Telescope Mirror Grinding Class

Ron Kalinoski, ACA member & Observatory Director

The Astronomy Club of Akron

KIWANIS CIVIC CENTER
725 Portage Lakes Dr
Akron, OH  44319

Friday, March 26, 2010 at 8:00PM

Anyone!  Absolutely free and open to the public

Have you ever wanted to grind your own telescope mirror?  How do you get started? Well, come out to our March meeting and learn the mirror grinding process any amateur astronomer can use to produce a high quality mirror.  The talk will cover rough grinding, fine grinding, making a pitch lap, polishing, and mirror correction.  Also included will be a demonstration of mirror grinding and a slideshow to help illustrate mirror-making fundamentals.  On display for inspection will be Pyrex blanks, grinding grits, pitch laps, knife edge tester, & mirror rack.  In our discussion, we'll consider some of the pitfalls to avoid while grinding your mirror and where you can purchase materials.

Ron's stargazing days began at age 10, when he asked his father for his first telescope, a 60mm Sears refractor.  A member of the ACA since 1995, Ron is also a member of The Planetary Society and the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society.  In his spare time, he enjoys travelling to the southwest to camp in the desert and observe the night sky.  His favorite locations include Big Bend National Park, VLA, Kitt Peak Observatory, Chaco Canyon, Mount Wilson Observatory, and Death Valley National Park.