Simplifying the spyglass with glasses lens

Abstract

The main tool work of the astronomer is the telescope. Its handling is always object of high curiosity among students, teachers, and the general public. Planning of giving them access to an easy-to-assemble and inexpensive telescope, made with alternative, easy-to-find materials, and resistant to students handling, we simplified the assembling of a spyglass made with glasses lenses of 1 or 2 positive degrees and a photography monocle, published by Canalle (1994). This spyglass, which allows us to see the craters of the moon, had on the tripod and on the determination of the place of the formation of the image its main structural problems. In this work these problems were solved. We substituted the wooden tripod for a simple soft drink bottle and the photography monocle (eyepiece) was inserted into a short reducer which can move inside a pipe of PVC so that we can adjust its position inside this pipe so that the image is formed on its extremities. Consequently, the spyglass assembling, which was already simple, became even simpler, cheaper, and more comfortable to the user.