On a beautiful clear evening you look at the starry sky and see the moon and stars. And you think: I want to buy a telescope or stargazer, but where do I start? By now you have become so curious about the starry sky that you can hardly wait to see the first images of the moon or Jupiter. But all the information there is about a telescope does not make it any easier to purchase it. Buying a telescope is not always easy, but with good tips you can have a lot of fun with your telescope. What should you pay attention to when buying a telescope?
Index
- Forget the images from the Hubble Space Telescope
- Pay attention to the opening or diameter of a telescope
- Think in advance what you want to see
- An automatic telescope is not a good one
- Buy a good and sturdy tripod for your telescope
- Find an accessible and dark place
- Take the time to buy a telescope and ask for advice or tips
Forget about the images from the Hubble Space Telescope
Many starting amateur astronomers have the beautiful images from the Hubble Space Telescope in their heads before looking through a telescope. This space telescope has taken the most breathtaking images of our Universe in recent years. This viewer from NASA showed beautiful images of nebulae and planets.
Unfortunately, you will not see such beautiful images with a telescope costing several hundred euros. Often the first sight of a planet through your own telescope is also a slight disappointment. You had a completely different image in your mind. But with a stargazer you can study the stars, moon and planets yourself and maybe even from your own backyard. The fact that you can observe the rings or the moons of Jupiter yourself already gives a huge kick to many people. Many details can also be seen on the moon with its craters, even with a small beginner telescope.
Pay attention to the opening or diameter of a telescope
Important when viewing the universe is the ability of a telescope to collect light. Without sufficient light you will not see much of the starry sky. An example: a binoculars with a tube diameter of 70 millimeters will be able to observe much less faint star nebulae than a telescope with a tube diameter of 200 millimeters. With the latter you will start to perceive much more details and faint light objects because it receives more light. In short: the larger the opening, the more objects and details you will perceive. One of the most important buying tips is to ensure that your telescope is sufficiently opened.
Consider in advance what you want to see
It is important to consider in advance what you want to view with your telescope. Very briefly, the universe can be divided into deep sky objects (galaxies and star nebulae) and planets (including the moons). To view planets, you need a different type of viewer than when you want to view deep sky objects.
Refractor telescope
If you mainly want to view the planets, a refractor telescope is more suitable for this. You can also observe deep sky objects with it, but in general they are less suitable for this. A refractor telescope uses a lens to collect light. An advantage of this type of viewer is that it shows very sharp images of the planets and the moon. Another advantage is that the telescope tube is completely closed. As a result, dust and dirt can hardly get into the telescope. The disadvantage of this type of telescope is that the larger the opening, the more expensive it is.
Mirror telescope
The other type of telescope that is widely used is a mirror telescope (also called a reflector). This type is mainly used to view galaxies and nebulae. This viewer uses mirrors to collect light and transport the image to your eye. Often these telescopes have a larger aperture for the same amount than refractor telescopes. A disadvantage of this type of telescope is that dirt can get into the telescope and on the mirrors because the telescope tube is open.
Catadioptric telescopes
This type of stargazer uses a combination of mirrors and lenses. The Schmidt Cassava Telescope is a well-known example used by many amateur astronomers. Because this viewer uses both techniques, the price is usually a bit higher. Because this viewer uses two techniques, a good image quality and light collecting capacity is created.
An automatic telescope is not a good one
There are enough stargazers on the internet that automatically search for planets and star nebulae for you after a few tests. These telescopes are also called ‘Go-To telescopes’. These viewers also keep following the objects in the universe automatically. An automatic telescope uses tracking motors for tracking. This is useful because the rotation of the Earth causes the celestial bodies to disappear from your viewer’s view after a few seconds.
Another advantage is that these types of stargazers automatically look up the celestial body for you and also help you align. So you can immediately start looking at your favorite planet or star nebula and no time is wasted searching.
A disadvantage of all these controlled techniques is that this increases the price considerably. You can also spend this money on a stargazer without electronics but with a larger diameter. Buying an automatic viewer is handy, but if most of the money is in the electronics and not in the opening, you will not observe much.
Buy a good and sturdy tripod for your telescope
A sturdy tripod on which your telescope stands is very important. If you have a light tripod, you will notice every vibration while watching. This means that if you are viewing a planet, for example, that your entire field of view vibrates because the tripod is constantly moving or because it is windy. This is very restless for observation. So do not cut back on the purchase of your telescope on the tripod. A good tripod ensures that you can observe quietly during the dark.
Find an accessible and dark place
How mobile are you with you? A dark place is important for stargazing. In the city or close to many light sources you will not see much of the starry sky even with the best binoculars. Try to avoid all forms of lighting while watching. It is also important that you can easily move the viewer if you have to travel to your observation location. Keep in mind that some stargazers weigh 25 kilos or more and if you also have to travel for half an hour to a dark place, this may not be very convenient.
Take the time to buy a telescope and ask for advice or tips
Take your time before buying a telescope. If necessary, visit a viewing day at an observatory in the area. Often you can also take a look with their telescope. In addition, you also get a rough idea of what you can expect. Even if you have questions about a viewer, these volunteers are happy to help you with a few tips.
