Re: ATM 1st vs 2nd edition Texereau & 3rd edition Berry

[William Mc Hale <wmchal1@umbc.edu>]

On Tue, 24 Apr 2001, Robert Kennedy wrote:

>
>
> Does anyone know if there is any difference between the 1950's 1st edition
> of _How to Make a Telescope_ (which I own) and the 1984 2nd edition, or is
> it just a reprint?
>

Yes the 2nd edition is has a substantial amount of additional material...
but little or none of it is relevant to a person building their first
scope.  Most of the additional material is devoted to optical windows and
Cassegrain Telescopes, neither of which you need for a first scope (unless
you are very ambitious).

> Ditto for 3rd edition _Build your own Telescope_ by Berry?
>

Not sure, I have the second edition which I think is very good.

> I'm a beginner having a little trouble making the tools for making a
> telescope - would Berry's book help me out?  Even if they are non-optimal
> having a set of plans to start from (and modify) would be nice for those
> of us without that "blank-slate" engineering ability.
>

Berry's book is excellent, gives detailed plans for the construction of a
number of different telescopes.  Two of which, the 6" and the 10"
Dobsonians would make excellent first projects and are easily scalable
over a range of say 4-10" (The 10" could be made at 12.5" but that might a
little big for most people).

> Thanks,
> Robert Kennedy
>
>

Bill

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