A series tailored athermally stabilized optical (STASO) telescope system (STASOS) and method (STASOM) is disclosed. The disclosed system/method separates an optical mirror source (OMS) and an optical focal target (OFT) via a first metering rod (FMR), second metering rod (SMR), and third metering rod (TMR) where the FMR, SMR, and TMR each comprise a first retaining rod (FRR) comprised of a material having a first thermal expansion (FTE) coefficient and a second retaining rod (SRR) comprised of a material having a second thermal expansion (STE) coefficient. The FMR, SMR, and TMR are constructed so as to be athermally stabilized to ensure that the OMS and OFT remain separated at a constant or controlled distance over a predetermined temperature range by selection of appropriate FTE and STE coefficients.

A series tailored athermally stabilized optical (STASO) telescope system (STASOS) and method (STASOM) is disclosed. The disclosed system/method separates an optical mirror source (OMS) and an optical focal target (OFT) via a series connection of a first metering tube (FMT) and a second metering tube (SMT) that have been selected to have complementary thermal expansion characteristics so as to keep the OMS and OFT at a predetermined optical focal distance (OFD) from one another. This OFD may constitute a static distance and/or may incorporate a positive and/or negative expansion with temperature that complements thermal characteristics of the OMS and/or OFT so as to stabilize the OFD between the OMS and OFT over a predetermined range of temperatures.