Secondary Mirror spotting.

I've just gotten my Meade 2080(8# SC) out. It's been in its case in a
closet in the house for close to 4 years standing vertically. The
secondary mirror is showing some spotting, almost like tarnish. The
scope has silvered optics. I don't see a noticible degradation of
performance. I would guess that 4-5% of the surface area of the
secondary mirror is no longer reflecting.

What can be done about this? I live in West Texas, no local facilites
to re-mirror it. Will the whole scope need to be sent somewhere to have
it worked on or will I be able to send just the secondary mirror and
re-collimate it myself? Thanks for any input.

tM

hardly worth sending back for replacement - buy another newer scope
and sell it on Astromart ... or to Gary Hand for $2.00



themeanies wrote:

I've just gotten my Meade 2080(8# SC) out. It's been in its case in a
closet in the house for close to 4 years standing vertically. The
secondary mirror is showing some spotting, almost like tarnish. The
scope has silvered optics. I don't see a noticible degradation of
performance. I would guess that 4-5% of the surface area of the
secondary mirror is no longer reflecting.

What can be done about this? I live in West Texas, no local facilites
to re-mirror it. Will the whole scope need to be sent somewhere to have
it worked on or will I be able to send just the secondary mirror and
re-collimate it myself? Thanks for any input.

tM

The less you do about it, the better.
If you don't see any degradation, then there is no reason to do anything.
You said the scope has "silvered" optics. Is this really true?

I am fairly certain that Meade did make some SCT with silvered optics. I also
believe that silver tarnishes rather quickly and that Meade has some sort of
replacement policy in place to deal with this issue.

But as you say, members.aol.com/rmollise is the place to get the straight info.
Maybe Rod will read this thread and set us straight.

jon

Uncle Bob wrote:

The less you do about it, the better.
If you don't see any degradation, then there is no reason to do anything.
You said the scope has "silvered" optics. Is this really true?

Definitely silvered. There is a plaque on the back of the tube to the
effect. Also, it's mentioned in the manual.

Are you sure they're not aluminized? I thought silvering went out in
the 1920's in favor of aluminizing.

I would recommend a copy of Rod Mollise's "Choosing and Using a
Schmidt-Casegrain Telescope" as a reference, to save yourself any anxiety.

I think your scope is OK. A classic, ain't it?

Fantastic. My dad sold all his model trains when I was 14 to buy it so
we could observe Haley. Probably the single most important thing
anyone's ever done for me. This scope's not going anywhere.

I'll check out Rod's book and site.

Thanks,
tM

"Uncle Bob" wrote in message
...
themeanies wrote:
I've just gotten my Meade 2080(8# SC) out. It's been in its case in a
closet in the house for close to 4 years standing vertically. The
secondary mirror is showing some spotting, almost like tarnish. The
scope has silvered optics. I don't see a noticible degradation of
performance. I would guess that 4-5% of the surface area of the
secondary mirror is no longer reflecting.

What can be done about this? I live in West Texas, no local facilites
to re-mirror it. Will the whole scope need to be sent somewhere to
have
it worked on or will I be able to send just the secondary mirror and
re-collimate it myself? Thanks for any input.

tM

Congrats on coming out of the closet! :-)

The less you do about it, the better.
If you don't see any degradation, then there is no reason to do
anything.
You said the scope has "silvered" optics. Is this really true?
Are you sure they're not aluminized? I thought silvering went out in
the 1920's in favor of aluminizing.

I would recommend a copy of Rod Mollise's "Choosing and Using a
Schmidt-Casegrain Telescope" as a reference, to save yourself any
anxiety.

I think your scope is OK. A classic, ain't it?

Uncle Bob
*******************************

Yes. It's true... Meade offered a Multi-coated Silver Optics group for
it's SCT line as an option in the mid 1980's (+/-).

I bought a new 10" Model 2120 LX3 with MCSOG back then, and Meade replaced
the optics when the secondary tarnished, in the mid 1990's... These
scopes have a permanent tag on the rear cell that proclaims that the scope
is equipped with the MCSOG option.

Interestingly, the new optical set that Meade put in my scope perform
better than the Halley-era optics it came with... But the secondary is
not silvered this time around...
--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.662
Longitude: -112.3272

__________________________________________________ ________________________
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Jan Owen wrote:

Yes. It's true... Meade offered a Multi-coated Silver Optics group for
it's SCT line as an option in the mid 1980's (+/-).

I bought a new 10" Model 2120 LX3 with MCSOG back then, and Meade replaced
the optics when the secondary tarnished, in the mid 1990's... These
scopes have a permanent tag on the rear cell that proclaims that the scope
is equipped with the MCSOG option.

Interestingly, the new optical set that Meade put in my scope perform
better than the Halley-era optics it came with... But the secondary is
not silvered this time around...

Well sure enough I just called Meade and the 2080 has a lifetime
warranty on the MCSOG optics. They will setup a return and replace the
optics. Now to predict when the next 3 week cloud covered sky period
will commence.


Thanks,
tM

"themeanies" wrote in message
...
Jan Owen wrote:

Yes. It's true... Meade offered a Multi-coated Silver Optics group
for
it's SCT line as an option in the mid 1980's (+/-).

I bought a new 10" Model 2120 LX3 with MCSOG back then, and Meade
replaced
the optics when the secondary tarnished, in the mid 1990's... These
scopes have a permanent tag on the rear cell that proclaims that the
scope
is equipped with the MCSOG option.

Interestingly, the new optical set that Meade put in my scope perform
better than the Halley-era optics it came with... But the secondary
is
not silvered this time around...

Well sure enough I just called Meade and the 2080 has a lifetime
warranty on the MCSOG optics. They will setup a return and replace the
optics. Now to predict when the next 3 week cloud covered sky period
will commence.


Thanks,
tM
*******************

Chances are, you will like your *new* 2080 even better than when it was
new... At least from an optical performance standpoint... Enjoy!!!

--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.662
Longitude: -112.3272

"themeanies" wrote in message
...
I've just gotten my Meade 2080(8# SC) out. It's been in its case in a
closet in the house for close to 4 years standing vertically. The
secondary mirror is showing some spotting, almost like tarnish. The
scope has silvered optics. I don't see a noticible degradation of
performance. I would guess that 4-5% of the surface area of the
secondary mirror is no longer reflecting.

What can be done about this? I live in West Texas, no local facilites
to re-mirror it. Will the whole scope need to be sent somewhere to have
it worked on or will I be able to send just the secondary mirror and
re-collimate it myself? Thanks for any input.

tM
I have a 10" Meade SC and Meade did replace the optics because the silver
did tarnish. The new optics are very good and much better than what came
with the telescope. I did have to pay $500 for the new optical tube
assembly.

Good luck

Max Harrell

Max Harrell wrote:
tM

I have a 10" Meade SC and Meade did replace the optics because the silver
did tarnish. The new optics are very good and much better than what came
with the telescope. I did have to pay $500 for the new optical tube
assembly.

Good luck

Max Harrell



Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech!
(that's the sound of this send it to meade to have the optics replaced
train coming to a halt)

Why did you have to pay $500? Meade sure didn't mention anything like
that to me in our conversation today. The only costs involved were
shipping costs.

I'll leave it like it is and put the $500 towards another scope if
that's the case.

Please kindly elaborate Mr. Harrell.

Thanks,
tM

"themeanies" wrote in message
...
Max Harrell wrote:
tM

I have a 10" Meade SC and Meade did replace the optics because the
silver
did tarnish. The new optics are very good and much better than what
came
with the telescope. I did have to pay $500 for the new optical tube
assembly.

Good luck

Max Harrell



Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech!
(that's the sound of this send it to meade to have the optics replaced
train coming to a halt)

Why did you have to pay $500? Meade sure didn't mention anything like
that to me in our conversation today. The only costs involved were
shipping costs.

I'll leave it like it is and put the $500 towards another scope if
that's the case.

Please kindly elaborate Mr. Harrell.

Thanks,
tM

If you are the original purchaser of your scope, I don't think you should
have to pay $500 (if you bought the scope used, nothing about this may be
free). The scope was sold with a lifetime warranty on the optics. I
bought my scope new from a mail order business in New York. When Meade
replaced the optics, I didn't even pay for the shipping. I didn't pay
anything. I took the scope to the nearest Meade dealer (one here in
Phoenix, not the mail order dealer I bought it from, which was in New
York ). They contacted Meade, made the arrangements, and shipped it to
Meade. When it was back, I simply picked it up at the Phoenix dealer.
There was nothing else to it... And they turned it around pretty
quickly...

Of course, this was almost ten years ago, when the scope was *only* about
10 years old... This would make yours about 20 years old now... But if
you are the original purchaser, a lifetime warranty doesn't end in 20
years... If you are NOT the original purchaser, all bets are off...

--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.662
Longitude: -112.3272