Interest Check: Science Class About Building Telescopes

Science
#1

Ideally, a DMS class should be engaging and challenging enough to build comfort and independence with DMS machinery, yet simple enough to be doable in one or two classes. If the class requires use of multiple committee areas, then that is even better since it encourages people to work in more areas in the future. It turns out that making a telescope would be one such class:

Woodshop, Machine shop, Science, Glassworks, 3D-Fab, potentially Metal Shop and potentially Electronics would be areas that we could use in this class. Science, in particular, can provide the reagants for mirroring the lenses that members create in glassworks.

At the end of the class, we could top everything off with some basic astronomy to show how to use your handmade telescope to view the heavens. We have a member in science committee with experience in building cool-looking telescopes and he says that DMS has what we need to make this class happen.

If Galileo could do it in 1609, then surely we can in 2022.

What do yall think?

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#2

Fun I think. Mirror grinding is perhaps the major challenge these days.

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#3

That sounds so awesome, I want in

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#4

It very well may be the only way to get the telescope I’ve always wanted.

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#5

I can save y’all a lot of trouble and just give you an authentic photograph of a real Martian.

image

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#6

If you want help, I can provide some help and suggestions. I used to work at Astro-Physics making telescope equipment.

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#7

That would be greatly appreciated! Show up to one of our science meetings on sundays at 2:30 PM and meet the gang. We’ve got other members who have made telescopes too; I’m sure they’d be interested to hear what you have to say!

#8

If I were closer to DMS I’d definitely be interested. I’ve wanted to build a Dobsonian telescope ever since I first heard about them in the 1990s.

#9

Check out Russell’s website on building telescopes. He’s built quite a few and has some design and purchasing tips.

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#10

I am super interested!

#11

tripod.com? Now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time. A long time.

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#12

+2!
My girlfriend and I would absolutely be a part of this!

#13

Interested!

#14

It’s been several years since I was active with the club, but for quite a while there was an old but good quality mirror grinding machine that got passed from member to member. I think it was a donation from TI.

If anyone still has a contact in TAS, it might be worth contacting them. If it’s still around, maybe DMS could give it a permanent home.

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