Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffW1
Hi,
How many think N O Carlin is the final authority for collimating Dobs (I think myself it is hard to fault him) ?
Cheers
|
He is obviously a person very skilled in optical theory and the properties of light. So far as being an authority on collimating a telescope, he is an authority to people who need some assistance in collimating a telescope and in many cases don't properly understand it. A lot of experienced observers still do it the same way they did it, long before Nils Olif came along with his S & T article, me included. I am sure my telescope was properly collimated before that article came along.
Vic Menard, who is still around and a Cloudy Nights contributor, wrote a lot of articles and a book on collimation, before Nils Olif found his red laser. I doubt that Vic Menard needs to use a barlowed laser to collimate his telescope.
Come to think of it. I doubt Isaac Newton ever had a laser; and he obviously figured out how to collimate his telescope
Nils Olif's barlowed laser method is very good for quickly checking the tilt of the primary mirror, once you have everything else properly aligned. Keep in mind that's all the barlowed laser method is good for. Does it do this single job any better or more accurately than can be achieved with other methods? The answer is no.
Cheers,
John B