The ERAU Amateur Astronomy Club Research Team is designing and building an amateur research telescope. The primary goal is high portability and compactness, with no compromise of optical quality. The team began with a set of mirrors pre-owned by the Amateur Astronomy Club, and will be constructing the telescope frame from medium density particle board. In the traditional style of John Dobson, the secondary mirror will be mounted on a truss system. This will reduce the weight and size of the telescope during transportation, as it can be disassembled and transported in a very small area. The primary purpose of the telescope is to observe and catalog messier objects in the night sky. After completion of the Messier Catalog, it shall be presented before physics faculty of ERAU
