The Care and Maintenance of Optical Equipment

M. Barlow Pepin9781852337155, 185233715X

Commercially-made astronomical telescopes are better and less expensive than ever before, and their optical and mechanical performance can be superb. When a good-quality telescope fails to perform as well as it might, the reason is quite probably that it needs a little care and attention! Here is a complete guide for anyone who wants to understand more than just the basics of astronomical telescopes and accessories, and how to maintain them in the peak of condition. The latest on safely adjusting, cleaning, and maintaining your equipment is combined with thoroughly updated methods from the old masters. Here, too, are details of choosing new and used optics and accessories, along with enhancements you can make to extend their versatility and useful lifetime. This book is for you. Really. Looking after an astronomical telescope isnÆt only for the experts – although there some things that only an expert should attempt – and every serious amateur astronomer will find invaluable information here, gleaned from Barlow PepinÆs many yearsÆ experience working with optical instruments.

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Table of contents :
Contents……Page 11
Section I: Optical Equipment……Page 16
1 Treasure in the Cellar……Page 17
2 Buying It Right: Consumer Strategies……Page 20
Tool or Toy?……Page 22
Basic Optical Definitions……Page 24
System Components……Page 41
Types of Telescopes……Page 47
Point-of-Purchase Checks……Page 65
Shipping and Warranties……Page 70
They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To……Page 73
Sources……Page 74
Condition Checks and Evaluation……Page 76
Eyepieces and Barlow Lenses……Page 89
Star Diagonals and Prisms……Page 96
Finders……Page 97
Visual Filters……Page 99
Specialized Visual Accessories……Page 106
Section II: Care and Maintenance……Page 109
Introduction: Glass as a Lens Material……Page 110
Environmental Factors……Page 111
Lens Optics – Light Cleaning……Page 115
Lens Optics – Advanced Cleaning……Page 119
Environmental Factors……Page 125
Dealing with Moisture and Dust Particles……Page 126
Figured and Flat Mirrors – Advanced Cleaning……Page 127
Focusers……Page 134
Handling and Disassembling Small Objectives……Page 136
General Care of Equatorial Mounts……Page 145
Reconditioning Equatorial Mount Bearings……Page 152
Aspects of Care of Dobsonians……Page 155
Wooden Tripods……Page 158
Refracting Telescopes……Page 161
Newtonians……Page 165
General Daytime Tests……Page 175
Collimation by Star Image……Page 177
Miscellaneous Adjustments……Page 181
11 Protection, Refinishing and Surface Treatments……Page 187
Care of Metal……Page 188
Wood and Wood Finishes……Page 195
Renewing a Non-reflective Finish; Tubes and Accessories……Page 201
Shipping Boxes and Storage Containers……Page 204
Silica Gel and Humidity……Page 205
Antihumidity Focuser Plugs……Page 207
Baffling A Refractor Tube……Page 208
Making Finder and Eyepiece Cross-Hair Reticles……Page 214
Separating and Recementing Small Achromats……Page 226
Hand and Power Tools……Page 232
Optical Hand Tools……Page 233
Power Tools……Page 234
Coatings……Page 235
Coating Tools and Materials……Page 236
Useful Solvents and Coating Removers……Page 237
Paint Stripping Compounds……Page 238
Advanced Mirror Cleaning – Materials Lists……Page 239
Light Gathering Power……Page 240
List of Hints for Protecting Equipment……Page 241
The Wratten Series Filters – A Partial Listing……Page 243
Scales of Seeing……Page 245
Relative Brightness……Page 246
Astronomical Equipment and Specialties……Page 247
Equipment and Tools……Page 249
Appendix D: Popular Astronomical Journals……Page 250
Bibliography……Page 252
F……Page 254
T……Page 255
W……Page 256