The Importance of Being Collimated

I agree Eamonn, the laser is a quick and easy way to get an average collimation, but not bang on.

Michael, what optical configuration did you use in your third image, what did you do to make such a dramatic difference from the second image ?
Is the second image with the focal reducer (f6.3).
I have to say I find this kind of stuff very interesting !!

I agree Eamonn, the laser is a quick and easy way to get an average collimation, but not bang on.

Michael, what optical configuration did you use in your third image, what did you do to make such a dramatic difference from the second image ?
Is the second image with the focal reducer (f6.3).
I have to say I find this kind of stuff very interesting !!

Dave,

The second image was with the f/6.3 focal reducer after collimation.
The thrid image was also after collimation at f/10 - no focal reducer or additional optics at all.

Regards,

I sent an e-mail to Baader in Germany earlier this evening enquiring about focal reducers. Totally unexpected, I just got a reply - late on a Sunday evening!
This is what I was told:

The proper distance from the mechanical bottom of the Reducer/corrector to the film/CCD-plane must be kept at 110 mm for this Celestron product

I never knew this before.

That kind of information is pure gold !!!! I have never heard of that rule before. That would apply to Meade reducers also as they are practically the same.

I wonder how end users such as yourselves were to have known this info otherwise!

That kind of information is pure gold !!!!

That's exactly what i was thinking!

I have never heard of that rule before. That would apply to Meade reducers also as they are practically the same.

I guess it's an element of the design of the focal reducer. My guess is that it is the focal length of the focal reducer, but could well be wrong.