Collimating an SCT. Choices: Video, Two People, Tool

Well, I can see my C-11 needs collimation. I know of a number of ways this can be done.

1. Meade's SCT (I also have a Meade SCT and am borrowing the C-11--no instructions) have
instructions that use two people. One person stands at the front and points around the lens. With
the help of someone looking through the eyepiece, the viewer sees where the other person is pointing
and stops him when he's pointing at the thinnest part of the blur circle. A screw is adjusted. This
is only part of the method. The difficulty is that you need two people or one person with very long
arms
2. Pretty much like 1. but done by a single person going back and forth between the front of the
telescope and the eyepiece. It seems like this requires a very good memory and a lot of luck.
3. Either 1 or 2, but with a video camera. The person stands in front of the scope, does the
pointing, and adjusting while watching the blur circle on the video monitor. This requires a good
steady image; otherwise, the video image is a little weird.
4. Some tool by Kendrick or someone else. Costs money.

Methods 1-3 generally require good seeing, so that the blur circle is readily seen. Meade says this
can be done in the day time if one uses a reflection off of a bumper or some substitute for a star.
Don't know about the tools. Maybe one can use them day or night.

I've tried 1 and 3, but no with very good seeing. 2 seems like a lot of guess work. 4 may work
wonderfully, but I really don't know much about what tools are very good at it.

What to do? Probably the two people method is effective. I just need another set of eyes. Comments?



--
Wayne T. Watson (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N, 2,701 feet, Nevada City, CA)
-- GMT-8 hr std. time, RJ Rcvr 39° 8' 0" N, 121° 1' 0" W

"It is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them." -- Adlai Stevenson

Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews
Imaginarium Museum: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews/imaginarium.html

What to do? Probably the two people method is effective. I just need another
set of eyes. Comments?

Hi:

I find it easy enough to take a look, twitch, take a look twitch, etc. You'd
find this MUCH easier if you'd install a set of Bob's Knobs. Inexpenise and
indespensible.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

I've heard of his knobs. I wonder if they would work on the C-11. It uses slotted screws rather than
a hex nut. I find that rather odd in that one ends up applying a fair amount of force. The screws
are pretty tight. Further, that force is directed towards the lens. One slip and there would be a
nice scratch in the lens. I'll take a look for the knobs. I had hopes for the video approach but the
image sure isn't steady or sharp.

Rod Mollise wrote:

What to do? Probably the two people method is effective. I just need another
set of eyes. Comments?

Hi:

I find it easy enough to take a look, twitch, take a look twitch, etc. You'd
find this MUCH easier if you'd install a set of Bob's Knobs. Inexpenise and
indespensible.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

--
Wayne T. Watson (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N, 2,701 feet, Nevada City, CA)
-- GMT-8 hr std. time, RJ Rcvr 39° 8' 0" N, 121° 1' 0" W

"It is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them." -- Adlai Stevenson

Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews
Imaginarium Museum: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews/imaginarium.html

Rod Mollise wrote:

"Inexpenise and indespensible."

Please watch your language in the future ;-

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 06:17:52 GMT, "W. Watson"
wrote:

3. Either 1 or 2, but with a video camera. The person stands in front of the scope, does the
pointing, and adjusting while watching the blur circle on the video monitor. This requires a good
steady image; otherwise, the video image is a little weird.

That's what I do. I throw a PC23C on an EP projection tube and collimate from
the front, watching a monitor. Works well on a Newt, too, although now I prefer
using a laser.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

I tried it your way, Rod, but I could _never_ finish the job. I have no
problems with my 10" LX200...that's a piece of cake. However, collimating a
C-14 is clearly a 2 man job in my book.

Al


"Rod Mollise" wrote in message
...
What to do? Probably the two people method is effective. I just need
another
set of eyes. Comments?

Hi:

I find it easy enough to take a look, twitch, take a look twitch, etc.
You'd
find this MUCH easier if you'd install a set of Bob's Knobs. Inexpenise
and
indespensible.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Hi:

I find it easy enough to take a look, twitch, take a look twitch, etc. You'd
find this MUCH easier if you'd install a set of Bob's Knobs. Inexpenise and
indespensible.

Peace,
Rod Mollise

Bob should win some type of nobel prize for astronomy. They really do
make it so much easier. I think my corrector would be pretty scratched
up if I had to rely on using allen wrenches in the dark, scary
thought.

Regards
Randy

I've heard of his knobs. I wonder if they would work on the C-11.

Hi:

They do...Bob sells Knobs specifically for the 11.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Please watch your language in the future ;-


YIKES!
:-)

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

That's what I do. I throw a PC23C on an EP projection tube and collimate from
the front, watching a mo

Hi:

This is an excellent way to do a collimation, assuming you don't mind setting
up PC23C and monitor...I'm usually too lazy...;-)

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html