The good news is that telescope mirror making is not nearly as mysterious as it first appears.
By Gordon Waite
AUTHOR
Gordon
Gordon Waite’s passion for astronomy began in the 1970s with a handful of grit, a glass blank, and a desire to see the night sky. As a teenager, he ground and polished his first telescope mirror and built his first telescope, an experience that sparked a lifelong fascination with optics and telescope making.
Gordon attended the University of Iowa, where he studied physics and astronomy under renowned physicist James Van Allen. He also worked in the university’s Physics Department under Dr. Savage and later pursued studies in computer science. This combination of scientific training and technical problem-solving would shape much of his future career.
In 1997, Gordon moved to New Jersey and became active in the S*T*A*R Astronomy Club. Together with fellow club members, he helped establish a mirror-making program for club members. Teaching others how to create their own precision telescope optics became one of the most rewarding aspects of his involvement in amateur astronomy.
In 2004, Gordon founded Waite Research and began producing telescope mirrors professionally. Since then, he has fabricated mirrors ranging from 6 inches to 38.5 inches in diameter for amateur astronomers, observatories, research institutions, and industrial applications.
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