Posts Made By: jess tauber

Since most large apertures come in fast speeds, I'm curious about what one might see in a slow speed with large aperture- I chose 26" because this is the size flat I have.

Supposing one were to core it and make a classical Cass, or Nasmyth, or if it had a siderostat etc., I'd like to know, assuming a good figure, alignments, ep's etc., what the performance limits would be.

How would something that big do on planets, or globulars, galaxies? Would the larger focal ratio hurt on the latter, given the larger primary in the first place?

Thanks.
Jess Tauber

So I've got a little astigmatism issue with my 26 inch comparator mirror at higher magnifications. I asked the folks over at CN and the ATM-list about flexure as a way of dealing with it, as people have had good success with this in parabolizing. One answer was positive, the other negative. So what do YOU think the verdict should be? Can a few properly placed pressure points fix the figure of a flexed flat? And also alleviate alienating alliteration?

Jess Tauber

I'm familiar with the float glass process- has anyone ever tried to sandwich molten float glass between molten phases of higher and lower density, with the upper phase pressing hard by dint of extra mass? Would this work to make a better flat?

Jess Tauber

Forgot to set record button (AGAIN!)- drats. Dunno if Queen Latifah did up Gwen Ifill. Did the SNL debate happen, or not quite?

Jess Tauber

I hadn't even heard of this until about three weeks ago, found it while switching channels. 'Anomalies', or holes in time, allow people to cross into the past or future, or other things to cross into our time, or other eras. All sorts of nasties end up roaming woods, surging through malls, and generally causing problems like eating the customers.

A covert government agency has to find the incursions and send the beasties back. Not everyone is on the same page, however- one team scientist's ex wife decided to stay in the past and has caused all sorts of mayhem, including changing history so that her ex-husband's new girlfriend, also on the team, simply vanishes from existence, only to show up again as someone completely different. And there are people with hidden agendas.

The graphics are VERY good- the main (anti)hero is a paleontologist! Feels a little like a temporal Stargate, though.

BUT, everyone is trading off these days anyway- has anyone seen the premier of Sanctuary, with Amanda Tapping doing the whole British accent thing? She looks pretty good for a 157 year old wench. Her recruitment of a former FBI profiler-guy was right out of the original Stargate movie where Daniel Jackson is sought by the elderly Stargate researcher, right down to his standing in the rain next to her in the limo.

Still, it looked as if they spent a lot LESS on graphics- I guess the difference is going into Tappings pocket. The monsters are much less convincing- kind of an X-Men meets Dark Shadows.

Jess Tauber

Hmmm. I wonder what link there is between those who caused this economic disaster and environmental chaos? Do you think Wall Street believes in global warming, or do most there think its a crock?

Well, now just watch- new nuclear facilities (and million-year waste management), polluted seas and shores from new drilling, ever-increasing CO2 emissions, the rape of forests and eating or export of endangered animals and plants.

Greed is Good? Pu-leeze!

Jess Tauber

The one thing I've never gifted them with. Since I am a real piker here myself (I know basic types, etc.), would appreciate suggestions for what gets the brains going- which gets oohs and aahs more- size or weight, whole or bits and pieces, rough or polished? Thanks!

Jess Tauber

Anyone know how to connect diagonals without their ep tubes so they can rotate face flush against face but not separate? Would this have to be done before mirrors or prisms mounted inside, or can it be done after?

P.S. I skipped metal shop in H.S.

Jess Tauber

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20081015/sc_livescience/churchpastorsdismissmentalillness

More idiocy from the same people (?) who told the folks with bad credit that God was ok with subprimes?

Isn't it about time that these folks stopped meddling in the domains of science and medicine, not to mention politics and economics..... > ?

Jess Tauber

Do any of you know of long focus (F15 or higher), large aperture refractors with trusses instead of a tube to save weight?

How about tubes made of balsa- would that work, or just asking for trouble? Thanks.

Jess Tauber