Chuck wrote:

Kurt, Bryan Greer (Protostar) may have the secondary holder you are looking for. http://www.fpi-protostar.com/

That looks like a good upgrade for a secondary. I'm really focused (there's that pun again) on trying to find a spring loaded knob that I can adapt instead of having three spring loaded Allen bolts in the secondary mirror. I'm finding that when hauling around the Newt, it's the secondary mirror that is getting jolted out of alignment by the potholes, not the primary mirror. Rather than having to futz with Allen wrenches during a twilight setup, I'd really like to end up with somekind of quickly adjustable knob. I haven't been able to find any small knob with a bolt long enough to reach through the secondary mirror holder body and reach the pyrex assembly.

I must add that when I use a laser for collimation, I still base my final, critical adjustments (if needed) with a star-test- now there's a dirty word for you. I've been recommending Dick Suiter's book for years (Star-testing Astronomical Telescopes) and still do.

Suiter's book is an all-time classic - definitely worth anyone having on their bookshelf. You gotta know how to star test, if only for the entertainment value of seeing spooky quantum mechanics nanometer-sized diffraction rings in your eyepiece. -:) But going back to the setup time thing - the high-end laser collimator will get you there faster, you can get nearly perfect collimation on the couch at home in a comfortable lighted environment before leaving for the field and only have to tweak the final adjustment when the scope is field mounted. For me, it's a time and enjoyment thing. Minimize the time getting the scope really aligned and collimated and spend more time at the eyepiece. - Kurt ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ