How to make a teleidoscope (open-view and lense kaleidoscope)

According to Wikipedia, a teleidoscope () is a kind of kaleidoscope, which have a lens and an open view, so they can be used to form kaleidoscopic patterns from objects outside the instrument, rather than from items installed as part of it. It was invented by John Lyon Burnside III.

This is how you see with the teleidoscope:



This is the finished teleidoscope. You can see the lens here, a simple transparent glass ball.

Step 1 Materials

The tools and materials should not be difficult to obtain. I think the most difficult or expensive is the glass cutter.

In addition, you will need a spare piece of mirror (depending on the size of the teleidoscope, around 15x10 cms).

Finally obtain the glass ball. It looks opaque when it is close to you, but at around 20 cms (1 foot) it converges light.


Glasscutter & lubricant (cooking oil)
Glass (three 15x2cm pieces)
Transparent glass ball
Paper or duct tape

In the picture, you can see more materials you may need, such as glue and cardboard tubes.

Comments

[armored bore]

Is the glass ball at the end vital? From what I've read, it mostly forces the viewing end from laying flat against the subject and shutting out all the light.

[Fiestoforo]

If you use the glass ball, the composite image has a more abstract look. Without it, it is just plain reality, looked at through a narrow tube.

[valhallas_end]

Heh, we bought an excellent one in a shop on Cape Cod (mostly to learn how to make them, but also because it was incredibly well designed), then promptly tried making our own.  We really should have bought forward mirrors instead of rears, but they worked pretty well.
If I ever make a larger one (I think our glass ball was 1" diameter), I'd like to try a hexagonal mirror pattern - I've seen a few around, and they look even more incredible.

[Fiestoforo]

Thanks for the comment and the idea of using six mirrors, I should try that...

[Trebawa]

I had one of these as a kid, and I've wanted to make one for a few years now.

[rimar2000]

Excellent!!

When I was a child, I dit some kaleidoscopes, but never before I had heard about teleidoscopes.

Your cat is very beautiful, too.