I ordered a "how to" book, ground and polished a 6" f/10 mirror, had it coated by metal evaporation, and built this reflector telescope - including the mount. To correct the mirror to within a millionth of an inch, you shine light from a pinhole on it, and in the reflected pinhole you slide a razor blade into it. The imperfections show up like hills and valleys. The equatorial mount was made from plumbing pipe. Since in Gary, Indiana we were almost at a lattitude of 45 degrees, a 45-degree elbow provided the polar axis.

Yes, I did win a first place at the state science fair at Purdue University.

Because I built this telescope, I got "in" with Clyde Tombaugh (discover of Pluto) and a job working for him at the New Mexico State University Observatory and Research Center. This is how I worked my way through college. Thank you, Mrs. Dale.

The two photos below are the only ones taken of the finished telescope, and taken with a cheap Brownie camera. Even with computer enhancement, they are still poor quality. Taken Spring, 1957.

3. Feb. 1957. Making pitch lap for polishing.

4. Feb. 1957. Polishing the mirror.

5. Mar. 1957. Testing for irregularites in the spherical surface of the mirror.

6. Mar. 1957. Aligning the optics.