Build Your Own Telescope

dobsonian telescope
So, did you hear about those Girl Scouts kicking ass with their home built telescope? [via] Here I thought they were only about overpriced cookies. The telescope  is a “Dobsonian”; a design over 50 years old and named for creator John Dobson. People have been building these long before commercial telescopes were available. Here is a link to a pdf describing how-to build one of these monsters.

[thanks marc melcher]

14 thoughts on “Build Your Own Telescope

    1. Dobsonian telescopes have been built in binocular configuration, and although this requires close matching of primary and secondary mirrors, it can be done relatively cheaply. Google “binocular dobsonian telescope” for more information.

  1. Dobson, the guy the telescope mount is named for, ground and polished his own mirrors from a decommisioned ship’s porthole glass! Check out the San Francisco Side Walk Astronomers site for more info.

  2. word. there are alot of videos on telescope lens making. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBDuXvejJ9k <—-this is one similar to one i saw a long time ago but instead of metal arms for the grinder, he had built his out of wood. also you can use a kiln and sheet glass stacked on top of each with a fiber blanket ring in the diameter you want to lens and blast that shit together and let it anneal for a day or 2

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