First light thru my new baby

Hi guys! Remember me? I am the guy who was bothering you for the last 6 months while grinding, polishing and figuring 8" mirror. I finished my scope today, it still needs some minor improvements and painting.
I had a pleasure to see some breathtaking things this night, even in light polluted Chicago! I couldn't say a word for several minutes seeing the majestic Saturn with rings and moons for first time in my life, I was just bedazed, and then hurrying through the sky Jupiter for a dessert! God, I can't wait until I take my new toy to some dark sky places...

So anyway, I am proud of myself and I want to thank you for your priceless advice and support. Without you I would just throw away a mirror blank and polishing lap through a window after clueless hours of painful figuring.
I would like to thank especially Tom Simmons for hand holding and being a patient teacher; Bob Chester, William Earl, Doug Scobel , Jason Lane, Floyd Blue for great tips and support and all other guys from Astromart forum I missed. Really it's good to know that you guys are around. I hope we'll meet some day on a star party!

I attach some pics of my work.
Dobsonian mount was built based on Ray Cash-Le Pennec's plans, which can be found here:http://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/manualv2.pdf

Some telescope specs:
Primary: 203 mm (8"), F/5.87, 1/12 lambda error
Secondary: 39mm (1.55")
Sonotube baffled based on Newt sofware with insulation foam strips
Dobsonian mount made of plywood
Open mirror cell, cooling fan friendly
Low profile threaded focuser made of plastic plumbing parts

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Hello Marcin,
That is wonderful! Glad to see the scope worked out and that it is assembled and tested.
Now for the final finish and a lot of fun.

Congratulations, Marcin! You have every right to be proud of your accomplishment. You've joined something of an exclusive club, there aren't that many people that make their own optics any more. Every time you look through your scope you'll get that same warm, fuzzy feeling. Way to go!

Be sure to post pictures when you get it all finished, not that any home made telescope is ever truly finished - there's always something to change!

Doug

Awesome Marcin! And it's the first time you ever looked at Saturn? What a great start!

Cheers,
Jason

So here it is - it's solid, functional and beautiful. I am very proud of it and enjoying using it.

I would like to name it LEM, in memoriam Stanislaw Lem, Polish science fiction and philosophy writer (author of Solaris, Ciberiada, Tales of Pirx the Pilot, Return from the Stars and many more), who has died recently.

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