Build Your Own Telescope [Hardcover]

Richard Berry (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These books give two quite different perspectives on astronomical instru mentation. Infinite Vistas , based most ly on a series of public lectures, con sists of 11 chapters by professional astronomers on major new astronomi cal instruments under construction, planned, or hoped for. From radio waves to gamma rays, they cover the full range of the electromagnetic spec trum, summarizing recent progress, de tailing planned new equipment, and ex plaining research problems to be resolved in the future. Individual con tributions are well written and fit to gether unusually well to form a coher ent treatise. Given the key role of instrumentation in the dramatic pro gress of 20th-century astronomy, the volume provides an exciting peek at the next two decades. Readers do not need advanced training to enjoy this work, although some prior knowledge of as tronomy and physics might be useful. Berry's book contains detailed in structions for amateurs wishing to con struct small optical telescopes. It pro vides photographs and plans for five specific telescopesfour reflectors of differing sizes and styles and one re fractor. Several other chapters explain telescope construction and general use. The author is an experienced construc tor of, and writer on, telescopes. Both books are recommended for public and academic libraries. Jack W. Weigel, Univ. of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 287 pages
• Publisher: Willmann-Bell; 3 edition (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0943396697
• ISBN-13: 978-0943396699
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #803,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Telescopes

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best single book today for making your first scope!, September 26, 2000

By 

J. Hansen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Build Your Own Telescope: Complete Plans for Five Telescopes You Can Build with Simple Hand Tools (Hardcover)

If you can only have one first book on making your own telescope this is it! I have been an active amateur astronomer for almost 35 years and I wish this book had been out in 1965 at the time I first got interested in astronomy. Richard Berry when he was editor of "Astronomy", and "Telescope Making" (now sadly defunct),was the first to popularize John Dobson's Sidewalk Telescope design now simply known to amateur astronomers everywhere as the "Dobsonian". In this book he leads you in how to build several excellent telescopes from parts that are easily available from hardware/lumberyard sources everywhere. He shows and explains 5 different example projects, 4",6",10" Newtonians on Dobson mounts, how to mount a refractor on a Dobson type mount, and even one equatorial mount made of plywood and hardware parts. The projects are well illustrated and explained. He gives you a good overview of commercially available parts and commonly used eyepieces. But beyond being just a simple how-to project book he gives an explanation of telescope history and and basic optical theory. I wish I had his well illustrated chapter on "Home Brewed Optics" when I made my first telescope mirror. While not a substitute for having a copy of Allyn Thompson's "Making Your Own Telescope", or Jean Texereau's "How to Make a Telescope" which deal mainly with the making of the primary mirror, it would have tied together concepts I did not understand well at the time. When I'm asked while doing public star parties (and you always will be while doing that kind of thing)"what kind of telescope should I get" or "where can I find out how to build one these things (the telescope)", I always recommend this book. In fact I now always bring a copy to these occasions so they can get the title and author correct as well as browse thru it. You can light a number of fires that way.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I built a telescope from plans in this book, September 12, 1998

By 

Mark Gilbert (Saint Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Build Your Own Telescope: Complete Plans for Five Telescopes You Can Build with Simple Hand Tools (Hardcover)

I am no craftsman, but I used one of the plans in this book to build a telescope - not a toy, but a real astronomical telescope that I use frequently. Berry includes plans for 4.25", 6", and 10" reflectors and for a 6" refractor.

The plans are quite complete, and the process of construction is given in detail. Berry devotes some space to mirror grinding, but I chose to buy my mirror, so I can't comment on his instructions. He also provides an introduction to astronomical observing, which I found helpful.

Berry's writing is clear and his tone is encouraging and enthusiastic. I recommend the book highly.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, April 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Build Your Own Telescope: Complete Plans for Five Telescopes You Can Build with Simple Hand Tools (Hardcover)

This is the best book out there for the beginning telescope maker. It is the book I used to build my first 6"; without it I would probably not have built a telescope at all.

Berry provides detailed and complete instructions for several telescopes. His writing is easy to understand and very clear, and he gives some very important practical advice about building and observing.