Telescope design is a deeply personal endeavor. Few amateurs duplicate exactly the work of another. Instruments are nearly always customized to fit available space, or to use an existing mirror.

Exciting things are being done with TCT's today, but the design task is far from trivial when three or more mirrors are involved. Fortunately for us, two prolific designers have made available to the amateur community their private caches of well-corrected, but unbuilt & unpublished designs for others to build, or to build upon.

• John Francis has had articles published in both the Amateur Telescope Making Journal and Sky & Telescope His credits include building the world's first, true, tilted-component telescope binocular. Want a fast TCT? How does f/6.4 sound to you?

  Link to John's designs -- (unavailable as of this time)

• Sandro Chemello approaches design with the eye of an artist. At times he first decides where the eyepiece should be, then works to meet that goal. Are you looking for an unusually good Solano design, or would you like to re-use that old 6" f/8 mirror to make a high-quality, f/7, unobstructed reflector? Look no further.

  Link to Sandro's designs -- (unavailable as of this time)

Curator: Hartmut Frommert [contact]
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