Urban Astronomer

A Brief Introduction to Telescopes

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:52:06 +0000

What’s a telescope? Generally speaking, a telescope is a device that magnifies the degree of visibility of far away objects, making these objects more amenable to observation. The telescope was first used by the early astronomers to observe the sky, and to discover new celestial bodies. Telescopes were instrumental in the advancement of science and in the development of newer and more efficient ways of observing celestial phenomena, such as the sun’s activities, the planets’ movement around the solar system, and the moon’s waxing and waning. It took a long time before modern science was able to device technologies that would supersede the usefulness of the telescope. Even upon the advent of the Hubble Space Telescope, refracting telescopes are still very useful for astronomers and budding scientists, in their quests to understand the nature of the universe, and the Earth’s place in it.
Now, there are two general categories for telescopes that are optical- first is the refracting-type telescope, and the second is the reflecting-type telescope. What is a refracting telescope? A refracting telescope has three general parts (which means, no matter how modern a refracting telescope is, it would still have these main parts as foundation for other parts): the telescope tube, the objective lens and the eye piece lens. The simplest explanation for a refracting telescope would be this: a refracting telescope is composed of two lenses that are convex, which are generally more thick in the very center than at the edges. This design allows colors and light to be focused more clearly and transmitted more efficiently to the eye piece lens.
The part of the telescope that is more near to the object being observed (may it be a turtle, a star or someone in a far away window) is called the objective lens. What happens technically is that this particular lens collects the color and light from a particular source, and takes focuses this as an image that is upside down inside the tube of the telescope. In simpler telescopes, the images remain inverted; but in the more modern versions, the images can be righted by special lenses inside the telescope. Other modern versions of the telescope also have recording devices located near the eye piece lens, so you may be able to record the things that you are observing. These types of telescopes are useful especially if you like observing meteor showers, and other types of celestial phenomena that don’t visibly happen very often in the world’s open skies.
Reflecting telescopes, on the other hand, utilize a different type of lens. Instead of having a convex lens, reflecting telescopes have a curved lens that were specifically crafted to bring back and magnify images. The power of a reflecting telescope to gather and focus light from a source can be achieved by increasing the area of the reflecting telescope’s mirror. Large reflecting telescopes that may be found in astronomical installations were built specifically to observe the skies twenty four hours a day.

How To Buy Telescope On A Budget

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:51:48 +0000

Why do people buy cheap telescopes? Times like these, one must be practical. If you can get cheap telescopes that function the same way as the regularly-priced telescopes, then you might as well do so. You get to save more. Just make sure that the cheap telescopes you get can last for a long time.
Manufacturers of cheap telescopes often suggest to their buyers to get the best telescope that they can afford. The cheap telescopes are targeted to beginners. It´s a way for them to figure out whether this is a hobby they want to pursue and therefore invest in.
It is a very expensive hobby so it´s best that one is decided and determined to take this on and buy more expensive telescopes.
It´s all a matter of balance. Don´t just throw your money away and get the first telescope that you see to get it over and done with. You need to let your child enjoy gazing at the stars. It helps to be familiar with the specs and features of regularly priced telescopes. If you can get the same models and these are cheap telescopes then make the most out of the situation.
If you have a limited budget, cheap telescopes is the best way to go. Sometimes these telescopes can provide the user the same features a regularly priced telescope can give them. If that is the case, then the user can save more money if he just purchases the cheap telescopes.
Another reason why others buy cheap telescopes is because there are some people who don´t know what exactly they want from a telescope. At least with a cheap telescope, they can gauge their interest in the hobby.
Cheap telescopes still come with different accessories and a warranty. Of course, it helps to research on which brand of telescope to get. Different manufacturers all have different offers to their potential customers.
If one can buy cheap telescopes then he might as well make the most out of the opportunity. If the telescope is for an astronomer at heart, then it´s only fair that he gets the best telescope that the giver can afford.
Nowadays, there are cheap telescopes at less than a hundred dollars. In fact, it will be easier for the user to just go through telescope quotes online and compare the prices. By doing this, he gets to see the specs and features of the cheap telescopes that are available.
He´s also mindful of the prices. He can definitely get the model that fits his taste and is within his budget.

Buying A Telescope

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:51:29 +0000

Walking around the Earth may seem like we are on a big place, a big world. The universe is infinitely bigger and has a lot more things to look at! You need a telescope, but buying a telescope is not that easy. There are not that many stores. In this article, we will look at buying a telescope.
In this article, you will discover:
* Why Buy A Telescope?
* The Best Part Of Owning A Telescope
* Types Of Telescope
* Buying Your First Telescope
* Why Buy A Telescope?
It may seem like an obvious answer, but why buy a telescope? A telescope allows you to discover more about our universe, to see worlds bigger than Earths. To see the beauty that has been painted throughout our universe.
Whatever your reasons, whether to learn, discover, or have fun in seeing new things, a telescope is a great addition to every home. You can also see the planets, and do experiments.
* The Best Part Of Owning A Telescope
The best part of owning a telescope is that let’s say you look up one night, and see something bright, a sparkling star? Perhaps it’s a planet? Owning a telescope would allow you to point straight up at it and discover something.
There are many good things with owning a telescope. You can do some amazing experiments. For example look at Jupiter and the configuration of the moons. Then 24 hours later you could look again, see the differences, and over a period of time extrapolate the time it takes for there revolutions.
Obviously this information has accurately been able to be made already, so the discovery wouldn’t make the headlines! However it still is fun to do such experiments or the experiment of measuring the distance of Jupiter to us, to figure out the speed of light! A telescope can be immense fun. Imagine finding comets and meteors!
* Types Of Telescope
There are 2 main types of telescope. 1 is the refractor telescope, which is the famous design, where you have a long tube where the light enters from the front, and goes to the back where the light passes a lens to your eye.
Another type is the reflector which was invented by Isaac Newton. This telescope has a more fat tube, where it has a mirror at the back. The light hits the back, and comes to meet a secondary mirror near the top, where it projects into the eye through a lens.
* Buying Your First Telescope
Buying your first telescope need not be difficult. There are not that many stores available, so another alternative is looking in telescope magazines. An extremely easy method is to go online, where there is a huge selection to go through.
Companies such as Meade, Celestron and Orion make great telescopes. Buying a telescope is easy online, and can be delivered to your home! Make sure you invest $200+ to be able to get a good telescope with good optics and tripod and mount.

First Time Telescope

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:51:12 +0000

Space telescopes are amazing instruments. Looking up to the sky on many occasions deep down you want to soon see more. A shining glimmer of light from a star is not enough, we want to see the beauty the universe contains. Your beginner telescope can be a blessing or a curse! Read my latest article on finding the right beginner telescope for your home.
There is a couple of things to clarify before we take a deeper look at what kind of planetary telescope will be right for your needs.
1. When you look through a planetary telescope it will be in shades of black and white.
2. The pictures on the planetary telescopes box is taken by a professional astro-photographer.
Think of the planetary telescope box for your beginner telescope as the pictures from fast food restaurants. The picture looks amazing in the picture, but the result is less than imagined. This can deter people thinking that planetary telescopes are not what they make out and that they should decide not to buy a beginner telescope. This is not the case, after all we still love the fast food. Your beginner telescope will still bring you amazing sights which are breathtaking.
One thing to keep in mind is the price and quality factor. In the last part I gave you an example of a fast food chain and the pictures. Now if you purchase your beginner telescope for $100 or less, than realize that the quality of your beginner telescope will not satisfy your desire to see the universe.
Those beginner telescopes selling for less than $100 are great for looking at the moon, but will prove no use for any deep space viewing. The key to having the best beginner telescope is to make sure your beginner telescope has a strong mount, otherwise the image will shake everywhere, and you will not see much.
The best option is to go for a $200+ planetary telescope for your beginner telescope. The price determines quality with planetary telescopes whether it is your first time planetary telescope or you are a seasoned planetary telescope user. And the most important parts that need quality is the planetary telescope mount, planetary telescope lens, and planetary telescope mirror.
The main items to look at when buying a planetary telescope are the two numbers that will tell you how well it is expected to work. For a good beginner telescope, a listing of 20X50 is about average. This means the magnification will equal 20 times what you see with your eyes and the 50 is the width of the length, which is what determines how much light is gathered. The more light the better the image will be visible in the dark and for astronomy, all star gazing is typically done after dark.
A lot of the cheap planetary telescopes try to sell you on fancy gadgets. They look good to have on your new beginner telescope, but the truth is that these kind of features will be of no use. Consider on a $100 beginner telescope that comes with loads of fancy gadgets, most of the money is going on those features. All you need to get started in astronomy with a beginner telescope is to make sure more of your money goes on the planetary telescope mirror, planetary telescope mount, and planetary telescope lenses.
Reading this article I hope has clarified certain things to consider when you buy your beginner telescope. There are a lot of things to consider, but keep to these rules, and when you buy a planetary telescope you will be pleased with the results.

The Meade Telescope

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:50:47 +0000

With a need for high quality star telescopes, Meade Telescope was born in 1972. The vision of the Meade Company was to create a product which could be easy to use, for the beginner, and also provide more advanced Meade Telescope for the advanced star telescope user.
The beginning of the Meade Telescope Company spawned lots of excitement. For the first time a mass produced star telescope was made that was of value to beginners and advanced astronomers. Since the beginning, the Meade star telescope has been popular, and has received a lot of orders.
You can be sure that you are buying quality when you buy a Meade Telescope. Everything you need to start gazing the sky and see the stars is all included. The quality of Meade Telescope in spite of being a mass produced star telescope, is unprecedented. The reason being this is not like a Mechano set and can’t be mass produced with the same quality in mind. A star telescope needs very good optics to be of use. Low quality optics on a star telescope will destroy your chances of seeing some of the greatest sights in the universe.
Another factor is the star telescope mount, and Meade Telescope mounts are of a high quality. This is a star telescope made by people who actually love astronomy. The Meade Telescope invests a lot in research and development, to bring you the best star telescope for your money.
A lot of people who are thinking of purchasing their first astronomy telescope may actually be a little weary of doing so. This is because the prices of star telescopes range from $50 to several thousands of dollars. However, the Meade star telescope stands out here. This is because it has all of the functions that you want and yet it is very easy to operate even for a beginner. You are sure to get clear, detailed pictures with this star telescope.
Like digital camera’s, the Meade Telescope Company also has a variety of Meade Telescope models – for various needs. One of the star telescopes you will find is a Meade reflective star telescope that has computer capabilities and a manual mount so that it is easy to move around and adjust. Another model is available with a curved glass edge that is good for deep space viewing. Their final model is one that has large apertures that will provide you with high quality viewing.
At the time of writing this article, there are 12 different models in the Meade star telescope range. You will hear of the Meade LX range and Meade ETX range. You will also find that you can get electronic star telescopes from Meade. These star telescopes with electronic movements can be a great feature to find objects in the sky extremely easily. However, if you want to learn about astronomy, a manual mechanism will enable you to learn where objects are in space. You also have the satisfaction of being able to find the object from any star telescope with the co-ordinates.
Choosing between a Meade star telescopes with an electronic computer controlled mechanism or a manual mechanism is going to be down to what you really want from your astronomy experience. If you want to get into astronomy to learn, and explore the universe a manual mechanism star telescope will provide more joy. If you want a star telescope to look every now an again, like a picture on the wall, then a computer controlled interface may be a better route. Though saying that with kids, a mechanical mechanism could lead to frustration.
There are so many great products from Meade Telescope Company and also from other manufacturers. The Meade star telescope company has some great products at the moment, allowing all to be able to have a fun time with astronomy, and you can count that Meade can take you through your whole astronomy journey.

Narrowing Your Focus when Choosing a Telescope

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:50:26 +0000

Looking towards the sky is a favorite pastime of young and old alike and there are many various types of telescopes available today for purchase to suit your different needs. There are many factors to consider when choosing which of the types of telescopes that you will end up purchasing. Factors such as price and intended use rank as the most important to differentiate amongst the main types of telescopes. Before we get into the basics of all of the types of telescopes, let’s first look at some important guidelines to think about when purchasing a telescope.
1) Never buy an extremely cheap telescope (typically under $200 or $150 for a new telescope). These telescopes are not worth the money. If this is your budget, there are many types of binoculars available that will provide much more satisfaction and bang for your buck.
2) Don’t buy your telescope on power. Telescopes that advertise outrageous “zoom” factors are generally cheap models that should be avoided.
3) Do buy your telescope based on aperture, or the diameter of the mirror or lens. Simply put, the bigger the size of the aperture, the more amazing views you will get.
Refractor Telescopes
Refractor telescopes use lenses to refract the light which enters the device. This light then converges, from the objective lens to a focal point where it is magnified for viewing. Refractors are good for many reasons. They are easy to use and reliable and, being smaller, are easier to travel with. Refractors are also good for daytime and terrestrial viewing. Refractors however are more expensive than comparable reflector telescopes.
Among refractor telescopes there are several different varieties, the best and most expensive of which are the apochromatic refractor telescopes. Beneath that are the achromatic refractors and beneath those are the non-achromatic refractors which represent the bargain-bin telescopes you can find anywhere.
Reflector Telescopes
Reflector telescopes use mirrors as opposed to lenses. The mirrors collect, reflect and then focus the light. Also known as Newtonian Reflectors, these telescopes are cheaper than refractors and allow you to get bigger telescopes, with better views, while staying in your budget. One drawback to a reflector telescope is the necessary adjustments and toying with it takes to keep it operating at its best.
Catadioptric Telescopes
Catadioptric telescopes combine elements of both refractor and reflector telescopes. Both mirrors and lenses are used to direct and reflect the light toward a mirror from which it can be magnified and viewed. These telescopes are great all-around, versatile telescopes which provide great views. They are small and easy to use; however they are also expensive and have an uncommon design. (This is important for people who want a telescope to show off to the neighbors or houseguests, for example). The two similar variations of catadioptric telescopes are the Schmidt variety and the Maksutov.
Binoculars
As mentioned above, a high performing pair of binoculars will easily outperform a cheap telescope. If your budget is less than $200, you should buy a top notch pair of binoculars for your views. (It is a good idea to have a nice pair of binoculars in combination with your telescope anyway, so this is not a wasted investment even if you decide later you’d like a telescope!)
As you can see, there is a plethora of available types of telescopes for you to choose from. Find your available budget and then think about what will be available in that range and what suits you best. Whatever your needs – beauty in design, clarity of views, ability to use in daytime, etc – there will be a telescope that matches them.

Understanding the Basic of Telescopes

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:49:53 +0000

When entering a new area of science, we almost always find ourselves with a puzzling new technical term to understand before we converse with the specialists. This fact is certainly true in astronomy.
The terms of astronomy, both the terms that refer to the universe and terms that explain the tools of the trade, the most prevalent being the telescope. So to get us off of the basic, let’s identify some of the basic terms that pertain to telescopes to help you be able to talk to the telescope experts more intelligently.
The first area of specialization in telescopes is the types of telescopes. There are three basic designs of telescopes that most people use which are the Refractor telescope, Reflector telescope and the Schmidt Cassegrain telescope.
Refractor Telescope
The Refractor telescope uses a convex lens to focus the light on the eyepiece
Reflector Telescope
The reflector telescope has a concave lens which means it bends in. The telescope uses mirrors to focus the image that you eventually see.
Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
The Schmidt Cassegrain telescope uses an involved system of mirrors to capture the image you want to see.
Binocular Telescope
A binocular telescope uses a set of telescopes mounted and synchronized so your view of the sky is 3 dimensions.
Those are the basic types of telescope. There are other terms referring to parts of the telescope or to the science on how the telescopes work:
Collimation
Collimation is a term for how well tuned the telescope is to give you a good clear image of what you are looking at. With a good collimation telescope, you are not getting a false image of the celestial body.
Aperture
Aperture is the term that refers to how big the lens of a telescope is. The aperture of the telescope lens is the key to how powerful a telescope is. Magnification has nothing to do with it, its all in the aperture.
Focuser
Focuser is the housing that keeps the eyepiece of the telescope, or what you will look through, in place. The focuser has to be stable and in good repair for you to have an image you can rely on.
Mount and Wedge
Mount and Wedge refer to the tripod of a telescope. The mount is the actual tripod and the wedge is the device that lets you attach the telescope to the mount.
Altazimuth Mount
An Altazimuth Mount refers to the tripod of the telescope that holds the telescope in place and makes it useful during a star gazing session. The altazimuth mount lets the telescope to move horizontally and vertically.
Coma
The coma is the blurry area on the outer rims of your view through the telescope. How big the coma is and to what extent it interferes with your viewing will have is important to the effectiveness of your telescope.
Planisphere
Planisphere is a detailed map of where everything is in the universe and how to find the star you wish to study by keying off of known stars.
Barlow
Barlow refers to a specialized type of lens that you can buy to enhance the magnification of your telescope.
These are just a few of the basic concepts of telescope operation. We deliberately picked the ones you have to know to discuss telescopes intelligently. But your education into the more complex aspects of astronomy and telescope design and operation will go on for as long as you are a lover of astronomy.

Make Your Own Telescope

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:49:32 +0000

Truly, few things are as amazing as seeing the stars and planets with your personal eyes. Any company making a telescope brand knows this that is why they continue to create high quality, costly units that market well. Even though you aren’t an amateur astronomer, you might nevertheless consider obtaining your self a good unit if only to appreciate the wonders of the universe.
It goes without saying that branded units are created of strong, top quality materials. Depending on the model which you purchase, you might really well be capable to spot clear details of heavenly bodies. Obviously, due to the quality of commercially sold units, you are able to expect to pay thousands of bucks. This might not be really practical that is why some people wish to discover how you can make a telescope.
Some people do hold off from performing points themselves even though they don’t have cash to buy new telescopes. There’s usually a opportunity that you can still spot a great model in online auction websites. You have to be doubly careful although. Auction websites aren’t usually the very best locations to shop for costly items. Even though you may be capable to grab a unit for only a couple of dollars, there’s no telling for certain if it is in great shape. Some sellers might sell theirs because the item has serious difficulties.
Auctions are attractive simply because buyers get to save a lot. You will nevertheless, be able to save even much more should you make your personal telescope. This may seem like a daunting task simply because most individuals have the impression that telescopes are extremely technical devices that only experts can construct and calibrate. Nothing can be farther from the truth though. You definitely don’t need a PhD to create your personal.
All you truly require is a good step by step guide to construction. The best guides don’t just offer guidelines but also provide advice on searching for the very best but cheapest makeshift components that you can discover right in your own home. Even though you had to purchase every piece of material, you’d still pay so a lot less for them than for a brand new higher grade unit.
The easiest path to producing a telescope would be to devise a Newtonian unit. This is perhaps 1 of the simplest models to follow and is named after Isaac Newton who used it centuries ago. This basic device just has two lenses to capture light and direct it through the eyepiece. This really is more or less the same concept behind easy to make homemade units.
The components you’ll need might be a bit different from what Newton used within the past. You’d require pyrex lens blanks, cardboard mailer coated in varnish and some plywood. The real key to producing these easy materials work is within the polishing and shaping from the lenses.
Yes, you are able to make your own telescope. The steps are so easy it is a definite no brainer. All you truly have to carefully appear for is an authoritative guide that’s been tried, tested and positively reviewed by fellow stargazing enthusiasts.

Using Your Telescope To Explore

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:49:15 +0000

Individuals who buy telescopes frequently possess a vague concept that they would like to spend some time exploring the heavens and searching at planets and stars. You might not know precisely what you are able to see with your telescope until you do some study and experimentation. There are many objects within the sky you may have the ability to enjoy seeing.
The moon has most likely been an object for contemplation because the beginning of humankind. It goes via its phases, and for numerous, numerous years that was the only way people had to gauge time beyond the day.
However, having a telescope, you can see a lot more of the moon’s surface. You can focus on the dry river-like contours or the mountain ranges on the surface area of the moon. You are able to gaze at the craters much more closely. You can take a look in the terminator line where the dark and light sides from the moon meet.
You might think that the Sun is hard to observe. You cannot appear at it directly without having damaging your retinas, after all. The trick would be to use the correct solar filter to protect your eyes. It could be fun to maintain track of and chart the sunspot activity.
The planets from the solar system are fascinating to look at. Jupiter is simply spotted, with its great red spot which changes hourly. You can also view the clouds and the moons that surround it. Saturn is a delight to view with its glorious rings. Mars is interesting when you appear for the polar cap to change or view the surface area from the planet. Even Uranus and Neptune could be observed with an 8″ telescope. Pluto, though now not regarded a planet, may also be spotted as a little disc within the sky.
One type of heavenly bodies individuals most want to see with their telescopes is stars. There are many stars to see. You are able to appear at individual stars in an open star cluster. These may be difficult to distinguish from the background stars. Globular star clusters are different. They are millions of stars packed in a tight group. You can see these clusters from a great distance.
Should you want to discover a little much more about the night sky, you can discover out about nebulae. These glowing clouds of gas can be seen via a telescope under particular conditions. Some are little and shaped like a ball. Others are much larger, and they’re irregularly shaped.
You may even be capable to see the outlines of other galaxies. The Milky Way Galaxy which you live in is just one of uncountable galaxies within the universe. It’s exciting if you can get a glimpse of something beyond your recognized globe.
Comets, of course, are well-liked astronomical sights for numerous people. You are able to get a listing of comets that are due to come around by visiting web sites for example the NASA site. You have a limited time to view them, but this also indicates that you know when the very best time for viewing is.
Depending upon your particular telescope, you might or might not be capable to determine all these things. With some experience, you will come to comprehend just what your telescope can do.

Good Beginners Telescope

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:48:57 +0000

Considering buying a telescope? As a beginner to astronomy, you may wonder what you require, to get started in backyard astronomy. There is nothing like looking up at the Moon and other planets to see an amazing vision of the heavens, in all its glory. In this post, you’ll discover some important information to make buying your first telescope enjoyable and great! Let us get started, and discover the best!
Reading this post, you are able to anticipate to discover and learn the following, within the next five minutes:
* You will find out the 2 primary biggest options for telescopes, and which is best for you personally.
* You will find out the additional items that may make astronomy enjoyable and scientific!
* You will find out about a new telescope kind that is producing life for that beginner astronomer, a lot much more simpler!
* You’ll feel confident at being able to begin in astronomy, and know the best telescope to purchase, with handy ideas on setting a budget for telescope purchasing!
Each and every pastime has a cost of investment, and funnily enough, astronomy is no various. Astronomy, like any other pastime, requires which you invest time and cash into it.
The very first step to success, would be to know how a lot you are able to invest into astronomy. The telescope is one component from the puzzle, and as time goes by, you might wish to invest into magazines, much more lenses, as well as possibly bigger telescopes!
For your very first telescope, you will discover that you will find 2 major variations that you can go with. The first is the refractor variations, and the second may be the reflector versions. They operate slightly differently, and have different advantages.
Galileo worked on a telescope, which we know today since the refractor. It functions by basically getting light and focusing it, in the back. This is comparable to binoculars.
Then we have what Isaac Newton worked on. The guy that had an Apple drop on his head, then realized there was gravity, invested the reflector, which utilized mirrors to focus light to lenses about the side of the telescope!
The refractors are easier to use, and if the telescope is for a child, then you will greatest find a refractor.
Nevertheless, refractors can work out costly, and there needs to be some better solutions. The reflector then becomes much more economical, as the size goes bigger.
With refractors, you will discover that the main mirror is measured in sizes of inches. And for beginners, investing $150 or much more to get a 4.5″ or bigger is really a great idea for any starter version. Though much more than a 8″, I would only recommend for people who have used a telescope for a few years.
There is one more type of telescope, and that’s the computerized variations. These are great, and permit you to merely input the code for that object, and it will zoom there, ready for you personally to view!
Now that is amazing! Nevertheless, they’re more expensive. So, pay attention about the spending budget. Nevertheless, if you are able to afford, then it’s a great idea to invest into one of these. Unless you are willing to buy books and learn how you can navigate the heavens.