How To Make A Telescope

If you want to know how to make a telescope, the first thing you need to know is how a telescope works. A telescope is a device that magnifies objects that are far away and brings them into focus as you look through a lens. Learning how to make a telescope can be done in many ways.

You can look online as there are many websites dedicated to telescope making and many people even consider this an art form. Some of the made by amateur astronomers are on par with those you can buy commercially and some can even work better. There are also a number of books on the subject of how to make a telescope many of which are probably available at your local library.

We can give you instructions on how to make a simple telescope in this article as well! Just gather up the following objects:

* Two magnifying lenses – these can be from magnifying glasses or even simple reading glasses you can buy at the drugstore. One should be larger or stronger than the other * A long cardboard tube – a paper towel roll or gift wrap paper tube will work best * Tape – duct tape will work best * A marker – no need to worry about color! * Scissors * A ruler * A paper with printing on it

Take the larger magnifying glass and place the paper on top of it. Take the other lens and place it on top of the paper so that the paper is sandwiched between the two lenses. The printing will be blurry. Move the lenses forward and backward until the image comes into focus. Have someone measure the distance between the lenses.

On the cardboard tube, take and measure one inch from the end of it with the marker and use the scissors to cut a slot in the tube that will be able to hold the large magnifying glass. Then take the measurement you got above and cut another slot that will hold the smaller magnifying glass.

Place the two glasses in their slots – the big one in the front and the little one in the back and tape them with duct tape so they stay put. You may want to cut off the cardboard tube about two inches past the small magnifying glass to make it easier to handle. Look through your telescope to see if the paper is in focus. You may have to adjust it so that it is focused.

You have just learned how to make a simple refracting telescope!

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