How to Make a Telescope ( Second English Edition) [Hardcover]

Jean Texereau (Author), Allen Strickler (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1984 | ISBN-10: 0943396042 | ISBN-13: 978-0943396040 | Edition: 2 Sub

The first edition of this book was universally acclaimed as the best book ever written for making a Newtonian telescope. This 2nd Edition is almost three times larger and adds to the original text new chapters on making a Cassegrainian telescope, optical windows, and equatorial mounts. Chapters on eyepieces and astronomical seeing have been expanded. Computer programs written in generic BASIC for reduction of Foucault test data. Included are indexes for the three principle magazines that carry telescope making information: Sky and Telescope's "Gleanings for ATM's" from November 1941 through June 1998, Scientific American magazine from 1925 through 1959 and the complete run of Telescope Making magazine. This book is the most complete single work available on making reflecting telescopes.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Willmann-Bell; 2 Sub edition (May 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0943396042
• ISBN-13: 978-0943396040
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #559,335 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book has absolutely no equal !!!, July 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Make a Telescope ( Second English Edition) (Hardcover)

My first experience with Texereau's book was back in the early 1960's when I built my first 4" Newtownian. Since then, I've build about 20 scopes, including several catadioptric designs and competed several times at Stellafane. At present, I'm building my 14 year old son an 8" f/d=5.2 Newtownian and find myself once again refering to Texereau's book.

To date, I have not seen an equal to Texereau's book, particularly in his detailed description of Foucault testing.

Dr. Brian T. Davis

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some topics dated but still irreplaceable., May 16, 2000

By 

Mark E. Miller (Kalamazoo, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Make a Telescope ( Second English Edition) (Hardcover)

Originally published in French in 1951, translated and published in English in 1957, it was re-published by Willmann-Bell in 1984, with extensive appendices giving sources of even more information. This book certainly shows its age in its inclusion of topics such as silvering a mirror at home (don't do it - lots of nasty chemicals), and its omission of Dobsonian ideas in its section on alt-az mounts - it pre-dates that innovation. However, for a discussion of designing an optical system, to grinding and polishing a mirror, and especially for details of how to rigorously test its figure, Texereau is unparalleled.

Several other books include six or a dozen telescopes you can build, with some pictures of the final product, and the builder's musings on what problems he faced in building it; Texereau takes you through all the messy details you need to know before making a lot of time-consuming mistakes. Again, much of it can be skipped; he spends four chapters on classical Cassegrains, which I gather is his favorite telescope design. But this book is highly recommended for anyone considering pushing glass.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all ATMs, September 17, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Cyprus) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make a Telescope ( Second English Edition) (Hardcover)

This book , is the bible for an amateur telescope maker. Jean Texereau even includes programs for a PC for mirror test data reduction.It is not a theory book , but a book that takes you step by step all along the way.