--============_-1295682008==_ma============ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Apache Point Observatory is entering initial planning stages to propose an aluminizing chamber to handle our 3.5m and 2.5m primary mirrors. We are soliciting input from the ARC community and various organizations regarding; size, type, configuration, as well as potential vendors for the design and manufacture of such facility. At this stage we are considering all possibilities including items such as ; sputtering, vapor deposition, over-coating, fixed, mobile, and shared cost and use. Currently the only hard requirements are to be able to perform aluminum coatings on both of our primary mirrors on a frequency as high as twice annually. APO has access to a 2m facility at NSO/SP for aluminum coating all of our smaller optics and use the KPNO 4m facility for our larger primaries. Cost will be a driving factor, with a target operational date of 2001. I would be interested in hearing any comments you may have regarding any of the items mentioned above. Please respond via email to myself at the reply address. If you have any questions or comments you would like to discuss please email or call. I would like to have all responses back by to March 1st when we will start compiling them. Please feel free to pass this message on to persons you feel may have an interest. or relevant knowledge on the subject . Mark Klaene --============_-1295682008==_ma============ Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii" <fontfamily><param>Times</param><bigger><bigger>Apache Point Observatory is entering initial planning stages to propose an aluminizing chamber to handle our 3.5m and 2.5m primary mirrors. We are soliciting input from the ARC community and various organizations regarding; size, type, configuration, as well as potential vendors for the design and manufacture of such facility. At this stage we are considering all possibilities including items such as ; sputtering, vapor deposition, over-coating, fixed, mobile, and shared cost and use. Currently the only hard requirements are to be able to perform aluminum coatings on both of our primary mirrors on a frequency as high as twice annually. APO has access to a 2m facility at NSO/SP for aluminum coating all of our smaller optics and use the KPNO 4m facility for our larger primaries. Cost will be a driving factor, with a target operational date of 2001. I would be interested in hearing any comments you may have regarding any of the items mentioned above. Please respond via email to myself at the reply address. If you have any questions or comments you would like to discuss please email or call. I would like to have all responses back by to March 1st when we will start compiling them. Please feel free to pass this message on to persons you feel may have an interest. or relevant knowledge on the subject . Mark Klaene</bigger></bigger></fontfamily> --============_-1295682008==_ma============-- APO APO APO APO APO Apache Point Observatory 3.5m APO APO APO APO APO This is message 332 in the apo35-general archive. You can find APO the archive on http://www.astro.princeton.edu/APO/apo35-general/INDEX.html APO To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu APO To post a message, mail it to apo35-general@astro.princeton.edu APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO