Designing telescopes wasn’t part of Bryan Delodder’s life plan. After a devastating accident ten years ago, he turned to mechanical design and 3D printing as a way to make life from a wheelchair more accessible. That included his lifelong love of astronomy. When his young niece asked how she could get a telescope of her own, Bryan embarked on a journey that would see him create a growing community of telescope builders and astronomy lovers.
Bryan’s telescope designs range from beginner-friendly models to serious astrophotography instruments. Through TenTelescopes.com, his free, open-source designs have been downloaded and built by makers, educators, and astronomers around the world.
In this talk, Bryan shares how adversity, curiosity, and a simple request led to the creation of a small telescope factory. He will also present a live 3D animated walk-through of how they’re assembled and what they can do.