Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Types of Telescopes
Purchase a refractor if you wish to view closer objects such as planets, the moon, or individual stars. Refractors use lenses to bend incoming light. Because of this, the quality of the image depends greatly on the glass used in the lens. Refractors require little maintenance but are often more cumbersome than other types of telescopes with a similar aperture.
Purchase a reflector if you wish to view distant, deep sky objects. Reflectors function by reflecting light with a series of mirrors. Generally, reflectors are less expensive than other telescopes of equal aperture because of the simplicity of the design and the lack of lenses. It is important to note that reflectors require occasional realignments of the mirrors in order to function optimally.
Purchase a catadioptric telescope if you wish to view a large array of objects near and far or are interested in astro-photography. Catadioptric telescopes use a combination of lenses and mirrors, which allows for high-quality images of both deep sky and terrestrial objects. Catadioptrics are also ideal for astro-photography because of their focal ratio and compact design.
Accessories
Purchase a tracking motor. This can be a useful accessory for prolonged viewing or astro-photography. Because of the movement of the Earth, objects in the night sky (which move themselves over time) will move across your telescope's field of vision. A motor will alleviate the need to track by hand.
Obtain a star map. A star map is a great resource for locating celestial objects you wish to view. Astronomical coordinates are listed by right ascension (in hours, minutes, and seconds) and declination (in degrees).
Purchase multiple eyepieces. A small collection of eyepieces is also useful as eyepieces are responsible for magnifying images. Depending on the features you wish to observe, certain eyepieces will be more useful than others.