My telescope at Lassen National Park in California. This was the first time I used my new telescope. The occasion was a multi-night star party put together by The Astronomy Connection. It was extreeeeemely cold while we were observing.
My dad built a new telescope for my mirror so that I could take it as a carry-on to Africa for the eclipse in 2001. Here it is set up for our night of observing (the night before the eclipse). I looked at the Jewel Box, among other things. :-) It was weird to be out and not recognize many of the stars, while other familiar stars and constellations were in strange places. (Mars was nearly straight overhead...!)
This is the refractor that my dad and I built when I was in elementary school. I use it as the finder scope for my 6-inch. The wood block on top is threaded so that it will attach to a tripod, too. This was primarily how I used it before the 6-inch was made.
I wrote a paper on making my telescope mirror.
