firstC8 wrote:Since my C8 clearly needed collimation and outdoor weather has not been cooperating, I ordered the artificial star collimator from Hubble Optics.
It has been a week no delivery yet, their phone on the website does not work, and they did not return email. Anyone knows if they are still in business?
I don't know about H.O. but I can tell you how to make an inexpensive artificial star.
Just need a bearing ball sphere about 10-20 mm wide and a flash light.
Pointing the light to the reflective surface of the sphere will produce a nice artificial star that can be used to collimate the optics. The distance from the a.star and the telescope should be at least 10 times the focal lenght. The more the flash light is far from the sphere the dimmer is the star so you can also vary the magnitude as you need.
