Aluminizing telescope mirror

Aluminizing telescope mirror

A 400mm DK finished. With both scopes on the same object, same eyepiece, same observer, all night not one person could tell the difference. After cleaning, the Roof Nights – Telescope Observing; People; Local. 6-meter Edwards vacuum chamber. Silver or aluminium is normally used for amateur telescope mirrors. This will get you on a great start to building your own telescope. I've been pointed at Saintech, and will ask them about prices. Each half is a separate Feb 17, 2016 · Shane Telescope 3-m Mirror Aluminization Movies Time-lapse movies of the Shane 3-m Telescope mirror re-aluminization are being composed from a few cameras that have been positioned inside the dome to document the procedure. This significant milestone is expected Jan 22, 2015 · Request PDF | On Jan 22, 2015, Yosry A. It would be. 2-meter telescope dome actually houses a crane that is used to hoist the aluminizing chamber up to the observing floor of the telescope. In most telescopes, the mirror is taken to the aluminizing chamber on a lower floor. Focuser Replacements. Day 1, 2016 Feb 17: Removing the Mirror from the Telescope Aug 18, 2020 · Try putting in a flat mirror like you proposed. Renegade telescopes are available in sizes from 12. To do that, the blank is paired with May 12, 2020 · Vacuum coating your own lenses and mirrors is one aspect of telescope making that is really intoxicating. Jun 14, 2006 · The recently commissioned system for aluminizing the 8. Telescope Mirror Coating / Recoating. Its pretty amazing that you are able to do this -- Dynavac Develops Multi-Layer Silver Coating for Astronomical Telescope Mirror at KAFB Facility. Over these many years, we have coated optics for almost every application imaginable. I have been disconnected from the hobby so long that Im not sure where to get it aluminized or what the best treatment is. When the mirror is offset to the side, the center of the mirror is nearly over the edge of the lap, where the action is. M. Nov 29, 2018 · Page 1 of 3 - 200-inch Hale Telescope mirror - posted in Reflectors: Here is a photo of the 200-inch (5. So, what is the difference between the two? Silvering is the process of applying a thin layer of silver to the surface of a mirror. There are two methods - a) Aluminizing and B) Silvering. 4-meter primary mirrors in-situ on the Large Binocular Telescope. interesting to see how detectable the color differences between two. There is an entire chapter devoted to a telescope built around a 12. First of all, mirrors should not need to be re-coated very often. Jun 6, 2023 · In order to make a telescope mirror the usual way is to take two pieces of glass and grind one on top of another using finer grades of powder where one becomes concave and the other convex. Business and Travel Forms; Teaching, Committee, and Space Assignments; LBT Primary Mirror Aluminization System Household mirrors are coated on the back while mirrors used in optical applications feature front-surface mirrors. 1. However, aluminum coating are the norm (certainly for the large primary mirrors deployed in telescopes) because of durability reasons. The test is made by the famous expert Wolfgang Rohr. Best of luck to you! Timelapse from the Magellan telescopes: Watch 5 days of work re-aluminizing one of the 6. Among them are aluminizing the mirror in the telescope, the mirror is horizon pointing when aluminized, boron nitride crucibles are used for the sources, only 28 sources are used, the sources are powered with 280 Volts at 20 kHz, high vacuum is produced Dec 13, 2020 · Request PDF | On Dec 13, 2020, John M. Posts: 1. One being difficulty maintaining a focal length. The fact that the main mirror is also made by Tomac 200-550mm Parabolic Telescope Binocle Mirror for Telescope. One of the most important and very widely used services we offer is the re-coating of established or, coating of newly made mirrors. To start, a new mirror blank is “sanded” down to create a precise parabolic curve in a process called grinding. After eight years making mirrors and telescopes as an amateur, including four years teaching MGF2, BBAR 400-750nm, V-COAT. Looking at silvering a small batch of mirrors in the near future, including a 22",25" and 6". 6 m in length, diffusion pump, rotary pump, transformer, electrical measuring Jul 14, 2016 · Homebuilt vacuum chamber for aluminizing telescope mirrors. in images are, on various objects. Price was right and the mirrors work well. com, Attn: Gordon Waite. Aug 17, 1998 · The primary mirror before aluminizing August 17, 1998 Last updated: March 17, 2020 Aug 29, 1998 · Transportation of the mirror aluminizing chamber (2) August 29, 1998 Last updated: March 17, 2020 Aug 1, 2008 · to the Sunnyside aluminizing facility, where it was cleaned, masked and aluminized. We also have the capacity to fit large telescope mirror segments in My telescope's mirror is dull. When I shipped the mirror I built a box out of 1x6 sides and 1/4" plywood, filled with 2" foam core insulation with cutout for the mirror to set into. Feb 18, 2021 · Telescope Reflector Main Mirror 203mm with Secondary Mirror 70mm, Newton Reflector Spherical Mirror for DIY Astronomical Telescope Accessories dummy SVBONY SV181 Rack and Pinion Focuser, 1. Amateur astronomers have made some fine aluminizing chambers for the purpose but making one is for just one mirror or even a few is not economical. 8") Glass F/5 Parabolic Mirror $1980AUD 450mm (17. I recently bought a telescope of 130 aperture with 1000 focal length. If the mirror is slightly decentered, the area worked most on the mirror is the area just inside the edge, like the outer zone or two. Of course that was in the eighties and nineties. 5 inch diameter, 1. No complicated mathematics are involved, and no prior knowledge of optics or astronomy is needed to follow About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright APF Telescope 2. Ismail M. Dec 6, 2019 · Page 1 of 3 - Excellent Silvering Article in Sky and Telescope Jan. 2020 - posted in ATM, Optics and DIY Forum: Just read an excellent article in Sky and Telescope about silvering mirrors. Our coatings and technology have evolved over the decades and we continue to produce state of the art Investigation and treatment of the aluminizing process for mirrors of astronomical telescopes and optical instruments of space vehicles Y. Making a telescope mirror. 5-meter astronomical mirror at the Air Force Research Lab’s Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. I have actually made two mirrors like this Aluminizing and Silvering of Telescope Mirrors. Applications for the cases of 40-inch and the io8-inch tanks are discussed. This kit includes a 6 inch telescope mirror blank, all the silicon carbide grits, white aluminum oxide powders, gugolz pitch, and cerium oxide polish you will need to grind and polish a 6 inch telescope mirror all bundled in one spot. know I want to go with a bigger aperture 12" diameter, glass mirrors are very expensive so I thought of stainless steel which will be easier to make in my workshop, so please suggest. Jul 27, 2021 · Waite Research. Specialising in Astronomical Mirror coatings. Polishing and testing the primary mirror. Silver is the most reflective across the visible spectrum, reflecting 95 percent of light. Elharony S. 7") Glass F/6 Parabolic Mirror $1700AUD 400mm (15. May 11, 2021 · With the silvering process, you can do any size mirror you can fit on your cleaning jig — and you can make it out of pieces of scrap wood, a few nylon chair legs, two old hinges, and some screws! ! With our NCA-ATM-CCCC aluminizer, we are limited to 12. All the Mirrors in this range come with Ronchi, Foucault and Testing Data. Please call for current pricing. Mirror Recoating. The mirror in Newton’s first 1. The 25-ton aluminizing belljar is lifted up with the overhead crane and sealed against the corresponding vacuum flange on the mirror cell. Contact Now. Coude 5 mirror is aluminized with the 1. L. Designing and fabricating the telescope mount. *Majestic Optical Coatings provides the following companies with high quality telescope mirror coatings. Re-aluminizing made possible by a Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO Grant. 1000 Pieces (MOQ) Shanghai Tomac Tools Co. Our customers include research, universities, military and industrial. Dec 16, 2016 · Learn how to make a vacuum chamber for coating telescope mirrors at home with this YouTube video. Skip to the end of the images gallery. To order a Renegade telescope, please email waiteresearch@gmail. Sep 24, 2019 · Several forces have come together recently to make spray silver coatings an attractive option for telescope mirrors again, especially those 12-inches and larger in diameter: The cost of aluminizing has gone up, and for a large homemade telescope it can be the single most expensive element, especially if the coating is enhanced. None cost over $1000 to get up and running. 3 telescope mirror, we have several 20" mirrors in process. If you are looking for a brand-new 20" F3. See the results and the challenges of this DIY project. 3 telescope mirrors fabricated by Waite Research. In general, more modern mirrors will very rarely require re-coating but so much depends on how they have been looked after. Mirror aluminising - what are our options in Australia. , Ltd. I live in the northeast as well, and had no problems shipping. 5" to 36". *excl. Feb 6, 2012 · Mirror aluminizing - posted in ATM, Optics and DIY Forum: Greetings Everyone,Seven years ago I built a telescope in one of John Dobsons telescope building classes. 01. In Aluminizing a thin layer of aluminium is deposited by fusing fine aluminium wire in a vacuum. 5 inch f6 mirror from eBay. They’ve even found an overcoat that protects the silver from tarnishing. Telescope mirrors are first-surface. 5-meter (256-in) primary mirrors in 1. caltech. 81 meter primary mirror after re-aluminizing ready to be lifted back into the telescope tube at The Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA). Oct 8, 2014 · Joined: 19 Aug 2008. The glass being just the support for it. I didn't even put that much effort into the research process of how to package the mirrors, just stuffed the box with tons of random foam and large bubble wrap. The main mirror, the focuser, the diagonal, and the parts for the finder all came from various web sources. The mirror cell forms a "dirty" vacuum behind the US astronomer, deep sky observer and contributing editor to Sky and Telescope magazine Howard Banich will lead this months BAA Webinar on “The history of sil Thank you again for your help with the mirror. In this particular instance f/4. f/3. Carl Zambuto’s passion for optics began in 1989 when he ground his first mirror. Dec 13, 2020 · We summarize the operational realities of re-aluminizing 8. 4-m Telescope mirror re-aluminization are being composed from a few cameras that have been positioned inside the dome to document the procedure. 0 – € 6700. 7") Glass F/5 Parabolic Mirror $1800AUD 350mm (13. A good standard coating may last for ten years - perhaps longer, provided the telescope is well protected during storage. 5” max. TMF has operated one of the largest production facilities in Europe for the coating of Front Surface Mirrors for telescopes for over 30 years. El-Tokhy M. Dec 23, 2014 · About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright Jul 6, 2006 · The recently commissioned system for aluminizing the 8. 5 m mirror and the Columbus Project 8 m mirror has led us to reconsider many of the design issues and tradeoffs for such systems. 2 The Newtonian Reflector. So far it protects the silver even in conditions of Mar 28, 2022 · Telescope mirrors of size of up to 3,700 mm diameter and weighing more than 4,000 kg can be accommodated in HHV coating chambers with a maximum overall dimension of 4,000×2,100 mm. Astronomy magazine has named Waite Research's Renegade 20" telescope a top astro-ware of 2015. 4-f/4. 1 shows a 6-inch f5 Newtonian with worldwide web-sourced optics. Good evening all, New to the forum, and new to the ATM scene. Scott Kardel, the 200-inch Hale Telescope at the Observatory is used an average of 300 nights per year. Here is one of the premium 20" F3. Grinding the primary mirror. 25 inch, Newtonian Reflector Focuser for Newtonian Reflector Telescope Jan 1, 2010 · The other is a 6-inch f9 instrument built around a handmade mirror. Jan 28, 2020 · Operated by the European Southern Observatory, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) consists of four individual telescopes each with an 8. We offer Telescope Blanks made from SCHOTT Suprax Low Expansion material. With about 50 videos on mirror making and telescope building, Gordon's YouTube channel has accumulated over 2,900,000 views! Read more. Feb 28, 2009 · Can I use stainless steel for 12" dia. Email waiteresearch@gmail. Among them are aluminizing the mirror in the telescope, the mirror is horizon pointing when aluminized, boron nitride crucibles are used for the sources, only 28 sources are used, the sources are powered with 280 Volts at 20 kHz, high vacuum is produced Jan 31, 2015 · Aluminising in NZ is very expensive. primary mirror newton without aluminizing - posted in Solar Observing and Imaging: Hello, Has anyone observed by a telescope with newton Jul 16, 2022 · Mars should be most memorable in a silver coated mirror, let alone. 5 m in diameter and about 0. 2-meter telescope, the aluminzing chamber is instead brought to the telescope. 4-m Mirror Aluminization Movies Time-lapse movies of the APF 2. [13] With two 8. It was found by the Oregon ScopeWerks and is called Midas Tarnish Shield. 2 m diameter primary mirror coated with an aluminum alloy. I never finished the mirror. Bath testing a mirror in a workshop shouldn't take more one day. We provide three types of coatings right now but if you have any custom applications that you don't see here please contact us & we will be able to accomodate your order. 8 meters across, and the mirror segments for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will be 1. However, one can get their mirrors Jul 12, 2020 · Public talk by Palomar Docent Steve Miller. mirrors of the same size and quality, but with Al and Ag coatings. The protuberance on the 2. Jul 15, 2011 · The two telescope mirrors (8" StarLiner & 10" Coulter) are resurfaced at the NCA-ATM workshop in Chevy Chase, MD Location: ACT. Sep 28, 2022 · When it comes to coating telescope mirrors, there are two main methods: silvering and aluminizing. The aluminizing plant for the 3. 2016 September 21: Preparing the Dome and Telescope for Mirror Removal Casting a Large, Light-Weight Telescope Mirror From Recycled Glass: The first photo below shows a 12. Even with weekly cleanings, mirrors periodically need to be given a new coat of reflective aluminum. 82 / Piece. I silver my own mirrors. Filter Slide Installations. We have established a reputation for producing the highest quality astronomical mirror re-coating service for Australia. NZ aluminisers dont offer protective overcoating either. Do you think this would work well for making the primary mirror? Make a mylar parabolic mirror I see a couple of potential problems with this. Once the pH of the deionized water reaches 7, the mirror can be assumed to be clean. Palomar recoats the primary mirror every two years. Clausing Inc. This service we offer is taken up from every corner of the globe Since 1927, H. The ARC coating process produces reflective coatings Jul 15, 2016 · But telescope mirrors get a lot of use, and the Hale Telescope is no exception. We can accommodate telescope mirrors up to 1700mm diameter and weighing in excess of a 1000Kg. The surface of the concave piece is gradually ground, polished and shaped ideally to a parabola then aluminized. We offer anti reflective MGF2 optical coatings. 6 m in length, diffusion pump, rotary pump, transformer, electrical measuring Silvering The mirror in Newton’s first 1. The difference to me is night and day. Figure 6 shows the belljar mounted over the right primary mirror on the telescope. One scope had enhanced on both mirrors, the other had regular aluminum on both mirrors. Contact us for prices of any diameters which is not listed here or for thicker mirrors. The advantages of open design are well known – low weight, mobility, fast tempering of the primary mirror, low space for transportation and storage. yes it works. 408 meter diameter Large Binocular Telescope mirrors has a variety of unusual features. I can't get over the detail that is apparent now during periods of good seeing. We offer a range of products and services for the ameteur telescope enthusiast such as grinding powders, polishing powders and compounds. I wholeheartedly recommend you and will continue to do so. It is very important at this stage in the mirror stripping process that the mirror is kept wet. A mostly manual system with long-handled mops and traditional chemicals is used to remove the old coating and to clean the glass surface. 5 – € 8560. Figure 6. Repair/Upgrade Services Currently Include: Newtonian/Dobsonian Collimation & Collimation Lessons (in person) Light Shroud Replacements. The mirror from . Designing and fabricating the telescope tube, mirror cell and diagonal suport. Polishing and Figuring use a soft pitch tool and ultra fine abrasive (Cerium Oxide or Rouge). You will find a recoating price guide and and an A4 Printable PDF Form to return with your mirror (s) at the bottom of this page. Shipping costs. Teeter Telescopes, Waite Research, D & G Optical Palmway Optical offers a full range of optical coatings covering the range from ultraviolet through the visible and out to the near to mid infrared. 1 Scope. March 15, 2001. Just because a mirror has minute spots We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. It could well be quite pronounced. 5" f/5 and an 8" f/7. We review the evaporative coating system design, and summarize its performance in the 16 coatings since 2005. Posted 09 October 2014 - 02:36 PM. US$ 1. Finderscope Replacements. The optical coatings have uniform center to edge thickness. Buy a New 20" Telescope Mirror. Majestic Optical Coating offers various types of anti-reflective thin film optical coatings. Reference is also made to the application of non-uniform films in the figuring of mirrors. 5 minutes. 00. Staff normally allocates ten days for the procedure, usually scheduled in November. Coating of the large honeycomb mirrors will be done in situ on the telescope with a portable bell jar forming the front half of a two-stage vacuum system. I ground the mirror and made every other component out of recycled materials as much as possible. Dynavac has successfully developed and deposited a multi-layer silver coating onto a 3. A book that has been used with great success by countless amateur astronomers, this volume presents complete and detailed instructions and numerous diagrams showing how to construct a do-it-yourself telescope. protected silver coating +€100. 3-inch reflecting telescope in 1668 was made from speculum (Latin for mirror), a metal alloy of roughly two-thirds copper and one-third tin—often with a touch of arsenic. 9-f/3. These can be supplied either 'as cast' or ground finish - in stock for immediate delivery in selected Sep 28, 2020 · The reason I say there is no difference is, back in 2000 Tom Clark of Tectron telescopes took 2 20" f/5 scopes to the winter star party. 300mm (12") Glass F/5 Parabolic Mirror $1480AUD 300mm (12") Glass F/6 Parabolic Mirror $1400AUD 350mm (13. We offer: The Galaxy Optics optical thin film coating system was specifically designed for coating telescope mirrors. Azzam and others published Investigation and treatment of the aluminizing process for mirrors of astronomical telescopes and optical instruments of space Making a telescope about 10 years ago was one of the most rewarding projects I've ever undertaken. Because speculum tarnished rapidly, the mirrors had to be re-polished and refigured at frequent intervals. 6-m telescope mirrors (primary mirror, Cassegrain secondary, Coude 2, 3, 4) to provide a high-ly reflective surface. We stripped the mirror from an 8" reflector and used for CaK, works ok, but unless your seeing is perfect I would go for a smaller frac. The components of the evaporation plant which are used in this experimental work consist of vacuum chamber of 0. I hear its cheaper to buy new an already aluminised mirror out of China. By the time you make the whole telescope and get just the right kind of a seeing may take a lot longer than the money-back grace period. 5" will need it in the next couple of years. 6-m mirrors has been manufactured Jul 1, 1990 · The design of aluminization systems for the MMT Conversion 6. an aperture pushing the limits of amateur mirror making. Azzam A. Hameed F. In order to raise the reflectance we need a very thin layer of reflective material which will form the actual mirror. It is ground, polished and ready for aluminizing. " --Tristan. S. Jan 22, 2015 · Although the principles of aluminizing telescope mirrors are simple, the practical side of the process is much more complicated. [Note: Palomar Observatory will host a conference on mirror-cleaning initiated by Bob Thicksten and supported by AURA Inc. This Instructable will cover how to grind a mirror for your telescope - I'll link to other sources for building the other aspects of a telescope. See for instance here. Formulae are developed which give the thickness of the film produced by a circular array of evaporation sources. Mirror grinding and figuring consists of four major steps (plus aluminizing). Teeter Telescopes, Waite Research, D & G Optical Summary. Our astronomical telescopes are made of high quality finely processed plywood. If you are looking to purchase a new mirror or telescope please visit the following. Links to new movies will be added as they are created. 1 meter) primary mirror of Palomar Observatorys Hale Telescope in the preliminary steps of being prepared for re-aluminizing. Secondary Mirror Dew Heater Installations. Methods of cleaning mirrors preparatory to coating are dis- cussed. I've found myself with a 12. According to Palomar Observatory’s W. And I used it weekly during good weather for outreach. Because of their reflectivity, layers of aluminum and silver are often used. At the 2. nothing bad happened during shipping there and back (Texas to Utah). Turn around was under 3 weeks, and it came with test plats and paperwork showing the refigure and reflectivity of coatings. Every detail of the telescope is well thought out and precisely made. A. Metals are the most commonly used mirror coatings. Among them are aluminizing the mirror in the telescope, the mirror is horizon pointing when aluminized, boron nitride crucibles are used for the sources, only 28 sources are used, the sources are powered with 280 Volts at 20 kHz, high vacuum is produced Dec 29, 2012 · Page 1 of 3 - Homemade Mylar Parabolic mirror - posted in ATM, Optics and DIY Forum: I came across this and thought it might be good for making a cheap Dobsonian telescope. Greenway Talk Series: http://sites. I have built several chambers ranging from 14 inch diameter to 48 inch diameter over the years. The conference, which will be attended by about 40 telescope specialists from around the world, will be held at the observatory April Aug 11, 2022 · Page 4 of 4 - How low must pressure be for aluminizing a telescope mirror - posted in ATM, Optics and DIY Forum: This is all very impressive ! I hope the UV lamp helped with the overall clean-ness of the mirror. Sharaf Aug 11, 2022 · After washing/stripping the telescope is moved to the horizon-pointing position and locked in place. That means the aluminizing (silvering) is on top of the glass, not underneath, as in your bathroom mirror. 78-1. I have had this scope for two years and I have never used the flip mirror. The 8" definitely needs recoating, and the 12. We summarize the operational realities of re-aluminizing 8. has been producing mirrors and optical coatings. edu/palomar/visitor/visitorcenter/talks/Palomar Observatory webs Zambuto Optical Company consistently maintains a no-compromise standard which results in Newtonian mirrors of finest quality in contrast and overall performance. Im in the Portland Oregon area Jun 13, 2022 · Certainly, bench testing it much faster than building an entire telescope and waiting for that special night when the seeing is perfect. Mar 21, 2014 · Primary mirror after re-aluminizing at OAVdA The 0. Jun 3, 2014 · Telescope mirrors and other mirrors used by scientists telescopes regularly do use a silver coating. Hill and others published Primary mirror aluminizing operations at the Large Binocular Telescope | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate Oct 20, 2011 · Making Your Own Telescope. We can coat primary mirrors with Al/SiO up to 18” in diameter. 4 Nov 2, 2020 · First mirror was a refigure and coat, second was just a coat. 4 m primary mirrors, it is the largest telescope on a single mount. 3 Shape of the mirror. Thus, the center is being worn down more than the rest of the mirror. com or phone 800-652-1547. 4 Summary of materials required and procedure to be followed. 5 inch thick, telescope mirror blank, made from recycled glass, that has been lightened by casting the mirror in a mold that made lots of hexagon-shaped pockets in the back of the mirror. Here you can see the independent test results of two of our telescope mirrors. The coaters We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Rough and Fine grinding use hard tools (glass, tile or metal) and harder then glass abrasive grit (Silicon Carbide or Aluminum Oxide). Sep 19, 2017 · The 10-meter primary mirrors of the twin Keck Telescopes in Hawaii are composed of hexagonal segments 1. astro. The recently commissioned system for aluminizing the 8. After cleaning, the Mar 15, 2001 · Palomar Observatory crews completerealuminizing of 200-inch Hale mirror. Digital Setting Circle (DSC) & Encoder Installations/Repairs. 7") Glass F/5 Telescope Products & Services. Should I have it recoated? - BBC Sky at Night Magazine. . The "ARC" process guarantees near 100% oxidation of overcoat refractory materials and extinction coefficients less than 0. A Schmidt-Cassegrain re-coating interval is even longer, inasmuch as the mirror is protected within an enclosed tube. Glass without a coating reflects only about 4% of the incident light. Apr 29, 2022 · How to make a telescope mirror blank cutting machine | making of 12" telescope#telescope #mirrorblank #12inchtelescopeI have made this telescope mirror blank Dec 3, 2012 · The mirror is then checked for any residual coating, and if any is found an additional acid wash is performed. primary telescope mirror, and obtain 89% reflection? Q. If your interested I could do yours at the same time. I quote from the text linked to above: inq of aluminium on the front surface of the 3. wx wf bf nz qq fh lq ku ur rr