch on
the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help wondering if
damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on what I should look
for? What types of damage are possible to the mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo

Jack;
I used to work for a large retailer that also had a repair business.
These things are fairly rugged, but you will probably have to
collimate it.

First thing is to check the corrector for cracks. Grab the secondary
mirror housing. Can you move it back and forth? While looking in the
front, turn the focus knob from one end of it travel to the other and
watch the primary mirror move up and down. There are something like
40 turns. It is smooth? Does the mirror flop around? Take the
scope and rotate it 180 deg. from horizon to horizon. Does anything
move or flop around in the optical tube? Is the front cell bent or
dented?

If any of the answers to these questions is yes, Call Celestron.

It is now time to collimate it. Anyone know of a good site w/
instructions on how to collimate an SCT?

-Steve White

Just my opinion, not my employer...

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:31:47 GMT, "Jack Dalfonzo" jack_
wrote:

To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on wheely
bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move earlier in the
week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed like slow motion, but
because the mount is equatorial and very heavy with everything attached, all
I could do in the position I was in was to slow the impact, but it did touch
the ground. I have a JMI no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me
trying to stop the fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where
the focuser control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I
changed the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small scratch on
the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help wondering if
damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on what I should look
for? What types of damage are possible to the mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo

Jack;
I used to work for a large retailer that also had a repair business.
These things are fairly rugged, but you will probably have to
collimate it.

First thing is to check the corrector for cracks. Grab the secondary
mirror housing. Can you move it back and forth? While looking in the
front, turn the focus knob from one end of it travel to the other and
watch the primary mirror move up and down. There are something like
40 turns. It is smooth? Does the mirror flop around? Take the
scope and rotate it 180 deg. from horizon to horizon. Does anything
move or flop around in the optical tube? Is the front cell bent or
dented?

If any of the answers to these questions is yes, Call Celestron.

It is now time to collimate it. Anyone know of a good site w/
instructions on how to collimate an SCT?

-Steve White

Just my opinion, not my employer...

Steve D. White wrote:
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:31:47 GMT, "Jack Dalfonzo" jack_
wrote:


To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on wheely
bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move earlier in the
week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed like slow motion, but
because the mount is equatorial and very heavy with everything attached, all
I could do in the position I was in was to slow the impact, but it did touch
the ground. I have a JMI no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me
trying to stop the fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where
the focuser control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I
changed the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small scratch on
the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help wondering if
damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on what I should look
for? What types of damage are possible to the mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo


Jack;
I used to work for a large retailer that also had a repair business.
These things are fairly rugged, but you will probably have to
collimate it.

First thing is to check the corrector for cracks. Grab the secondary
mirror housing. Can you move it back and forth? While looking in the
front, turn the focus knob from one end of it travel to the other and
watch the primary mirror move up and down. There are something like
40 turns. It is smooth? Does the mirror flop around? Take the
scope and rotate it 180 deg. from horizon to horizon. Does anything
move or flop around in the optical tube? Is the front cell bent or
dented?

If any of the answers to these questions is yes, Call Celestron.

It is now time to collimate it. Anyone know of a good site w/
instructions on how to collimate an SCT?

http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html

Steve D. White wrote:
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:31:47 GMT, "Jack Dalfonzo" jack_
wrote:


To my horror, my C11 on its mount tipped over the other day. It's on wheely
bars, and the bars snagged on something I forgot to move earlier in the
week. So, the scope started tipping in what seemed like slow motion, but
because the mount is equatorial and very heavy with everything attached, all
I could do in the position I was in was to slow the impact, but it did touch
the ground. I have a JMI no-shift focuser and that beared the brunt of me
trying to stop the fall, so I ended up snapping the top off of that (where
the focuser control plugs in) and there was enough force involved that I
changed the position of the focuser (retightening the allen screws corrected
this). The tube did touch the ground, but luckily only a small scratch on
the tube- I don't see anything else. However, I can't help wondering if
damage might have been done optically. Any thoughts on what I should look
for? What types of damage are possible to the mirrors from such a fall?

Thanks,
Jack Dalfonzo


Jack;
I used to work for a large retailer that also had a repair business.
These things are fairly rugged, but you will probably have to
collimate it.

First thing is to check the corrector for cracks. Grab the secondary
mirror housing. Can you move it back and forth? While looking in the
front, turn the focus knob from one end of it travel to the other and
watch the primary mirror move up and down. There are something like
40 turns. It is smooth? Does the mirror flop around? Take the
scope and rotate it 180 deg. from horizon to horizon. Does anything
move or flop around in the optical tube? Is the front cell bent or
dented?

If any of the answers to these questions is yes, Call Celestron.

It is now time to collimate it. Anyone know of a good site w/
instructions on how to collimate an SCT?

http://perso.club-internet.fr/legault/collim.html

(Steve D. White) wrote in message ...

It is now time to collimate it. Anyone know of a good site w/
instructions on how to collimate an SCT?

Who needs a web site? If it isn't obvious - there
is only one adjustable optical element, after all -
you might try the manual. A book. Remember those?

Took me all of 5 minutes to touch up the collimation
on my C8. All I needed was a star, a screwdriver, and
a *very* light touch.

Laura Halliday VE7LDH "Que les nuages soient notre
Grid: CN89mg pied a terre..."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - Hospital/Shafte

(Steve D. White) wrote in message ...

It is now time to collimate it. Anyone know of a good site w/
instructions on how to collimate an SCT?

Who needs a web site? If it isn't obvious - there
is only one adjustable optical element, after all -
you might try the manual. A book. Remember those?

Took me all of 5 minutes to touch up the collimation
on my C8. All I needed was a star, a screwdriver, and
a *very* light touch.

Laura Halliday VE7LDH "Que les nuages soient notre
Grid: CN89mg pied a terre..."
ICBM: 49 16.05 N 122 56.92 W - Hospital/Shafte

Too bad you weren't wearing a heart-rate monitor when this happened.
It
would be interesting to compare with Alan Shepard's heart-rate a
minute
before his sub-orbital launch. ;-)

Nightmare :-(

Still it's good to hear your insurers are willing to replace your C14
GPS so quickly ;-)
good luck, jc


--
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/jc_atm/



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