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Nils Olof Carlin

Started by Vic Menard , Aug 15 2017 12:41 PM

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Posted 15 August 2017 - 12:41 PM

Vic Menard

I just received an email from Robert Dalby FRAS with the sad news that Nils Olof passed away yesterday. Robert asked me to post
this in the Cloudy Nights forums, which Nils Olof enjoyed so much. Robert told me that Nils Olof, "...had taken ill with a
reoccurrence of a longstanding heart condition and passed away while in the care of doctors at Lund University Hospital."

To say that Nils Olof will be "sorely missed" is an understatement. I would place his contributions to these forums somewhere
between "this should be in the text book" and legendary. I will always remember his "magical" back of the envelope math-in-a-
hurry, where, with a few select numbers, he would almost spontaneously deliver the solution that had been eluding everyone else- CNers have asked about a donation
box for Cloudy Nights over the years,
-for days... It seemed to me that over the past few years, Nils Olof would kind of stroll into the fray with a quiet, yet perceptive, so here you go. Donation is not
voice of reason, and, well, how can you argue with that? required by any means, so please
enjoy your stay.

Nils Olof’s insights regarding the autocollimator and Newtonian axial tolerances were particularly important to me for validating
the alignment criteria in the fifth edition of "New Perspectives on Newtonian Collimation”. But even more important, at least in
my mind, was with his help, finally uniting all of the theories and applications in such a way that everyone could agree, “This is

it!” That was something I knew from the beginning, could not be done without Nils Olof nodding his head in the background.

Today, I'm thankful for the Cloudy Nights forums, where I feel like I actually got to know Nils Olof Carlin. Like many reading this,
I will miss him, and I will never forget him!

Recent Topics

Posted 15 August 2017 - 12:43 PM

Bill Schneider

That's terribly sad news.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 12:53 PM

tag1260
16" Scope in a Model 3 - Feasible or Dumb?
First Howie, now Nils. Collimation and alignment of these great instruments of ours will never be the same without them. I think TiSaph - Today, 08:38 AM
neither knew their true impact on the hobby. My sympathies and prayers go out to his family.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 12:55 PM

Bob4BVM
Partial Solar Eclipse - Fun With Photoshop
Bob Antol - Today, 08:33 AM
A great , humble, and generous mentor to so many of us.
Yes this is a great loss to us...
But imagine him now, enjoying a view of the Heavens we here cannot even begin to comprehend.

Enjoy the well-earned wonders before you, our dear friend !

and Thank You,
Bob
12.5mm Morpheus vs. 12.5mm Docter
russell23 - Today, 08:04 AM
Edited by Bob4BVM, 15 August 2017 - 12:57 PM.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 01:04 PM

mark cowan

Very sad news indeed. Nils Olof was a very trusted colleague and a long time on-line friend with outstanding insight (even though Trouble building stool for use by telescope
he would deny the last in due modesty). side while imaging
Hilmi - Today, 07:05 AM
Mark

Posted 15 August 2017 - 01:16 PM

Jason D
NGC7094- very faint planetary at the limits
of my sky visibility
Very sorry to hear the sad news about the passing of Nils Olof. I consider him one of my collimation mentors. I learned so much
pyrasanth - Today, 06:59 AM
from him. A true gentleman. RIP, Nils Olof Carlin.
Jason

NGC7000 (my first color narrowband

Posted 15 August 2017 - 01:30 PM integration)
Jon Isaacs jbrazio - Today, 06:52 AM

Wow, just Wow.

Over the years, Nils and I had many private conversations on many topics, not only collimation, equatorial platforms, reflex
finders but politics, music and life in general.
Help with collimation
Few here probably know that in the 1970's Nils developed and built guitar effects pedals, these have a following and only a fre ManuelJ - Today, 06:03 AM
years ago, Nils built another batch.

https://moodysounds....ser-original-g/ (https://moodysounds.com/produkt/carlin-phaser-original-g/)

Barnards Galaxy - the LMC's cousin
Nils had a very special mind, he understood things on a very fundamental level and he could apply it to the real world. Strongmanmike - Today, 05:51 AM

A gentle, modest man who was content to let others reap the benefits of his genius..

A friend has passed.

Nils: Rest in peace M57 Change
elrico - Today, 03:52 AM
Jon

Posted 15 August 2017 - 01:38 PM

alvarete
RASA first light with Atik 460 Target NGC
891 L Channel IDAS filter
I am sorry very much to hear that.
pyrasanth - Today, 02:18 AM
Rest in peace

Posted 15 August 2017 - 01:43 PM

Jitou

No way ! I regularly read over and over again his very instructive papers about collimation. We'll always be grateful for his work
on the autocollimator and the barlowed laser his own invention. My though goes to his family up north somewhere in Sweden.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 02:08 PM

kingjamez

Very sorry to hear. He was a true asset to the community!

-Jim

Posted 15 August 2017 - 02:23 PM

Joe1950

I didn't know his as well most of you did, but every time our paths cross and he made a post, it was extraordinary and memorable.

We were fortunate to know him, and share a passion with Nils.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 02:37 PM

jonathanCR

Everytime I see a post with his name on it I know that is the one to read carefully because the answer is there for sure. RIP...

Posted 15 August 2017 - 02:41 PM

airbleeder

I'm so sorry to hear that Nils has passed. He will be missed by many not only for his contributions, but also for his kindness. I
will miss him.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 02:57 PM

jtsenghas

Oh no! Sad news! I hope his passing was merciful for him and his family.

Nils Olof is the one we have to credit for the concept of using a barlowed laser to very accurately collimate a primary mirror --even
if secondary axis alignment is a wee bit off. He published this in a few articles in 2003 and 2004 including in Sky and Telescope
Magazine. That primary axis has a MUCH tighter tolerance on fast instruments than the secondary axis, even if a coma corrector
is used.

Howie integrated this concept into his fine tools. Both are giants in this field. This is a sad year for observers indeed.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 03:05 PM

jtsenghas

I have been a member of this community for less than three years, and Nils Olof made me feel welcome on the first day I posted
on the Beginner's forum. He was patient in explaining things to a fault, but his dry wit indicated he didn't suffer fools kindly, and
he had no shame in identifying certain arguments as either wrong or irrelevant. In my first year he and I shared a number of
PMs, and twice he contacted me out of the blue inquiring me about a couple of my projects that were embarrassingly languishing
due to lack of attention.

The world became a smaller place today.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 03:33 PM

Astrojensen

We have lost a gentle giant. Rest in peace among the stars, Nils Olof.


Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

Posted 15 August 2017 - 03:34 PM

Pinbout

----

Posted 15 August 2017 - 03:57 PM

jtsenghas

Jon Isaacs, on 15 Aug 2017 - 6:30 PM, said:

Nils had a very special mind, he understood things on a very fundamental level and he could apply it to the real world...

Jon

Jon is absolutely right on that point. Nils Olof Carlin, for example, worked out the math regarding the size of the coma-free sweet
spot of a paraboloid varying with the cube of the f/number. (In millimeters it is generally accepted as being 0.005 x F^3).

His contributions in this hobby have been immense.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 06:27 PM

clivemilne

RIP Nils...

Posted 15 August 2017 - 06:32 PM

MitchAlsup

Godspeed my friend.

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:27 PM

Ed D

I learned a lot from reading his discussions on these forums. We will surely miss him.

Ed D

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:30 PM

raal

I felt privileged when Nils Olof once found the time to nudge my thoughts in the right direction.

Farewell, Nils Olof!

Posted 15 August 2017 - 07:34 PM

tommm

Very sad

Posted 15 August 2017 - 08:07 PM

Coconuts

I have been an active ATM since the age of ten, but have only recently begun visiting the CN forums. While I definitely recognize
Nils Olof's name, having seen it here and there, I am completely missing his many contributions. Could I suggest, in both
recognition of his legacy, and as an access point for newer members, that a single thread be generated, and added to our sticky
thread, that includes his many posts?

All the best,

Kevin

Posted 15 August 2017 - 08:31 PM

highertheflyer

Coconuts, on 16 Aug 2017 - 01:07 AM, said:

I have been an active ATM since the age of ten, but have only recently begun visiting the CN forums. While I definitely
recognize Nils Olof's name, having seen it here and there, I am completely missing his many contributions. Could I suggest, in
both recognition of his legacy, and as an access point for newer members, that a single thread be generated, and added to our
sticky thread, that includes his many posts?

All the best,

Kevin

May I second Kevin's requests please?

Jim

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