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 This is my telescope. It's not the best design, nor am I an expert in amateur telescope making. But since this was a fun project that works well, I wanted to share what I've learned with you.
I started by learning all that I could about telescopes. I always look for the best bang for my buck, but most of what I wanted was out of my price range. So I decided to build my own telescope. The design I chose is called a Newtonian reflector. It offers the largest aperture, the simplest design, and best optics for the money.
A Newtonian reflector consists of two mirrors: the parabolic primary mirror and a smaller, secondary mirror that re-directs the image to the eyepiece. It's important to space the primary and secondary mirror so that the focal point of the primary mirror ends up at the eyepiece. During my research, I found a design that used a large cardboard tube and wood. I felt that this would be flimsy, however, so I opted for a metal tube and plastic parts instead. I also bought my mirrors. I know that some people make their own, but this wasn't a task I was ready to take on. So, I ended up buying an 8" diameter primary mirror, which has served me well for my first scope. One day, I'd like to make a 12" or 16" telescope.
In my next post I will describe in more detail and provide more pictures as to how I constructed this scope.
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Re: Making a telescope
