Telescopes are a great way to see the universe up close. From nebulas to constellations, you can see a lot more of the night sky with a telescope than you ever could with your naked eye.
But telescopes are expensive and complicated instruments that require some expertise to operate properly — not everyone is well-suited for them.
There are many different kinds of telescopes and each has its own set of pros and cons.
Reflector Telescopes
Reflector telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to collect light from the sky and focus it into a beam that can be viewed through an eyepiece. Reflectors generally have larger apertures than refractors, which means they can see more detail in deep space objects like star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. However, because they use mirrors instead of lenses, reflectors also tend to be less portable than refractors because they are heavier and bulkier.
Refractor Telescopes
Refractor telescopes use lenses to focus light from the sky onto an image at the end of the tube. The image is then magnified via an eyepiece for viewing. Refractors are generally more portable than reflectors because they don’t have large mirrors like reflectors do. They also tend to be less expensive than reflectors since they don’t require as much precision manufacturing due to their simpler design (only one lens vs two).
If you’re interested in buying a telescope, follow these tips to make sure you get the best one for your needs:
The first step in choosing a telescope is deciding what kind you want. The two main types are refractors and reflectors. Refractors use lenses to gather light, while reflectors use mirrors. Reflectors are generally cheaper than refractors because they require less sophisticated construction techniques (which explains why most toy telescopes are reflectors). However, refractors tend to offer higher resolution images than reflectors due to their superior optical design.
Once you’ve decided on the type of telescope, it’s time to choose between aperture and focal length (or focal ratio). Focal length refers to how long the light path inside the telescope is; aperture refers to how much light can enter through the opening at one end of the tube (it’s usually expressed as diameter).
Before heading out to buy a telescope, start by doing some research on what kind of features and specifications you want in your telescope. There’s no point walking into an astronomy store and asking for help if you don’t know what features are available or what they mean. It’s also important to know how much money you want to spend on your telescope before going shopping so that you don’t waste time looking at options that are beyond your budget.
There are many different types of telescopes available today, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. The best type may depend on where you’ll be using it most often — if you’re going camping or hiking often, then perhaps a portable refractor would be right up your alley.
If you are looking for perfect telescopes, consider Celestron Astromaster from Celestron, a well known brand offering astronomy telescopes, binoculars and more.
