Matt Baker

I am an undergraduate student at Indiana University Indianapolis. I am majoring in Math and Physics, and pursuing a minor in Astronomy. I intend to specialize in optics.

At the controls of the 40 foot radio telescope
At the controls of the 40 foot radio telescope at Green Bank Observatory

I am passionate about astronomy, optics, and the math that models them. In service of that, I have worked on and tested many different telescope mirrors, some better than others! My tools range from simple ronchi gratings all the way to a bath (common path) interferometer; these tests combine to form a relatively complete model of the qualities of an optic.

I'm an active member in several amateur astronomy clubs and communities, and am always eager to learn about and plan new telescope designs- especially newtonians. Being community focused, I have helped to advise and teach dozens of new telescope builders the basics of amateur telescope design, especially with regards to the overall optical layout, budget, and eyepieces. The learning curve is steep, but with help, anyone can build a telescope.