8/20/2023 0 Comments Looking for a good telescope![]() Read on to find one that strikes your fancy.īEST ALL-AROUND Celestron NexStar 8 SE Computerized ![]() Remember, the best telescope for you is the one you’ll get the most use out of-not always the biggest or most expensive. For the models chose here, I suggest their best uses to help guide your search. I compared each model’s product specifications, including aperture, dimensions, features, availability, and overall ease of use. I also looked at customer ratings available on vendor websites. To pick these telescopes, I relied on my personal experience and reviews from expert sites and observer forums. I would be very skeptical of a standard telescope that cost less than $100, but I wouldn’t recommend spending more than $1000 unless you have explored the hobby a bit and know which direction you want to take your next step toward. By the same token, a $20 telescope might not be the highest quality. If you wanted to build a research-grade observatory in your backyard, that’s an option-albeit an expensive one. ![]() Lastly, a note on price: You can spend as much as you want to on a telescope. Computerized movements, like some telescope mounts, require a power supply. Computerized telescopes (sometimes called “Go To” telescopes) can help you easily find objects in the night sky with minimal setup, and will continue to serve you well as you grow into the hobby. A fully manual telescope might be less expensive, but it could prove to be frustrating for someone just starting out. You also have a choice between manual and computerized movement. A telescope that’s too hard to set up (especially in the dark) is a telescope that won’t get used as much as a simpler one. Some might be inclined to say that a bigger ’scope with a sizable aperture is better, but larger models are harder to store and transport.Īnother important consideration is complexity. As with binoculars, you will see telescopes that promise a level of magnification that sounds impressive, but that number will do you little good without a big enough aperture to actually collect the light needed to bring an image into focus. In all cases, however, it’s the aperture (or diameter of the lens) that you’ll want to pay the most attention to. Compound telescopes, as you might have guessed, are simply a combination of the two, and employ both mirrors and lenses that allow for even smaller and more portable telescopes (albeit at a higher cost). That means reflectors can be much shorter in length while also allowing for wider apertures, although they can require more setup and maintenance to keep everything in alignment. The key difference between a refractor and a reflector is that a reflector uses a mirror as the primary component of its design, while a refractor uses only a lens at the end of a long tube. As Sky & Telescope explains, there are a number of distinct types, but they all fall into three broad categories: refractors, reflectors, and compound telescopes (also called catadioptric). If you’re ready for a telescope, you’ve got a few decisions to make. Sky & Telescope has an extensive directory of local clubs. That way, you can learn some of the basics from experts and try out different types of telescopes before taking the plunge on one yourself. not only will it take the weight of your binoculars out of the question, but allow you to lower or raise the optics to allow a family member or friend to share in the view without losing your target object!Īs with many hobbies, it’s also a good idea to connect locally and join an astronomy club in your area. A standard camera tripod will work, but consider splurging on the height-adjustable and true-pointing tripod add-on known as the Paragon Plus. This makes a bigger difference in what you can see than the magnification factor, which is the first number of those two.įor the upper weight class of binoculars like the Celestron Skymaster pair, you’ll want to consider a tripod. If you’re familiar with photography at all, you’ll know that’s what determines the amount of light the lens gathers. How to Take Stunning Photos of the Starsįor backyard astronomy, most experts recommend a 7 x 50 or 10 x 50 set of binoculars-or, as Ed Ting of notes, “ the largest lenses you can comfortably hold.” It’s the second number in that equation, the aperture of the lens (measured in millimeters), that’s the most important consideration.
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