Telescopes act as windows to the universe. It is with the help of telescopes that we can study the solar system and view the conjunctions of stars. Not just that, the various planets, galaxies, satellites and asteroids that we get to see only in the books and magazines are made more familiar to us via the telescopes. They act as barrier- breaking instruments between the human beings and the outer space. The universe is no more a mystery to us that exists beyond our reach and we owe it all to the telescopes.

The modern day telescopes bring with them a wide array of accessories and it is with the aid of these accessories that it becomes much more easier to successfully put the telescopes into proper use. Let us see what are the important accessories that go well and are a “must-have” for most telescope users: -

Filters- These are very essential for telescope users because they reduce the glare on the eyepiece and scatter the light thereby making it less strenuous for us to view distant objects.

Eyepiece- this is a very important piece of equipment and its absence can render a telescope useless. Eyepieces come in a variety of sizes and if you add more than one eyepiece to your telescopes then you can have the pleasure of viewing even the tiniest and distant objects with clarity.

Mounts- Mounts are the stands for telescopes. It is a mount on which the telescope rests. Since a telescope wont function favorably in vibrations therefore you should ensure that it is placed on a stable mount.

Barlow lens- A Barlow lens helps in the magnification of telescopes. These lenses are available in different sizes and we must be careful in choosing the size that best fits the eyepiece.

There are two main types of telescopes, the refractor (Galileo) telescopes and the reflector (Newton) telescopes. The refractor telescope uses an objective lens that bends the light towards the eyepiece. While the reflector telescope uses a mirror, which collects the light and then directs it towards the eyepiece.

Though both the refractors as well as the reflector telescopes are easily available in the market we should take the following points into consideration before buying a telescope.

Do not get impressed by the magnification of the telescopes. This is because magnification alone is of no use if it just produces large but hazy images.

Aperture- This is the most important factor while deciding on a telescope. Aperture is the opening that collects light so its important to choose a telescope with a larger aperture that will ensure a clearer and a more detailed image quality.

Resolution- This enables the telescopes to produce a more detailed image. So always opt for a telescope, which has a higher resolution. Moreover since resolution is also determined by the aperture, therefore the larger the aperture the better the resolution.

Focal length- The distance between the optical center of the lens or the mirror and the optical center of the eyepiece is known as the focal length. The focal length is what determines the magnification in telescopes. Larger focal lengths imply more magnification.

If we are careful about remembering the above points then it wont take us long to choose a telescope the next time we want to buy one for ourselves.

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When people think of telescopes, reflecting telescopes are usually the last things that come to mind. Rather, people tend to think of a straight tube with lenses at either side. This is unfortunate, since there are several ways to bend light so that it is magnified to the point where a person on the ground can make out the features on Jupiter, the billowing gasses of a distant nebula, or the light of distant stars. In fact, if a stargazer wants to peer into the inky voids of space with a scope of manageable size, a reflecting telescope will serve them well.

Reflecting telescopes use mirrors to magnify images, allowing the image to be enlarged a few times before coming through the eyepiece. This is simpler to implement than a standard, straight-through refracting telescope, as it allows several smaller adjustments to the image than a few, very large changes with lenses. And, by doing this with mirrors, the design of the telescope can be made much more compact, allowing more magnifications of an image in a smaller telescope.

In order to understand reflecting telescopes, you must begin by understanding the fact that there are two methods of focusing light so that objects seem closer. The first method is through lenses, which use refracting to bend light and focus it. The second method is with mirrors, which can be shaped to reflect light in such as way that small, distant objects appear to be very close and easily visible.

There are two general designs for reflecting telescopes: the Newtonian and the Cassegrain and its variants. The first type, Newtonian, is a very simple design and it is very popular with amateurs who want to home-build a telescope. In the Newtonian design, there is one large mirror at the base of a long tube, and the mirror is focused onto a flat mirror that redirects the image toward an eyepiece. This design was originally created by Isaac Newton, and it was the first successful design for a reflecting telescope.

The second type of reflecting telescope, the Cassegrain and its variants, uses two mirrors to create the image. One large mirror is set up at the base of a tube, with a smaller mirror facing it at the top of the tube. The light comes in through the top, is focused by the larger mirror, and reflected back by the smaller mirror and sent through a hole in the larger mirror and on to the eyepiece. This makes the Cassegrain telescope look like a refracting telescope, though they function very differently. However, their ultimate aim is the same: to allow people to see things that are very far away.

When looking for a telescope, reflecting telescopes are some of the best that can be found. They are effective, easy to use and, in some cases, easy to build - making them the preferred choice for professional astronomers and backyard hobbyists. So, when thinking about telescopes, don’t just think picture the lenses that usually come to mind, think about remarkable properties of mirrors and reflecting telescopes.

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Refractors, Newtonian reflectors and Catadioptrics
are the three main types of telescopes. All these
different types have the same purpose, but each
telescope design does it differently. Collecting
light and bringing it to point of focus so it can be
magnified and examined with an eyepiece is their
goal.

Of the different types of telescopes the refractor
is the telescope most people think of when they
think of astronomy. This type of astronomy telescope
is easy to use and reliable due to the simplicity
of design. It requires little or no maintenance. Its
great for looking at the different types of lunar,
planetary, and binary stars.

Newtonians are a type of telescope, which is also
known as catoptrics. This type is different from
the other telescopes because it has the lowest
per inch of aperture compared to refractors and
Catadioptrics, because lenses are more expensive
to produce than mirrors, especially in medium
to large apertures. Newtonians deliver very bright
images and are low in optical aberrations.

Catadoptric telescopes are the most popular type
of instrument, with the most modern design,
marketed throughout the world in 3 1/2 and larger
apertures. Its very good for looking at different
planetary, lunar, and binary stars. If you like to
take photos with your telescope this type of
instrument is excellent for deep sky observing
or astrophotography with fast films or CCD’s.

Copyright © JJ PERSISTENT PUBLISHING, INC.

PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the included copyright and author’s resource box with live website links.

Jeremy Hier is the Business Manager and Webmaster of
Best Telescope Guides
Jeremy Hier is a freelance writer and regular contributer He likes to offer his advice and tips to consumers looking to purchase meade telescopes and celestron telescopes

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