On September 18, 2026, La Gazette du Midi published an article by Maxime Cossé about La 3ème Dimension: “With his 3D-printed telescopes, Raphaël Labro wants to make astronomy accessible to everyone”.
Astronomy for everyone
The article starts from a simple observation: long reserved for a community of insiders, astronomy is now opening up to a wider audience. From the Tarn-et-Garonne, the workshop contributes with 3D-printed instruments that are affordable and designed to be understood.
That’s the whole idea behind Lumi, the refractor delivered as a kit to assemble yourself:
“This approach lets users understand how the product works, and the different movements performed by the lens.”
Handcrafted, analog, and nomadic
The article also covers the workshop’s low-tech approach:
“The telescopes I make are not only handcrafted, they’re also analog, which means they can be carried anywhere.”
And what 3D printing makes possible:
“This process makes it possible to produce very complex parts and reach the quality of telescopes made by major manufacturers.”
The journalist also mentions Smallest, whose open-source plans on Printables have passed 23,000 views, and Picco, the next nomadic telescope expected in 2027.
Read the full article
You can read the full article (in French) on La Gazette du Midi’s website.
Thanks to La Gazette du Midi and Maxime Cossé for this feature!