An incredibly generous donation
A while ago I was musing about ways to get better space pics, and @BeasMeeply incredibly generously offered to donate an 8" blank sitting in his closet for 10 years if I paid for shipping! Thank you so much! I’ve got it now and it looks incredibly clear. He also sent a metal 1.25" focuser, which was an extra addition I wasn’t expecting.
It’s like I was standing on the edge of an abyss deciding whether not to jump in, and then someone threw a mirror at my back. I guess I’m falling in! Now I need to figure out how to measure its curvature, polish it using a pitch lap, and then aluminize it. It’s a lot of work… but it’ll be worth it. I’m excited!