The Telescope

This telescope was designed and built first by my dad.  He hand ground the 10"  diameter mirror.   It is around an f9.8 telescope.  The long focal length gives better imaging from the 10" mirror.  The base is constructed of salvaged bearings and parts from old Cat tractors.  I estimate the base weighs about 600 pounds total.   That mass gives it unbelievable stability.  I know, I have moved it.

The black collar is my addition.  It is formed from two sheets of 3 mm Sintra board that have been heated and formed into a cylindrical shape.  I glued two pieces together to offset the seams that give it strength.  The white tube had to be cut some, so I used a short piece on the left to help the Sintra stay round.  The metal strap at left holds the pieces tight together.  The metal strap at the right is fastened to the white tube and works as a stop for the black collar for position.  There is an alignment mark for the collar.  The red fanny pack holds lead weights for slight balance adjustments.