Build Your Own Telescope - Get the Details Now!

  • Context: Stargazing 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Artman
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Homemade Telescopes
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the experiences and techniques involved in building homemade telescopes. Participants share their personal projects, preferences for design, and the materials used, exploring both the construction process and the motivations behind their choices.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about the types of telescopes built, including reflector, refractor, and Mak types, as well as specifications like aperture and F ratio.
  • One participant expresses a preference for the design and building process over the actual use of telescopes, indicating a methodical approach to constructing intermediate models before a larger one.
  • Another participant mentions their ongoing project of assembling a homemade telescope, noting the need to expand their observatory to accommodate the size of the telescope.
  • There are discussions about making versus buying components, with some participants sharing their experiences in fabricating parts like the spider, focuser, and mirror cell.
  • One participant humorously acknowledges their "aperture fever" and shares a resource aimed at helping new astronomers make informed decisions about telescope purchases.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various preferences and approaches to telescope building, with no clear consensus on the best methods or designs. The discussion includes differing opinions on the importance of the construction process versus the end product.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention specific dimensions and materials, but there are unresolved details regarding the construction techniques and the implications of different designs on telescope performance.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in amateur astronomy, telescope construction, and DIY projects may find the shared experiences and resources beneficial.

Artman
Messages
1,507
Reaction score
40
Let's get the new format with a somewhat general question.

How many of you have built your own telescope?

Give us some details. Did you do anything different or inovative with your design, or pretty much by the book?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
I did.

Morp
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Originally posted by morp
I did.

Morp

Thanks for getting us started, now how about some details. Is it a reflector or refractor or Mak type? What's the aperture, F Ratio, materials, did you make your mirrors, or lenses or buy them, etc?
 
Artman

When last we spoke about this
subject you will recall I mention-
ed being attracted to the larger
home built telescopes I'd seen
on a site about Dobsonian Mounts.
You were amused because it seemed
I had developed "aperture fever"
without ever having owned a scope
at all.

I found this site:

Advice for New Astronomers
Address:http://www.scopereviews.com/begin.html

when I was poking around, and I
think you would find it well done.
It's aimed at helping people make
an informed decision on what to
buy, rather than build, but much
of what he says would apply in
either case.

Anyway, I was amused, after your
observation on my apparent leap
from casual interest directly
into wanting my own private Mt.
Palomar, with no scopes in between
to find he had included an essay
on his site called Avoiding
"Aperture Fever"
.

-Zooby
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks zoobyshoe,

There is lots of good advice on that site.

As for avoiding aperture fever, it depends on your interest. Mine is more in the process of designing and building the scope, even more than using them, so I am working my way up to a big one by buiding all of the intermediates. (Don't tell my wife about my plan :smile: .)
 
in the process

I am in the process of asembling my very first home-made scope. Have some materials (frame, etc.) but will need to finish the expansion to my observatory before completing due to size (3.2 m) etc. My first one..always depended on meade and others before. will be..interesting..
 
Are you making your own mirror, or buying one already figured, or is it a refractor?

I've never made a mirror for a scope, but I make most of the other components, such as the spider, the focuser, the Mirror Cell, the tube (wood or PVC) the cradle and the base.

You spoke of enlarging the observatory, the 3.2m isn't the aperture is it?! That's a pretty long tube length also. Good luck with the project. Let us know how it goes.
 
3.22 is the exact aperture

Originally posted by Artman
Are you making your own mirror, or buying one already figured, or is it a refractor?

I've never made a mirror for a scope, but I make most of the other components, such as the spider, the focuser, the Mirror Cell, the tube (wood or PVC) the cradle and the base.

You spoke of enlarging the observatory, the 3.2m isn't the aperture is it?! That's a pretty long tube length also. Good luck with the project. Let us know how it goes.

We currently have a few optical scopes, but this will be my first foray into the radio realm. www.hjfso.org

laters:

Bill
AKA: The Evil One
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
5K
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
3K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
6K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
6K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • Sticky
  • · Replies 311 ·
11
Replies
311
Views
58K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K