Make Your Own Telescope from Everyday Materials

R. Spry

South Downs Planetarium Trust, 1998 – ISBN 0-9531-716-04 – pp.48 – £4.95 (paperback)

Reviewed by R. Atwell : Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 108 (3), 173 (1998)

This is a new edition of Reg Spry’s interesting and informative little book, first published in 1978, in which the author gives a detailed account of the construction of his 6-inch reflecting telescope. He purchased the optics, and then set about making the hardware – the tube, the mount, and so on – from household and scrap items picked up cheaply, so that the completed instrument cost only a fraction of the price of a comparable shop-bought telescope.

The book has been written in a clear and friendly style, with the minimum of technical jargon, so that it can be understood by virtually anyone. The instrument, constructed as an altazimuth, was made using two old larder shelves, some bits of Meccano, and other unlikely items such as coffee jar lids; and the vertical shaft of the mounting was the half-shaft from an old car. The components were secured by the use of screws, for as the author emphasises, if adjustments are needed later, screws can be easily removed, whereas nails and glue cannot.

The minimum of tools was used, all being items found in many households. DIY enthusiasts should find constructing this telescope a rewarding and not too difficult challenge. The book is illustrated throughout with many pictures and easy-to-follow diagrams. The author includes some advice on the design of suitable observatories, and gives a list of astronomical objects that can be observed with the telescope. He ends with a list of ‘don’ts’, the last of which is amusing and most apt.

This little book is fascinating to read, and is well worth buying. There are one or two minor typographical errors, but in no way do they detract from the practical value of the book.