Astronomy DIY
Our How-to and DIY projects to help you get the best out of practical astronomy, from home-made accessories to practical observing tutorials.
Achieve fine focus with your DSLR camera by building this DIY microfocuser for your lens
How to thermally optimise your telescope
Tube currents in your telescope can affect the ability of the optics to bring light to a sharp focus. We show you how to combat these irritating effects.
Build a Dobsonian equatorial platform
Convert your altaz Dobsonian telescope into a sky-tracking lightbucket.
6 simple astronomy experiments you can do at home
Try our experiments using household items and illustrate the mechanics of the Solar System.
Make an instrument that shows how astronomers measure vast distances in space
How to make an instrument that demonstrates how cosmic distances are measured.
Don't fog up! How to remove moisture from your astrophotography camera sealed sensor
How to recharge the sealed sensor chamber inside your astro camera.
The best, safest ways to view a solar eclipse, from low-cost, simple options to expert astronomer techniques
What are the best and safest ways to view an eclipse?
Build a solar funnel to safely observe the Sun or solar eclipse through your telescope
This easy-to-make device lets you view the Sun or solar eclipse in safety.
Make your own Moon impact craters
This fun activity for family and kids brings to life the drama of meteor impacts on the Moon and is a great science project for school or at home.
Make a model showing what causes a solar eclipse or lunar eclipse
Follow our DIY guide and make a simple model demonstrating how a solar and lunar eclipse works for a fun children's school science project.
How to make a solar projection screen for safe observing the Sun or solar eclipse
Safely record features moving across the face of the Sun with this simple device.
Build a solar projector to safely observe the Sun or solar eclipse
Project an image of the Sun for safe observing with this step-by-step DIY astronomy build.
Make a Christmas fairylights constellation
Complete our crafty astronomy project over the festive holidays.
Make a Moon phase calculator and calendar
Make a mechanical instrument that calculates and displays the phase of the Moon for any chosen day of the year.
How to make a binocular mirror mount
Keep your binoculars steady with a mount that faces down to look up
Make a collimation tool for your telescope
Save money by building your own collimator from household materials.
How to build a telescope case
Construct an easy to make, practical case for any size of telescope.
How to build an astronomy accessories case
Make observing the night sky easier by constructing a customisable container for all your astronomy equipment.
Build a rotating camera shutter to photograph a meteor's movement
Build a rotating shutter and capture images showing a meteor’s movement with our DIY astronomy project.
How to clean your DSLR camera
Find out what equipment you need and the method required to clean your digital SLR camera's sensor and get back to producing pristine photographs.
Make a Sun, Earth and Moon model
A simple, hands-on project to teach surface features and orbits of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon to beginners and youngsters.
How to make a simple all-sky camera for timelapse sequences
Record a video of the changing sky by using an all-sky camera.
How to build a 4-camera DSLR 'bird table' mount
Construct our multi-camera mount to help you capture multiple areas of the sky at once: perfect for meteor showers.
How to build a back-garden telescope pier
How to build a permanent base in your garden for your telescope.