Gunnison Valley Observatory

The telescope has arrived! 5/16/2008 Assembled, and on it's way to collimation... 5/25/2008

Here is my update for Sunday, May 25th - we have the secondary in place - focuser on - balanced - rough collimation looks great. Thanks to Paul at Western Slope for the work on my weighting idea for balancing. They'll look great when I get the flames painted on them! :-). They look like little rockets!

Tod - my partner in crime spent some great time with Arthur and I balancing the beast... er beauty.

I am totally worn out - but after seeing this dream a reality I know now the sacrifice will pay off for generations to come. It's been a long hard road traveled to get to where we are. There's not enough time or space literally for me to thank everyone who believed.

Here's the link to the latest pictures I have.

Š2008 Gunnison Valley Observatory

coloradoskies.org

Today's progress is a lot of little stuff and the main mirror. We mounted the declination worm and Mathis drive. Thanks again to Sherman Berry for milling parts, again!!

The secondary spider. The 30 inch mirror. No, we didn't break it. :-)

Click here for the pictures for today May 22nd, 2008.

Š2008 Gunnison Valley Observatory

coloradoskies.org

Update May 21st, 2008 - Mostly getting the 'little things' done. We had to mill down the worm .095 inches - that's 95 1,000ths of an inch - picky, picky, picky.

Sherman Berry at Western Slope Patterns (my office neighbor) did it for us for free. I asked him to send me a bill and he said,

"I got your bill right here buddy." Gotta love him!

Click here to view the Wednesday May 21st. Pictures

Click here to see Don McLeod's Pictures

Click here to view Bill Maier's Pictures

Click here to view the Tuesday May 20th Pictures

The update for Tuesday, May 20th was brief but exciting.

To All:

Mike just called with some exciting news. The fork arm is in place! Now they are going to start on the OTA. Super!

--Maureen

Maureen don't say much does she. :-)

Thanks to the City of Gunnison for providing the best guys on the planet for fork placement. You guys ROCK!

Arthur Sweeney begins assembly.

(Sooner or later you gotta break out the duct tape.)

Day 2 May 17th, 2008

Update from Gail - Monday May 19th 2008

The triangle box (made by Western Slope Connection) has been mounted.

The polar axis base and polar axis plate are mounted to the triangle box.

We have the hoist from RSC but this might not be optimal for mounting the fork arm onto the polar axis assemblage. Ken Coleman, Gunnison City Manager, was with me at the GVO and offered the use of the electric boom truck crane for lifting the fork arm for assembly. This will speed up the process and make it much safer. Mike will call me with some notice so that I can arrange this with the electric superintendant.

Once the fork arm is mounted it SHOULD be smooth sailing in mounting the other components.

Arthur has been working on the software programming.