112 replies to this topic

[Mike W]

Speaking of Foran would anyone care to see the dome work done there?

[Astrojensen]

Speaking of Foran would anyone care to see the dome work done there?

What kind of trick question is that? 

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

[Mike W]

 

 

It's amazing to hear that a school ... especially a high school ... would budget the money to restore a telescope. It must be well-heeled school district!

 

It looks like a great restoration job ... congrats!

This is actually one of two twin 6" Goto refractors, the other is at Foran H/S in Ct. , I also worked on that scopes dome that would no longer open. Maybe I'll show some photos after this.

 

OMG!  Mike, you need to discuss some background, i.e., your connection with these schools in CT, when you get a chance. Thanks!

 

Dave

 

A close friend was the astronomy teacher at Foran at the time and I was in the ASNH as secretary, also a Stellafane craftsmanship winner. So I was contracted to fix the dome at Foran which led to the Bridgeport job. Also a close friend Dave was caretaker of the yale Obs. and machine shop so anything that needed machining I could do or if out of my machining capabilities Dave was generous with his time. In fact Dave made an adapter so the teacher could use 1.25" eyepieces (I think Televue plossls) which were easier for the kids to look through than the Goto eyepieces.

Edited by Mike W, 10 July 2017 - 12:16 PM.

[Mike W]

 

Speaking of Foran would anyone care to see the dome work done there?

What kind of trick question is that? 

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

 

No trick question! LOL

[Mike W]

Here's just a few photos of the Foran H/S dome project. Not as involved but scarier!

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[Paul Hyndman]

Great job, Mike!

 

I kinda' thought it might be you doing the work and then confirmed it when I saw the pix of you and Bob C. (I wondered where you disappeared to). You shared your Mak-Newt experiences with me in the late 90's, resulting in my subsequent purchase of an 8" MN. I think we last met at Stellafane or CSP many moons ago... great to know you're still actively involved!

[Mike W]

Working off a scaffold inside wasn't too bad. BTW the issue with the dome was the shutters were opened and closed by cables but stopped at the open and closed positions by simple end switches. I guess you know where this is going! Right, the end switch was out of adj. and racked the shutters so they wouldn't close. This let pidgeons in and made a mess!

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[Mike W]

You can see the out of alignment shutter in this photo (kind of!)

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Edited by Mike W, 10 July 2017 - 11:46 AM.

[Mike W]

Home Sweet Home!

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[Mike W]

Bent Shutter & pulley mount.

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Edited by Mike W, 10 July 2017 - 01:41 PM.

[Mike W]

Working off the scaffold & ladder. Scope is covered with plastic.

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[combatdad]

 

 

 

It's amazing to hear that a school ... especially a high school ... would budget the money to restore a telescope. It must be well-heeled school district!

 

It looks like a great restoration job ... congrats!

This is actually one of two twin 6" Goto refractors, the other is at Foran H/S in Ct. , I also worked on that scopes dome that would no longer open. Maybe I'll show some photos after this.

 

OMG!  Mike, you need to discuss some background, i.e., your connection with these schools in CT, when you get a chance. Thanks!

 

Dave

 

A close friend was the astronomy teacher at Foran at the time and I was in the ASNH as secretary, also a Stellafane craftsmanship winner. So I was contracted to fix the dome at Foran which led to the Bridgeport job. Also a close friend Dave was caretaker of the yale Obs. and machine shop so anything that needed machining I could do or if out of my machining capabilities Dave was generous with his time.

 

Thanks, Mike.  I hope the schools continue to take advantage of those scopes.  Many of the universities that had the larger Unitron's went the way of large SCT's.

 

Dave

[Mike W]

Working from the outside sucked!

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[Mike W]

Looks like I'm adjusting the cables and end switches in this photo.

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[Mike W]

Great job, Mike!

 

I kinda' thought it might be you doing the work and then confirmed it when I saw the pix of you and Bob C. (I wondered where you disappeared to). You shared your Mak-Newt experiences with me in the late 90's, resulting in my subsequent purchase of an 8" MN. I think we last met at Stellafane or CSP many moons ago... great to know you're still actively involved!

Hi Paul!

You can always find me at Stellafane by the McGregor usually set up near Sue and Allen French.

[Mike W]

I had to throw this in! My favorite refractor, the 10.75" Butler Clark at Yale Obs. I have a whole series of Yale obs. photos but need to be on a separate thread.

 

Note: For more info on this old Clark it's listed in "Alvin Clark & Sons, Artists in Optics"

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Edited by Mike W, 10 July 2017 - 08:56 PM.

[Stew44]

Mike,

 

We had a thread in which we discussed the Goto optical design in the 3".  Not a Fraunhoffer.  It is convex f1, flat f2 and the flint was bi concave.  BK7 and F2.  Since you cleaned the lenses did you make note if a regular air spaced Fraunhoffer or was it hard contact between crown and flint in the shapes mentioned above?  Any pictures of the lenses out of the cells?

 

Thanks

[Mike W]

Mike,

 

We had a thread in which we discussed the Goto optical design in the 3".  Not a Fraunhoffer.  It is convex f1, flat f2 and the flint was bi concave.  BK7 and F2.  Since you cleaned the lenses did you make note if a regular air spaced Fraunhoffer or was it hard contact between crown and flint in the shapes mentioned above?  Any pictures of the lenses out of the cells?

 

Thanks

To tell you the truth it was 22 years ago and I don't recall?

Edited by Mike W, 10 July 2017 - 02:11 PM.

[Stew44]

So this was 22 years ago that you worked on these? Wonder how they are holding up?

[Jeff B]

Great job Mike!!  

 

I save my "likes" til the end as there would have been soooo many of them.

 

Jeff

[Bonco]

Mike,

Thanks for this most interesting thread. Enjoyed every picture. Congratulations on doing such a fine job. Many students will benefit from your work and dedication.

Bill

[Mike W]

So this was 22 years ago that you worked on these? Wonder how they are holding up?

Well I never restored the Foran scope but that was newer and the last time I talked to a teacher from there problems with the scope weren't mentioned so???

I still have friends down in Ct. so I'll try and find out. Might have been only 20 years now that I've thought about it.

[Mike W]

This is a photo of the teacher (on the left) responsible for the twin 6" Goto refractors. Allan Sacharow taught at both high schools. Bridgeport first, then years later Foran. I'm not saying he paid for them but was the driving force making them happen.

This photo was taken at Yales old catalog camera bldg. That blue box is the catalog camera on a weight driven clock drive. I believe the "Yale Bright Star Catalog" was done on this camera.

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Edited by Mike W, 10 July 2017 - 05:28 PM.

[Mike W]

Here are some of the glass plates used in the camera.

[Stew44]

On the school camera with the lens that was vandalized, where the elements intact and only severely scratched?  It seems that if curves could be reground, the lens might be thinner, but still work as expected (unless less so fast that any change in thickness would be detrimental.)