A question on Newtonian collimation

"Stephen Paul" wrote:



Does anyone have a web page with images like Bryan's, that is more
comprehensive on the _process_, without going into overkill optical theory

Try the instructions on Sky&Telescope's Web page
(www.skyandtlescope.com). Look for the article in the "How-To"
section, under "Telescopes and Binoculars."
(http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/sco...icle_787_1.asp)

They're the best instructions out there in my opinion. The main thing
is to relax, and proceed methodically. You can do it.

Regards,
Gary
Gary Seronik

(Remove the "z" for my actual e-mail address.)

"Stephen Paul" wrote:



Does anyone have a web page with images like Bryan's, that is more
comprehensive on the _process_, without going into overkill optical theory

Try the instructions on Sky&Telescope's Web page
(www.skyandtlescope.com). Look for the article in the "How-To"
section, under "Telescopes and Binoculars."
(http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/sco...icle_787_1.asp)

They're the best instructions out there in my opinion. The main thing
is to relax, and proceed methodically. You can do it.

Regards,
Gary
Gary Seronik

(Remove the "z" for my actual e-mail address.)

Stephen,

The best thing to do at this point is schedule a two-hour window some afternoon
or evening when you can collimate your Newtonian from scratch.

When was the last time you cleaned the optics? If it's been more than a year,
include this in your agenda. Think of it as giving your scope the spa
treatment. When you're all done, you'll have an instrument ready to perform at
its best.

And keep in mind, collimation isn't a mystical art. It's a process.. At some
point along the path to aligning your optics, a step was not successfully
completed. If you take your time, start at the beginning and evaluate each step
as it's completed, you will find where the problem lies. Whatever that problem
is, it can be corrected and you will have a collimated instrument.

In addition to your collimation tools, you'll need a bubble level, preferrably
one that can check both a horizontal and a vertical surface for level. Also,
check the center mark on your primary mirror.

A simple way to check the position of the center marker is to use a thin piece
of packing tissue paper. Outline a square on the tissue, each side as long as
the diameter of your primary mirror. Double check this outline. If the sides
are all the same length, you've drawn a square. Cut the square out out and fold
neatly into quarters. The center of the square is where the folds intersect.
With the tissue folded, cut off that corner to make a hole just big enough to
accomodate one of those binder paper hole reinforcers.

Then, unfold the paper and lay it carefully across the face of the primary
mirror. Use tape of fix the paper along the side of the mirror--not the face,
obviously--in at least two places. Does your marker coincide with the hole in
the center of the tissue? If not, remove the marker and replace with a new one,
using the hole as a guiding device.

Once this is accomplished, you're ready to go.

Step 1: Rough Collimation-Squaring the Focuser
Begin by checking the focuser. Lay the OTA on pillows or some other support
material that can be adjusted until the OTA is level along the horizontal line.
Check the focuser by using the bubble level to check its vertcal (along the
side of the focus tube) and horizontal (across the focus tube opening)
surfaces. If both indicate level, then the focus tube should be squared to the
light path.

Step 2: Rough Collimation-Positioning the Secondary
Next, check the orientation of the secondary mirror. Use your sight tube for
this. Take your time and carefully position the secondary so, when viewing
through the focus tube, it appears *both* perfectly circular in shape and to
have equal space, all around, between the inside edge of the focus tube and the
outside edge of the secondary. Ignore the appearance of the primary mirror.

The keys to this step are making sure that the secondary has a circular outline
and that the border space between it and the inside edge of the focus tube is
equal.

Step 3: Rough Collimation-Aligning the Secondary
Using the adjustment screws on the back of the secondary mirror mount, adjust
the tilt of the secondary until the outline of the primary mirror is centered
within the secondary. During this steop, ignore the position of the center
marker on your primary mirror.

After completing this step, check the position and shape of the secondary
mirror. If it looks elliptical or if the border space around the outside of the
secondary is uneven, then you're gonig to go back to step 2. What you want is
for the secondary to still look circular and to still have equal amounts of
border space after Step 3 is completed.

If you need to go back to step 2, move the secondary either one full turn
toward or one full turn away from the primary. Then, lock it in place and
repeat Step 3. You shouldn't have to repeat Steps 2 and 3 more than a few times
until the secondary will still have that circular shape after the completion of
Step 3.

Step 4: Rough Collimation-Aligning the Primary
Using the adjustment screws on the back of the pimary, adjust the tilt of the
primary until the center marker corresponds with the intersecting vanes of your
secondary spider. When this step is complete, you're ready to laser collimate.

Step 5: Laser Collimation
Perform the barlowed-laser collimation procedure. This procedure elliminates
the potential problems a miscollimated laser can introduce.

You need to fit a mask at the bottom of the Barlow. I used an old broadband
light pollution filter for this. I cut a circular piece of index card to the
diameter of the filter opening. Then, I used a handheld hole punch to make a
hole for the laser to pass through. Finally, I threaded the filter onto the
Barlow.

In this procedure, you use the primary mirror adjustment screws to adjust the
tilt of the primary such that the dark donut of the center marker outlines the
hole through which the laser exits the Barlow. When you achieve this result,
laser collimation is complete and you're ready to use the star test to make any
final collimation adjustments.

Step 6: The Star Test
Center a star at high power (1-mm exit pupil or smaller) and slightly defocus
both "in" (toward the optical tube) and "out" (away from the optical tube). If
the diffraction pattern shows concentric rings of light and dark centered
around a central point of light, then your collimation is finished. If not,
adjust *only* the primary mirror tilt until the diffraction patterns on either
side of focus are identical.

Step 7: Observe
Use Jupiter or Saturn to check the final collimation. They should snap to focus
and show lots of detail in your telescope. If they do, take as much time as you
want enjoying the best planetary views you've ever had with the scope. Then,
move on to another showpiece. Have fun.

Regards,

Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
=============
Email: Remove "ic" from .comic above to respond

Stephen,

The best thing to do at this point is schedule a two-hour window some afternoon
or evening when you can collimate your Newtonian from scratch.

When was the last time you cleaned the optics? If it's been more than a year,
include this in your agenda. Think of it as giving your scope the spa
treatment. When you're all done, you'll have an instrument ready to perform at
its best.

And keep in mind, collimation isn't a mystical art. It's a process.. At some
point along the path to aligning your optics, a step was not successfully
completed. If you take your time, start at the beginning and evaluate each step
as it's completed, you will find where the problem lies. Whatever that problem
is, it can be corrected and you will have a collimated instrument.

In addition to your collimation tools, you'll need a bubble level, preferrably
one that can check both a horizontal and a vertical surface for level. Also,
check the center mark on your primary mirror.

A simple way to check the position of the center marker is to use a thin piece
of packing tissue paper. Outline a square on the tissue, each side as long as
the diameter of your primary mirror. Double check this outline. If the sides
are all the same length, you've drawn a square. Cut the square out out and fold
neatly into quarters. The center of the square is where the folds intersect.
With the tissue folded, cut off that corner to make a hole just big enough to
accomodate one of those binder paper hole reinforcers.

Then, unfold the paper and lay it carefully across the face of the primary
mirror. Use tape of fix the paper along the side of the mirror--not the face,
obviously--in at least two places. Does your marker coincide with the hole in
the center of the tissue? If not, remove the marker and replace with a new one,
using the hole as a guiding device.

Once this is accomplished, you're ready to go.

Step 1: Rough Collimation-Squaring the Focuser
Begin by checking the focuser. Lay the OTA on pillows or some other support
material that can be adjusted until the OTA is level along the horizontal line.
Check the focuser by using the bubble level to check its vertcal (along the
side of the focus tube) and horizontal (across the focus tube opening)
surfaces. If both indicate level, then the focus tube should be squared to the
light path.

Step 2: Rough Collimation-Positioning the Secondary
Next, check the orientation of the secondary mirror. Use your sight tube for
this. Take your time and carefully position the secondary so, when viewing
through the focus tube, it appears *both* perfectly circular in shape and to
have equal space, all around, between the inside edge of the focus tube and the
outside edge of the secondary. Ignore the appearance of the primary mirror.

The keys to this step are making sure that the secondary has a circular outline
and that the border space between it and the inside edge of the focus tube is
equal.

Step 3: Rough Collimation-Aligning the Secondary
Using the adjustment screws on the back of the secondary mirror mount, adjust
the tilt of the secondary until the outline of the primary mirror is centered
within the secondary. During this steop, ignore the position of the center
marker on your primary mirror.

After completing this step, check the position and shape of the secondary
mirror. If it looks elliptical or if the border space around the outside of the
secondary is uneven, then you're gonig to go back to step 2. What you want is
for the secondary to still look circular and to still have equal amounts of
border space after Step 3 is completed.

If you need to go back to step 2, move the secondary either one full turn
toward or one full turn away from the primary. Then, lock it in place and
repeat Step 3. You shouldn't have to repeat Steps 2 and 3 more than a few times
until the secondary will still have that circular shape after the completion of
Step 3.

Step 4: Rough Collimation-Aligning the Primary
Using the adjustment screws on the back of the pimary, adjust the tilt of the
primary until the center marker corresponds with the intersecting vanes of your
secondary spider. When this step is complete, you're ready to laser collimate.

Step 5: Laser Collimation
Perform the barlowed-laser collimation procedure. This procedure elliminates
the potential problems a miscollimated laser can introduce.

You need to fit a mask at the bottom of the Barlow. I used an old broadband
light pollution filter for this. I cut a circular piece of index card to the
diameter of the filter opening. Then, I used a handheld hole punch to make a
hole for the laser to pass through. Finally, I threaded the filter onto the
Barlow.

In this procedure, you use the primary mirror adjustment screws to adjust the
tilt of the primary such that the dark donut of the center marker outlines the
hole through which the laser exits the Barlow. When you achieve this result,
laser collimation is complete and you're ready to use the star test to make any
final collimation adjustments.

Step 6: The Star Test
Center a star at high power (1-mm exit pupil or smaller) and slightly defocus
both "in" (toward the optical tube) and "out" (away from the optical tube). If
the diffraction pattern shows concentric rings of light and dark centered
around a central point of light, then your collimation is finished. If not,
adjust *only* the primary mirror tilt until the diffraction patterns on either
side of focus are identical.

Step 7: Observe
Use Jupiter or Saturn to check the final collimation. They should snap to focus
and show lots of detail in your telescope. If they do, take as much time as you
want enjoying the best planetary views you've ever had with the scope. Then,
move on to another showpiece. Have fun.

Regards,

Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
=============
Email: Remove "ic" from .comic above to respond

Stephen,

The best thing to do at this point is schedule a two-hour window some afternoon
or evening when you can collimate your Newtonian from scratch.

When was the last time you cleaned the optics? If it's been more than a year,
include this in your agenda. Think of it as giving your scope the spa
treatment. When you're all done, you'll have an instrument ready to perform at
its best.

And keep in mind, collimation isn't a mystical art. It's a process.. At some
point along the path to aligning your optics, a step was not successfully
completed. If you take your time, start at the beginning and evaluate each step
as it's completed, you will find where the problem lies. Whatever that problem
is, it can be corrected and you will have a collimated instrument.

In addition to your collimation tools, you'll need a bubble level, preferrably
one that can check both a horizontal and a vertical surface for level. Also,
check the center mark on your primary mirror.

A simple way to check the position of the center marker is to use a thin piece
of packing tissue paper. Outline a square on the tissue, each side as long as
the diameter of your primary mirror. Double check this outline. If the sides
are all the same length, you've drawn a square. Cut the square out out and fold
neatly into quarters. The center of the square is where the folds intersect.
With the tissue folded, cut off that corner to make a hole just big enough to
accomodate one of those binder paper hole reinforcers.

Then, unfold the paper and lay it carefully across the face of the primary
mirror. Use tape of fix the paper along the side of the mirror--not the face,
obviously--in at least two places. Does your marker coincide with the hole in
the center of the tissue? If not, remove the marker and replace with a new one,
using the hole as a guiding device.

Once this is accomplished, you're ready to go.

Step 1: Rough Collimation-Squaring the Focuser
Begin by checking the focuser. Lay the OTA on pillows or some other support
material that can be adjusted until the OTA is level along the horizontal line.
Check the focuser by using the bubble level to check its vertcal (along the
side of the focus tube) and horizontal (across the focus tube opening)
surfaces. If both indicate level, then the focus tube should be squared to the
light path.

Step 2: Rough Collimation-Positioning the Secondary
Next, check the orientation of the secondary mirror. Use your sight tube for
this. Take your time and carefully position the secondary so, when viewing
through the focus tube, it appears *both* perfectly circular in shape and to
have equal space, all around, between the inside edge of the focus tube and the
outside edge of the secondary. Ignore the appearance of the primary mirror.

The keys to this step are making sure that the secondary has a circular outline
and that the border space between it and the inside edge of the focus tube is
equal.

Step 3: Rough Collimation-Aligning the Secondary
Using the adjustment screws on the back of the secondary mirror mount, adjust
the tilt of the secondary until the outline of the primary mirror is centered
within the secondary. During this steop, ignore the position of the center
marker on your primary mirror.

After completing this step, check the position and shape of the secondary
mirror. If it looks elliptical or if the border space around the outside of the
secondary is uneven, then you're gonig to go back to step 2. What you want is
for the secondary to still look circular and to still have equal amounts of
border space after Step 3 is completed.

If you need to go back to step 2, move the secondary either one full turn
toward or one full turn away from the primary. Then, lock it in place and
repeat Step 3. You shouldn't have to repeat Steps 2 and 3 more than a few times
until the secondary will still have that circular shape after the completion of
Step 3.

Step 4: Rough Collimation-Aligning the Primary
Using the adjustment screws on the back of the pimary, adjust the tilt of the
primary until the center marker corresponds with the intersecting vanes of your
secondary spider. When this step is complete, you're ready to laser collimate.

Step 5: Laser Collimation
Perform the barlowed-laser collimation procedure. This procedure elliminates
the potential problems a miscollimated laser can introduce.

You need to fit a mask at the bottom of the Barlow. I used an old broadband
light pollution filter for this. I cut a circular piece of index card to the
diameter of the filter opening. Then, I used a handheld hole punch to make a
hole for the laser to pass through. Finally, I threaded the filter onto the
Barlow.

In this procedure, you use the primary mirror adjustment screws to adjust the
tilt of the primary such that the dark donut of the center marker outlines the
hole through which the laser exits the Barlow. When you achieve this result,
laser collimation is complete and you're ready to use the star test to make any
final collimation adjustments.

Step 6: The Star Test
Center a star at high power (1-mm exit pupil or smaller) and slightly defocus
both "in" (toward the optical tube) and "out" (away from the optical tube). If
the diffraction pattern shows concentric rings of light and dark centered
around a central point of light, then your collimation is finished. If not,
adjust *only* the primary mirror tilt until the diffraction patterns on either
side of focus are identical.

Step 7: Observe
Use Jupiter or Saturn to check the final collimation. They should snap to focus
and show lots of detail in your telescope. If they do, take as much time as you
want enjoying the best planetary views you've ever had with the scope. Then,
move on to another showpiece. Have fun.

Regards,

Bill Ferris
"Cosmic Voyage: The Online Resource for Amateur Astronomers"
URL: http://www.cosmic-voyage.net
=============
Email: Remove "ic" from .comic above to respond

newts are much easier than any sct.
simply collimate the newt by the usual mechanical method. make sure
the components are mechanically in line to begin with. this alone will
give you 90-99% collimation if done slowly.
then goto the Sky & Telescope page for the laser collimation instructions
and follow those. You can have a ceremony where you hold up the
instructions that came with your laser collimator and send those
instructions backto the gods, with fire - sort of a DraftCard burning
ceremony!

You can always go back to simple mechanical collimation any time
you want and then star test and fine collimate, mechanically. Use those
skills as a foundation for learning laser collimation, not the reverse!

This is a pretty clear cut case where more does not mean better, but
the reverse leading to total breakdown.

Mechanical first. Laser last and 12 months later.
Be happy.

Jerry


Stephen Paul wrote:

I just don't get this. I should have left the secondary alone as it came
from Orion. Damn it.

I purchased a laser and an Orion collimation eyepiece, and when I looked
through the site tube, things didn't look right according to the "Adventures
in Collimation" web page created by Bryan Greer. Now, I'm quite sure that he
knows what he's talking about, so this is no indictment on him. I just don't
understand what's wrong (with my abilities).

I get everything looking (to me) like it does in the final image on his web
page, and the laser confirms that everything is aligned (and if you're going
to say "that's why lasers are bad", you can just shut up thank you, I don't
want to here it. Before I messed with the secondary, the laser made the
images better than they've been since I messed with the collimation eyepiece
and found myself in hell).

Anyway, I take the scope outside and put in a medium power eyepiece and
wrack out focus on Polaris to make the course adjustment donut (which I also
do with my SCTs). Here's the problem, the donut hole is _way_ off to one
side. On one side of focus, it is to the North, on the other side of focus
it is to the South. I don't know which is "in" focus and which is "out"
focus, but one of these puts the donut hole closer to center than the other.

I am getting really frustrated by this. When I buy a telescope, I am buying
a solution, not a problem.

Does anyone have a web page with images like Bryan's, that is more
comprehensive on the _process_, without going into overkill optical theory
like you'll find with Nils Olof Carlin. I am sure that these guys know there
stuff real well, but I just don't understand it. In fact, I don't _want_ to
understand it, I just want to _do_ it. If I can't fix this soon, I'm going
to sell the stupid scope, cheap, to the first person who shows up at my
house here in Massachusetts.

Now you know why I prefer my SCT. I don't have to do any of these mental
gymnastics with centering optical paths and messing with offsets. I sure
wish I could afford a 6" F7 apo, so I could have near perfect optical
performance, collimation set at the factory, and my life back.

I admit it, I don't like to do scope maintenance. Not interested in making
telescopes. Not interested in what makes them work. Not in the least. Just
want to look through them and image with them, to see what lies beyond the
naked eye view. That's how I define the hobby. I have an auto-mechanic.
Don't like to change my own oil or tune my vehicles. Don't like to paint my
house, so it's wrapped in vinyl. Don't like to bang nails, so I hire a
carpenter. Don't like to mix concrete. Don't like to do plumbing. I make a
living _looking_ for computer problems (while most sane people try like hell
to avoid them). My daily quota of dealing with problems is exhausted at
work.

I like yard work, and I love my kids, who don't get enough of my time as it
is. When they get it, I'd rather not be thinking about how much I _hate_ my
Newtonian OTA right now.

Now that I vented, can someone either help, or come take this scope (XT10)
off my hands for $325, so I can stop stressing over it. If you live in MA,
want to help, or want to buy the scope, email me at
spaul_at_Net1plus_dot_com, and put ASTRO:XT10 in the subject line. I'm fed
up with Newtonians. They suck.

-Stephen

newts are much easier than any sct.
simply collimate the newt by the usual mechanical method. make sure
the components are mechanically in line to begin with. this alone will
give you 90-99% collimation if done slowly.
then goto the Sky & Telescope page for the laser collimation instructions
and follow those. You can have a ceremony where you hold up the
instructions that came with your laser collimator and send those
instructions backto the gods, with fire - sort of a DraftCard burning
ceremony!

You can always go back to simple mechanical collimation any time
you want and then star test and fine collimate, mechanically. Use those
skills as a foundation for learning laser collimation, not the reverse!

This is a pretty clear cut case where more does not mean better, but
the reverse leading to total breakdown.

Mechanical first. Laser last and 12 months later.
Be happy.

Jerry


Stephen Paul wrote:

I just don't get this. I should have left the secondary alone as it came
from Orion. Damn it.

I purchased a laser and an Orion collimation eyepiece, and when I looked
through the site tube, things didn't look right according to the "Adventures
in Collimation" web page created by Bryan Greer. Now, I'm quite sure that he
knows what he's talking about, so this is no indictment on him. I just don't
understand what's wrong (with my abilities).

I get everything looking (to me) like it does in the final image on his web
page, and the laser confirms that everything is aligned (and if you're going
to say "that's why lasers are bad", you can just shut up thank you, I don't
want to here it. Before I messed with the secondary, the laser made the
images better than they've been since I messed with the collimation eyepiece
and found myself in hell).

Anyway, I take the scope outside and put in a medium power eyepiece and
wrack out focus on Polaris to make the course adjustment donut (which I also
do with my SCTs). Here's the problem, the donut hole is _way_ off to one
side. On one side of focus, it is to the North, on the other side of focus
it is to the South. I don't know which is "in" focus and which is "out"
focus, but one of these puts the donut hole closer to center than the other.

I am getting really frustrated by this. When I buy a telescope, I am buying
a solution, not a problem.

Does anyone have a web page with images like Bryan's, that is more
comprehensive on the _process_, without going into overkill optical theory
like you'll find with Nils Olof Carlin. I am sure that these guys know there
stuff real well, but I just don't understand it. In fact, I don't _want_ to
understand it, I just want to _do_ it. If I can't fix this soon, I'm going
to sell the stupid scope, cheap, to the first person who shows up at my
house here in Massachusetts.

Now you know why I prefer my SCT. I don't have to do any of these mental
gymnastics with centering optical paths and messing with offsets. I sure
wish I could afford a 6" F7 apo, so I could have near perfect optical
performance, collimation set at the factory, and my life back.

I admit it, I don't like to do scope maintenance. Not interested in making
telescopes. Not interested in what makes them work. Not in the least. Just
want to look through them and image with them, to see what lies beyond the
naked eye view. That's how I define the hobby. I have an auto-mechanic.
Don't like to change my own oil or tune my vehicles. Don't like to paint my
house, so it's wrapped in vinyl. Don't like to bang nails, so I hire a
carpenter. Don't like to mix concrete. Don't like to do plumbing. I make a
living _looking_ for computer problems (while most sane people try like hell
to avoid them). My daily quota of dealing with problems is exhausted at
work.

I like yard work, and I love my kids, who don't get enough of my time as it
is. When they get it, I'd rather not be thinking about how much I _hate_ my
Newtonian OTA right now.

Now that I vented, can someone either help, or come take this scope (XT10)
off my hands for $325, so I can stop stressing over it. If you live in MA,
want to help, or want to buy the scope, email me at
spaul_at_Net1plus_dot_com, and put ASTRO:XT10 in the subject line. I'm fed
up with Newtonians. They suck.

-Stephen

newts are much easier than any sct.
simply collimate the newt by the usual mechanical method. make sure
the components are mechanically in line to begin with. this alone will
give you 90-99% collimation if done slowly.
then goto the Sky & Telescope page for the laser collimation instructions
and follow those. You can have a ceremony where you hold up the
instructions that came with your laser collimator and send those
instructions backto the gods, with fire - sort of a DraftCard burning
ceremony!

You can always go back to simple mechanical collimation any time
you want and then star test and fine collimate, mechanically. Use those
skills as a foundation for learning laser collimation, not the reverse!

This is a pretty clear cut case where more does not mean better, but
the reverse leading to total breakdown.

Mechanical first. Laser last and 12 months later.
Be happy.

Jerry


Stephen Paul wrote:

I just don't get this. I should have left the secondary alone as it came
from Orion. Damn it.

I purchased a laser and an Orion collimation eyepiece, and when I looked
through the site tube, things didn't look right according to the "Adventures
in Collimation" web page created by Bryan Greer. Now, I'm quite sure that he
knows what he's talking about, so this is no indictment on him. I just don't
understand what's wrong (with my abilities).

I get everything looking (to me) like it does in the final image on his web
page, and the laser confirms that everything is aligned (and if you're going
to say "that's why lasers are bad", you can just shut up thank you, I don't
want to here it. Before I messed with the secondary, the laser made the
images better than they've been since I messed with the collimation eyepiece
and found myself in hell).

Anyway, I take the scope outside and put in a medium power eyepiece and
wrack out focus on Polaris to make the course adjustment donut (which I also
do with my SCTs). Here's the problem, the donut hole is _way_ off to one
side. On one side of focus, it is to the North, on the other side of focus
it is to the South. I don't know which is "in" focus and which is "out"
focus, but one of these puts the donut hole closer to center than the other.

I am getting really frustrated by this. When I buy a telescope, I am buying
a solution, not a problem.

Does anyone have a web page with images like Bryan's, that is more
comprehensive on the _process_, without going into overkill optical theory
like you'll find with Nils Olof Carlin. I am sure that these guys know there
stuff real well, but I just don't understand it. In fact, I don't _want_ to
understand it, I just want to _do_ it. If I can't fix this soon, I'm going
to sell the stupid scope, cheap, to the first person who shows up at my
house here in Massachusetts.

Now you know why I prefer my SCT. I don't have to do any of these mental
gymnastics with centering optical paths and messing with offsets. I sure
wish I could afford a 6" F7 apo, so I could have near perfect optical
performance, collimation set at the factory, and my life back.

I admit it, I don't like to do scope maintenance. Not interested in making
telescopes. Not interested in what makes them work. Not in the least. Just
want to look through them and image with them, to see what lies beyond the
naked eye view. That's how I define the hobby. I have an auto-mechanic.
Don't like to change my own oil or tune my vehicles. Don't like to paint my
house, so it's wrapped in vinyl. Don't like to bang nails, so I hire a
carpenter. Don't like to mix concrete. Don't like to do plumbing. I make a
living _looking_ for computer problems (while most sane people try like hell
to avoid them). My daily quota of dealing with problems is exhausted at
work.

I like yard work, and I love my kids, who don't get enough of my time as it
is. When they get it, I'd rather not be thinking about how much I _hate_ my
Newtonian OTA right now.

Now that I vented, can someone either help, or come take this scope (XT10)
off my hands for $325, so I can stop stressing over it. If you live in MA,
want to help, or want to buy the scope, email me at
spaul_at_Net1plus_dot_com, and put ASTRO:XT10 in the subject line. I'm fed
up with Newtonians. They suck.

-Stephen

I have found this site to be useful

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

Good luck

I have found this site to be useful

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

Good luck