Making a homemade telescope

Astronomy is cool

But first…

What happens when black holes collide?

• Most (or all) galaxies contain supermassive blasckholes

• When two galaxies collide, blackholes– Directly collide– Spiral inward until they finally merge

• Forces are so extreme that one of them is kicked away with tremendous velocity. The other receives energy, releasing a X ray flare lasting thousands of years

• 100 collision have happened within 5 billion light years of Earth

Lens configuration

galileo

Distance it takes for lens to bend light to a point

• Diameter is larger, magnification smaller, focal distance larger.

• Therefore, smaller lenses would have smaller focal lengths and greater magnification.

Magnification of telescope

The smallest eyepieces can be 2-4.9mm, and they have small focal lengths and great magnification

Good Refractor telescopes are LONG

• 20-50 X = wide field views of extended deep sky

• 20- 100 X=deep sky observing (galaxies)• 75-200 X = Moon, planets compact objects

(globular clusters)

Longest refractor telescope

Is magnification all that good?

• When using high magnification (lower focal length) you’re only spreading the same lgiht over a larger area.

• You’ll get a blurry, dim image

Grinding the mirror

Creating parts