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Re: Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
I know!!! I'm sorry we will not see you there either?Jay, if we do the mirror removals next week. But, CT weather may have something to say about this. So who knows when we may actually?get to take the mirrors out. But the crane lift of the mount and OTA will be happening later in the month if not early March. I will keep you all apprised of the scheduled date for that next step once the College arranges it - we can all watch the removal of the old scope from the Fanning courtyard. I'll share pics. Promise. LB On Mon, Feb 3, 2025 at 5:57?PM Jay Drew via <mirrormaker=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
Hi All, Thank you to all of you who responded?so quickly.? Several of you can't help until later in the month and several can't help except on weekends. Weekends are a problem for the new astronomer at Conn, Alex Gianninas, who should be present given that he is the current official caretaker of the observatory. Doing the mirror removal later in the month is sort of an issue in that the College is pushing to schedule the riggers to come in and crane lift the mount and OTA out of the dome then. So, I am thinking we should schedule the mirror removal for next Monday, 2/10. Long-range forecasts are?calling for mostly sunny skies on 2/10 with light to moderate winds of 10-15mph and a high temp of 36F. That means conditions in the dome won't be miserable while? we are removing the mirrors. If Monday's forecast morphs into a snow squall, freezing rain or a blizzard, we will reschedule?to a date more suitable for driving and dome work. Back up date might?be Tuesday, 2/11 - early forecasts look OK,? or Weds, 2/12, if the weather conditions for that date improve?and depending on the timing of the snow arrival.? Shall we meet in the Olin Observatory between 10:30 and 11am? I can show folks who haven't done this work?before what we will be doing, and I will take lunch orders before?11 am. Before this weekend, I will send all of you, who offered to help, the sections of the 20-inch's?user manual that deal with removing the primary and the secondary?mirrors on this scope. I have the needed screws and nuts to drop the primary, I will have a cart / table to place under the primary cell to hold the cell and the mirror as well as the puller and the crate for the primary.? John Sillasen, you asked what?tools might be needed. I think we are set for tools to remove both mirrors. What we may need is supplies to do a quick cleaning of the primary before it is boxed. A good cleaning of the primary will require taking it to a location with water and ideally a large sink.? The primary will have 15 years worth of dust and other?fun stuff on it. In the past, I used a small brush just for this purpose, and collodion to gently remove large grains and bug bits. What do all of you think is the best way to remove dust so as not to further damage the primary?? More shortly, Leslie On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 5:40?PM Leslie Brown <lfbro@...> wrote:
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Re: Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
Hi Leslie,
Glad that we are moving forward on removing the cell and primary from the 20 inch, so the Planewave can move in to its new home.
Unfortunately, Tuesdays are our days in CT during February due to the ski races and Deb¡¯s work schedule. Post the date you pick and unless it¡¯s a Wednesday, I¡¯ll try and make it down there.? Mark |
Re: Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
I don't know how you did it but I am available on all of those days except 2/22. I'd prefer not to do 2/19 as I need to be back for ASGH and don't want to be wiped out from travel. After 11 am works best for me. Any tools needed?
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John
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Re: Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
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Re: Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
Leslie:
2-10 and 2-24 are good. 2-5 and 2-26 are good also. 2-7 and 2-28 are good. 3-1 is good, as is 2-9. Some other dates MAY be good but there are things I have planned around those dates that could interfere. No need to compensate in any manor, I¡¯m glad to help. George |
Help needed to remove primary and secondary from the CC observatory 20inch RC
Hi All, I think we are ready to remove the primary mirror cell, the primary and secondary mirror?from the Olin Observatory 20-inch telescope. If you are interested in assisting, please let me know dates that you are available in February. I think we will need between 2 and 4 assistants.? George, you have done this with me before so it would be great if you can be there.? And, once these mirrors are pulled, who is planning to take them? I will need to arrange to get the mirrors from the college to whomever is this lucky person - mirror delivery doesn't need to happen on the same day?that we pull the mirrors?off the tube.? Days that I have open for this project are:
We will be providing lunch or dinner from either Mr. G's or Two Wives to thank volunteers for their? help with this. George, I will get you lunch from Fiddleheads :D If you are interested in helping save the old 20-inch mirrors, please contact me at lfbro at conncoll dot edu.? Thanks! Leslie Leslie F. Brown, Ph.D. Emeriti - Physics, Astronomy & Geophysics Connecticut College New London, CT USA |
Re: Vixen Sphinx, Amy?
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Amy On Feb 2, 2025 at 5:35?PM -0500, Jay Drew via groups.io <mirrormaker@...>, wrote:
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Re: Vixen Sphinx, Amy?
Hi!??Happy new year!??I haven¡¯t used the SXW in many years, having bought aVixen SXP when the SXW was at Vixen for a long time to get the RA axis loosened. I did test it last year and it worked fine. I installed a Firmware update some time ago. I actually installed Windows 7 (!) on my really old MacBook Pro through Bootcamp so I could boot into Windows. The old Mac has an Ethernet port so I could connect the Starbook with a crossover cable, which is what you need to do the firmware update. I think the update eliminated the dec jumps that plagued the SXW for many years. I also have to NexSXW boards that converts the mount to a Celestron-like mount and is controlled by the Celestron hand controller.?
Let me know if I can help with anything.? Amy On Feb 2, 2025 at 4:33?PM -0500, Jay Drew via groups.io <mirrormaker@...>, wrote:
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Vixen Sphinx, Amy?
Hi all! Amy, are you still rocking your Vixen Sphinx SXW? Or have you moved on to something more modern? If so, can you tell me more about how you upgraded the weird Starbook controller?
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I¡¯m *this* close to finishing the optics on my first achromat and I¡¯m hoping to use it on my Sphinx, at least at first. But I haven¡¯t dragged the old girl out of the shed in years and I¡¯m thinking she¡¯ll need an update.?
Thanks, Jay |
Re: Daytime Venus
Phew!? Scared me there.
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Re: Daytime Venus
Well that explains it, George.
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The only times I ever looked straight up was with a 90¡ã diagonal or if I were flat on my back. Even then it meant I wasn't getting up without serious leverage or a helpful lift... ;)? John
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Re: Daytime Venus
I¡¯ll be sure to check it out.?
Amy On Feb 1, 2025 at 3:51?PM -0500, GEORGE BLAHUN via groups.io <ks1u@...>, wrote: Elliot: |
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