The brilliant Alignment Optical Telescope on Apollo

The Alignment Optical Telescope used to guide the Lunar Module, on the Apollo missions to the Moon.   This is how…

The telescope took star sightings which were used to align the Module’s guidance system.

Bill shows how the telescope used an Archimedes spiral inscribed on its eyepiece to replace the heavy motors, worm gears, and rigid tracks used in a traditional sextant — this shaved weight from the Lunar Module and allowed it to carry more fuel.