|
|
| Resources & Links |
| On this page: | ||
| for Beginners-More on Telescopes for Telescope Builders Suggested Books Links & more Resources |
| What I recommend for Beginners | ||||||||
| Dobsonian Telescopes | GoTo Mounts for beginners? | ||||||||||||
 |
Galileo 135mm
(5.3 inches) Dobsonian This is one of the nicest commercial Telescopes of its class. I purchased and donated this Telescope to a local Scouting group. It has a decent aperture and is made of real wood and has a Cherry finish. Though heavy, it easy to transport and assembles quickly. It comes with a 2 inch rack & pinion focuser. Click for 135mm model Click for 160mm model |
There are a lot of inexpensive "GoTo" Telescopes available for the beginner. I like the "Go To" concept a lot. I DO NOT recommend them for the casual or beginning Astronomer. The advertised advantage of the Go To is that it will automatically aim your Telescope at a chosen object, thereby sparing the user of that sometimes frustrating task. But unless it is a high end GPS model, you must "calibrate" the Telescope by aiming at 3 known stars and entering them into the computer. This gives the Telescope a reference for locating all other objects. It is often the case that I have looked at several objects by the time others have finally calibrated his/her Telescope. These Telescopes are often difficult to use, especially for a beginner. The truth is, we still need to know what objects are up and what objects are worth looking at. We still need to "learn & know the sky". The Books below are excellent resources for Learning the Sky. | |||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||
 |
10 inch Sky Watcher Dobsonian Design. Good aperture and good portability with collapsing tube makes this an ideal Telescope for beginners or experienced observers. B&H sells these and other Telescopes. Click Banner below to see details on this Telescope. |
Recommended Telescopes Most e-mail I receive comes from beginners. With each e-mail, I re-live all the mistakes I made when I first entered the field of Amateur Astronomy. The first rule is to not overload yourself with what you think you should have. The Telescopes shown on the left are easy to assemble and easy to use. Telescopes that are cumbersome, difficult to set up and to use end up in permanent storage or with a for sale sign on them. I would recommend a Dobsonians ranging from 4 to 12 inches. I own 2 Dobsonians. They are simple and fun. If needed or wanted, Dobsonians can later be upgraded with tracking and other features. |
|||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||
| Choosing Eyepieces | Choosing a Reflector vs. Refractor | ||||||||||||
 |
If your new or used Telescope has Eyepieces with quality lower than Plossl eyepieces, you will want to replace them with Plossls or higher quality eyepieces. No matter how good your Telescope's optics are, if your Eyepieces are poor, your image will be poor. I recommend 3 Eyepieces minimum. First and foremost, you will want a Low Power Eyepiece for wide field viewing, object searching and maximum brightness. You will find that it is your most used eyepiece. Mid Power is for bright Nebula and High Power for Planets & the Moon. Click the B&H Banner below to shop for Plossl Eyepieces. |
 |
|||||||||||
| Plossl Eyepieces | Read Al Naglers' article on Choosing Eyepieces | Link-Choosing a Telescope type | |||||||||||
| Imaging Telescopes for Beginners? | The Future of Observing? | ||||||||||||
 |
Often a beginner will say, that they may want to image some day, so they want a Telescope that can handle it. The truth is, Imaging can range from hand holding a simple Digital Camera over an eyepiece to a serious financial and time commitment with hi end Telescopes, Cameras and Software. It can mean hours of imaging and more hours at the Computer. This is not to mention the frustration of trying keep up the latest Camera and Software and trying to out do Images produced by others. For now, Stick with the simple, inexpensive Telescope and try imaging with your Digital Camera or modified Webcam on bright objects such as the Moon to see if imaging is for you. Eventually, CCD equipment will become more affordable and easier to use. See the image to the right for a suggested future scenario. |
 |
|||||||||||
|
Toucam Web Cam attached to a TeleVue 76mm Refractor |
As CCD equipment improves, observing and Imaging will be seamless and the way we observe will continue change. Above image depicts a projected live image at a future Public Star Party. | ||||||||||||
| Buying Used? | LOST MANUAL? FREE Telescope Manual Downloads | |||||||||||||||
| Buying used means that your Telescope may be missing parts and Manuals. |
Your telescope is probably not unlike
Orion Telescopes sold today. Find the manual that most closely matches your Telescope and click the image below. |
|||||||||||||||
| . | ||||||||||||||||
| If you buy a used Telescope, make sure the Focuser accepts 1.25 inch Eyepieces. This will permit you to more easily upgrade your Eyepiece collection. Many older models accept .965 inch eyepieces. These were never very good and not worth seeking out. You would be better off replacing the entire Telescope then to try to find eyepieces and accessories. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||
| Refractor Telescope with Equatorial Mounting | Refractor Telescope with Altazimuth Mounting | Reflector Telescope with Equatorial Mounting | Reflector Telescope with Altazimuth Mounting | |||||||||||||
| Click
Image to Download Manual |
Click Image to Download Manual |
Click Image to Download Manual |
Click Image to Download Manual |
|||||||||||||
| for Telescope Builders |
| Telescope Building - Choosing the Size of your Secondary Mirror | ||||||||||
 |
What is the MINIMUM
size your Secondary Mirror's minimum Axis should be? Minimum Secondary Size Equals ( = ) ( d ) divided by the ( f/Ratio ) of your Telescope. d=the center of the Spider to the Focal Plain when the Telescope is focused at Infinity. |
My 20 inch Telescope is close. d = 13.75 inches. The f/Ratio = 3.55. Minimum Secondary Size = 3.87 inches The 20 inches Secondary's actual aperture, allowing for the ridge of the Secondary Holder, is 4.20 inches. source: Gary Seronik.com |
||||||||
 |
||||||
| Product Samples: |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||
| Mirror Cells | Filter Wheels | Truss Clamps | Cage Truss Clamps | Travel Truss Clamps | Cage Rings |
| Aurora Precision offers additional products and custom machining. | Aurora Precision has provided components and custom machining for 3 of my Telescopes; the 20 inch f/3.55 & the 12 inch & 10 inch Travelers. | |||||||
| (Click Banner to go to Aurora Precision) | ||||||||
| the Short Telescope is growing in popularity | ||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
The Unknown Astronomer at the 2010 OSP with a 4.5 inch f/4 Orion StarBlast |
Mel Bartels 13 inch f/3 Folds into its-self for Travel. (click image for Website) |
Ken Lulay's 8 inch f/3.8 Collapses into Box for travel. (click image for Website) |
Jerry Oltion's 8 inch f/4.2 Scaled up Astroscan (click image for Website) |
|||||||||
| Suggested Books for Observing | ||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||
| Click Image for information | Click Image for information | Click Image for information | Click Image for information | Click Image for information | Click Image for information | |||||||||||
|
Celestial
Sampler: 60 Small-Scope Tours for Starlit Nights by Sue French |
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the Sun by Kenneth Lang |
City Astronomy by Robin Scagell, Leif J.. Robinson |
The Year Round Messier Marathon Field Guide by H.C. Pennington |
Sky Atlas for Small Telescopes & Binoculars by Billie E & David S. Chandler |
Sky & Telescopes Pocket Sky Atlas by Roger W. Sinnot |
|||||||||||
| COMING: Guide to viewing the Southern Sky-for the unfamiliar Northern Observer By Leo Cavanaro of GAMA | ||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||
| An excellent source for Telescopes & accessories-B&H is a TeleVue dealer | An excellent source for Astronomy books & Software | |||||||
| Links |
 |
Observing & Observing Conditions | |||||||||
| Phases of the Moon | ||||||||||
| Weather-Clear Skies? | ||||||||||
| Clear Sky Charts | ||||||||||
| Accuweather | ||||||||||
| Aurora Forecast | ||||||||||
| Backyard Astronomer | ||||||||||
| Carbon Star List | ||||||||||
| Heavens Above-Sky Positions of objects & Satellites | ||||||||||
 |
Observing-Deep Sky Sketching | |||||||||
| Tom Polakis-Deep Sky Drawings | ||||||||||
| Koen van Gorp-Deep Sky Drawings | ||||||||||
 |
Astronomy Websites | |||||||||
| Astronimacal Societies-National | ||||||||||
| The American Association of Amateur Astronomers | ||||||||||
| International Dark Sky Association | ||||||||||
| Maui Astronomy Club | ||||||||||
| The Planetary Society | ||||||||||
| Stellafane | ||||||||||
| Astronomical & Science Web-Publications | ||||||||||
| Heavens Above | ||||||||||
| NightSkyInfo.com | ||||||||||
| Northern Lights by Sigurour H. Stefnisson | ||||||||||
| One Minute Astronomer | ||||||||||
| Sciencedaily.com | ||||||||||
| SLOOH.COM Live Space Show | ||||||||||
| SpaceWeather.com | ||||||||||
| The Universe Today | ||||||||||
| Travel Websites | ||||||||||
| Spears Travel | ||||||||||
| Tahoe Star Tours | ||||||||||
| Travel Quest | ||||||||||
| See the Aurora-Lapland Vacations | ||||||||||
 |
Telescope Links | |||||||||
| Telescope Websites-Amateur | ||||||||||
| Bruce Mills Ultra Light Telescope | ||||||||||
| Bruce Sayre's Astronomy Site | ||||||||||
| Ray Cash and His "Travel Scopes" | ||||||||||
| Stathis Kafalis Astronomy & Telescope Site | ||||||||||
| Telescope Reviews & Information | ||||||||||
| Telescope Review Website | ||||||||||
| Excelsis-Telescope Reviews | ||||||||||
| Telescope Review | ||||||||||
| Telescope Filter Information | ||||||||||
| About Filters on Astro-Systems Website | ||||||||||
| About Filters-on Lumicon's Website | ||||||||||
| Telescope Companies | ||||||||||
| Majestic Coatings | ||||||||||
| Pentax | ||||||||||
| TeleVue | ||||||||||
| Vivian Bock's Litescope-Ultra Portable 12.5 inch | ||||||||||
 |
Aviation | |||||||||
| Airbus | ||||||||||
| Air Transport World Magazine | ||||||||||
| Aviation-Week Magazine | ||||||||||
| Boeing | ||||||||||
| Boeing-Blogs on Commercial Aviation Products | ||||||||||
| Greg Babcock's Astronomy Website | Resources & Links |
