Have you ever wondered how a telescope mirror is tested? Find out how on Friday at 7pm in a live demonstration by Alan Ward as our featured presentation.
Agenda:
- Sudbury RASC President Address – Alan Ward
- “LIVE” Testing of Astronomical Optics in the Computer Age – Alan Ward (40min) Description Below
- Show & Tell
- Break (10min)
- From the Archives
- What’s Up Doc?
- Gearing Up for Solar Maximum: Part 1 – About H-Alpha Telescopes – Alan Ward (10min)
- Closing Comments/News/Open Forum/Starlight Lounge
Featured Presentation: For over 100 years amateur & professional telescope makers have relied on a simple but very effective Foucault Tester for evaluating the surface quality of lenses and mirrors. Although highly accurate in its ability to reveal minute imperfections, the Foucault Test requires the user be highly skilled in his/her ability to properly interpret the characteristic ‘shadows’ it produces. This has always posed a problem in that readings taken by the human eye are subjective and prone to misinterpretation. Due to these misinterpretations, the test has been limited in its ability to produce repetitive measurements necessary for the production of high quality large aperture mirrors. Alan Ward will present “LIVE” the workings and advantages of his video / computerized testing system which produces consistent readings regardless of who is conducting the test.
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