This web site documents the design and
construction
of homebuilt astronomical equipment. All
projects used readily available
materials and required no special construction skills. The common
design theme was to keep it simple (KIS)
and inexpensive. Projects include:
Observatory Telescope and GoTo Mounts Accessories Astrophotography
Astronomy Info Pages
I have recently added a new Astronomy Information Section for beginners containing: Celestial Motion Information, Telescope Mount Information, Classic C90 Information and Maintenance, and Telescopes and Optics (under construction) pages. My Equipment page shows a few pictures of my completed telescope and observatory. There are also supporting pages containing Alternative Designs, Links, Future Projects, a Glossary, and my ongoing list of Trauma in Telescope Building.
Use the top and left links to navigate between pages. The right links allow quick navigation within a web page.
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By 1980 I had outgrown my toy refractor and desperately wanted a larger telescope, but couldn't afford one. That summer I read a three part installment in Astronomy Magazine by Bob Kestner and Richard Berry, titled "How to Build a Dobsonian Telescope". This article showed how simple it was to build astronomical equipment. I spent the remainder of the summer flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant and saved up enough money to buy a telescope mirror. I purchased a 10" mirror for about $100 and built my first Dobsonian style telescope when I was 16 years old. I'm including this story only to illustrate that a 16 year old is capable of building a simple, yet fully functional 10" reflector telescope. As sometimes happens, careers and family can displace hobbies, and I ended up taking a long break from astronomy. Just recently I found my original telescope optics in a storage box and used them to build a Truss Tube style Newtonian telescope on a homebuilt GoTo mount. This was followed by constructing a domed observatory and fabricating other astronomical accessories.
It will be your own level of design and construction skills that ultimately determine if your equipment is stylish, advanced, or just basic and functional-but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to build high quality astronomical equipment. I am an engineer, but my experience is in chemical and biochemical engineering, not mechanical systems or optics. All I possess are basic tools and basic construction/woodworking skills. I live in a rural area of Scandinavia, where hardware stores carry only the most basic items. Out of necessity, the design theme running through all my projects is to Keep It Simple (KIS) and only use inexpensive materials and basic tools. Back To Top
- 10" f5.6 Truss Tube Newtonian Telescope Building
- Computerized (GoTo) Telescope Mount Construction
- 3.3 m Diameter Domed Observatory Construction
- Homebuilt Astronomical Accessories (autofocuser, dew heaters, collimation tools)
- CCD astrophotography (comming soon).
- My 10" Newtonian telescope (not inclusive of the optics purchased in 1981) costed less that $100 ($20 for the focuser, $30 for the Telrad finder, and about $30 for construction materials).
- My GoTo Alt-Az telescope mount costed only a few hundred dollars, with most of the cost being the Meade 497 Autostar control system ($160 for an Autostar and Meade 492 motor kit + approx. $50 for miscellaneous parts and free scraps).
- My 3.3 m diameter observatory dome cost approx. $350 for the materials. You will spend thousands of dollars for a comparable sized commercial observatory dome.
- My GoTo German equatorial mount cost only $25 (excluding the Meade 492 motor kit)
- A telescope dew heater for $20, an autofocuser or collimation eyepiece for less than $5, etc.
Contact Information
I can be contacted at the e mail address found in the lower left corner of the Horsehead Nebula banner. Unfortunately I had to remove my direct e mail link due to too much spam.Site Overview and Navigation
This web site contains 5 main sections:Observatory Telescope and GoTo Mounts Accessories Astrophotography
Astronomy Info Pages
I have recently added a new Astronomy Information Section for beginners containing: Celestial Motion Information, Telescope Mount Information, Classic C90 Information and Maintenance, and Telescopes and Optics (under construction) pages. My Equipment page shows a few pictures of my completed telescope and observatory. There are also supporting pages containing Alternative Designs, Links, Future Projects, a Glossary, and my ongoing list of Trauma in Telescope Building.
Use the top and left links to navigate between pages. The right links allow quick navigation within a web page.
Where to Begin
If you're new to astronomy or telescope building, just browse through this website. I have tried to begin each of the main sections with some general information about design isssues, materials, and necessary tools. I have added links within most webpages to a Glossary page, written to help beginners understand the terminology. The Information Webpages are also written to help beginners understand concepts such as celestial motion, telescopes, and telescope mounts.Back To Top
About Myself
I have been interested in astronomy for as long as I can remember. My first telescope was a toy 2" refractor and it started a life long interest in astronomy, science, engineering, and the natural world. My interest in science was supported by my family and also a number of very talented science teachers, giving me the encouragement and skills to pursue a technical career. I hold two Bachelor of Science degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry and a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering, specializing in biotechnology and biochemical engineering. I am currently employed as a research engineer and develop processes involving membrane filtration, process chromatography and heat treatment of dairy materials. I have previously been employed as a biochemical engineer, chemical process development engineer, analytical chemist, materials scientist, laboratory technician, karate instructor, forklift driver, waiter, conservator's assistant, tour guide, historical re-enactor, cook, and dishwasher. Well, engineers also fall on hard times and sometimes have to take other kinds of work!By 1980 I had outgrown my toy refractor and desperately wanted a larger telescope, but couldn't afford one. That summer I read a three part installment in Astronomy Magazine by Bob Kestner and Richard Berry, titled "How to Build a Dobsonian Telescope". This article showed how simple it was to build astronomical equipment. I spent the remainder of the summer flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant and saved up enough money to buy a telescope mirror. I purchased a 10" mirror for about $100 and built my first Dobsonian style telescope when I was 16 years old. I'm including this story only to illustrate that a 16 year old is capable of building a simple, yet fully functional 10" reflector telescope. As sometimes happens, careers and family can displace hobbies, and I ended up taking a long break from astronomy. Just recently I found my original telescope optics in a storage box and used them to build a Truss Tube style Newtonian telescope on a homebuilt GoTo mount. This was followed by constructing a domed observatory and fabricating other astronomical accessories.
It will be your own level of design and construction skills that ultimately determine if your equipment is stylish, advanced, or just basic and functional-but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to build high quality astronomical equipment. I am an engineer, but my experience is in chemical and biochemical engineering, not mechanical systems or optics. All I possess are basic tools and basic construction/woodworking skills. I live in a rural area of Scandinavia, where hardware stores carry only the most basic items. Out of necessity, the design theme running through all my projects is to Keep It Simple (KIS) and only use inexpensive materials and basic tools. Back To Top
Copyright
All original graphics, photographs, content, and writings are copywrited © 2007 by the author and all rights are reserved. Do not copy or reproduce in any form without prior written consent. The Horsehead Nebula banner was reproduced with the permission of NOAO/AURA/NSF.