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