6 Thing to Know and Try Before You Buy a Telescope

November 6, 2019
10:31 pm

With the naked eye you can see an amazing spectrum of beautiful sights in the awe inspiring night sky, with just our own unaided eye we can view thousands of individual stars, a hand full of star clusters, glows of a frosty nebulae where millions of stars are being born. But as an eager stargazer you’ll want to see much more and if possible in clearer detail. With a good telescope you’ll have enough viewing objects to last you a lifetime, there is no better way to spend a relaxing night soaking in the bright night sky with a hot drink in thoughtful contemplation and if you have children, it’s a really enjoyable way to spend some quality time, the look of awe in their faces will be more than worth it.

Many beginners who buy a telescope before learning the basics of what to see in the night sky usually get frustrated and give up astronomy before they even get started. Just like every new undertaking we must start with the basics, just like some starting out at the gym isn’t going to put 225lbs on the bench without learning the right form and basic moments to stay safe! So, by learning a little background information, as a new stargazer you can make your experience with your first telescope rewarding. Then with the right tools you will see thousands of beautiful and memorable celestial objects that few people ever get to see – how amazing is that!

So how do you know when you’re ready to buy and use a telescope? Here’s a subjective list of 6 things to know and try before you take the leap:

Learn what to see rather than how

I found it useful to understand what I wanted to see before I got the ‘how’, learn some basic bright stars and some major constellations and where to find them in the night sky, my favorite book on the subject is “How the Universe Got its Spots” by Janna Levin. Know the main points on the celestial sphere: the Horizon, Zenith, Meridian, location of the North and South poles this will all be of great assistance once you get your hands on a telescope or binoculars and can only contribute to a more exciting experience!

How the Universe Got Its Spots Diary of a Time in a Finite Space by Janna Levin Book

Learn to find and see things through binoculars

A great and inexpensive way to start, is to get a pair of binoculars and learn to pinpoint the most well known objects in our night sky (hopefully the objects listed in Tip 1 above) but try especially to locate the Moon. It takes some practice to look through an eyepiece, to pinpoint your favorite objects but stick with it and it will be a rewarding experience.

Learn the ‘How’

Learn the main types of telescopes – the pros and cons you can read this article to learn the main features and specifications of telescopes, to get a better understanding of the pros and cons, also I would recommend picking up the following book as great introduction into the how’s of the telescoping world. “The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide” by Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer.

The Backyard Astronomer's Guide Third Edition by Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer Third Edition Book

Look through someone else’s telescope

If you have local astronomy clubs or an observatory nearby, get down there – often they have some telescopes that you can borrow, also it’s a great way to get involved in the astronomy community. I’ve made some great friends and spent some amazing time camping and watching the sky with people I’ve met through an astronomy club.

Where do you plan on observing / How you will get your telescope there? / What do you wish to observe with your telescope?

There is no need to get a heavy, bulky, cumbersome telescope if you plan on getting out of town every night, wrestling with a big telescope every night may just turn you off going out that night! Whereas if you’re mainly planning on backyard telescoping then you can afford to get a bulkier product. Deciding what you want to view should also be a consideration.

What’s your budget?

Lastly what’s your budget? This will be a huge determining factor. Check out some posts where we cover some affordable but very competent telescopes and some more higher end models.

Some Posts You May Find Useful:

Which Telescope Is Best Refractor Vs Reflecting

Most Powerful Telescope for Home use

So there you have it, our guide to the 6 Things to know and try before you buy a telescope!

About Refracting Telescope

A refractor telescope, also known as a refracting telescope, is a type of telescope that uses a lens to focus light. It was one of the first types of telescopes invented and is still used by astronomers today. The lens at the front of the telescope is called the objective lens, and it is responsible for gathering light and bending it so that it converges to a point of focus at the back of the telescope, where an eyepiece is located to magnify the image formed by the objective lens.

The Optical Design

The optical design of a refractor telescope is relatively simple. The objective lens is a convex lens, meaning that it is thicker in the middle than at the edges. When light passes through the lens, it is refracted, or bent, by an amount that depends on the angle at which it hits the lens and the properties of the glass. The refracted light converges at a point called the focus, which is located a certain distance behind the lens. The distance between the lens and the focus is called the focal length, and it is an important characteristic of the objective lens.

The eyepiece is a small lens that is placed near the focus of the objective lens. Its job is to magnify the image formed by the objective lens so that it can be viewed by the observer. The magnification of the telescope is determined by the ratio of the focal lengths of the objective lens and the eyepiece. For example, if the focal length of the objective lens is 1000mm and the focal length of the eyepiece is 10mm, the magnification of the telescope would be 100x (1000/10 = 100).

In addition to the objective lens and eyepiece, refractor telescopes typically have a few other components to help with focusing and alignment. A diagonal mirror is often used to redirect the light from the objective lens to a more comfortable viewing angle. A focuser is used to move the eyepiece closer or farther away from the objective lens to achieve a sharp focus. Finally, a mount is used to support the telescope and allow it to be pointed at different objects in the sky.

The Advantages of Refracting Telescope

One advantage of refractor telescopes is that they produce high-quality images with good contrast and minimal chromatic aberration. Chromatic aberration is a phenomenon where different colors of light are refracted differently by the lens, causing a rainbow-like effect around bright objects in the image. This can be a problem with some types of lenses, but it is less of an issue with refractor telescopes because they use a single lens to focus the light.

Another advantage of refractor telescopes is that they are relatively low-maintenance. Because the objective lens is sealed inside the telescope tube, it is protected from dust and other debris. This means that the lens does not need to be cleaned as often as the mirrors in a reflecting telescope. However, it is still important to keep the lens clean and free of fingerprints or other smudges, which can degrade the image quality.

Overall, a refractor telescope is a simple but powerful tool for observing the night sky. With a well-made objective lens and a high-quality eyepiece, it is possible to see many of the wonders of the universe, from the craters of the Moon to the rings of Saturn and beyond. Whether you are a seasoned astronomer or a curious beginner, a refractor telescope is a great way to explore the cosmos and deepen your appreciation for the beauty and complexity of our universe.