| Why Choose the CATSEYETM System?
(REVISED 9/16/07) |
|
CATSEYETM tools are state-of-the-art "passive" devices and they are "guaranteed" * to be internally collimated. When compared to an "active" device such as a Laser, their main advantage for you is that all the visual queues used in the collimation protocol with these tools are interactive "reflections" generated by your scope (and the autocollimator mirror when used). Reflections always obey the laws of straight-line optical physics - What you see in the visual queues always represents the optical scenario in your scope! With these tools, there's absolutely NO chance to be misled by internal too mis-collimation which is quite common among many Laser brands.
Unlike typical laser collimators, once these tools are built and carefully inspected for adherence to alignment specification, their expected functionality and "calibration" is assured for the life of the tool (unless damaged or tampered with). What this means for you is that you can rely on these tools to consistently deliver the "truth" about the state of optical alignment in your scope time after time without apprehension of the validity of their message. The evolution of CATSEYETM tools to their current "XL" line configuration has been driven through an iterative improvement process in response to my own personal use and customer feedback. A complete, comprehensive set of CATSEYETM tools excel in providing the most exacting collimation functionality possible for achieving maximum image contrast, brightness, symmetry and optical axis convergence accuracy.
CATSEYETM tools incorporate highly reflective media, giving you bright, clear, precision visual queues DAY or NIGHT (when illuminated with a bright Red LED)!
Additionally, precision placement of the center spot on your Primary is a "no-brainer" with the exclusive, CAD-drawn-precision CATSEYETM clear acetate spotting template. Proper orientation of the triangle points of the exclusive CATSEYETM "triangle" Primary mirror center-spot with the Primary "cell" adjustment screws facilitates intuitive corrective action.
The CATSEYETM autocollimator with its front-surface, large aperture mirror is "without question" the most resolute axial collimation device available today. At 7 focal-lengths away, the 4th reflection of the center spot discriminates convergence axial errors with 8x visibility.
As alluring as they are, lasers are limited to 2-pass resolution in the scope. Use of a laser for setting the Secondary mirror tilt/rotation falls far short of the precision alignment resolution capability of the 7-pass autocollimator.
The exclusive "telescoping" feature of CATSEYETM sight tubes allows them to be "tuned" in length to match the f/ratio of your scope for achieving precision optical (offset) centering of the Secondary under the focuser for maximum image contrast and brightness symmetry.
Once your scope is collimated with a complete "comprehensive" set of CATSEYETM tools (meaning sight tube, Cheshire and autocollimator), you can "rest assured" that your scope will deliver the maximum performance that "seeing" conditions allow.
|