Telescope Science Project

[wavelandscott]

Hi all,

My son has recently decided it would be "cool" to make a homemade refractor as a science project...he is 8 years old...

Any suggestions about where to pick up objective lenses inexpensively?

Cost (and avoiding it as much as possible) in this exercise is a high priority...I am thinking something aroun 15-20X is the go with this one.

I am partial to reflectors myself and his growing interest in refractors is a little troubling:P ...

Thanks!

[davidpretorius]

aaaarrrrghhh, he be a pirate!!! re the lenses, nothing a screwdriver / chisel and a np101 or a tak couldn't hurt!!

how much for a cheap d1ck smith kit one, buy the kit just for the lenses??

[wavelandscott]

You are describing what I affectionally have called "plan B"...

I've got to check "surplus shed" and a few of those places first though...

[ving]

you could try searching around for a coppier lens from somewhere.... know any places that trash coppiers? know how to get to coppier heaven?

[[1ponders]]

I have an old 60mm tasco refractor lens lying around somewhere, still in its lens cell. It still had its dew shield attached. I've just got to find it. If you're interested let me know and I'll do a bit of a search for it.

[[1ponders]]

Here are a couple of pages on making a copyscope.

http://www.panix.com/~reynolds/astronomy/copyscope/

http://www.dma.org/~wagner/copyscop.htm

I bought dhumpies old copy scope a while ago and it does a good job for what it is. If your son is keen to build one from scratch this could be the way to go :P

[wavelandscott]

Thanks so much for these links!

They will be very helpul reading...