Engineering, Design and Construction of String Telescopes [By Highe]

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Title: Engineering, Design and Construction of String Telescopes
Author(s): Albert Highe
Other Info: 6" by 9", 440 pages, 285 illustrations and 90 tables. Includes design software on mini-CDROM.

Engineering, Design and Construction of String Telescopes is Albert Highe’s second book on telescope construction. The first, Engineering, Design and Construction of Portable Newtonian Telescopes provided an overview of the engineering and materials science fundamentals, and a simplified product development process, applicable to building any telescope. In addition, it supplied quantitative design rules for constructing truss-tube telescopes.  Careful testing has proven the validity of the rules, and the creation over the years of more than 30 highly portable telescopes for himself and others has demonstrated the effectiveness of a disciplined approach.

Portability today is important for almost every deep-sky observer. Seldom do we have a home observatory with dark skies. We must travel to view the night-sky’s splendors. Weight, ease of setup, steadiness and observer comfort become critical in whether the experience is enjoyable and sustainable.Engineering, Design and Construction of Portable Newtonian Telescopes provides that guidance for truss-tube telescopes. However, there remain another class of portable telescopes, “String Telescopes” , that requires a comprehensive volume of its own to provide guidelines, and instruction to create a unique portable instrument with superb performance. Prior to this new book most of that knowledge did not exist. Learn how to

  • distinguish between the two classes of string telescope substructures
  • predict deflections of complete telescope optical assemblies and select the appropriate configuration of struts and guy wires (strings) for your project
  • construct, evaluate, and properly tension guy wires made from steel cables or bowstring yarn
  • measure and analyse the vibrations of any telescope structure.

Building a telescope using flexible structural elements generally is a more ambitious project than one employing only rigid struts. Readers can tackle the project with confidence, knowing that the author has fully explained the underlying science and engineering of string telescopes. The answers to the most probing technical questions can be found here. Yet, little or no technical training is required to build a satisfying instrument. Reader can base their telescope on one of the two successful examples. Their lengthy chapters, profuse with drawings and images, and extensive construction detail, will lead you through the steps required to build an attractive telescope that meets exacting goals.