Making Your Own Telescope

Abstract

TELESCOPE making by amateurs has a great vogue in the United States. In association with the Hayden Planetarium in New York, there has, for almost a dozen years, been an Optical Division of the Amateur Astronomers Association. Facilities and space have been provided in the basement of the Planetarium for classes in telescope making. Mr. Thompson has for some years been the instructor of these classes and has had ample opportunity to develop and test efficient and practicable methods and to become familiar with the various pitfalls and difficulties that beset the beginner. In order to make available to a greater number of amateurs the experience that he has gained, this book has been written. It describes in some detail the methods of grinding, polishing, figuring and testing mirrors, as well as methods of correcting the more common defects, with many useful hints. The other parts of the telescope are not neglected, and descriptions are given of simple pipe mountings, the construction of which does not require much mechanical ability. A brief account of the history and development of the telescope is given in the first chapter.

Making Your Own Telescope

By Allyn J. Thompson. Pp. xi + 211. (Cambridge, Mass.: Sky Publishing Corporation, 1947.) 3.50 dollars.