If you were asked, “what is the best car?”, how could you give a recommendation without knowing if they were planning to use it to take the kids to school, drive up dirt tracks or go racing? Ultimately the best telescope for you is the one that you use The Dobsonian is the ideal telescope…
Month: March 2021
Finding dim objects
How to Star Hop DSO’s like galaxies are not only difficult to see (Turn Left at Orion is your friend) so don’t expect coloured images like those produced by astrophotographers. Light pollution (street lights and the moon) makes these dim fuzzies even more challenging. Sometimes a dim object like M1 (Crab Nebula) can be difficult…
Finding and finder-scopes
With its high magnification and apart from the moon, finding objects can be very difficult for new and experienced observers. Technology can help but a finder will be essential for most telescopes. I use a combination of a non-magnifying finder and then a right-angle magnifying finder (RACI) to locate objects. Most telescopes will come…
Telrad Fitting Adapter
The Telrad is a great straight-through, non-magnifying finder. It’s not so useful for star hopping if you suffer from light pollution. That is why the right-angled finder (RACI) is so useful because unlike the Telrad it allows you to see fainter stars. Not having to bend your neck is great for comfort but can make…
Essential Accessories
This is my essential list of accessories when observing. The aim is to maximise comfort with the minimum amount of carrying. 1) “Turn Left at Orion” and SkySafari on a tablet for star hopping 2) Collimation cap and Cheshire eyepiece/sight tube combination tool 3) 7-24mm zoom and 30mm wide angle eyepiece 4) Lybar height adjustable…
Observing Chairs and Stools
I find a height-adjustable chair or stool an essential accessory when observing. The longer you look through the eyepiece the more you see. This is especially the case for clusters and galaxies. I would also find sketching impossible without a chair. The Lybar Simple, lightweight and cheap, the Lift Your Butt and Rotate seat is…