Expert: Paul Wagner - 8/18/2009

Question
Hello Sir,
I am Steffi Michael.
I love watching the night sky too but I have done it only through naked eyes. I wish to own a telescope too but made by myself at home. You have made at least 7 telescopes Sir so can you please help me to make one at home for me which is handy and help to watch the night sky more clearly?
Waiting for the answer....

Answer
Hi steffi

I can certainly give you some advice about making telescopes.  The first questions you will have to ask yourself are:

1. How big a telescope do you want to make?  The bigger the telescope, the more expensive it is, and the harder it is to move around.  But bigger telescopes also help you see more interesting stuff in the sky, so it's a difficult question to answer.  My first telescope was 6 inches in diamter, and about five feet long.  And it weighed about 60 pounds.

2.  You also need to decide if you are going to make a reflector or a refractor telescope.  The first type uses mirrors, and is generally preferred by amateur telescope makers.  The second kind uses lenses.

I would strongly suggest that your first step should be to contact a local community college or astronomy society so that you can go to one of their star parties--where a few amateurs have their telescopes on display, and allow you to look through them.  Once you get an idea of what you want to make, I can point you in the right direction for materials and instructions.

Paul Wagner