Telescopes

Archive for the ‘Telescope’ Category

Can you take pictures of a star by taking it through a telescope?
So you put your camera eye directly in front of the the Telescope. Will it be a clear picture or super blurred?
I just thought this would be convenience if it worked.

Yes it is called a-focal,I have taken photos and video of the Moon like this,you can view on my flicker page-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28857682@N00/
Here is a good site to read up on this way to photograph.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/?id=63,201,0,0,1,0#OBJECTS
Wally

I’ve read you need to store a Telescope in a place that is near or within the outside temperature, especially for cold climates. How important is it to do this? Could it eventually damage the optics, or just hinder my view? I ask because I really don’t have a place to store it. My garage is heated, and needs to stay that way to accommodate a soon to be garden, and I don’t have a shed. Any and all helpful answers appreciated!
I plan to use it alot in the winter, actually.

Condensation on surfaces is the biggest problem. Keep the scope in a dry area if you bring it from warm moist air to a cool place. Depending upon type of telescope (reflector, refractor), its size (over 6 inch) and ventilation of tube, you should try to cool the scope for an hour before observing during winter. Heat currents and distortion of optics would make images poor.
Never heard of optics walking out of position due to temperature changes.

I got a good budget of $1000 give or take realistically on the telescope, I want to see Planets, also would you know of any programs for Amateurs that will help you point your telescope and discover where in the skies do you find what you are looking for, I am fascinated and captivated by this, yet I am still a novice, any programs that might help or any sites, info that is useful! Thanks for the help!

For solar system work, a good fast (long focal length) telescope is needed. this helps to cut the brightness and increase the contrast of whatever it is your looking at. If you want to scope that tracks automatically (compensates for the earth’s rotation), that’s more expensive then one that tells you which way to push the scope, which more expensive than one you do all the work (of finding and tracking the object).

So, for $1000, here’s some options -
Fully automated -
http://www.telescope.com/control/Telescopes/goto-and-computerized-telescopes/orion-skyview-pro-120-computerized-goto-achromatic-refractor-telescope
http://www.telescope.com/control/celestron/celestron-computerized-telescopes/celestron-c6-r-gt-150mm-goto-refractor-telescope

"Push to" computerized -
http://www.telescope.com/control/telescopes/dobsonian-telescopes/orion-skyquest-xt10i-computerized-intelliscope-dobsonian-telescope
http://www.telescope.com/control/telescopes/dobsonian-telescopes/orion-skyquest-xx12i-computerized-intelliscope-truss-tube-dobsonian-telescope

Full manual operation -
http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=classicdobs/~pcategory=dobsonians/~product_id=08947

These are all from one company, just used as a comparision.

For observing programs, there are a few. Mostly geared these days towards comets and asteroids. The Astronomical League has several worth trying out and you don’t need to be member to work on their programs -
http://www.astroleague.org/al/obsclubs/EquipmentObservingClubs.html