Building a Dobsonian Base For An Old Telescope

In a previous video I fixed up an old telescope, but I didn't have a very good tripod or base for it. Rather than try to re-create the missing equatorial mount this is supposed to have, I built a simple Azimuth / Elevation base or Dobsonian mount.

This simple and relatively straightforward telescope base lets me quickly aim at planets, the moon, etc. I was even able to get some recognizable shots of Saturn and Jupiter this time! (I'm hoping to upgrade my photography / video options with the telescope in the near future).

The telescope OTA (Optical Tube Assembly) is a 1960s Criterion, 6" reflector with some upgrades and modifications done by a previous owner. My video of repairing and initially testing it can be found here: https://youtu.be/9bhCtbrfdKQ

I based my Dobsonian mount roughly on the one shown in the December 2019 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine (pg 72).

Another version (that's simpler in some ways) can be found here: https://10minuteastronomy.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/how-to-build-a-dobsonian-mount-for-a-5-inch-telescope/

A slightly fancier version of this mount can be found here: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/how-to-build-a-dobsonian-mount/

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