[ATM] New ...12" ultralight dob - Mirror Covers

[NGC704 at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/5/2005 8:16:24 AM Central Standard Time, 
mdholm at telerama.com writes:

> keep dust off of 
>  your mirror, during storage, with a close fitting mirror cover.  I mean 
>  something that sits right on the rim of the mirror...

Howdy, Gang!

First, congrats to Alan -- she's beautiful!! You kicked some serious 
photon-butt with that effort, dude!!!

About mirror covers: I do as Mark suggests, and keep a 16" piece of 1/8" 
Plexiglas sitting on my 16" mirror. It has three guides to keep it on, with three 
thin cork pads directly underneath them. The guides are CA'd to the top 
surface of the Plexi, of course. But I only use this cover while deployed afield. In 
the meantime...

...I keep my mirror in a fitted case for transport and storage. It's a hassle 
I don't care for, but in return I get peace of mind, and sparkly clean mirror 
looking back at me every time I open its case.

See: http://members.aol.com/NGC704/16.htm

I also keep a telescope checklist attached to the scope while it languishes 
at home awaiting its next outing. Has items like "primary mirror", "strut 
tubes", "ladder", etc., on it...

Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
http://members.aol.com/NGC704/