Progress Report:

As of February 26, we have made it to the 15th person on the list. The progress can only be described as glacial, but we are working towards geological. (The way we are going I will need to expand my vocabulary. Which is longer, an epoch or an eon?) The pdf version of the mailing list includes a running progress report.

Please test the mirror immediately and send them to the next person on the list as soon as you are done.

Please send reports to me promptly when you are done testing.

Important Note: Please contact the next person on the list before you send the mirrors. Be sure that they are still interested and have the time to test them. We may need to skip over people and come back to them to speed up the process.

Introduction:

The goal of the testing round robin is to see how different individuals rate the same set of three mirrors using their preferred telescope mirror testing procedures. The most commonly used testing procedure is the Foucault knife-edge test, performed at the center of curvature. Each tester will be asked to test the three mirrors using a Foucault test. After that, they are encouraged to use their own methods, which might include Ronchi testing, null testing, poor-man's caustic tests or variations on the Hartmann test. I will collect all the results and report them at the end of the testing round.

The mirrors have been tested by interferometry! I have the results, but I am not telling. ;­). When the testing is done I will post the results of interferometry testing along with all of the other test results.

Mirror Testing Procedure:

You will be shipped a box with three mirrors and a bunch of testing forms. Use the testing forms to fill in and report the data for Foucault tests. The three mirrors include two 8" mirrors and one 6" mirror, all about F5. Include with the mirrors are two mask for the Foucault test. I would suggest using these masks for an initial round of testing. That will give me a set of data I can compare for all testers. If you want to retest the mirror with your own mask that would be fine. Please fill out the form completely and send the data to me by Fax, e-mail or mail. Please use one testing form for each mirror. If you would like to use e-mail, send me a request and I will send you the testing form as a Microsoft Word Document. You can also download it as a PDF file below:

Mirror Test Form as a PDF document.

Mirror Test form as a downloadable RFT document.

Mirror test form as a downloadable RFT document-zipped

Rating the mirrors:

Each form asks for a rating of the mirror's performance and a catalog of mirror defects. Go ahead and give your opinion. Perhaps we can put together some telescopes at a public star party and let people judge for themselves. I have adopted a modification of Bartel's rating system based upon maximum useful power. I have also ask for wave ratings. Let me know if you are quoting RMS or P-V. I will be recalculating this data for each set of measurements, so don't worry if you don't have access to a program to run the analysis. I have also asked you to indicate your experience level.

Statistical Significance:

Please run a minimum of 3 sets of data. To get real statistically significant data, you may want to run more sets. I have included space to record 6 sets of data. You can use both "diameters' for a single set of measurements if you want to collect more sets. Just be sure to make this clear on the form.

Diameters:

I have marked two diameters, 1 and 2, on each mirror. Both ends of the diameter have the number marked on it. When testing diameter "1", for example, the measurements should be made along that axis and both "1"s should be horizontal. Please enter the data for diameter one in the appropriate boxes, and the data for diameter two in the second set of boxes. By marking diameters for testing, I will be able to compare the data even if the mirror itself is astigmatic. (If the mirrors are astigmatic, please note that on the forms!)

Don't Spoil It!

Please keep your ratings confidential until everyone gets a chance to test the mirrors! We don't want to bias future testers.

Other Tests:

Please send me enough data and information on any other test method so that I can present it with the other results.

Shipping to the next tester:

Consult the list to figure out who to ship it to next. You should contact the next person on the list to be sure that they are available at that time. If not, you may want to skip to the next person on the list. We can return to the absent testers later. I have grouped people by geographic area to keep shipping costs down. I would suggest insuring the box for $600 in case it is lost. That would give use some funds to reimburse the people who loaned out the mirrors. Please consult me if there is a problem with the shipping list. Here is the master shipping list. Please consult it before you ship to the next person, because I may insert new testers into the list if they express an interest.

Shipping List. as a PDF Document.

Shipping List as a downloadable text document.

Please open to box carefully as it has Styrofoam compartments for each mirror. The box measures 13" X 13" X 17" and weighs 16 lb. I would expect shipping charges to be $8 to $15 dollars for ground UPS. You can check the UPS web site for an estimate. I will ship the box as "scientific equipment" rather than "glass" as UPS is funny about glass. FedEx could also be used to ship to the next person.

Oh Canada!

The Canadian testers have all completed there evaluations.

Thank you for participating. Please send suggestions or requests for mirror testing forms to me at srychnov@chem.ps.uci.edu.

You can return the testing forms to my address:

Scott Rychnovsky
52 Whitman Court
Irvine, CA 92612
USA

Having trouble reading the pdf files? You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader.