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Astronomy has been providing people with awe-inspiring and unique views of the Universe since humans first looked up at the stars. If you’re interested in space, consider planning a trip to see planets through a telescope! This guide will provide you with step-by-step instructions to plan your trip and make sure that you are prepared once you get there.
What are the best telescopes for deep sky objects?
I have seen many people online ask what telescope is best for viewing galaxies, planets, and deep sky objects. Here I will break down my opinion on telescopes and where you should spend your money. The first question that we need to answer is what exactly are you looking for out of your telescope? Are you just wanting to view stars, galaxies, planets and other deep sky objects from your backyard? If so then there are much cheaper options than say an SCT or even a Refractor telescope. A lot of people overlook these other options because they assume that all amateur astronomers use some sort of large expensive scope for viewing space in their backyard. This isn’t true though! There are many great small telescopes that can do a fantastic job of showing you views of our solar system and beyond. What makes them good at doing so is their aperture (or diameter) size as well as their optical quality. For example, if we look at Orion Telescopes SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Reflector Telescope which has an aperture size of 6 inches and costs $349.99 it can be compared to Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope which has an aperture size of 130mm but costs $999.99! So why would anyone buy such a cheap telescope when one with such a large aperture costs almost 10 times more?
Best Telescopes For Viewing Deep Sky Objects
The most important thing is that you get started. It doesn’t matter if your scope is big or small. To go full-on NASA and take a trip out into space, you would need to build an observatory from scratch and be astronomically wealthy. That said, there are still plenty of low-cost ways for you to view planets, galaxies, nebulae and star clusters with your own telescope. Let’s run down some telescopes that can help you achieve deep space viewing in your backyard: Newtonian reflector; Dobsonian reflector; Refractor; Cassegrain reflector; Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector (Maksutov); Refractor/reflector combination (Ritchey-Chretien).
Astronomy Tips For Beginners
While experienced amateur astronomers already know many of these recommendations, they are presented here as rules of thumb for those new to astronomy. Make sure you always read and follow manufacturers' instructions when purchasing telescopes and other observing equipment. If you don't understand something, or are unsure about whether your telescope is set up properly, ask an expert for advice. For example, calling a local planetarium would be a good place to start. The personnel there are well versed in astronomy and will be able to offer guidance based on their experience with observing instruments of all kinds. Here's what you need
You also should do some basic preparation before venturing out into your night sky. Always dress warmly during cold months, keeping in mind that much of your body heat escapes through open parts like head and neck areas. Pack a blanket if possible; it can come in handy if you get chilled from sitting still for long periods outside at night. Also pack some snacks, so you can stay nourished throughout your trip. Be sure to go to the bathroom before you leave home so that nature does not have to beckon during important moments under a starry sky!
Is it worth doing astronomy with binoculars or a camera lens?
It’s great for scouting out potential targets for more serious stargazing. If you don’t have access to a telescope, or don’t want to drag it out in inclement weather, astronomers use binoculars and cameras with telephoto lenses (or even their naked eyes) as telescopes lite. Binoculars are particularly useful when you can only see part of what you want to observe—the classic example is spotting a planet, star cluster or nebula that appears close enough that it would be lost in long-exposure pictures. There are many targets, however, that will show up on both small telescopes and naked eye observations if they appear bright enough in your sky at night. Examples include some globular clusters, open clusters like M13 in Hercules, individual stars like Sirius or Betelgeuse, and planets like Jupiter. But there are also many deep sky objects visible only in large amateur telescopes because they cannot be seen well with smaller instruments due to faintness or because of light pollution from nearby towns. These include things like galaxies and nebulae which often require very dark skies away from city lights to see well through a telescope. Some objects may not fit into either category such as quasars which require special filters for larger instruments but may be visible visually under very dark skies (for example). The best advice is always look first before spending money on any kind of astronomy equipment! A better idea might be renting an instrument before purchasing one!
What else should I consider while buying a telescope?
Before you start searching for telescopes, there are some other things you should keep in mind. First, always take note of what type of planets and stars you want to observe. For example, if you want to view Jupiter's moons or Saturn's rings or Venus' surface features then it's essential that your telescope be able to show them in high detail. Another thing is scope magnification. Magnification can make viewing distant objects appear closer, which allows for a more detailed view. However, be careful with increasing your scope magnification as it will also increase your eyepiece size and produce an uncomfortably small field of view. The final thing is exposure time. Exposure time determines how long your telescope will expose light onto an object. This is important because longer exposures result in better views of faint objects such as galaxies and nebulae. The downside is that increased exposure times lead to blurred images due to Earth's rotation. That’s why most telescopes have tracking systems so they can compensate for Earth’s rotation. To learn more about these factors, check out our guide on how to choose a telescope . Also, we recommend reading our best telescopes guide before deciding on one model over another since it provides all kinds of information regarding different types of scopes and their capabilities.