I just heard that the iconic telescope maker & optician Jean Texereau passed away a month ago today in France, at the age of 95. His knowledge and contributions to telescope optics were second to none. His book "How to Make a Telescope", not only helped me start in mirror making, but was truly the "Bible" of ATM for countless of amateurs who wanted the pleasure and satisfaction of making a telescope mirror "beyond reproach", with their own hands, using the simplest of tools.
A weird coincidence, his passing was just weeks after John Dobson, but not as well publicised here in the states. He was purely French and lived his life entirely in that country. We just lost 2 iconic figures in pro-am astronomy and instrumentation, one after the other :(
Mike LMK
To: Mike,
Mr. Texereau did a great service for the ATM community. I based the design of my 33cm apeture classical cassegrain telescope on the chapters and basic program from the last edition of his "How to Make a Telescope" book; see: http://www.astroimage.info/images/equipment/obs2.html
Very few men of his calibre share technical genius like this Great Frenchman did....au revoir télescope fabricant!
James
Hi: Thanks for the information. I have always like both the Texereau book and the Ingalls book. Nice to know that he lived into his 90's. I only hope that I will last that long. Best HNL