Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: building a telescope with magnifying glasses
• Method 2 of 2: building a telescope from lenses
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Telescopes bring distant objects closer visually, which is achieved with the right combination of lenses and mirrors. If you don't have a telescope or binoculars at home yet, you can make them yourself. But keep in mind that through a telescope you can see objects upside down.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: building a telescope with magnifying glasses

1. 1 Prepare the required materials. You will need a corrugated paper tube that is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long, which is heavy corrugated paper that you can find at your paper or hardware store. You will also need magnifying glasses of about the same diameter, strong glue, scissors and a pencil.
   • If the diameter of the magnifying glasses is very different from the diameter of the tube, you will not be able to make a telescope.
2. 2 Wrap the paper around one of the magnifying glasses. Use a pencil to mark the beginning of the paper. When doing this, make sure that the paper fits snugly against the glass.
3. 3 Step about 4 centimeters (1 1/2 inches) from the intersection of the paper and mark a second mark on the paper. This will create a piece of paper with a margin to glue the magnifying glass over.
4. 4 Cut the paper at the mark you made. Cut the paper sideways, not lengthwise. You will have a piece of paper that is about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long.
   • You don't need to have two pieces of paper that are the same length. Let one be slightly longer than the second.
5. 5 Place a piece of paper over one of your magnifying glasses. This will overlap the edges of the paper as well, since you have a 4 cm (1 1/2 inch) margin for these.
6. 6 Make a second magnifying tube. It will turn out to be slightly larger in diameter compared to the first one, but not much - only so much that the first one fits into it.
7. 7 Insert the first tube into the second. Now you can look at distant objects through the received telescope, although you will hardly be able to clearly see the stars. It should have a good view of the moon.
   • Objects will be visible upside down, but astronomers do not care where space objects are up and down (between which, in essence, there is no difference in space).

Method 2 of 2: building a telescope from lenses

1. 1 Prepare the required materials. You will need two lenses, a parcel mail tube made up of an outer and an inner tube - you can get one at the post office or office supply store; pipe diameter 5 cm (2 inches), length 110 cm (43.3 inches), jigsaw, cutter, strong glue and drill.
   • Lenses must have different focal lengths. It is best to use a convex-concave lens with a diameter of 49 mm with a focal length of 1350 mm, and as a second lens, take a flat-curved lens with a diameter of 49 mm and a focal length of 152 mm.
   • Lenses are easy to order online and are not expensive. A pair of required lenses can be purchased for about $ 16.
   • It is convenient to make straight, even cuts with a jigsaw, but you can use another type of saw or cutting tool.
2. 2 Cut the outer tube in half. You will need both halves, which will be separated by an inner, uncut tube.
3. 3 Cut two pieces from the inner tube. They will serve as spacers and should be 2.5-4 cm (1-1.5 inches) thick. Make sure the cut edges are straight and straight.
   • The resulting washers will hold the second lens to the outer end of the post tube.
4. 4 Make an inspection hole in the cover of the mail pipe. Drill it approximately in the center of the lid with a drill, applying slight pressure. Its edges should also be as even and smooth as possible.
5. 5 Drill holes on the outside of the large pipe. The holes should be made in the place where the lens will fit - they will allow the adhesive to be applied to the inner surface of the pipe. They are best done near the end of the inner tube, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) apart.
   • It is necessary to drill holes in the cover of the outer pipe for viewing.
6. 6 Glue the eyepiece lens to the removable cap. This lens is flat-concave, place it flat against the cover. Apply glue through the holes you drilled earlier and rotate the lens to spread the glue around the edges. Press the tube against the lens and wait for the glue to dry.
7. 7 Cut off the blind end of the outer tube. As a result, the edge of the inner tube will stick out from under the sheared end of the outer tube.
8. 8 Insert the first shim washer you prepared into the outer tube. The washer should lie flat inside the outer tube to hold the convex-concave lens. As with the previous lens, drill holes and apply glue to the inside of the tube.
9. 9 Insert the lens and then the second washer. Drill the holes again, apply glue inward and spread. Press the tube against the edges of the lens until the glue hardens.
10. 10 Insert the inner tube into the outer one. If necessary, you can move it to find the desired focus. Since the magnification will be about 9x, you will be able to clearly see the surface of the Moon and even make out the rings of Saturn, but you will hardly see anything smaller.

Tips

• Make sure you choose the correct lenses for the second type of telescope, because if the lenses are not the right ones, you are unlikely to see anything at all.

Warnings

• IN NO EVENT, look through a telescope directly at the Sun or other bright objects - this can DAMAGE your eyesight.
• Be careful not to drop the magnifying glass - it is easy to break.

What do you need

For a magnifying glass telescope:

• Two magnifying glasses of the same diameter
• Corrugated paper roll
• strong glue
• scissors
• pencil

For a lens telescope:

• Two lenses: convex-concave with a diameter of 49 mm and a focal length of 1350 mm, and a plano-concave with a diameter of 49 mm and a focal length of 152 mm
• Post pipe with outer and inner tubes
• Jigsaw
• Cutter
• Drill or hammer drill
• Glue