Trucker from Utah built the largest amateur telescope in the world with a mirror diameter of 1, 8 meters

Habré recently published news about the world's largest telescope . It is unlikely that in the near future there will be an even bigger telescope - it requires a lot of resources on the creation of such a system, and not every region is suitable for the construction of giant telescopes.

After reading this publication, I was wondering - and what amateur telescope can be called the biggest in the world? It turns out that such a telescope with a mirror diameter of 1, 8 meters, was built trucker from Utah Mike Clements (Mike Clements).

This man - one who does not forget his dreams, and is not frightened of difficulties. For 15 years, he had the idea of ​​creating his telescope, driving his truck for 8-9 hours a day, 6 days a week.

According to the author of the largest lyubitelskokgo telescope in the world, all his life he felt anxious feeling to such systems. He always liked to look at the stars, telescopes, as well as create their own design, by itself, is not very big and not very sophisticated.

Mike is not only a dream, he gradually, step by step, trying to embody his dream. So, he actively thought through the possible construction of his telescope, and after some time he was lucky: in auction managed to buy a little defective mirror, which are made for a spy satellite, but the edge of the mirror was chipped. Michael bought a mirror, weighing in at 400 pounds in 2005, and put "the future».

It is worth noting that Mike is very often faced with a lack of understanding of others, many of the people around him told him that he would never be able to create the telescope, which dreams. Someone said that such work may be performed only by a professional, someone that the mirror will never work properly because it is defective. Nevertheless, Mike managed the task as "excellent", building complex system to its 51 th anniversary.



Construction height - 10 meters, the diameter of the main mirror - 1, 8 meters, secondary - 90 inches i>

I wonder also what Mike had never done preliminary design options: the entire structure he developed in his mind, using information on the smaller telescopes. To test the possibility of mirrors and help create an optical system for your telescope Mike helped his friend, a specialist in optics Steve Dodds. That Steve calculated that the height of the structure for the mirrors of this size should be about 10 meters.

Steve also highlighted Mike 5 acres of their land for the construction of the system. Mike has its own land, but in the region, which for some reason less suitable for the telescope.





By the way, back in the mid-90 team of amateur astronomers who call themselves the Group of 70, made an attempt to build a telescope of this size. But the Group of 70 did not work, did not have the finances.

Mike watched the project and try to consider all the flaws in your own project. He does not say how much money is invested in his telescope, but for several years he had to live on the minimum amount, denying themselves the essentials. Everything else was going to build the telescope.

Author of the project had to Silver 1, 8-foot glass yourself, do it only happened at the second attempt.

And after the installation of mirrors in body created them, Mike was able to experience his telescope. One can only imagine how exciting was the time of the first test, and that Mike had. According to him, he was very upset that opponents of the project are right, and nothing happens.

The telescope pointed at the moon, he saw a badly curved surface, and decided that all was lost. But it turned out that he sees the lunar crater, with a huge increase, which surpassed all his expectations.

No problems, everything worked perfectly. True, no telescope motors and direct the system to any other object comes with a manual drive.

Construction of the telescope took Mike 18 months, that is, half of the year. The telescope was named KH-12, and now serves as a former truck driver, and current amateur astronomer, faithfully.

Via dailymail

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/236847/