2016 Convention Telescope Competition

All of the Telescopes Entered in the Competition

Winners of the Optical & Mechanical Competition

Convention attendees can enter their home-made telescopes in the Optical and/or Mechanical competition. Awards are given for best Optical Performance [Small Newtonian 12.5-inches or smaller; Large Newtonian over 12.5-inches; Compound Optical System] and for several Mechanical Categories [mechanical design, workmanship, innovative component, junior (under 16), special (for items that are not complete telescopes)].

First homemade telescope recognition: If you brought your first homemade telescope and displayed it on Breezy Hill, you got a certificate and your name was shown on the screen at the Saturday Night Program. These scopes are identified as First Scope in the listings.

The optical competition was completed on Friday night and the mechanical judging was done on Saturday morning. Optical and Mechanical awards were passed out at the Saturday evening program.

The Head Optical Judge for 2016 was Rick Hunter. Brad Vietje, Junie Esslinger, David McGaw, Francis O'Reilly, Michael Patterson, and Phil Rounesville were optical judges. Steven Forbes and Marc Polansky were the optical runners.

The Head Mechanical Judge for 2016 was Chris Houghton. Wayne Hilliard, Jeff Lowe, Brian Lula, and Mario Motta were mechanical judges.

The telescope competition registrars were Cecilia Detrich and Janet Hunter. Scope photos by Jay Drew.

Below you will see up to four pictures of each telescope entered in the competition (fewer if we have less than four available, in some cases we received no photos of some entered telescopes. This is especially true of some optical entries that were not available in daylight for photography. Listed in order of entry.

Note: After you expand a photo, you can use the arrow keys to move forward and back, and the spacebar starts a slide show.

Name: Shawn Colyer
From: Coatsville, PA
Instrument: 22-inch f/3.2 Newt-Dob
Entry: [01] Mechanical
No Show

Name: Zane D. Landers
From: Stamford, CT
Instrument: 6-inch f/8 Newt-Dob
Entry: [02] Mechanical
No Show

Entry 03 Charles Stevenson of Rutland, MA: 8-inch f/5.7 Newt-Dob
2nd Place Small Optical

Name: Charles Stevenson
From: Rutland, MA
Instrument: 8-inch f/5.7 Newt-Dob
Entry: [03] Optical & Mechanical
2nd Place Small Optical

Entry 04 Read Predmore of South Deerfield, MA: 8-inch f/6 Newt-Dob
1st Place (Tie) Small Optical; Honorable Mention Craftsmanship

Name: Read Predmore
From: South Deerfield, MA
Instrument: 8-inch f/6 Newt-Dob
Entry: [04] Optical & Mechanical
1st Place (Tie) Small Optical
Honorable Mention Craftsmanship

Entry 05 Steven Bellavia of Mattituck, NY: Differential Thread Helical Focuser
Innovative Component Award

Name: Steven Bellavia
From: Mattituck, NY
Instrument: Differential Thread Helical Focuser
Entry: [05] Optical
Innovative Component Award

Entry 06 Allen Hall and Dick Parker of Ellington and Tolland, CT: Two Identical 6-inch f/15 Alvan Clark Reproduction Refractors
First Place Compound Optical Master Class; First Place Mechanical Design Master Class; First Place Craftsmanship Master Class

Name: Allen Hall and Dick Parker
From: Ellington and Tolland, CT
Instrument: Two Identical 6-inch f/15 Alvan Clark Reproduction Refractors
Entry: [06] Optical & Mechanical
First Place Compound Optical Master Class
First Place Mechanical Design Master Class
First Place Craftsmanship Master Class

Entry 07 Peter Pekurar of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: 12.5-inch f/2.8 Newt-Dob
Honorable Mention Mechanical Design; Honorable Mention Craftsmanship

Name: Peter Pekurar
From: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Instrument: 12.5-inch f/2.8 Newt-Dob
Entry: [07] Optical & Mechanical
Honorable Mention Mechanical Design
Honorable Mention Craftsmanship

Entry 08 Jeffry S. Inman of Zion, IL: 16-inch f4.5 Newt-Dob
3rd Place Craftsmanship

Name: Jeffry S. Inman
From: Zion, IL
Instrument: 16-inch f4.5 Newt-Dob
Entry: [08] Mechanical
3rd Place Craftsmanship

Entry 09 Judy Hawkins of Florence, MA: 3-inch f/12.8 Newt-Dob

Name: Judy Hawkins
From: Florence, MA
Instrument: 3-inch f/12.8 Newt-Dob
Entry: [09] First Scope
Display only, not entered in competition

Entry 10 Gary T. Nowak of Williston, VT: Folding Binocular Observing Chair

Name: Gary T. Nowak
From: Williston, VT
Instrument: Folding Binocular Observing Chair
Entry: [10] Mechanical First Scope

Entry 11 Tom J. Nolasco of Huntingdon, Valley, PA: 5-5/8 inch f/4.3 Reverse Binocular Telescope

Name: Tom J. Nolasco
From: Huntingdon, Valley, PA
Instrument: 5-5/8 inch f/4.3 Reverse Binocular Telescope
Entry: [11] Optical & Mechanical

Entry 12 Tom M. Kiehl of Canton, OH: 6-inch f/10 Antique by L.E. Brower
Antique Restoration Award

Name: Tom M. Kiehl
From: Canton, OH
Instrument: 6-inch f/10 Antique by L.E. Brower
Entry: [12] Mechanical
Antique Restoration Award

Entry 13 Jeffry Inman of Zion, IL: 8-inch f/12 Hybrid Equatorial Mount
Second Place Mechanical Design

Name: Jeffry Inman
From: Zion, IL
Instrument: 8-inch f/12 Hybrid Equatorial Mount
Entry: [13] Mechanical
Second Place Mechanical Design

Entry 14 Pierre Lemay of Blainsville, QC, Canada: 8-inch f/5 Newt/Tracking Ball

Name: Pierre Lemay
From: Blainsville, QC, Canada
Instrument: 8-inch f/5 Newt/Tracking Ball
Entry: [14] Optical & Mechanical

Entry 15 Ken Spencer of Seacliff, NY: 1-inch f/39 Solar Reproduction
2nd Place Special Award

Name: Ken Spencer
From: Seacliff, NY
Instrument: 1-inch f/39 Solar Reproduction
Entry: [15] Mechanical
2nd Place Special Award

Name: Rita Ciambra
From: Dover, NH
Instrument: 6-inch f/5.5 Newt/GEM
Entry: [16] Optical
Withdrew

Entry 17 Walt and Bruce Wheeler of Nassau, NY: Modified Hossfield Pyramid, Solar Projector

Name: Walt and Bruce Wheeler
From: Nassau, NY
Instrument: Modified Hossfield Pyramid, Solar Projector
Entry: [17] Mechanical

Entry 18 Glenn Jackson of Warwick, RI: 6-inch f/5 Newt/AltAz with handmade optical window

Name: Glenn Jackson
From: Warwick, RI
Instrument: 6-inch f/5 Newt/AltAz with handmade optical window
Entry: [18] Optical & Mechanical

Name: Phil Day
From: Westford, MA
Instrument: 10-inch f/15 Refractor/AltAz
Entry: [19] Optical
No Show

Entry 20 Alan Ward of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada: 4-inch f/12 Apochromatic Refractor/AltAz
1st Place Compound Optical Award; 1st Place Mechanical Design; 1st Place Craftsmanship