| Making a telescope is an extraordinarily rewarding | | | | online surplus stores and there are several kits |
| experience because it crosses several different | | | | readily available that give you all the necessary |
| realms of experience. The first reward for you is | | | | materials to make this kind of telescope. They |
| the fun of making something. And the second | | | | also come in bulk units for classroom and group |
| reward is the sheer pleasure of using what you | | | | use. A kit like this typically gives you all the |
| made to explore the universe. And you also get | | | | materials needed to make ten or more |
| the added benefits of saving some money and | | | | telescopes. |
| learning about telescopes and building things. | | | | Getting A little more involved with your telescope |
| The Simplest telescope you can make | | | | making |
| There are a lot of different types you can make | | | | If you want a bit more of a challenge you should |
| and the absolute simplest one you can make is | | | | consider making some type of reflector telescope. |
| composed of just two lenses. One large lens | | | | Instead of a large objective lens as the light |
| called an objective and a second smaller lens called | | | | gatherer this type uses a mirror. A reflector can |
| an eyepiece. You hold one lens near your eye and | | | | be very economical by giving you great price |
| another lens at arms length. You adjust the | | | | versus performance. Mirrors cost substantially less |
| difference between the two by moving your arm | | | | than lenses so for the same amount of money |
| in toward you. A point will be reached where | | | | spent you can get a much larger and much more |
| everything comes into focus. It is as simple as | | | | powerful telescope. |
| that. You have a telescope. Now you can make | | | | If you have a bit of woodworking or metal |
| it much better by creating a tube around it. Get | | | | working skill and you want to tackle a project |
| two cardboard tubes with one that can slide in | | | | that is well within the means of a hobbyist you |
| and out of the other. You mount one lens on the | | | | might want to consider making a Dobsonian |
| end of one tube and the other lens on the end of | | | | telescope. A Dobsonian telescope uses a |
| the other tube. Insert one tube into the other | | | | parabolic mirror to collect the light and most |
| and then slide them in and out to find the focus. | | | | Dobsonian builders buy the mirror then build the |
| | | | | mount for the mirror to go in. The basic concept |
| You can get very inexpensive lenses from a | | | | of this type of telescope is that it is easy to build |
| variety of surplus and online stores and they | | | | and easy to use. It is pretty much just a rotating |
| generally will only cost a couple of dollars each. I | | | | base with a telescope tube mounted on it. And |
| recommend you get for your primary lens a | | | | this type of instrument has gotten very popular |
| convex lens at least 50 millimeters in diameter | | | | because it really is easy to use and easy to build. |
| and a focal length of between 200 and 300 | | | | And one of the biggest benefits is that because it |
| millimeters. For the secondary lens I recommend | | | | is so inexpensive to build more money can be |
| you get a convex lens that is between 10 and 25 | | | | spent on larger mirrors which can make them |
| millimeters wide with a focal length of less than 75 | | | | quite remarkable in terms of their ability to see |
| millimeters. | | | | things in the night sky. If you are considering |
| There are several things you can do to make this | | | | making this type of scope you probably should |
| telescope even better. First off you could make a | | | | begin with one that has a mirror between six and |
| tube out of something more durable than | | | | eight inches in diameter. |
| cardboard tubes. Secondly, this type of | | | | Whether you build a refractor or a reflector |
| telescope will invert images so everything appears | | | | telescope making is a very rewarding pursuit and |
| upside down which is ok for viewing the sky but | | | | is something you can enjoy for a lifetime. And |
| is very awkward for viewing things on the earth. | | | | once you start you might find that you have |
| You can solve this by using a concave lens for | | | | caught the fever and will be always looking |
| the eyepiece rather than a convex lens. | | | | toward building bigger and better ones. For |
| You can purchase the lenses individually from | | | | some people making them is half the fun. |