At 10:39 PM -0700 4/26/98, ken milburn wrote:
>.... I usually recommend the DMW [Deluxe Milburn Wedge?] for
>... those with a permanent pier.

While I'm sure Ken's wedges are fine examples of the machinist's art, I'm
not sure why I would want one on top of a permanent pier. That pier isn't
going anywhere, nor is its relationship to the Earth changing. Thus I
would think that careful polar alignment done once would be done for all
time. And thus, a fine wedge like Ken's is not needed since its primary
virtue is ease of adjustment. Would not a junky old Meade Superwedge do
just as well in this case?

Now you're probably saying, "This guy obviously doesn't have a pier. If he
did, he would know <crucial fact> and not make such a silly statement." It
wouldn't be the first time :-) So, does the wedge get out of adjustment
just sitting there? (Due to thermal cycling or metal fatigue?) Do the
effects of precession happen fast enough to require yearly realignments?
(What do they do at Palomar?) Heck, for that matter, until I get into
photography is there any reason not to continue to use altaz mode even on a
pier?

Can I do lunar CCD imaging in altaz mode?

(All this is no longer as theoretical as it once was for me. I am about to
move to a new house where I will have the opportunity to build a pier and
an observatory for my 12" LX200. Hurray! )

---
Bill Arnett "Science is a way of trying
San Jose, CA USA not to fool yourself." -- Feynman

View index by [date] [author] [subject]
Previous message: Re: [M]: Pointing Insanity and another thing..., Bill Arnett
Next message: [M]: RE: LX-200 Dec Mods (Was: Guiding and the 216xt with final version of pictor), Heapy Chris CG
Next message in thread: Re: [M]: Re: Buying a wedge..., Gene Horr
Previous message in thread: [M]: Re: Buying a wedge..., ken milburn