Since Galileo gifted the world with this wonderful instrument, technology has driven it along to becoming very hi-tech and very modern. There are two types of telescopes that are available today. They are the Galileo or refractor telescope and the Newton or the reflector telescope. The basic difference is that the refractor telescope uses an objective lens. This makes the light bend towards the eyepiece. The reflector telescope on the other hand uses a mirror which reflects the light towards the eyepiece. Both are available so how do you know which one to buy?

First of all, whichever telescope you decide on, do not go by how much it magnifies as this is no criterion. Viewing large hazy pictures does not mean much. There are three factors you have to take into consideration when you are shopping for a telescope. The most important of these is the aperture. This is the opening through which the light comes in so a larger one will mean better clarity and better details. Next comes the resolution. This is what enables the telescope to give you an image with details. Go for one with a higher resolution. This together with a bigger aperture will ensure good images. The third factor is the focal length. This is the distance between the optical center of the eyepiece and the optical center of the mirror or the lens. This is what is responsible for the magnification. A longer focal length means better magnification.

Besides these, a telescope also has accessories. Let's take a look at what are the important ones and what are the ones it would be good for you to buy. Very essential are filters which reduce glare and make it easier to view objects which are distant. Also important is the Barlow lens which comes in different sizes and must be carefully chosen to fit the eyepiece. The eyepiece of course is crucial to the telescope. They come in various sizes and you can add more than one to see even very distant objects. You should also choose your mounts carefully for this is what the telescope stands on. It should be stable to give you the best possible view without any vibration or shaking.

Owning a telescope is like going on a voyage of discovery to worlds unknown, while you are standing in one place. It is a window to the whole universe and as you gaze through it, you feel you're a part of that too.

A Look Into The Cosmos: How Telescopes Work is a post from: Meade Telescopes

The fundamental function of a telescope is to bring distant objects closer to one’s sight. The main element of the telescope that assists in this function is the primary mirror, also called the objective lens. It gathers light from objects that are far from sight and produces a secondary image at the focal point of the second component, the eyepiece. This eyepiece magnifies the image and this enhanced image is what a telescope user is able to view. The basic requirements of telescope construction are:

1. Two magnifying lenses (1.5" in diameter, where one is greater in size from the other)

2. Housing compartment (a tube made of cardboard like from a roll of paper-towel)

3. Duct tape

4. Scissors

5. A measuring instrument like a ruler or tape

6. Printed paper- 1 sheet, even newspaper is sufficient

As a first step, place the bigger magnifying lens on the paper. When the paper is viewed through the lens, the print appears blurred. Now, put the second, smaller lens such that it is positioned between the bigger lens and the eye. This lens must be positioned such that the print appears magnified and inverted. At this position, the print is in focus.

For subsequent steps, you will require the assistance of another person. This person must measure the distance between the two lenses. The cardboard tube must now be cut such that there is a slot in it near the front end, an inch away from the opening. This slot should be able to hold the larger lens.

The same distance away from the first cut, as that between the two lenses initially, another cut must be made. This second slot is for holding the smaller lens. Once the slots are made, the lenses must be fixed into position. The bigger lens is at the front end, while the small one is at the back end. Duct tape should be used to fix them into place. The smaller lens should be about half inch to one inch away from the nether end so that the excess length of the tube can be cut off.

Once the lenses are in place, the arrangement can be checked by viewing the print viewed earlier. To ensure that the distance between the lenses is perfect, slight adjustments may be required, so that image is at the exact focal point. This method is enough for constructing a simple homemade telescope. If you are familiar with the working principle of each element of a telescope, then building one at home is not a tremendously difficult task. If you are not used to it, then too you can attempt to build your own telescope using the method just described.

How Do Telescopes Work – Telescope Construction is a post from: Meade Telescopes

It is possible to learn about telescope construction through various sites on the internet. Telescope making is also considered an art by various people. It is not just readymade telescopes which are well made. Amateur constructions are often good enough to give professional instruments a run for their money. Many authors have written about telescope construction at home, and such works are available for your perusal at local libraries also.

Simple instructions that can help you construct your own telescope are described below. The essential components required for the construction are:

1. Two magnifying glasses (reading lenses are sufficient, with one lens being slightly larger than the other one)

2. A cardboard cylinder (e.g. from a roll of gift-wrapping paper)

3. Duct tape

4. Permanent marker

5. Scissors

6. A measuring scale

7. Printed paper

Place the larger lens on the printed paper. Place the second lens between eye level and the bigger lens such that the print on the paper is clearly visible. This happens only when the print is at the focal point of the lens. In such a position, distance between the two lenses should be measured.

One inch from one end of the cylinder, mark the spot and cut a slot into the tube. This slot is meant to hold the larger lens. The previously measured distance being taken as a reference, a second slot must be cut into the tube to hold the second lens.

Place the two lenses in the slots such that the bigger lens is at the front end and the smaller one is towards the back. Tape the lenses into position using the duct tape. The portion of the tube behind the smaller lens can be cut off so that it is easier to view through the lens. View the print on the paper through the eyepiece, i.e. the smaller lens now. Adjust the distance between the glasses if the print is not in exact focus.

This is the simplest method of constructing a refracting telescope on your own at home. Several online pages will be able to provide you with assistance on this process. If you research carefully before starting out on the task, the whole process will not be a very difficult task to accomplish. The most important thing is to know the principle behind each component of the telescope, specifically the magnifying lenses. If you’re making a different kind of telescope, you will be using mirrors instead of lenses. If this information is known, constructing your own telescope will be a cinch.

How Do Telescopes Work – Telescope Making Made Easy is a post from: Meade Telescopes

Astronomy as a hobby is wonderful as the discovery of the unknown always mystify men. The constellation of stars in our cosmic outer space is enough to fascinate a child and how a telescopes work will set off the imagination of any seekers of knowledge. Binocular is a good way to stimulate the curiosity of a child who might one day be the next Galileo.

If you will like to graduate beyond binocular, the issue to look out for in purchasing a telescope are price, maintenance, storage space and portability. Try to achieve a equilibrium between prices and the best telescope out there to get one that observes the furthest. Living in countryside offers the vast vastness of the sky but those living in city area can adjust their telescope to ensure optimal view. In addition to, a portable telescope can secure into a car to travel to a location that better utilize your telescope but make sure that you know how to put together in the dark.

Store and cover the telescope in a location empty from moisture and dust and proper storage and maintenance will extend the life of the telescope. Other accessories for instant the eyepiece and the mount are equally important to your viewing enjoyment, so choose one that you are comfortable with.

Eyepieces come in diverse designs and lenses for our viewing enjoyment so do not get more than two to three pieces. Get the right one and it will enhance your hobby. Mount takes the load of the telescope while you focus. The two diverse kind of mount are the Alt-Azimuth and the Equatorial. Choose wisely to add more joy to astronomy.

Learning how telescopes work and understanding the different kind of telescopes not only make astronomy alluring besides just exploring the mystery of the cosmic universe. Telescopes add a third eye and magnify the mysterious unidentified aside from broadening our knowledge. The mysterious universe will open up if we can see and explore, and telescopes provide the apparatus to quench our endless quest for answer to decipher the vast and infinite universe.

How Telescopes Work and the Different Range of Telescopes? is a post from: Meade Telescopes

The eyepiece in the telescope is generally a small lens. Some telescope however, may not use lenses for the eyepiece at all. The eyepiece, in any case, is the most important element of a telescope. It is the element which lets you see correctly whatever it is that you want to focus on. These eyepieces are adjustable and are of a low power. Adjusting the eyepiece allows you to change the magnification factor. What kind of lens you use for the eyepiece is a personal choice. In today’s age, several different kinds of eyepieces are available in the market. Because of this motley available, choosing the correct eyepiece fro your requirement may be a difficult task. As a result, you should concentrate on defining the criteria you think are important for your choice. The depth of field, optical quality, sharpness, clarity, brightness, market price, barrel size and how it affects your eyesight are some of the major points of concern. However these criteria always remain individual prerogatives.

Lens designs used in older telescopes go by the name of Huygens and Ramsden. Professional astronomers are advised to not use these lenses anymore as they are not of superior quality, even though they are comparatively less expensive than other market lenses. These lenses also do not provide correction for chromatic aberration or the light circles that form around brighter objects when they are viewed.

Professional astronomers use orthoscopic lenses that are designed specifically for professional stargazing. Even amateurs will find these lenses good for their telescopes. The orthoscopic telescopes use four lenses in the eyepiece, and have a 45 degree field of vision (FOV). Since the eyepiece is the element most important to the quality of a telescope, this design is a winner. The lenses do not strain the user’s eyes, and can be used even for viewing closer objects like planets.

For a person with a moderate budget, a Barlow lens is a viable option. The design provides average quality but is a good bargain. It does not burn a hole in one’s pocket, and yet is not of inferior quality because of its cost. The range at which this lens is available starts at a low $30 and goes up to $70. The magnification factor is generally not enough for professional use, however for amateurs it should be enough. For hobbyists, it is an ideal lens.

When you’re looking for lenses for a telescope, it is important that you determine criteria that most comprehensively fulfill your needs from the lens. Adjustable lenses is a good option as it means you can view objects which are not too far, as well as distant stars with it, and thus obtain the best deal your money can buy you.

How Do Telescopes Work – Telescope Lenses is a post from: Meade Telescopes

 

In today’s age, a person is able to buy a telescope, readymade, from the market. But for one who is not experienced, constructing a telescope is akin to an adventure. Although the procedure is complex and technical, and quite long, it is quite possible to make a telescope for oneself, by oneself. For the amateur who holds a keen interest in the telescope and the way it works, constructing it by oneself can be quite adventurous and fulfilling.

 

The construction itself is not very difficult, and it is made easier if one can enlist the assistance of another person who has himself constructed telescopes earlier. Even someone who is an amateur astronomer would make a good mentor, if it’s no possible to find one experience in telescope construction. Astronomy clubs generally have at least one member who has prior experience of building telescopes, and such people are quite accommodating towards amateurs.

 

For an amateur, telescope construction can be a cumbersome task. Patience and calm are advisable for a first-timer. The greatest inventions of all time came from blind experiments and unexpected results. When starting out, it is always best to have some references and manuals handy, as they can explain the technical aspects in the clearest ways. A local library is a good source for material to an amateur just starting out in telescope building.

 

The basic elements of a telescope are the mirror, two lenses, the housing for the whole structure, and materials that will be used for polishing the mirror. These parts can all be bought at local stores or even online. The mirror can be ground at home as well, but is a tiresome process.

 

The construction of a telescope is a long and drawn out process. Careful planning is required to ensure that there is minimal cleaning up left after all the work is completed. Is advisable to lay out newspapers to ensure clean work as well as to ensure correct placement of all the equipment. Maintain a logbook if possible to keep track of the task completed and the duration of each task. In later stages, the logbook is a good record to refer to understand the tasks completed and how long each task required. Also, it helps one to remember what work has been completed and what remains.

 

Once the construction is complete, it is quite natural for the amateur to be pleased with himself for the work he has accomplished. It is however, easier to buy a telescope kit from the market instead of purchasing individual component and constructing the whole structure. Assembling a telescope from a kit is easier, takes less time and is a better financial option. Such telescope kits are intended for the amateurs, and not directed at the professionals.

How Do Telescopes Work – Amateur’s Guide to Telescope-making is a post from: Meade Telescopes

One way to go about constructing a telescope is to buy each individual component and then assemble the whole structure. The required elements are mirrors, concave and convex lenses, the housing structure, brackets, and some other components. These can all be bought at local shops or in online stores. A comprehensive list of required elements can be downloaded from websites that serve as guides for amateurs looking to build their own telescopes. Books dedicated to this subject are available.

An enthusiast may also want to construct each element by hand at home, though that is an extremely time-consuming process and not the usual home method. It is a cumbersome process to create the housing compartment and arranging each element inside it. If one wants to follow this method, then one must be prepared to face several hurdles in the construction process.

Another method is to make use of telescope kits, which are available in the markets. These kits contain all the required elements and include instruction manuals to guide amateurs working at home. Using kit elements and assembling the instrument is considered a better method than constructing a telescope from individual elements bought separately. Telescope kits are cheaper and far less time-consuming than other methods of telescope construction. They save time spent on searching for each required component. Step-by-step instructions make it possible to work faster, making fewer mistakes along the way. These kits are intended for amateurs, and first-timers not yet experienced in making telescopes. A professional astronomer or one who aims to become a professional may however choose to work from scratch.

The point of consideration now is whether homemade telescopes are better than readymade instruments available otherwise. The simple answer to such a question is that both are almost the same with respect to quality. A homemade instrument displays the same characteristics as a readymade one of the same specification. A telescope made at home will have the same magnification factor, and is simpler to use in comparison to one bought in a shop. In fact, it is not complex at all and is similar to the ones built by early astronomers like Galileo.

The construction of telescopes at home, in truth, is often a joy, and a hobby that many enjoy. Several people consider it akin to an art, and have dedicated themselves to creating perfect instruments at home. Several sites online are a medium for proud astronomers to display their homemade telescopes. There are also web pages in existence that are dedicated guides for amateurs who want to create their own telescopes. Such pages give comprehensive lists of the elements required for its construction as well.

As with any other task, exhaustive research is required before setting out to make a telescope. It is imperative that the builder understands how each element performs individually and how it affects the whole. It also advisable to have storage space for the material required in construction of a telescope. However, despite all the effort that goes into construction of a homemade instrument, the results are reward enough.

How Do Telescopes Work – Telescope Construction at Home is a post from: Meade Telescopes

Right at the outset, it is imperative to understand the fundamental requirements of telescope construction. Whether the user wants to create a refractor or reflector type telescope, that is also something that must be made clear at the beginning. Although both serve the same purpose, the method for construction of each is rather different.

There are many online reference sites that provide guides for the construction of telescopes at home. Several of these sites, in addition to the instructions, also provide detailed lists of the essential elements of construction. Several authors have also written about telescope construction, and the neighborhood library is a good place to start reading such books from their DIY sections.

The materials for building telescopes can be bought at a variety of stores. Hobby centers are a must-visit for this purpose. The attendants in these stores know and understand the needs of such tasks and can help you like no other. Online stores also supply the bare essentials of a telescope. Some online stores are:

1. www.photonics.com

2. www.universityoptics.com

3. www.atscope.com

4. www.telescope.com

Most of the building blocks of a telescope can also be handmade. PVC pipes, wood and cardboard raw materials, and duct tape can go a long way in the construction process and still result in operational telescopes. Some instruments made with crude materials such as these can also look professional and work just as well.

The toughest part of constructing telescopes on your own is not the building bit, but the research part. It is useful to complete your homework before setting out on such a daunting task. The whole construction process is not a breeze and involves quite a bit of efficient hard work. It is often advised to maintain an activity log while working on such a project, so that one can have a clear idea of where one is going during the long task of construction.

For all the hard work involved, the construction itself is not all that difficult. All it requires is that one study the task at hand diligently before starting out in all confidence. Knowing and understanding how each individual component of the telescope performs makes the whole process quite simple. An amateur can succeed with his first construction attempt if he has been meticulous in his preparation. An alternative to putting in such hard work in understanding the method is to take the easier way out and avail of the simplicity of a telescope kit. Teachers use such kits to demonstrate the construction of a simple telescope. You can use the same kit for making your first telescope as well. These kits are a perfect beginners’ tool because they are a better financial option and also much less time consuming while at the same time allowing the construction of moderately powerful telescopes.

How Do Telescopes Work – Building a Telescope of Your Own is a post from: Meade Telescopes

Once you have answered the above questions, your buy will not be too difficult and will be worth the effort. The answer to a question on budget is most important because it determines the kind of telescope you will be able to buy, no matter what your needs are. If you have a bigger budget, then you can look at the powerful telescopes, but if you have extremely limited finances, it is better to invest in a pair of binoculars. And no, even if you think they are child’s play, they actually are not. You will marvel at how much of the sky you can explore with a simple pair binoculars.

In this modern era, there are several different types of telescopes available. Each telescope has its own special USP and offers something unique to the user in terns of quality and features. For someone who doesn’t want his purchase to be a futile expenditure, it is best that they research as much as they can, Weight the advantages and disadvantages carefully before you make a choice about what is relevant to you. If you don’t know what each aspect of the instrument entails, you will have trouble selecting one that meets your requirements completely. The element that carries most weight is the eyepiece. It is this little lens that is the window to the world for a telescope user. An adjustable eyepiece makes the telescope experience more fulfilling because then the magnification factor can be changed to suit your convenience. This eyepiece should be able to minimize the chromatic aberration and light circles for brighter objects.

You must also have an idea of where you are planning to use the telescope to go stargazing. Different light populations lead to difference in performance, and noise also affects the view. In case your intended location is heavily populated, you should be prepared to face a few difficulties because of excessive light.

Telescopes use either of lenses or mirrors. Reflectors, as the name suggests use mirrors and are the ones astronomers would recommend. Refractors use lenses. The main mirror or lens in a telescope is called its objective. This objective and its width should be an important part of your deliberations because the power is proportional to its surface area.

The main point of consideration when you buy a telescope is to make sure it matches your requirements. Do not just think about the power that the telescope has. All its parts have to work perfectly for the telescope to be a good instrument. Do not skimp and buy a low-price telescope as you will be severely disillusioned with the quality it will provide you with. The best bet is a moderately priced telescope that provides sufficient quality without being too heavy on your pocket.

How Do Telescopes Work – Making a Telescope Purchase is a post from: Meade Telescopes