Telescope-Related
Publications
and Presentations
by Michael E. Lockwood, Lockwood Custom
Optics
I have
dedicated a lot of time and effort to educating clients,
telescope owners, and interested people on topics that are related to
telescopes and telescope performance. I want people to understand
why their telescopes perform poorly or perform well, and I would like
them to have good information that they can access to help them solve
problems. Many of my online articles have become talks, and some
have been published in magazines. Some articles have also been
written about telescopes that I have built.
My Articles Page
contains links to my self-published star party reports, and links to
other articles that I have written to educate telescope users on
various topics, such as cleaning mirrors, diagnosing issues with
telescopes, etc. Those articles are not listed here.
Here's a
list of articles that have been published in magazines, articles I have
been mentioned in, and
presentations I have
given
on topics related to optics, telescope making, and mirror making.
The
author/presenter is me, unless otherwise noted.
Please
let me know if you have interest in having me speak at your event.
"Okie-Tex Memories - People and Moments", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Tues. Oct. 5, 2021. A
presentation about my favorite Okie-Tex memories and photos, and about
several friends who attended Okie-Tex and have passed away in recent
years.
"The Steps of Making a Mirror or Why I do it the way I do it", presented at the unofficial Enchanted Skies Star Party, Fri. Oct 1, 2021, and at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Tues. Oct. 5, 2021. A
presentation about the steps involved in making a mirror, and an update
on our utilization of our 4D PhaseCam 6000 interferometer and
measurement techniques.
"LCO Down Under, etc.", presented at the Winter
Star Party, Wed. Feb. 19, 2020. A
presentation about LCO's travels to Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii in April of 2019.
"LCO Down Under", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed. Sept 25, 2019. A
presentation about LCO's travels to Australia and New Zealand.
"Fun with Optical Measurements, or how I learned to stop worrying and learned to love my interferometer", presented at the Winter
Star Party, Wed. Feb. 13, 2019. A
presentation about optical test methods, and why LCO decided it was
time to upgrade to a different interferometer. Photos and videos
of testing are included.
"Telescope Performance Factors and Modern Design", presented at the Winter
Star Party, Thu. Feb. 14, 2019. A
presentation about how to address various problems and improve
telescope performance. This includes features of two example
instruments.
"Fun with Optical Measurements, or how I learned to stop worrying and learned to love my interferometer", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Thu. Oct. 11, 2018.
"Telescope Performance Factors and Modern Design", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Thu. Oct. 11, 2018.
"Night Vision Used for Amateur Astronomy", presented at the Winter
Star Party, Feb. 13, 2018. A
presentation about past and current nightvision technology, how it can
be used to improve the views of objects in the sky, and different ways
of using nightvision devices.
"The Steps of Making a Mirror (or Why I Do it the Way I Do)", presented at the Winter
Star Party, Feb. 13, 2018. A presentation about the steps involved in making a quality optic, and why those steps are necessary.
"Night Vision Used for Amateur Astronomy", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 20, 2017. A
presentation about past and current nightvision technology, how it can
be used to improve the views of objects in the sky, and different ways
of using nightvision devices.
"The Steps of Making a Mirror (or Why I Do it the Way I Do)", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 20, 2017. A presentation about the steps involved in making a quality optic, and why those steps are necessary.
"Is
it Hot in Here or is it Just My Optics?", presented at the Winter
Star Party,
Wed., Feb. 22, 2017.
"A
Modern Guide to Mirror Support", Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, Volume 92, Fall 2016, pages 47-58.
"A
Modern Guide to Mirror Support", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 23, 2016. A
presentation about my recommended modern mirror cell construction
techniques and tips, here is a link to the online article on my web site.
"Is
it Hot in Here or is it Just My Optics?", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 23, 2016. A presentation about the issues that
temperature changes cause in telescopes, their structures, and their
optics.
"A
Modern Guide to Mirror Support", presented at the Winter
Star Party,
Wed., Feb. 10, 2016.
"A
Modern Guide to Mirror Support", presented at the Chiefland
Fall Star Party, Thurs., Nov. 12, 2015.
"A
Modern Guide to Mirror Support", an informal talk,
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 16, 2015.
"Four
Lessons in Mirror Testing", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 16, 2015. A
presentation about different mirror testing techniques, how well they
should/can agree, and the common pitfalls of some of them. Here
is a link to the online article, on my web site.
"Four
Lessons in Optics", Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, Volume 86, Spring 2015, pages 57-67.
"Four
Lessons in Mirror Testing", presented at the Winter
Star Party, March 19, 2015.
"Winter
Star Party 2014", Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, Volume 85, Winter 2014, pages 46-52. Article
about my trip to the Winter Star Party 2014 and other places visited.
Here is a link to the online article, on my web site.
"Why
Aren't My Stars Round?", presented at a
meeting of the Texas
Astronomical Society of Dallas, June 27, 2014.
"Why
Aren't My Stars Round?", presented at the Winter
Star Party, March 27, 2014.
"Adventures in Big Mirror Making",
presented at the Chiefland Fall Star Party,
Thurs., Oct. 31, 2013.
A presentation
detailing the refiguring of a
42" f/3.86 mirror and the grinding, polishing and figuring of a 50" f/4
mirror made from a cast cellular blank. Images and test images
from various stages of work are shown, and detail the good, bad, and
ugly involved in working on large mirrors.
"Why
Aren't My Stars Round?", Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, Volume 80, Fall 2013, pages 56-62. Article
about the various cause of optical problems found in Newtonian
telescopes, and how to recognize, diagnose, and fix them. Also a
description of how to collimate using a star and critical defocusing.
Here is a link to the online article, on my web site.
"Adventures in Big Mirror Making",
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Oct 2, 2013.
"Why Aren't My Stars Round?",
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Oct 2, 2013.
"The
Winter Star Party (2013)", Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, Volume 79, Summer 2013, pages 62-65.
Article
about the Winter Star Party and other places I visited in Florida.
Here is a link to the online article, on my web site.
"Adventures in Large Mirror
Making",
presented at the Winter Star Party,
Tues., Feb. 5, 2013.
"Optical Testing",
presented at the Hidden Hollow
Star Party, Fri., Aug. 17, 2012.
Presentation
about general optical testing topics, different test methods,
advantages and drawbacks, null-testing arrangements, etc. Many
test images are shown.
"Amateur
Telescope Making - a Survey", presented at the Hidden Hollow
Star Party, Sat.,
Aug. 18, 2012.
A
presentation (updated as of August 2012) covering
the history of increasingly large telescopes, the history of telescope
making, and an overview of how amateurs build telescopes, the designs
and materials they choose, and other random thoughts that I consider
relevant to a discussion of ATMing.
"Optical Testing",
presented at the Winter Star Party,
Tues., Feb. 21, 2012.
"Measuring
asteroids with homemade monsters", Sky
and
Telescope Magazine,
December, 2011.
I
wrote this article to describe the hard work done by Bob Holmes,
founder of the Astronomical
Research Institute.
Bob built his own
telescopes, and has devoted many years to measuring asteroid positions,
and his work is now funded by NASA.
"Optical Testing",
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Thu., Sept. 29, 2011.
Presentation
about general optical testing topics, different test methods,
advantages and drawbacks, null-testing arrangements, etc.
"Building a
better Newtonian", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Thu., Sept. 29, 2011.
Presentation
about ways to improve Newtonian telescopes, such as fast cooling
mirrors, how to cool mirrors, proper mirror edge support.
Beginning of the talk was a continuation of "Optical Testing"
including the Lockwood Coating Polish test and test results for five
example mirrors.
"Fast Optics -
V2.0", presented
at a meeting of the Indiana
Astronomical Society at
the Link
Observatory on
Sat. May 21, 2011.
Presentation
about the advantages and disadvantages of fast Newtonian telescope
optics, and some of the stories behind how I came to make such large,
fast mirrors. Slides added to discuss 50" f/2.2 mirror and
other
completed or upcoming large-mirror projects that I will be working on.
"The new
Dobsonian revolution", by Michael
Bakich, Astronomy
Magazine, January, 2011.
Michael
Bakich discusses my fast optics, Starmaster Telescopes, and the
Paracorr Type 2 by Televue, and how the combination has altered the
telescope market.
"A New Optical
Shop", presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Thu., Oct. 7, 2010.
Presentation about my new
optical shop, how it was constructed with optical fabrication in mind,
and some of my latest projects.
"Various Topics",
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Thu., Oct. 7, 2010.
Presentation
about optician Dick Wessling, who passed away in the spring, my trip to
Haleakala Observatories last year, an update on fast optics, and a
Q&A session about various telescope and optical topics.
"Fast Optics",
presented at the Indiana Family Star Party, Sat.,
Aug. 7, 2010.
Somewhat abbreviated version
of the talk below.
"Fast Optics",
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party, Wed., Sept. 16, 2009.
Presentation
about the advantages and disadvantages of fast Newtonian telescope
optics, and some of the stories behind how I came to make such large,
fast mirrors.
"Amateur
Telescope Making - A Survey of the Craft",
presented at the Okie-Tex Star Party,
Wed., Sept.
16, 2009.
A presentation that I do every
so often covering
the history of increasingly large telescopes, the history of telescope
making, and an overview of how amateurs build telescopes, the designs
and materials they choose, and other random thoughts that I consider
relevant to a discussion of ATMing.
"Building
Faster, High Quality Newtonian
Telescopes",
Amateur
Astronomy Magazine, Volume 63, Fall 2009.
I
discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
fast Newtonian telescopes in this medium-length article.
"Bigger,
Faster, Better!" by Gary
Seronik, Sky
and
Telescope Magazine,
July 2009.
Gary
Seronik discusses fast Newtonian
telescopes, and features my 20" F/3 Starmaster telescope in his monthly
Telescope Workshop column.
"A
Travelscope Challenge" by Gary
Seronik, Sky and
Telescope Magazine,
March 2009.
Gary
Seronik describes my 8" F/5.4 travel
telescope in his monthly Telescope Workshop column.
"Large
Telescopes, Projects, Trends and Issues",
presented at the Okie-Tex Star
Party,
Wed.,
Oct. 1, 2008.
Presentation
about large telescopes and some of
the issues that their builders deal with, such as thermal performance,
mirror support, and trends in construction. Up to date information was
given about Bob
Holmes' 24", 32", and future 50" research telescopes with
updated
statistics from him, as well as the 43.4"
telescope under
construction by Robert Houdart.
"Optical
BS",
presented
at the Okie-Tex Star Party,
Thurs., Oct. 2., 2008.
After
giving a bit of information about my
background, in this talk I explored some of the misconceptions about
optics and optical testing by posing ten questions, the answers to
which are either "True" or "BS". I asked the audience to vote
on
which answer is correct, and explained the correct answer. I then
disussed the answers, and finished up by talking about mirror cooling,
quality metrics for optical testing, and issues with some common
optical tests.
"Okie-Tex
2007", Amateur Astronomy
Magazine,
Volume 59, Fall 2008.
Describes
my experience at my
first Okie-Tex Star Party.
"Building
and doing research with a 32” and a 24” telescope and
Large telescopes", presented
at the Winter
Star Party,
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008.
Presentation
about Bob
Holmes' 24" and 32" research telescopes with updated
statistics
from him, as well as the 43.4"
telescope under
construction by Robert Houdart, which I am making the primary
and
secondary mirror
for, and Bob Holmes' proposed 48" F/4 prime-focus telescope.
"Building
MBM 30"
(updated
version), presented by
Mike Lockwood, Mike
Conron, and Bob Nonnemann the Okie-Tex
Star Party,
Friday,
Oct. 5, 2007.
Describes
the making of the 30" mirror and the
construction of the
MBM 30" telescope.
"Construction,
observations,
and research using 24" and 32" telescopes",
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party,
Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007.
This
talk uses some presentation materials from
Bob
Holmes, who built the telescope, but also many photos and videos that I
took while making the primary mirror. I made the primary mirrors
for Bob's two
telescopes
and assisted with their setup.
"Construction,
observations, and research using 24" and 32"
telescopes",
presented at the Indiana
Family Star Party, Saturday,
Aug. 11,
2007.
"A
Modern Long-Focus Newtonian", Sky and
Telescope Magazine,
March 2006.
Describes
my 10"
F/8.8 scope and its
construction.
"A Portable
Large-Aperture Cassegrain", Sky and
Telescope Magazine,
October 2006.
Describes
my 12.5"
F/12.5 classical
Cassegrain and its construction.
"Building
an Open-Tubed 12.5" F/12.5 Classical Cassegrain",
July 2005, Cloudy
Nights article.
Details
the design and construction of my
Classical Cassegrain,
originally entered in the Cloudy Nights telescope making contest.
"Amateur
Telescope Making - A Survey of the Craft",
presented at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Nov. 28th, 2005.
Also
presented to the Astronomical Society at
the University of Illinois (UIAS), Feb. 22nd, 2006.
Previous versions of this talk were
presented to
UIAS in several previous years, and I update it every year.
"Building
MBM 30",
presented
by Mike Lockwood and
Mike Conron at the second annual Prairie
Skies Star Party, Saturday,
Oct. 1st, 2005. Here is a
link to my article about PS2005.
An
updated version (as of October 2007) was
presented at the Okie-Tex
Star Party
2007.
"Live
Foucault Testing" - I took one
of my
testers to Prairie Skies 2006 and 2007 to test mirrors on the
spot. The results ranged from great to very bad.
