You can make a telescope for around $25 in materials. You can make one for $50 that will amaze your friends and family, and show you things you didn't know existed. It can be done in a few weeks. However, telescope-making can get messy. You can break a piece you've slaved over. Then you walk around in the worst mood you have ever been in. But in the end you have a telescope that people will look at, and through, and say, "You couldn't have made this." Yes, you did, and that is the best part of all.

Let's make a telescope.

Table of Contents

A printable version of Telescope Making is available. (edit it)

• Thinking About Telescopes
• Project 1: The Newtonian Reflector
• Making the Optics
• Assembling the Telescope
• The Telescope Mount

External Links

• The Surplus Shed, Optical Parts
• Astromart Telescope Making Page
• American Science and Surplus, Optical Parts
• Got Grit sells grinding materials. They have a good reputation.

Further reading

• "Build your own telescope" shows how to set up an extremely low-cost demonstration of how telescopes work.
• The Cookbook Camera (CCD "Cookbook Camera" Project) was a great resource in 1996 for people who wanted to add a CCD to their telescope. Is "Wikibooks: Telescope Making" the best place to bring it up-to-date?
• adapting a low-cost web camera to a telescope
• "The Trackball telescope"; OR "The Trackball telescope" describes yet another style of telescope mount that uses a sphere resting against a driven axle to track the stars.
• "Mel Bartels Mirror Making Page" One of the most respected and quoted amateur mirror and telescope makers.
• "Telescope Makers Web Ring Home Page" This is the home page where you can list your web site and show off your creation;This is the list of websites in the ring.
• "The Amateur Telescope Makers list server" You can join the list or just read the postings and the archives. A huge source of information.
• "Mark's Notes for the Amateur Telescope Maker" by Mark T. VandeWettering.
• "Barn Door Star Tracker" by Tom Veik. Category:Book:Telescope Making#%20 Category:Subject:General engineering#Telescope%20Making