Getting The Most Out Of Your First Telescope

A free article on Science

By: Kozen Huseyin

Feeling frustrated with your first time home telescope? Don't know how to get the best out of your first time home telescope? In this article, I will give you my tips that I have learnt in the last decade with Astronomy.

::: Knowing the Heavens :::
I am about the give you some of the greatest advice I can give you. And that is to know the heavens! When I was young, I wanted to get the best planet telescope I could. My first time home telescope was not the best planet telescope and in fact couldn't show me anything more than the moon.

Later I found when I purchased a much better planet telescope years after, that there was a major situation. Yes, I had the best planet telescope, at least compared to my first time home telescope, but I found a dilemma with being able to find nebula and galaxies.

Looking back I think first learning where things where in the heavens, would have made a much better start in astronomy. Your first time home telescope may not have a comprehensive manual on how to find objects in the heavens. The best book that helped me learn exactly how to find things in space was Turn Left At Orion.

::: Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Telescope :::
Astronomy telescope have there strengths and weaknesses. Some are better suited as display planet telescopes which are hardly ever used for astronomy, while other planet telescope may only be designed with their high points to view planets and the moon; there are also planet telescopes which allow you to view the deepest regions of the sky.

Knowing the good points about your planet telescope will help you use your planet telescope much better. For example a really heavy planet telescope may not be good enough to move around much, as I found with my second planet telescope, however the benefit was that the stability of the mount, meant that it was pretty good at keeping steady when looking at objects. Whereas a small planet telescope which may have been purchased at a local toy store may not be steady enough for viewing the heavens outside, especially if it is windy outside.

::: Telescope Care :::
A planet telescope is a great instrument. Your first time home telescope is always an important one - it is your gateway to astronomy, and usually your first glimpse at seeing what the beauty of the universe contains. Your first time home telescope must be taken care off, if you are to get the best out of your planet telescope.

Ways you can keep care of your planet telescope is to put protectors back on planet telescope lenses when you finish. If you have a metal planet telescope which you keep outside, make sure you put it inside when finished. It is far too easy after spending a few hours outside to say I will bring it in tomorrow! Rain may fall on your planet telescope which could cause rust, which is not what you want. The best thing you can do, if you must leave the planet telescope out is put a plastic cover on the planet telescope to protect it. Another tip is to put Vaseline on the planet telescope mount and joints so it can be protected from the rain.

Always make sure optics are brought inside as if rain get on them they can easily get damaged. Same as the main planet telescope tube if possible. You may also need to clean the mirror if you have a reflecting planet telescope, and should always take care to clean the mirror in accordance with the planet telescope manuals suggestions.

Astronomy can be great fun with your first time home telescope. Add to your first time home telescope a great manual to help you find objects in the night sky and you have a powerful combination of a Astronomy hobby that will last for years to come. There are also some great astronomy magazines that will help you monthly find objects in the night sky and what objects can be seen in the night sky.