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Hey, the person you really want to wade into the middle of that kind of "debate" is John Pons. Or of course Ed Grissom, he knows a thing or two about making a good planetary instrument...

Best,
Mark

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Mark/Chris:

Thanks for your responses. I like APO refractors, don't get me wrong, but I don't think there can be any doubt the Reflectors forum is my natural home...

I actually own an 8-inch f8 planetary mirror that I traded a club member for. It was tested by an optician in our club and has an awesome figure. Unfortunately, the mirror (which was made years ago by a legendary mirror-maker who was also a member of our club and is long deceased) had not been aluminized. When I got it aluminized, I discovered it had some pitting on the surface. It might still be a good performer, but I put the project on hold and then subsequently built that monster 22-inch Dob. I should probably post some pictures of it on the ATM forum to get advice whether to have it refigured or use it as is.

I contacted RF Royce about refiguring the mirror and got my head bitten off. We exchanged a few more emails, and he apologized for his initial response (which I hadn't been upset by -- master opticians have the artistic temperament, after all). He told me a few things about the glass that was used for my mirror. I think it was ground in the late 50s or early 60s.

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Fiske Miles
Nikon 8x42 LX / 12x50 SE Binos
Mini Borg 60ED, TV-101, AT80Ach, XT-8, C11/CI-700, 22-Inch Dob
Way too many Nagler eyepieces
http://www.fiskemiles.blogspot.com/
www.fiskemiles.com

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