Quote:
Originally Posted by Visionoz
David
Great read on your ATM astrograph - just a query on what's the advantage of a conical parabolical mirror design as opposed to a standard parabolical? - I'm curious to know if weight-savings is one of its advantages or are there other technical benefits?
Cheers
Bill
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Well, there are a few advantages to a conical mirror:
- Lower mass (approx 60% of full thickness conventional mirror) which means less weight.
- Lower mass also means quicker cool-down times. I've read (I think on R.F. Royce's site) that the figure behaves itself better during cool-down period as well.
- Simplicity of mounting. No need for flotation cells and edge supports, and when mounted in the way I describe below, there is less freedom for the mirror to shift during use.