what to look for and what to do once youve got it! telescope clinic
TRANSCRIPT
What to look for and what to do once you’ve got it!
TELESCOPE CLINIC
• Start Small!
WHERE TO BEGIN
LEARN THE NIGHT SKY
GET A PLANISPHERE
RED FLASHLIGHT
CHECK OUT SOME FREE APPS!• Stars
• Planets
• Sky view free
• Star Safari
• Sky Map
• Phases of the Moon ($.99)
• They’re cheaper
• More portable
TRY BINOCULARS FIRST
• 3rd Wednesday of the month at the WB Planetarium, 7:30 p.m.
• Final two meetings before summer
• Wednesday, April 9
• Wednesday, May 21
• www.tristateastronomers.org
• Experience with many different scopes
COME TO A TSA MEETING!
• A few hundred dollars?
• A few thousand dollars?
COSTS
A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER
• Diameter of the main lens or mirror of a telescope
APERTURE
• High f ratio = better high magnification viewing
• Take focal length/aperture
F-RATIO
• Depends on what you want to see.
• High power gives smaller patch of sky
• Pleiades and Milky Way are better in low power
• High power may not be necessary for you
SHOULD I GET THE BIGGEST AND HIGHEST F-RATIO I CAN AFFORD???
• Department stores
• Advertising “SUPER HIGH POWER”
STAY AWAY FROM TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
• http://www.tristateastronomers.org/parties.htm
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF TELESCOPES AND WHICH IS RIGHT FOR ME?
GOTO SCOPE OR MANUAL
NEEDS
FINDER SCOPE
STAR CHARTS
• Color Filters
• Moon Filters
• Solar Filters
• http://www.telescopes.com/telescopes/howdifferentfilterscanbetteryourviewarticle.cfm
FILTERS
EYE PIECES• The smaller the number the higher the
magnification, smaller your field of view
• Focal length of telescope/focal length of eyepiece gives magnification
• Barlow lens doubles magnification
• http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/basics/Guide_to_Eyepieces.html
• To help show others what you’re looking at.
• More fun to observe with a friend.
LASER POINTER
• Easy transport of materials
TACKLE BOX
PLACES TO GO TO BUY A SCOPE
• http://www.telescope.com/
• Worked with WB Planetarium
• http://www.theskyplus.com/
• Todd
• Baltimore Maryland
• http://www.company7.com/
• Montpelier, MD
• Where I bought my own personal telescope
• Will tighten up your optics on factory bought scopes, smoother motion & better aligned optics
• www.tristateastronomers.org
• www.cloudynights.com
WEBSITES TO VISIT
• Thursday, April 4
• Friday, April 5
• Dusk – 11 p.m.
• Telescopes
• Hands – On Zone for kids
• Sky Tours
• More!
TSA ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD STAR PARTY