Ed Anderson Astronomy flashlights differ from ordinary flashlights in two ways, color and intensity. Part of getting the most out of your telescope and binoculars is related to the dark adaptation of your eyes. It takes a good 15 to 20 minutes for your eyes to fully dark adapt, opening up your iris to take in the … Read more
Before the computerization of home telescopes, the most common method of finding targets was called star hopping. This method, still used by many home astronomers, is like plotting out a road trip using a paper map. You examine the star chart, find a suitable bright star as a starting point, and then try to identify … Read more
All telescopes can be used to view planets. Telescopes gather light and they don’t care where it comes from. The eyepieces provide magnification to let you see more detail than you can see the naked eye. But there is a difference in seeing a planet and seeing it in the greatest detail with the sharpest … Read more
Whether this is your first telescope or one of several, eyepieces are an essential part of the optical system of your telescope. The telescope gathers light and the eyepieces, working with the focuser, magnify the image and bring it into focus. A telescope without eyepieces is of little use for a visual observer. How to … Read more
People getting involved in astronomy as a hobby want to get the most for their money and the Dobsonian telescope design delivers on that goal in so many ways. I am going to overview the Dobsonian telescope design, often called a Dob. Then I will offer a variety of recommendations which I consider to be … Read more