Looking to see farther in your Minecraft world? Learning how to craft a telescope is a simple but game-changing upgrade for any player. This handy tool lets you zoom in on distant terrain, mobs, or builds with ease. It’s a must-have for navigation, planning, and exploration. This guide will walk you through everything you need, from gathering materials to using your new spyglass effectively.
How To Craft A Telescope In Minecraft
Before you can start crafting, you need to gather just two specific items. The recipe is straightforward, but finding the components requires a bit of effort. Don’t worry, we’ll cover exactly where to look and what to do.
Materials You Will Need
You only need two items to make a telescope. Both are found in the world, not crafted from simpler parts.
- 2 Amethyst Shards
- 1 Copper Ingot
Finding Amethyst Shards
Amethyst shards come from Amethyst Clusters, which grow inside Geodes. These are large, round structures that spawn underground. Here’s how to find them:
- Explore caves, especially deep ones. Geodes can be partially exposed in cave walls.
- Listen for a unique “dinging” or chiming sound. Amethyst blocks make this noise when you walk near them or hit them.
- Look for a smooth, light purple block called Calcite. Geodes are lined with this on the outside.
Once you find a Geode, you’ll see blocks of Amethyst Buds and Clusters inside. Only the fully grown Amethyst Clusters (the largest, dark purple ones) will drop shards when broken. Use any pickaxe to harvest them. You’ll need two shards.
Getting Copper Ingots
Copper is a common ore found underground. It’s similar to finding iron.
- Mine at any height level, but it’s most common between Y-level 48 and Y-level 0.
- Look for orange and green speckled ore blocks.
- Mine the copper ore with a stone pickaxe or better to get raw copper.
- Smelt the raw copper in a furnace to create copper ingots. You just need one ingot for the telescope.
The Crafting Process Step-by-Step
Now that you have your materials, it’s time to craft. You’ll need a crafting table.
- Open your crafting table menu to see the 3×3 grid.
- Place the Copper Ingot in the very center square of the grid.
- Place one Amethyst Shard in the square directly above the copper ingot.
- Place the second Amethyst Shard in the square directly below the copper ingot.
- The telescope will appear in the result box. Drag it into your inventory.
That’s it! The pattern is a simple vertical line: shard, ingot, shard. The left and right columns of the grid should be empty.
How to Use Your Telescope
Using the telescope is simple. First, move it to your hotbar for easy access. Select it like you would any tool or weapon.
- Hold Use Item: On most platforms, you hold down the right mouse button (PC), left trigger (consoles), or the equivalent “use” button on your device.
- Zoom In: While holding the button, your view will zoom in significantly. A black vignette will appear around the edges of your screen.
- Look Around: While zoomed in, you can still move your viewpoint to look around at the distant area.
- Release to Zoom Out: Let go of the use button to return to your normal field of view.
The telescope doesn’t have durability, so you can use it as much as you want. It won’t break or wear out over time, which is great.
Practical Uses for the Telescope
This tool is more than just a novelty. It has many practical applications that can help you survive and build.
- Scouting Land: Plan your route by zooming in on mountains, villages, or structures before you travel.
- Mob Detection: Safely check if that distant figure is a friendly villager or a hostile pillager patrol. You can also spot creepers near your builds from a safe distance.
- Building Details: When working on large structures, use the telescope to inspect details from ground level without constantly climbing up and down.
- Nether & End Navigation: In dangerous dimensions, being able to scout fortresses, bastions, or end cities from afar is a huge safety advantage.
- Finding Resources: Look for surface-level ore deposits, like clay or exposed coal, from a distance.
Telescope Tips and Tricks
Here are some extra bits of advice to get the most from your spyglass.
Combining with Other Items
You cannot enchant a telescope directly. However, you can combine it with other items in an anvil. For example, you can rename your telescope something fun. There’s no “zoom” or “range” enchantment available in the standard game.
Accessibility Settings
If the black vignette (the dark edges) is too distracting or causes discomfort, you can change it. In your game settings, look for “Spyglass Overlay.” You can change it from “Vignette” to a simpler “Square” outline or turn it off completely. This is a helpful feature for many players.
Multiplayer Uses
In multiplayer, the telescope is fantastic for coordination. You can point out locations to friends or check if a player in the distance is a teammate. It’s also just fun to use together on a shared project.
Common Problems and Solutions
Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Here are fixes for common issues players face.
- Can’t Find Amethyst: Keep caving deeper. If your world is old, you might need to explore new, unvisited chunks for geodes to spawn. Try mining around Y-level -50.
- Recipe Didn’t Work: Double-check your crafting grid. The items must be in a perfect vertical line in the middle column. A common mistake is putting them in a diagonal or horizontal line.
- Telescope Won’t Zoom: Make sure you are holding down the “use” button, not just tapping it. Also, check your controls settings to confirm the “Use Item” key is properly assigned.
- Copper Turns Green: Don’t worry! Copper blocks oxidize and change color over time, but copper ingots and the telescope itself do not. Your tool will stay looking brand new.
Expanding Your Toolkit
The telescope fits into a larger set of exploration tools. Once you have one, consider these other useful items.
- Map & Cartography Table: For mapping large areas, combine with the telescope for scouting.
- Elytra & Rockets: With an Elytra, the telescope is perfect for planning your flight path before you launch into the air.
- Compass or Recovery Compass: Helps with navigation after you’ve spotted a location you want to reach.
Each tool has it’s own purpose, and the telescope complements them all by giving you a detailed view of your destination.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you enchant a telescope?
No, you cannot directly enchant a telescope with enchantments like Unbreaking or Mending through an enchanting table. You can only rename it using an anvil.
Is there a way to craft a telescope without amethyst?
No, the recipe strictly requires two amethyst shards and one copper ingot. There is no alternative recipe in the standard version of Minecraft. You must find a geode.
What version of Minecraft was the telescope added?
The telescope, called the spyglass in-game, was added in the Caves & Cliffs Update (Part 1), which was version 1.17 for Java and Bedrock editions. Any world updated since then will have them.
How do you make a spyglass in Minecraft?
Making a spyglass is the same process described above. “Spyglass” is the official in-game name for the telescope item. The crafting recipe is identical: one copper ingot in the center, with an amethyst shard above and below it on the crafting grid.
Can the telescope be used for redstone?
The telescope itself does not interact with redstone components. It is purely a visual tool for the player and doesn’t emit a signal or activate anything mechanical.
Why is my telescope not working?
If it’s not zooming, first ensure you’re holding the correct button. If that’s fine, try placing and re-picking up the telescope from your inventory. In very rare cases, a game restart can fix a glitched item. Also check you haven’t accidentally changed your control settings.
Conclusion
Crafting and using a telescope is a simple process that adds a lot of depth to gameplay. By finding a geode for amethyst and mining some copper, you gain a powerful tool for seeing faraway things. It helps you stay safe, plan better, and appreciate the scale of your world. Remember the pattern: one copper ingot between two amethyst shards. Now you’re ready to scout your next adventure with perfect clarity. Just watch out for any surprises that might be lurking in the zoomed-in view.