ATM Books

As Amateur Telescope Makers, we have found the following reputable books to have been useful...

Some of these publications are apparently out of print. Others can be very hard to find. But don't let that daunt you. Several are available from the Centre's library, as are additional books on optics in general. You can also try your local Municipal, University and School reference libraries. Should you wish to acquire any of them, try the Planetarium, Exclusive Books or order directly from the publishers. See Willman-Bell, Sky Publishing, Kalmbach, Astronomy or Sky & telescope for details. The Internet is also a useful hunting ground.

Please let us know if you have found additional good-quality literature that you would like to share with the local ATM fraternity. Why not offer us your favorites to add to the site?

Introductory

The following are probably the best introductory texts available. They present sound advice and proven techniques in sufficient depth, without being overwhelming. Any one of these would by itself provide sufficient information to enable you to build a functional instrument., though each has its peculiarities of emphasis and opinion. If at all possible, compare them all and then choose the one that somehow appeals or makes the most sense to you.

Making Your Own Telescope by Allyn J Thompson		Handbook for Telescope Making by NE Howard
First Edition, 1947 Sky Publishing Corp.		Second Edition, 1969 Faber & Faber ISBN 571-04680-0
Having a wonderful clarity of expression, this classic work is as fresh as the day it was written.		Another classic, well-structured guide with a good description of mirror-making technique.

How to Make a Telescope by Jean Texereau		A Manual for Amateur Telescope Makers by Karine & Jean-Marc Lecleire
Second Edition, 1984 Willmann-Bell, Inc ISBN 0-943396-04-2		First English Edition, 2003 Willmann-Bell, Inc. ISBN 0-943396-79-4
Translated from the French, it provides the purist's insights. For many years, this was the ATM "bible", and the first accessible information on Cassegrains.		Also translated from French, this modern text has a technical bent. Describes interesting techniques. Offers detailed plans to build 3 different telescopes. Very different from the American texts.

Build Your Own Telescope by Richard Berry
First Edition, 1985 Charles Scribner's & Sons ISBN 0-648-18476-1
Has a modern, lucid no-nonsense description of testing and good ideas on building several varieties of telescopes using basic techniques and readily-available materials

Intermediate

For those wanting more, the following publications will expand and round out your knowledge. Rather than having a heavily theoretical bias, they are full of practical ideas and the wisdom of experience. Apart from these, the various magazines devoted to popular astronomy sometimes carry articles of particular interest tothe amateur telescope maker. Browsing the back issues can be highly rewarding, particularly the old Sky and Telescope "Gleanings for ATMs" column.

All About Telescopes by Sam Brown		Telescopes for Skygazing by Dr Henry E Paul
Eighth Edition, 1989 Edmund Scientific Company ISBN 0-933346-20-4		Third Edition, 1976 Amphoto ISBN 0-8174-2408-3
This is for the tinkerer/gadgeteer! A treasure trove of useful information and interesting ideas. Has a very practical approach with an emphasis on using basic materials.		An excellent overview of the relative merits of various telescope types, with "buy vs. assemble" considerations. How to choose, test and use the telescope best suited to your needs.

Amateur Telescope Making ( books 1, 2 & 3) Albert G Ingalls, editor		Telescope Making Magazine, ATM Journal
Book 1 Fourth Ed. 1978 Book 2 First Ed. 1968 Book 3 First Ed. 1969 Scientific American	ISBN 0-943396-48-4 ISBN 0-943396-49-2 ISBN 0-943396-50-6 Willmann-Bell, Inc. 1996	TM Magazine, ISSN 0190-5570, published by Kalmbach and edited by Richard Berry, ran to 46 issues from 1978 to 1992. The final issue contains a comprehensive index to the myriad interesting and wide-ranging articles.
The original Scientific American edition of this 3-volume set captured the wisdom of the early ATM movement in the US. Re-edited by JG Ingalls & Wendy Margret Brown, the W-B edition is a cleaner more structured arrangement with much out of date material removed. This makes it a more useful reference guide, but loses the serendipity and quaintness. Get both sets if you can!		When Telescope Making Magazine folded, the rather more erudite ATM Journal was created to fill the void. This too finally petered out, after nearly a decade. Fortunately, the better articles have been collected into a 2-volume compendium (see below). Both periodicals covered a wide range of subject matter on various levels. Grab them if you can.

The Dobsonian Telescope by David Kriege & Richard Berry		Amateur Astronomer's Handbook by JB Sidgwick
First English Edition, 1997 Willmann-Bell, Inc. ISBN 0-943396-55-7		Dover Edition, 1980 Dover publications, Inc. ISBN 0-486-24034-7
The subtitle, "A practical Manual for Building Large Aperture Telescopes", says it all. Perhaps a bit prescriptive to some, it is a comprehensive heavyweight.		Admittedly rather dated, this nonetheless contains a myriad interesting items of information, catering more for those wanting further insights into underlying principles.

Making and Enjoying Telescopes by Robert Miller & Kenneth Wilson		The Best of Amateur Telescope Making Journal, Vols 1 & 2 William J Cook, editor
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc., 1995 ISBN 0-8069-1277-4		2003 Captain's Nautical Supplies, Inc. Willmann-Bell, Inc. ISBN 0-943396-77-8 (v.1) ISBN 0-943396-78-6 (v.2)
The subtitle, "6 complete projects and a stargazer's guide" is appropriate. Assembly using commercial optics is advocated, but several interesting construction details are presented.		These 150 articles, re-edited and updated, cover the whole spectrum from simple to complex. Extremely thought provoking.

Amateur Telescope Making Stephen F Tonkin, editor		Building and Using an Astronomical Observatory, by Paul Doherty
First Edition, 1999 Springer-Verlag ISBN 1085233-000-7		First Edition, 1986 Patrick Stephens Limited ISBN 0-85059-808-7
This compendium from around the world has a very different flavour to the American offerings. Telescopes, mountings and accessories are covered, favoring innovative modern techniques and designs.		The grandiose title is modified by the subtitle: A beginner's guide to constructing a telescope and setting up an observatory. This interestingly quirky book, with a distinctly British flavour, describes some ambitious projects accomplished with rather basic means.

Unusual Telescopes by Peter L Manly		New Perspectives on Newtonian Collimation by Vic Menard & Tippy d'Auria
First Edition 1991 Cambridge University Press ISBN 0-521-38200-9 hardback		Fourth Edition 10.22.87 First Printing Revised 04.02.98
This "resource book of ideas for the innovative telescope designer", illustrating and describing 150 unusual telescope designs, highlights the diversity of thought that this field breeds.		This slim booklet, subtitled "Principles and Procedures" concentrates on a much ignored or misunderstood topic. You should read it.

The Telescope by Louis Bell		Optical Glassworking by F Twyman, F.R.S
Dover Edition, 1981 Dover Publications, Inc ISBN 0-486-24151-3		Abridged version of Prism & Lens Making, 2nd Ed. Hilger & Watts limited. 1955
This classic work provides an historical context		This out of print manual of the professional techniques of yesteryear offers a lot of value to the advanced amateur of today.

Advanced

For the really serious, the following books are somewhat more challenging. The older books are still quite valid for the amateur.

Advanced Telescope Making Techniques Volumes 1 & 2. Allan Mackintosh, editor		Optics by Eugene Hecht
First Edition, 1986 Willmann-Bell, Inc ISBN 0-943396-11-5 (v.1) ISBN 0-943396-12-3 (v.2)		Second Edition, 1974 Addison-Wesley Pub. Co. ISBN 0-201-11611-1
The two Mackintosh volumes contain a wealth of short articles by a number of authors on a variety of issues: unusual or specialised optical configurations, their manufacture and alignment; mechanical systems; more advanced testing procedures; etc.. Like the "Best of ATM Journal" books mentioned above, these were compiled from the notes of the Maksutov Club.		What can I say? If you understand this stuff, you don't need my opinion. A modern classic foisted on a generation of unsuspecting students. Try it: maybe you'll like it.

Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes by Harold Richard Suiter		Telescope Optics: Evaluation & Design by Rutten & van Venrooij
First English Edition, 1994 Willmann-Bell, Inc ISBN 943396-44-1		First Edition, 1988 Willmann-Bell, Inc. ISBN 0-943396-18-2
The title is apt. This volume is clear, rigourous and highly-recommended. If you absorb even a small percentage of it, you are well on your way to being able to evaluate and diagnose the multiple ills that befall our instruments.		Highly recommended for the clear handling of a difficult topic. Various telescope designs are evaluated and compared with respect to performance and applicability, and the factors that influence these.

Applied Optics & Optical Design by AE Conradie		Fundamentals of Optics by FA Jenkins & HE White
Part 1, 1957 Part 2, 1960 Dover Publications, Inc.		Third Edition, 1957 McGraw-hill Book Co., Inc. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 56-12535
For many years, a standard text. Dated compared to Hecht, but it gives a sound basis for understanding and designing a variety of optical systems.		As for Conradie.