meade telescopes for astronomy
meade telescopes for astronomy
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Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope
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DescriptionIn 1609, world-renowned Italian scientist, Galileo Galilei, introduced an elementary telescope to the growing astronomy community, which sparked interest into the mysterious night sky for centuries to come. Four centuries later, in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, Celestron offers the portable FirstScope Telescope. The FirstScope pays tribute to Galileo Galilei and many of history's most notable astronomers and scientists by displaying their names around the optical tube. Honoring the contributions of these men and women, who brought us one step closer to understanding the universe around us. The FirstScope is a wonderful keepsake for anyone interested in astronomy. This quality Dobsonian style telescope features a 76mm aperture reflector optical tube. FirstScope is an ideal entry-level astronomical telescope. It is very easy to observe with; you simply navigate the night sky by moving the tube in the direction of the desired object, making the viewing experience a snap! The compact design makes it easy enough to take with you on your next outdoor adventure. FirstScope is also stylish enough to be a decorative fixture on your bookshelf or desk. Features
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How To Buy The Best Telescope In The World
No astronomy hobby can go for long, without a good telescope. So, how do you buy the best telescope in the world? And what is the best telescope in the world? In this article, you find how to buy the best telescope in the world.
Telescopes come in all shapes and sizes. They also come with different prices. However, getting the best telescope is not all about buying the best telescope. You see, getting the best telescope is about finding one that meets your needs.
When Galileo made his telescope, and looked at Saturn, he thought Saturn had ears! The truth is that Saturn has a ring around it. To Galileo, he had the best telescope in the world, but to today's telescopes, it is inferior.
This makes the best telescope, the one that makes you use it the most. After all, if you only look for 5 minutes, and then leave that telescope alone, you will not get the full benefit of telescopes.
A great thought should be on, what you want out of the telescope. For example, for children, a small toy store telescope will be great, however, for an adult, who wants to have a telescope that lasts for years, a more serious investment, will be needed.
This doesn't mean you have to buy a telescope for an observatory. At this point, you will likely want to factor in costs. How much are you willing to invest in a telescope?
There are several price points to telescopes, and they fall into those that are a few hundred dollars, to those that are $500 to $1,000. Those above $1,000 truly are the best telescopes in the world!
You can expect from a $1,000+ telescope amazing views of the heavens. As the price goes up, more goes into the optics. Not only you get more light gathering power, which is a very important factor with telescopes, you also get a more quality telescope. Orion, Meade, and Celestron are just some telescope manufacturers who make these top quality telescopes that you can buy.
Another factor to consider is space, and where you will keep your telescope. Often this can be overlooked till it's too late. Telescopes may look like they don't need a lot of space, however in practice; you will find it needs quite a bit of space.
Buying these telescopes can be done through various places. Telescope and astronomy magazines are one way. However, an easier solution is to buy online. There are many specialist telescope websites, and online stores that only deal with telescopes and astronomy. They can be the best place to find and buy your own best telescope.
About the Author
Here are some telescope resources that can help you find and buy a telescope:
* Buy Telescopes
* Meade Telescope Sales
* Buying Binoculars UK
I need telescope advice!
I am looking at a first telescope (for an adult interested in astronomy) something for some planet viewing, as well as the odd Messier object or few. I was originally looking at reflectors/refractors or the funky little Meade ETX goto scopes. Now I have seen Dobsonians, they seem to be much mroe reasonable priced..like this one
http://www.telescopeplanet.co.uk/ViewProdDetails.asp?prod_code=PON07H000018
Does anyone have any experience of using these...how big is this likely to be? (hard to tell, is it put in the back seat of a car and take out to a field size...or install in an observatory kind of size) is it just adjust and view and go? easy to use?..better for deep sky or planetary viewing...any help would be much appreciated. (ie, if you dont know, dont answer, please)
The short answer is no, i haven't used this model. It doesn't seem to be common in Michigan. But is looks alot like the Orion xt6i. It even has the same focal length and comes with the same eyepieces. Maybe it's a rebranded Orion. The Orion has a metal tube painted a dark color. It's probably a very good scope.
My reflector has a 1200 mm focal length also, and it fits across the back seat of any car. It can also go into my car's trunk (boot?) and with 1/3rd of the rear seat folded down, it fits. The base then can fit on the top of the folded down seat. The result is that i can drive and have two passengers and the scope in my car.
My own scope is an Orion xt10i. It looks something like the Skywatcher, but is 10" (254 mm) in diameter instead of 6" (150 mm). This gives it a more light for dim objects. It was the largest scope that fits in my car in my budget at the time. But a 6" scope is still first class. It will be lighter than my 10". The xt10i has a 25 lb base and a 27 lb OTA (Optical Tube Assembly). I can go from noticing that it's clear to set up and 2 star aligned in under 3 minutes even in the dark. If i don't feel like doing even that, then it's time for bed.
But it also has a computer that helps me find objects. I joined a local astronomy club. They have loaner scopes. I borrowed a 10" scope like this that did not have a computer aid. I spent half an hour looking for a galaxy - and failed. Then spent another half hour looking for another galaxy - and failed. In both cases, i found the field stars, but the galaxy itself was too dim for my sky conditions. The light pollution at my house is as bad as it gets anywhere on Earth. And this time does not include research for what galaxies would be up, and what the field stars should look like, and how to star hop to the area. I concluded that this would not sustain me in the hobby.
But with a computer, i can see ten objects an hour that i've never seen before. Every clear hour. And this is limited by how long i look at the objects. For double stars, i do less examination. And including taking notes, i can see 20 an hour.
Here are the 3 P's for picking a telescope. Price, Performance, and Portability. Price and portability can be show stoppers. Price less so, since you may be able to wait until you have more cash. But a scope that doesn't fit in your car is stuck where ever it ends up. That leaves performance. For deep space, what you need is as much light gathering as possible. In your budget, that points to a reflector.
The push-to computer also comes under the category of performance. In in very short time, i found that very few galaxies can be seen from my heavily light polluted back yard. And, an oxygen 3 filter lets me see most nebulae. But Orion suggests that you need at least an 8 inch (200 mm) scope for their Oxygen 3 filter. There's a Lumicon filter that lets in more light, and i've used one on a 4 inch (120 mm) scope.
Back to my scope. The tube length is 48". It fits across the back seat of any car. I had a $1000 budget, so the $800 scope fit. I bought an oxygen 3 filter (about $89) at the same time. I might have bought the 12" scope, but the tube is 8" longer, and doesn't fit in my car. I might have gone with a truss dob with a larger mirror, but at the time, it was over my budget, and there was no computer available.
Did i mention you should check out local astronomy clubs? The $800 i spent would buy me 26 years of membership. And they have an observatory with a 12.5" scope on a tracking mount. And, they have a 22" scope. I can use all this stuff with someone who can tell me how, and pretty much any time i want (which here in Michigan is about 2 days a month, due to clouds). The last link might get you to a local club.
Best of luck, and clear skies.
Binoculars. Most people do say that you want big aperture binoculars. I carry 8x21 binoculars. They're 100 grams (3.5 oz), and fit in my pocket. They're very sturdy - they've already withstood 10 years of abuse. So i have them with me most of the time. Since they're so light, i find i can hand hold them for much longer. And 8x is easier to hold steady than 10x. I also own 8x42 binoculars, but basically never bring them out. Well, my finder scope is 9x50 (monocular), and i have used it for wide field of view objects (like the coat hanger).
US $24.99
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Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope
List Price: |
DescriptionIn 1609, world-renowned Italian scientist, Galileo Galilei, introduced an elementary telescope to the growing astronomy community, which sparked interest into the mysterious night sky for centuries to come. Four centuries later, in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, Celestron offers the portable FirstScope Telescope. The FirstScope pays tribute to Galileo Galilei and many of history's most notable astronomers and scientists by displaying their names around the optical tube. Honoring the contributions of these men and women, who brought us one step closer to understanding the universe around us. The FirstScope is a wonderful keepsake for anyone interested in astronomy. This quality Dobsonian style telescope features a 76mm aperture reflector optical tube. FirstScope is an ideal entry-level astronomical telescope. It is very easy to observe with; you simply navigate the night sky by moving the tube in the direction of the desired object, making the viewing experience a snap! The compact design makes it easy enough to take with you on your next outdoor adventure. FirstScope is also stylish enough to be a decorative fixture on your bookshelf or desk. Features
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Opteka T-Mount Adapter for Canon EOS 60D, 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 7D, 5D, 1D, Rebel T3i, T3, T2i, T1i, XS, XSi, XTi and XT Digital SLR Cameras
Sale Price: $13.95 |
DescriptionAn accessory ring available in Canon EOS mount which converts the lens mount of your SLR camera to a T-Mount. Features
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Meade 20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope
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DescriptionMeade 20218 NG-70SM 70mm Altazimuth Refractor Telescope Meade's value priced NG-70SM Altazimuth Refractor is an affordable entry level telescope that features an easy to use Altazimuth mount with slow motion controls for precise tracking. The complete package includes a sturdy metal tripod, a red dot viewfinder, two 1.25 inch eyepieces and a star diagonal, and a software DVD with instructional video. The NG-70SM Refractor Telescope comes disassembled in a compact box, but the instructional DVD video guides you through all the steps required for assembly. Go ahead and try it out in the daytime, that's the best time to align the red-dot finder scope while looking at a distant tree or telephone pole. The optics of Meade's NG-70SM produce an image that is right side up but the diagonal mirror reverses the image left-to-right. That's no problem most of the time, but an optional correct image diagonal is available. The low power 25mm eyepiece produces a magnification 28X which is just right for spotting the Moon or the planets, while the 9mm eyepiece (78X magnification) can be used to zoom in for more detail. The MH25 eyepiece at 28X shows a lovely view of the Lunar disk in a dark sky, while the MH9 eyepiece at 78X shows literally hundreds of craters on the Moon and begins to show the rings of Saturn and the cloud bands of Jupiter. For even better views it's easy to add better eyepieces. My best view of Saturn, for example, came with an optional 6.4mm Super Plossl eyepiece, about 110X magnification. The Altazimuth mount included with Meade's NG-70SM is lighter and easier to use than an Equatorial mount, yet the slow motion knobs make it easy to keep objects in view. The rotation of the Earth causes the Moon or planets to appear to drift out of the eyepiece, but the slow motion knobs make it easy to keep the telescope on target, even with a high power eyepiece. The telescope is sensitive to vibration, however, so a high power eyepiece can be difficult to focus. Meade's NG-70SM is a good entry level telescope at a very good price. The optics are good, the Altazimuth mount is easy to assemble and easy to use, the instructional DVD includes a nice Lunar Atlas as well as planetarium software, and it's easy to add better eyepieces to improve your view of the planets. –Jeff Phillips Pros: Light and easy to use Altazimuth mount includes slow motion knobs Easy to add better eyepieces Instructional DVD included; Cons: MH eyepieces have narrow field of view Vibrates while focusing at high power The Steadicam Smoothee is specifically designed and engineered to work with your Apple iPhone 4. Based on the same technology as the big $60,000 rigs used in Hollywood, it allows iPhone 4 owners to capture incredible video without the shakes normally associated with hand-held video shot on the go, right out of the box, the very first time. The Steadicam Smoothee is small and agile enough to take on vacations or follow the action at sporting events. The Smoothee let's you "fly" wherever the scene takes you--up and down steps, indoors and outside, through crowds--almost anywhere, with precise, elegant control and ease. Its quick release mount lets you instantly swap camera connections between your Smoothee and any tripod. While designed for the Apple i-Phone 4, the patented quick release removable i-Phone mount also serves as a tabletop stand or can be mounted to any tripod with a standard ¼ x20" camera mount. The comfortable ergonomic hand-grip folds up securely when not in use. Also included with the Steadicam Smoothee is a quick guide DVD on how to get the best possible shots, along with a carrying strap. The lightweight, compact, agile, and easy to use Steadicam Smoothee features an innovative, patented design built around a durable mono-frame metal structure that requires no complicated instruction to use. With its "go anywhere" compact dimensions, the Steadicam Smoothee is approximately 8"W x 14.5" H x 2.5" D (20.3 x 36.8 x 6.4cm) in operating configuration. Features
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Celestron SkyMaster 20x80 Binoculars
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DescriptionWhen it's time to gaze at the stars or take in some long-distance or low-light terrain viewing, look no further than the Celestron 71018 SkyMaster 20 x 80 binoculars. Featuring high quality BAK-4 prisms, multi-coated optics for enhanced contrast, a diopter adjustment for fine focusing, and large apertures, these binoculars offer phenomenal performance. The Celestron 71018 features a 20x magnification and an objective lens diameter of 80 millimeters, giving it a 4-millimeter exit pupil. (The exit pupil size -- the diameter of the objective lens divided by the magnification -- determines the amount of light available to your eye. The larger the exit pupil, the brighter the image obtained will be. A three-millimeter exit pupil is generally sufficient for daytime use, five-millimeters is suitable for daytime and twilight, and seven-millimeters is generally necessary for maximum nighttime or astronomy use.) The Celestron 71018 also includes an integrated tripod adapter rod, a deluxe padded soft carrying case, and Celestron's No Fault Limited Lifetime Warranty. What's in the Box Celestron 71018 Binoculars and deluxe padded soft carrying case The Celestron® SkyMaster™ large-aperture binoculars are ideal for astronomical viewing or for terrestrial (land) use, especially over long distances. They feature high-quality BAK-4 prisms and multi-coated optics for enhanced contrast. For maximum stability and secure optical alignment, this 20x80 model feature enhanced structural reinforcement, as well as an integral, super-rigid photo tripod adapter. Features
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Telrad Finder Sight
Sale Price: $39.95 |
DescriptionThe easiest way to aim a telescope. The view seen through the window of the Telrad is continuous with the sky around it, not magnified or upside down. Three rings are lighted and appear to lie among the stars. The small ring outlines the Moon-sized area seen in the telescope. The large outer ring outlines the area seen in a standard Finderscope. To point your telescope, just look through the Telrad and move the telescope until the rings are centered on the object. The Telrad is 8 inches long. Weighs 11 ounces and mounts on any telescope without drilling any holes. It unlocks from its base for separate storage. Requires 2 AA batteries (not included). Features
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Celestron 52238 C70 Mini Mak Spotting Scope
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Description70mm (2.8") diameter 45° angled Maksutov spotting scope, 750mm focal length (f/10.7), multi-coated optics, 25-75x zoom eyepiece, 1-1/4" eyepiece adapter, table tripod, soft carrying case. Features
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Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium
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ETX-80AT Astro Telescope w/ Tripod & Autostar Controller
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DescriptionExplore the Galaxies far away, or the wildlife in this one, all at the touch of a button, with this fantastically priced, all-inclusive telescope. Now even the most novice of amateur astronomers can locate and explore the planets, asteroids, and comets, as well as nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and hundreds of other deep-space objects, all at the push of a button with the included Autostar Hand Controller. The Meade ETX-80AT Astro Telescope brings the full range of celestial images to your eye with an astonishing level of clarity and resolution. And, carrying on Meade's incredible ETX tradition of optical and mechanical excellence, the 70mm ETX includes many of the same features as their larger ETX telescopes, and is 36 percent brighter than the ETX-60AT. For the introductory student of astronomy, or for the casual observer, the Meade ETX-80AT opens up the skies at modest cost to an amazing breadth of celestial detail utterly invisible without the telescope. For the non-celestial inclined, the Meade ETX telescopes make excellent land-view instruments for the birdwatcher, the naturalist, or for the home with a view as well. ETX image quality and resolution typically far exceed the levels normally expected of terrestrial telescopes. Terrestrial observers quickly appreciate the advantages afforded by the Autostar hand controller, notwithstanding the Autostar's primary applications to astronomical observing. Using Autostar, many land objects can be readily followed, or tracked, from a distance, using one of nine selectable speeds from slow to fast . Sky & Telescope Magazine calls the Autostar Hand Controller "the greatest happening in amateur astronomy yet." For all of Meade's advanced imaging capabilities, portability, ease of use, and contemporary cosmetic design, Meade ETX telescopes are above all uniquely defined by the revolutionary Autostar hand controller. This great device is included as standard equipment with ETX 70mm Telescope. The 4 Features
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Orion Apex 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
Sale Price: $229.99 |
DescriptionWith a tube length of 11 inches, a 90mm (3.5") precision-polished fully multi-coated meniscus front lens, and solid uncompromising construction. the Apex 90 Compact Mak is a paragon of portability, optical excellence, and durability. Better still, it's one of the most versatile scopes we offer. The Apex 90 delivers bright, high-contrast images, and with a focal length of 1250mm (f/13.9) you also get a generous image scale. It features a built-in 1/4"-20 adapter plate that makes it easy to mount onto a standard photo tripod for viewing grand daytime vistas. Attach a 35mm camera to the scope's visual back (with a T-ring adapter sold separately) and use the whole assembly as powerful telephoto lens for astrophotography and terrestrial shooting. What more could you want? Includes a 25mm Plossl eyepiece, 6x20 finder scope, 45-deg correct-image diagonal, and fully padded carrying case. One-year limited warranty. Features
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So You Want a Meade LX Telescope!: How to Select and Use the LX200 and Other High-End Models (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
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DescriptionThe Meade LX200 series of telescopes was introduced in 1992 and represented a giant step forward in technology for amateur astronomers - computer control. The LX200 series telescopes were an instant success and have outsold all other astronomical telescopes put together. Steady development has continued to the present day, and LX200s are available in a range of apertures from 8-inch through the giant 16-inch, which is widely installed in university astronomy departments and the smaller public observatories. For anyone considering buying a high-end Meade telescope, the book offers an experienced user's guide to what can actually be achieved with it. So You Want a Meade LX Telescope also provides detailed discussions about some of the many software packages available to aid optimizing and actually using the scope. The typical results are discussed so readers can know what to expect. Also reviewed are essential accessories such as CCD cameras and the latest Active Optics units. These extraordinary telescopes are capable of amazing results, but using them and setting them up can be a chore. That's why this book is essential reading for anyone who has bought or upgraded to an LX200 or its top-of-the-range companion, the RCS400 (later re-designated the LX400ACF). Features
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meade telescopes for astronomy
