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.
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.
The best, safest ways to view a solar eclipse, from beginners to experienced observers
What are the best and safest ways to view an eclipse?
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.
How to make an eclipse model
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.
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.
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.
Make your own equatorial camera mount for astrophotography
Build this 'artificial star' to test the quality of any telescope or lens
Make a useful tool to test the alignment and quality of any telescope or lens.
How to make a Bahtinov mask
Our DIY Bahtinov mask guide contains a link where you can download a printable, adaptable PDF template.
Build a simple tool for measuring the sky
Make a device from simple household items to measure the sky more consistently than with the hand method.
Build a zero-magnification finder for your telescope
Construct a device that will help you aim your telescope at a celestial target in the night sky.
Build an observing chair
Say goodbye to wet knees and aching joints with this DIY astronomy project – an observing chair that folds flat for easy storage.
Build a Dobsonian equatorial platform
Convert your altaz Dobsonian telescope into a sky-tracking lightbucket.