In the March 2010 Sky & Telescope

Without question, the best way to learn how to make a telescope mirror is to have an experienced mirror maker at your side as you push glass. Each year there are scores of mirror-making workshops held all over the world. In this month's Telescope Workshop column, I highlight one such event: the Mid-Atlantic Mirror Making Seminar, hosted by the Delmarva Stargazers. If you attend one of these gatherings, there's a good chance you'll come away with a finished mirror, but that's just one of the benefits — the lasting friendships and sense of camaraderie you'll develop are just as rewarding.

In Binocular Highlights, we have a look at a pair of circumpolar Messier galaxies. M81 & M82 are the most northerly objects in Messier's catalogue, and they're also among that list's finest galaxies. What's remarkable about this pairing his how much of each object's character comes through even in binoculars.