If you have either recently acquired your first telescope, or are considering buying one, this section is intended to help you get the most enjoyment out of your new scope. There is a wealth of information already available on the Web (observing tips, advice on what type of telescope to buy, etc.), so I have tried to focus on topics I have not seen covered elsewhere. That said, here are a few tips to get you started:
If there is an astronomy club in your area, you can learn a lot from more experienced observers. Meade provides a nice directory of astronomy clubs here, or just try your favorite Internet search engine.
As a beginning astronomer, the first thing you need to do is to learn how the night sky "works," and how to find interesting objects to view with your telescope or binoculars. You'll also get a lot more enjoyment out of viewing these objects if you understand what it is that you're looking at. There are lots of books that claim to help you learn these things, but these are the best ones to start with:
Nightwatch, by Terence Dickinson. This book combines an excellent introduction to astronomy with advice on how to choose telescopes & accessories. It also includes simplified star charts showing how to find some of the most impressive objects in the night sky. (As an alternative, younger readers may prefer New Astronomer, by Carole Stott. It covers much of the same types of information at a slightly easier reading level.)
Turn Left at Orion, by Guy Consolmagno and Don Davis. This book really ought to be shipped with every beginner's telescope. It is like a tour guide to the best 100 or so objects in the night sky. The objects are grouped by season. Each object description is accompanied by a sketch of its appearance in a telescope, the finderscope view, a wider-field star map, and detailed instructions for locating it with your scope. One of the best things about this book is that it uses sketches to accurately represent what you will actually see in a small telescope, rather than creating unrealistic expectations by using photographs taken with large instruments.
There are LOTS of other good books on astronomy. You can save yourself a great deal of money by visiting your local library. Not only will you have a lot to keep you busy on cloudy nights, but it will also help you decide which books are really worth purchasing for your own collection.
There are many great astronomy programs available. I have included a selection of some of my favorites here. Most of them are actually freeware!
If you're like most beginners, you've just put most of your money into a telescope, and don't have a lot left over for the accessories that you will soon realize you "need." That's where Astromart comes in: Free online classifieds for buying and selling astronomy-related items! Almost anything you might want comes up for sale here at some point, and you can usually get nearly-new items for a substantial discount off new prices.
-Allow time for your eyes to adapt to the dark. Once adapted, protect your night vision by using only a red-filtered flashlight.
-Patience is the key. The longer you look at something, the more details you will pick up.
-Learn to use averted vision for faint objects. The center of your retina is optimized for daylight, color vison, while the most sensitive part for night vision is off-center a bit. Shifting your focus away from the center of the field of view will often bring out faint details that disappear again when you look directly at them.
-Use a "posterier stabilization device." A rock-solid telescope mount is important, but you will still miss details if your eye is moving relative to the eyepiece. Find something to sit on! A stepstool or adjustable-height chair will work wonders for your ability to pick out fine details, and will make long stints at the eyepiece more comfortable. If you enjoy woodworking, check here for information about an adjustable chair that you can build yourself.
All material on this site is Copyright 2003, Neil T. Hobbs.