Navigation

Quick Links

Lifelong Learning

Astronomy

Classical & Medieval

Linguistics

Mathematics

Philosophy & Logic

Mixology

MIS

History

Data Analytics

Return

Return to Homepage

Astronomy

Telescope Making

A couple years ago, I tried to make a telescope myself.  I bought a piece of glass, and ground away at it for a while.  It was a nice 12-1/2" diameter--maybe a bit ambitious for a first try, but I figured I'd never get another chance.  I was making good progress, but my focus was around 9'.  My dad, who was supposed to be helping me build the rest of the telescope once the glass was ground protested loudly about the length, and so I tried to grind some more to shorten it... what I ended up with was a glass with two foci... one on the inside which was about 6-7' and the outside one which was still around 9'... or was it the reverse?  Anyway, I imagine if I kept grinding I could fix it, but then I went to grad school, and well, I just keep hauling it around with me from place to place and not really doing anything with it.  I'm donating it to a friend's teenage son, who is also into astronomy, in the hopes that the vigor and free-time of youth will have more luck with correcting it. :)

Links:

Mirror Grinding & Telescope Making

San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers

How to Build a Telescope

CosmicOne

Celestial Wanderings: Journeys in Amateur Science

Astromart

Stargazer Steve

StarMaster Telescopes

Personal

Interests

Recipes

Cards

Quotes