[Utah-astronomy] The largest amateur-made optic

Mike's 70 inch scope is a record-breaker, obliterating the previous amateur-built telescope record of 48" (to the best of my knowledge). The record for the largest telescope optic ever made by an amateur has stood for over a hundred years, and is a 62 inch mirror made near the end of the 19th century by John Peate of Pennsylvania. It currently resides in the Smithsonian, was never mounted in a telescope due to advances in glass technology and optics at the time. Peate was in his 70s when he began the project! Read about Peate and the big mirror here: http://home.europa.com/~telscope/peate.txt