DON WRIGHT'S ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

ATM (Amateur Telescope Making)
My brother, Jerry Wright, was an amateur telescope maker.
Jerry passed away on 31 December, 2024

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jw1959    j&r
Left photo:  10 year old Jerry in 1959 with his 4-inch Criterion Dynascope.
Right photo:  Jerry (tan shirt) and wife Rosemary showing off his 6" Turkey Telescope at
the 2010 Stellafane Convention.     Click here to learn more about his 2009 trip to Turkey.



22" f/3 Mirror Project
by Jerry Wright

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Rough grinding the 22" mirror on the John Wikswo machine.  The focal length of the finished mirror will be 66" (f/3).
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Rough grinding continues but the desired curve depth (sagitta) is getting closer.
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Desired curve depth reached, now the curve needs to be spread out to the mirror's edge.
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120 grit fine grinding.  Goal is to remove the coarse pits from rough grinding, and to achieve and maintain a spherical curve.
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220 grit fine grinding.
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Fine grinding the 22" mirror with 5µ grit.  Next step will be polishing.
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Polishing begins.  Stroke arm problem is noticed.
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Polishing resumes.  Improvements made to stroke arm.
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The Singing Lap.
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Figuring begins.
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Lap facet overhang (viewed from below).



View Photos:
Rough grinding the 22" mirror, working towards the desired sagitta (depth of curve).
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Oven photographs.  Details of the "Jerry-Rigged" oven used for drying the plaster tools.
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Fine grinding the 22" mirror.