Argo Navis is most commonly deployed on brand new telescopes but now and then
we have customers who deploy it on older scopes which then helps bring new
life to them.
One such telescope is a 36" f/5 folded Cassegrain owned by Indiana University
and operated by the Indiana Astronomical Society at the Goethe Link Observatory,
the mirror of which was the test pour from the Corning Glass Works in Chicago for
the 200" Palomar in the 1930's.
This telescope weighs over 2,260kg and the concrete pier extends into
solid bed rock and weighs 181,400kg. That's 200 tons in the imperial system.
The shutters themselves weigh an imperial ton.
Here is a 5 minute YouTube that features a visit to the telescope to
give you a sense of the size of this beast -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqQAh82lrq0
Bruce Bowman posted the following on the Argo Navis User's Group today
and many of you may have seen it. For Argo Navis owners who did not, I
quote Bruce directly below.
We thank Bruce for his support and that of the Indiana Astronomical Society.
Best Regards
Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Phone +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Bruce Bowman
Gary --
I wanted to take a moment to provide some follow-up on the retrofitting of our
old scope with an Argo Navis. You may recall the primary blank for this 36"
scope was a test pour at Corning Glass Works in Chicago for the 200" at Palomar
way back in the 1930s.
We ran into some issues with the initial digital setting circle project 11 years
ago and -- frankly -- the whole idea was shelved for way too long. After I came
along and tried to resurrect the project we eventually decided to purchase an
Argo Navis and forego using a bbox with [vendor redacted] software to achieve an
alignment.
Despite some initial glitches (related to long encoder cable runs that really
couldn't be avoided), the Argo Navis has been working like a champ for some time
now. As a DIRECT RESULT of not only our purchase, but also your responsiveness
in this Yahoo group regarding my various troubleshooting queries, the scope has
received more use in the last 12 months than it did in the previous 12 years.
And frankly, you've made me a minor hero in this small pond called the Indiana
Astronomical Society.
Thank you thank you thank you for your help with this. Needless to say, when I
decided to retrofit my 25-year-old, 13" Dobsonian with DSCs you were the first
one I thought of.
I am NOT one to gush over a vendor; but if anyone here is waffling over what to
buy, they cannot do better than your product. Post this on your web site.
Sincerely,
Bruce Bowman
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