5 Great Tips On Buying A Telescope
45666
Home & Family > Hobbies
Sep 7, 2007
ronberry
5 Great Tips On Buying A Telescope
Aiming a telescope at the night sky has been one of my hobbies for quite a few years. Ever since I was a kid I spent many evenings gazing up into the Milky Way and wondered how many? How far away and how big must some of those stars be? As I got older and my interest in astronomy persisted, I decided it was time I bought a telescope. I started shopping around and found not only are there many types, but of course different features and accessories. I had no idea there were so many choices. If this is your first telescope, the choices can be overwhelming so I've included suggestions and some of the questions you may want to ask telescope dealers and yourself before you actually buy your first scope. If you already own a scope, these tips will still come in handy if you're thinking a buying a new one. - First, think of the reasons you want a telescope. Are you part of a stargazing club or planning on joining one? Has it been a passion since childhood? Do you plan on giving it as a gift to a budding young astronomer? Maybe you want to catch a glimpse of the space station as it darts across the night sky! If you plan to get a lot of use from your telescope, the best bet is to buy a larger scope with more features. You'll want one that doesn't limit your ability to explore the heavens. The better the quality, the more you'll enjoy the experience and further your interest. If, on the other hand, you've just read the paper and found out there's going to be a lunar eclipse this weekend, a smaller scope with less features is the way to go. You won't want to lay out big bucks for a great telescope with all the bells and whistles for something you'll get only occasional use from. Bend, Bounce Or Both? - What kind of Telescope should you get? The 3 types are refractor, reflector and compound, or catadioptric. A refractor telescope collects light at the top of a long, slender tube and bends or concentrates it to an eyepiece at the bottom. It's popular with observers whose main interest is the Moon and planets within our own solar system. They provide sharp, high-contrast views at higher magnifications and are less bothered by atmospheric disturbance and than the reflector or compound types. Because of this it makes an excellent choice for observation in a city setting. The reflector telescope uses a concave mirror at the bottom of a tube, rather than a lens at the top, to gather and focus light. Newtonian reflectors, the most common design, reflect (bounce) the collected light to a smaller secondary mirror at the top end directing the focused light to an eyepiece on the side of the tube, making for a comfortable upright viewing position. These scopes are perfect for those living in an urban or country setting and who wish to explore deeper into the cosmos. They are usually larger and a little bulky in size making transport more difficult. The third type, a catadioptric, employs a combination of lenses and mirrors to gather and focus light. Its design allows for a larger aperture mirror in a smaller space. Like the Newtonian, light is collected by a mirror in the bottom of the scope. Unlike the Newtonian, the tube is much shorter, making handling and transport easier. The light reflects off the back mirror to a secondary mirror near the top of the scope where it's concentrated once again and reflected to the eyepiece in the bottom of the tube. This design is also excellent for viewing objects beyond our neighbor planets. Location, Location, Location - It's true in real estate and it's true in astronomy. If you live in a city where there's well lit streets and neon signs flashing brightly at night, you may need to travel to areas away from the glow. It seriously hampers any attempt at stargazing. If you need to travel any distance to find a good location to practice your hobby, you'll want a telescope that's easy to set up and take down. Don't buy a scope that never comes out of the box because it's too much of a hassle to put together. A place in the suburbs or even the countryside is a much more inviting location. A quiet, peaceful setting with no streetlights, preferably with some elevation is perfect for viewing very faint objects in deep space. Buy a scope with a large objective lense (the larger the objective lens the more light gathering capability it has) and point it to almost any location in the Milky Way and you're sure to be thrilled by what you see. Hobby Or Passion? - Are you going out every weekend to observe stars and planets? Do you use star charts and plot locations of various constellations? Do you research deep space objects on the internet? Do you use a CCD (charged coupled device) Camera for astrophotography? If so, then you probably already have an impressive telescope and just want to upgrade and purchase a new scope or accessory. Again the objective lens of your new telescope is an important factor when deciding. You want to gather as much light as possible to provide lots of detail in your photos. You may just want to take the your new scope on a camping trip with the family. In that case a smaller scope or even binoculars would be particularly well suited for that purpose. It's easy to pack, set up and take down, and very portable. Don't buy the biggest baddest telescope on the market, you'll never fit it in a backpack! - Lastly, the price you're willing to pay for a new scope will ultimately determine the type of scope you buy as well as the size. You can spend a couple hundred dollars for a simple high quality scope if you're just starting out. Or you can spend thousands for a larger scope with more accessories than a New York model. Your answers to the questions above and your own good judgement will provide you with a firm platform to make a quality decision. If you're solidly entrenched in astronomy and the related fields, astrophotography, star charting etc. then you already have a good idea on the kind of scope you want. If this is your first telescope, I hope these suggestions and ideas have helped. Good luck and have fun stargazing!
Ron Berry is an amateur astronomer and freelance journalist who writes for Essay Street - http://essaystreet.com - For astronomy news and stories or for more information on telescopes and binoculars visit ScopeDoggie.com - http://scopedoggie.com - The universal choice of stargazers.
send email to ronberry
Write a Review
Add to My Favorite
Refer it to Friend
Report Article
Other links owned by this user
What child hasn't looked up into the night sky and marveled at the sight? These tiny specs of light painted against the infinite background of space have inspired poets to rhyme, composers to pen classics, scientists and philosophers to ponder our very or
Category:
The Digital Music Revolution. Companies that survived it were forced to change the way they do business because of it. Today's consumer enjoys more convenience and better music quality than their parents ever did thanks to it.
Category:
Back in June 28, 1894 congress passed an act declaring the first Monday in September a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and territories. It's a day to honor the American worker who, as Peter McGuire puts it, '... from rude nature have delved and
Category:
The Milky Way is growing! Astronomers discover another in what they believe to be a long list of galaxies being consumed by our own.
Category:
Every guy who's been married for a few year knows there are some quidelines to marriage he needs to adhere to if he want his life to be anything other than a living... Well, you finish the sentence.
Category:
Every kid who's picked up an instrument has, at least once, thought about starting a band. More successful groups have started out in garages than you might think. Metallica, The Standells, Alice Cooper to name a few.
Category:
Everyone who loves to listen to music knows the joy it brings. No matter what your tastes - rock, country, pop or classical, it evokes an emotion that few artforms can. Only by expressing yourself by playing a musical instrument can you heighten that expe
Category:
Thinking of buying a telescope? Great! - You're gonna' love it! But hold on a minute. There are some things to consider before buying. These 5 tips and suggestions are designed to help you make an informed decision.
Category:
Other links at Home & Family > Hobbies
In the early days of the fifteenth century, respect for all books was second only to respect for the Bible alone. Books were few in number and considered valuable due to the fact not many were printed at...
Category:
The picture frame, as it exists today, is derived from the doorway or entrance to temples, palaces and cathedrals. The earliest examples of frame-like decorations or borders bear a great resemblance to door frames.
Category:
Selling handcrafted jewelry is a competitive business in a relatively saturated market, so how do you make yourself stand out from the sea of other jewelry makers? One great marketing strategy is to have a mailing list and to actively send out mailings.
Category:
A child may not appreciate the effort that goes into the writing of a second birthday party invitation wording, but the parents and their guests certainly will!
Category:
Some of the most astonishing effects in card magic are those that utilize the principle of secret prearrangement of the cards. The four of aces card trick is one that can make your reputation as a magician.
Category:
Site Sponsor
Directory Statistics
Articles: 68285
Categories: 501
Yahoo Entertainment
