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MINI-BIOGRAPHY of By Dave Trott ATM, TN
I am an "Amateur Telescope Maker" or ATM. ATM's are people who like to make and modify telescopes for fun and to experiment with improving the performance of telescopes. Many of us are obsessed with obtaining that elusive goal: "The Perfect Telescope". See John Dupton's page for more thoughts on the topic.
This is a six inch Dobsonian reflector I made. Almost everything on this particular telescope is home-made including the primary mirror. Once you have ground and figured a mirror you can claim the proud honor of calling yourself a "Telescope Nut" or T.N. The process of making a mirror is very time consuming , arcane and rewarding. It DOES NOT save you any money so it is not worth the effort for most people. However, it is quite rewarding to look into the eyepiece of a telescope and realise that the image is produced by the sweat of your own labor. It's almost as nifty a feeling as being able to introduce yourself to strangers as a "Telescope Nut"!!
I am employed as a college astronomy teacher. I love everything about it except the pay. It is a remarkably rewarding experience to introduce others to something you love so much.
For many years I also taught telescope making at Gates Planetarium. Here are some photos of ordinary folks who have built telescopes in my class over the years.
To see more photos of Gates Planetarium Telescope Makers. (SLOW TO LOAD)