Telescope | Observations in Astronomy

A Beginner’s Guide to Telescope Usage

Purchasing a telescope is a big step for someone who is planning on making a long-term hobby out of astronomy. There’s something special about using your own astronomy equipment, but it can be a fairly daunting task to learn how to use your first telescope. Use these tips to get on the fast track to using your telescope and becoming an astronomy pro.

Most telescopes available for hobbyist use and purchase are small or mid-size, so you have to be careful about where you go to look. Light pollution is a serious problem for stargazers and you definitely want to avoid it; it refers to the light left over from city lights, streetlights, and even a moon that’s too bright. Ideally, you should go out on a night when the moon is just a sliver, preparing to start or end a new moon cycle.

Bring some additional equipment with you to stargaze. Star charts are an invaluable tool for finding constellations, naming stars, and learning something from your experience. You can’t enjoy the stars if you are uncomfortable, so be sure to bring blankets and sweatshirts in case the temperature drops too far. If you want to keep track of your stargazing progress, bring log sheets and something to write with. You can keep track of the stars and constellations you find, which is a good way to observe your growth as an amateur astronomer.

Set your equipment up early and be prepared. You do not want to be fumbling at the last minute for your telescope! This is especially true if you need to read the instructions; figure out ahead of time how to set the telescope up so you don’t waste any valuable time.

Stargazing with your own telescope is a very rewarding endeavor. As long as you prepare correctly and use your telescope properly, you will have lots of fun.

Comparing Binoculars and Telescopes for Astronomy

Although most people use a telescope when they want to go stargazing, there is another viable alternative. Binoculars can be used to look at the stars, and there are advantages to both tools.

To start, binoculars are more lightweight and portable than telescopes. Even lightweight telescopes can be a heavy strain after a while, but it is rare to find a pair of binoculars that are heavy enough to be noticeable. This makes them a particularly good alternative for nights when you may be traveling between several different stargazing locations.

Binoculars also tend to be much more affordable than telescopes. A beginner’s pair of binoculars is very inexpensive, typically less than $100. However, finding a telescope that is worth toting around can cost several hundred dollars. If you aren’t sure whether or not you want to take up astronomy as a serious hobby, trying it out with an inexpensive set of binoculars is much more cost-effective than trying it out with a telescope.

However, there are also advantages to using a telescope for astronomy. Telescopes are known for their magnification levels. While binoculars can zoom in quite a bit, it doesn’t even compare to what a telescope can do. Binoculars that are made for astronomy use tend to have 20x zoom; however, telescopes may have more than 100x magnification.

Telescopes are also more flexible for stargazing. Although they are known for having high magnification levels, they can also be used with lower magnification lenses. It’s much easier to get a telescope with several different lenses than it is to find a pair of binoculars that has all the varying magnification levels you need for stargazing.

Clearly, there are benefits to both options for stargazing tools. Both are excellent choices; the right choice depends entirely on your preferences, budget, and long-term astronomy goals.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Telescopes Tagged With: Astronomy, Telescope

Aperture and Focal Length in a Telescope

Those who love stargazing and looking at constellations need only their eyes to find popular constellations and enjoy the view. However, if you are looking at planets and distant stars, a good telescope is a worthy investment.

Some people think that when they are buying a telescope, the only thing to worry about it the zoom. However, there a lot of factors to look at when considering the features of a telescope. Aperture is one of the main factors to take into consideration. Aperture refers to the diameter of the telescope. Therefore, when the aperture is larger, more light can be seen. When you focus, the focal length is important as well. It is the length of refracted light.

Another thing to consider when looking at aperture is the usage of the telescope. A larger aperture usually means that the telescope is heavier; if you plan on taking long hikes out to different fields and areas to look at stars, you probably don’t want something that is very heavy. Although a smaller aperture doesn’t let you see as much, you can take it many more places. Finding a good compromise between aperture size and telescope weight can help you get the views you want without breaking your back.

Since focal length and aperture are related, you should also factor focal length into your decision. If your telescope has a short focal length, it will tend to give you brighter images. That’s good for stars and smaller objects, but it’s not good for planets. Looking at planets with a short focal length leads to poor images. Longer focal lengths lead to a dimmer image that is better for viewing large celestial bodies.

When you go to pick out your telescope, remember to look at aperture and focal length over magnification. Using those criteria will help you get the best telescope for your needs.

Filed Under: Telescopes Tagged With: Focal length, Telescope

Astronomy Clubs Offer New Opportunities

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Have you ever wanted to learn more about the star system? Have you wanted to see the craters in the moon up close? So close, in fact, you could detect mountain ranges? Many people have this desire, but they don’t always have the funds to buy observation equipment powerful enough to do so.

Where can you go to fulfill your stargazing desire if you don’t live near a major astronomy research facility that allows the public the opportunity to attend hosted events? Well, you might consider finding a local astronomy club. You can find astronomy clubs in rural communities, suburbs, and even cities.

The types of programs the clubs offer vary, depending on the location of the club, the size or the club, and the members of the club. Some groups host more events than others do, and the public can usually attend these events without having to join the clubs.

Take the North Halton Astronomy Club, for example. It recently hosted an event for the public, and two of the group’s members walked first-time stargazers through the process. The newcomers were able to see the moon with enough definition to make out the mountain ranges. As an added bonus, the group was able to focus in on Jupiter and see the red spot up close.

In addition to letting guests use their personal equipment, the club also offered demonstrations on comments and provided information about astronomy. Astronomy clubs all over the world offer similar opportunities. Many people can take advantage of working with individuals who have a better understanding of the night sky. After all, a newcomer may have trouble identifying what they are seeing through the scope.

If you are interested in taking your fascination with space to a new level but you want to keep your costs under control, consider finding a local group.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Amateur, Astronomy, Fort Tryon Park, Inwood Hill Park, Jupiter, Moon, Telescope, United States

Using Halloween for Astronomical Education

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Have you ever laid out in field and looked up at the stars and night, wanting to learn more about the solar system and the stars twinkling above? At some point in time, almost every person has done this or will do this. Many people take this fascination to the next level by purchasing a home telescope, which allows them to get a better view. The idea of appreciating the stars in such a way is the principal behind sidewalk astronomy, and Halloween is a great time of year for it.

In most places, kids will stay up past dark to go trick-or-treating, making it a perfect time to extend the nighttime hours long enough to look at some stars. To help make sure you can show your kids something cool, consult the seasonal night sky map, which will give you several things to look for while you’re enjoying your time as an astronomer. Possible things to look for through the telescope include Jupiter, the moon, and the Owl Cluster in Cassiopeia, which is perfect for Halloween.

Some people may even want to set up a telescope near the candy station and allow kids to take a peek as they come around to collect goodies. If you want to get a better view than the sidewalk affords, check with local astronomy clubs to see what local spots they recommend for stargazing. As a general rule, the further you are away from the lights of a city, the easier it will be to see the stars clearly through your telescope.

Also, keep an eye on the weather. Certain conditions, such as a cloudy sky, will affect your ability to see the stars. Of course, if the weather is good enough to go door to door with the kids, it should be good enough to watch some stars.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Astronomy, Cassiopeia, Halloween, Jupiter, NGC 457, Solar System, Star, Telescope

Why we need astronomy

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Astronomy and astrology are often confused as being one and the same. They are related to each other at various levels. But still there is no real link between the two disciplines. Astronomy revolves more on physics. This means it can take aspects of mathematics as well into consideration. On an observational level, astronomy describes to us what we see in the heavens. The movements of the planets and other celestial bodies are what astronomy studies closely.

Astronomy provides answers to how the universe will evolve tomorrow. It explains the creation of the universe. The existence of Earth, and its existential calculation is calculated using astronomical calculations.

Right from the big bang to the red shift of the universe, astronomy has made derived answers from years of close observations of movements in the solar system. Astronomy has made so many inroads in everyday life of human beings. The calculation of the sunrise and sunset time is done use observatory calculations of astronomy. Even the amount of time it will take for the sun’s rays to reach Earth is done using astronomy. Astronomy is used to detect possible entries of comets into the Earth’s atmosphere.

Astronomy is used extensively to track the orbital paths of Earth’s man made satellites. When a satellite is off-track, astronomical observatory telescopes either fixed on Earth or space, send alarms to the control station. So much can be done with astronomy. It is truly an indispensable part of our lives.

Without astronomy everything would have remained unknown. The Earth would have still remained a flat surfaced planet, and people would have been frightened to wander far and wide, lest they fell of Earth. Astronomy gave us the universal knowledge of the solar system and the billions of solar systems in the universe. Astronomy also told us that there are a billion more suns in this universe. But astronomy hasn’t yet told us if we are alone in the universe or not.

Filed Under: Astronomy Tagged With: Amateur, Astronomy, Earth, Education, Fort Tryon Park, Inwood Hill Park, Solar System, Telescope

Astronomy: Origins

tars and time–empires have been carved in search of these elements. Civilizations have risen, fallen and been reborn. Fables have been created, passed through generations, defying disbelief. Philosophy, religion and wonder have all been formed. And the world has forever been seeking ways to define what waits beyond. Astronomy was the favored science before it even had a name.

But such a science was not always so precise (not like it is now). Novas confused; planets were mistaken as myths; and there was the certainty that Earth truly was the great center of everything. The desire for answers was limited by misconceptions.

That all changed, however, with the much needed invention of the telescope.

In 1608 Hans Lippershey was a lens-crafter, working tirelessly within the German city of Middleburg. His days were devoted to glass and careful magnification, studying the abilities of the eye, deciphering how an iris could be manipulated (and subsequently improved). And it was through these improvements that he discovered an all too vital truth: the stars could not be seen by determination alone. Their subtleties were all too blurred. But his lenses, when coupled correctly, could increase sight and perception; which would allow all secrets to then be learned.

So the telescope was created.

And it began a small revolution. Lippershey quickly requested a patent for his idea, offering it to the world as an invention without equal. News of this spread across countries, drawing interest (and envy) from others. And soon the telescope was being reimagined, its design pulled apart and then bolted back together. It was improved; it was changed; it was made into a more modern machine.

And the sky seemed suddenly not so far away.

Astronomy has existed since humans could marvel at the moon; but it was simply a science defined to awe and riddles. It was a question without understanding. Through Lippershey and his peers, however, it became an obtainable answer. The telescope made it real.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Satellites Tagged With: Astronomy, Earth, Telescope

Observe and Report: Astronomy

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It’s another midnight, another sprawl of sky and stars; the twisting trails of constellations and lunar cycles. You recognize the patterns. You’ve learned them all, have devoted your evenings to memorizing every shape, every aspect. The distance is well charted and well known. And this is why you immediately understand that something has… changed. Your universe is not as it was the day before. It has instead yielded a prize.

And you’re the one who found it.

There is one truth in Astronomy that can never be denied: its discoveries are without prejudice. Men may struggle for years, hunched behind the rattle of their equipment, charting out all possibilities. And yet their theorems will offer no realities and their efforts will only bring frustration. They will give month after month of their lives, only to receive nothing in return. Their sacrifice will be in vain. And you–a hobbyist, spending your idle hours on a hill–will suddenly discover what others have been seeking.

And it was all simply by staring in the right direction at the right time.

Unlike the harder sciences (which can only by followed by those versed in their principles, in obscure mathematics and formulas), Astronomy is accessible to all. It can be understood by any who wish to learn it and requires little more than patience and a telescope. And, through this, amateur exploration is possible–and is often accomplished. Revelations can be made by luck and simple curiosity.

And such a notion distinguishes Astronomy from its sister-sciences. This is not a field dominated to impossible codes and technological intrigue. It is instead a field that allows any to participate. There is no limit to the sky and there is therefore no limit to the ones who can view it.

And this allows vital discoveries to be made by simple good fortune. All have the chance to achieve greatness. All have the opportunity to leave their mark on the world.

Astronomy offers equality and the far more important hope.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Telescopes Tagged With: Astronomy, Telescope, Universe

How to Easily Build Your Own Telescope

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Telescopes have come a long way since the pioneers like Galileo; high-tech ones are in every astronomical laboratory, and some pretty decent ones can be found in retail stores as well. You can buy one of your own if you have the cash to spend. However, you can actually build one quite easily using common materials.

It may seem surprising that cardboard tubes are suitable for building a simple telescope, but these are your main ingredient for something quick and simplistic. Add a couple of lenses, along with two tubes of different diameters, some glue or cardboard rings to hold the lenses, and you can assemble a scope in no time. The project won’t even cost more than a few dollars.

To ensure an even more secure fit for the cardboard tubes, you can add wooden rings between them. If you want to get more technical with the lenses in a Galilean telescope, you can set up an optical bench, which will allow you to attach different lenses and set them at different distances to see how the system will work, before you fit them into the scope. Once you are ready to assemble, you can also add some stain or lacquer to darken the inside of the tubes.

Building a simple telescope is easy, and all you have to do is look through it and adjust the two tubes to get a clear focus. You can try looking up at the sky at night. Although you won’t see crystal clear images of far away nebulas like with Hubble, you may see some more detail on the moon than you would ordinarily see with the naked eye. The scope might also be useful when looking at things on the ground, similar to using binoculars.

There are many websites that feature instructions on how to do this as well, so there is no shortage of resources. Astronomy stores also have many guidebooks that can also help you along if you want to fill in some time with a fun project.

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What to Consider When Buying a Home Telescope

Owning a small telescope can be a fascinating experience. You’ll be able to see the shapes of distance galaxies, and even see clouds on Jupiter and the rings around Saturn. The craters and mountains on the moon can easily be seen. Even though you can find one for a relatively inexpensive price, as far as technological hobbies go, there are a few things to look at when you buy a telescope.

The first consideration is the type that you want to get. The most familiar is the refractor telescope that has a lens at the front of the device’s tube. It is easy to maintain, but as the aperture gets larger, the product can be quite expensive. The least expensive, based on aperture, is the reflector type, with a mirror at the rear of the tube. However, the optical alignment needs frequent adjustment, especially if you move the scope or bump into it a lot.

The compound telescope features a combination of lenses and mirrors inside. The tube is more compact and the light bounces around inside between the lenses and mirrors before coming out through the eyepiece.

Regardless of the type, the most important part of the telescope is the aperture, or the diameter of the lens or mirror. Usually measured in millimeters, the aperture is the main indicator of the scope’s magnification power. A larger one makes it easier to see fainter objects in the sky, as well as finer details. Read the aperture size rather than magnification power to get a better idea when shopping around.

Another important consideration is the telescope’s mount, important in keeping the unit sturdy. Many scopes will come with tripods or mounts, but if there is only a mounting block, you can get altitude-azimuth or Dobsonian mounts which swing up or down or left and right. An equatorial mount turns on a single axis to track the motion of stars, and has to be aligned to the North Star to work properly. With all of these carefully chosen, you should enjoy your telescope for years to come.

Filed Under: Observatory, Telescopes Tagged With: Buying Telescope, Telescope