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#11
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Paul,
It is the same guys this time . K.U. is on this project with some other university partners including a private company that is actually Peter Chen and Romeo . Not having any inside information, it looks as if Chen and Romeo are just chasing project funding and grant money from whatever sources they can manage to further their technology . best regards, matt tudor "Astro-nut" wrote in message oups.com... Extremely light weight, collapsable (yes... you read that correctly) carbon fiber replication mirrors have been around for a while. In his 2001 presentation at Stellafane, Dr. Peter Chen shared the results of the technology at that time. He was then working on a 52" primary that weighed in at 27 pounds. Up to 50 mirrors could be made between cleanings of the precision mandrils: http://www.astro-nut.com/stchen.html Cheers, Paul --- http://www.astro-nut.com --- |
#12
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Mike Maxwell wrote:
An article at http://www.ljworld.com/section/kunews/story/192798 talks about a prototype telescope whose mirror is made of composites. The 16" telescope (unclear exactly what they're talking about, but it appears to include the mirror, some kind of mirror mount, and the truss tube, all in what I take to be a Cassegrain configuration) weighs 20 pounds. It was built by Kansas University, San Diego State University, Dartmouth College, and Composite Mirror Applications in Tucson. Apparently it's a prototype for larger telescopes--the next one will be a one meter mirror. But if someone started making this sort of telescope for amateurs... Of course, I suppose the cost of materials would outweight (sorry for the pun) any savings from the construction method. the theory is quite sound. I have seen a few of their interferograms. the process needs some work but it is getting there. In theory 1/10 wave optics could be produced on GSO/synta scales. the cost of materials would be considerably less than pyrex. even if the materials and labour were to cost more you would still be able to justify the expense of a lighter telescope. for one it is more convenient and portable. for another you will save thousands of dollars on a mount. A G11 will hold that tube as solid as a paramount will hold a glass 16". in other words, even if the OTA costs $9000 more it will be offset by the mount savings. Ian Anderson www.customopticalsystems.com |
#13
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Astro-nut wrote: In his 2001 presentation at Stellafane, Dr. Peter Chen shared the results of the technology at that time. He was then working on a 52" primary that weighed in at 27 pounds. Up to 50 mirrors could be made between cleanings of the precision mandrils: I presume the mandrils give you a mirror that is roughly the right shape, then you have to figure it? They can't give you an accurate figure without post-processing, can they? Mike Maxwell |
#14
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Nope... the mandrills produce a fully polished/figured optic. Up to fifty of
them between cleanings, then you can run off another batch with the same mandrill! Paul --- http://www.astro-nut.com --- "Mike Maxwell" wrote in message ... Astro-nut wrote: In his 2001 presentation at Stellafane, Dr. Peter Chen shared the results of the technology at that time. He was then working on a 52" primary that weighed in at 27 pounds. Up to 50 mirrors could be made between cleanings of the precision mandrils: I presume the mandrils give you a mirror that is roughly the right shape, then you have to figure it? They can't give you an accurate figure without post-processing, can they? Mike Maxwell |
#15
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"Mike Maxwell" wrote
... BTW, while the original was a Cass, I don't suppose there's any problem in principle with using a composite mirror in a Newtonian, in which case a Dob mount should be feasible....... Mike, A few years ago I saw a guy at Stellafane with a home-made (mirrors and all) 16-inch F/8 RC Cass that was on a Dob style mount. It had a third flat mirror that sent the light out through the center of the altitude bearing where the focuser was mounted. The observer sat in a chair to use it and of course the eyepiece never changed height off the ground. I suppose that if it had a 'GoTo' drive the observer could sit on the mount and go along for the ride! George Normandin |
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