How to choose a telescope

Free space has attracted man to itself since ancient times. The cold brilliance of distant planets, constellations and comets - all these and many other delights of outer space are of great interest to all of us. However, it’s not possible to consider all the beauty of the distant world with our own eyes: all we see are myriads of small dots in the dark night sky. And in order to consider them closer, you need to resort to using special devices - telescopes. Used initially in planetariums and various observatories, they have now gained widespread acceptance among amateur astronomers who prefer to watch the open sky while sitting in their favorite home chair.

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1. The best manufacturers. Which company telescope to choose?
2. The specifics of the device and the types of telescopes
3. Selection options. What to look for when choosing a telescope?
4. How to choose a telescope to solve specific problems?
5. Telescope selection video

The best manufacturers. Which company telescope to choose?

The production of telescopes is currently mastered by many very different manufacturers. On sale you can find various models, ranging from low-end amateur-class devices to professional models that provide perfect image quality and image completeness. Traditionally, the best devices are considered, the main functional elements and optics of which are manufactured by the world's leading manufacturers, and therefore traditionally include the best brands that produce devices of this class:

1. Bresser;

2. Celestron;

3. Skywatcher;

4. Veber;

Comparing the preferred devices with each other, it is necessary to rely not only on a series of technical characteristics and functional features, but also on the operating experience of specific users who have tested the device in practice. It is the reviews posted on thematic forums on the Internet that are able to highlight the hidden moments that many manufacturers are modestly silent about.

The specifics of the device and the types of telescopes

A modern telescope is a very specific optical device with a huge functionality and is designed for stationary observation of objects that are being observed for objects that are distant from an observer. Structurally, telescopes vaguely resemble a telescope, made in a large size. At one end of the device is the eyepiece, through which the observation is carried out, and on the opposite - a powerful light-collecting lens and a sensitive lens having a mirror surface and a spherical concave shape. In addition, the most advanced models can be equipped with special searchers that allow them to navigate in space and find interesting constellations, different strengths of light filters, allowing them to level out the excessively bright luminosity of individual space objects, as well as many other functionalities and "chips".

Currently on the market represented a great variety of different telescopes, one way or another related to the main groups.

Refractory telescopes

Devices of this type are among the most budget models and are perfect for newly-made astronomers. The principle of operation of such devices was invented thousands of years ago and is used to this day with some changes. It is based on 4-7 biconvex lenses evenly distributed inside the case. Depending on the design of the lenses - apochromatic or achromatic, the user gets the opportunity to observe a flat or three-dimensional image. The latter resembles a telescope and has a compact size, and to fix it almost always uses a tripod.

Virtues

• Low cost;

• High tightness and the ability to operate in different conditions;

• Simple and unpretentious design;

disadvantages

• Enough bulky and heavy;

• Small own diameter, even the most functional models rarely exceed 140-160 millimeters;

• Weakly applicable in urban use;

Reflex telescopes

They differ from refractor models by the principle of operation: in devices of this type, biconvex mirrors installed at different ends of the device are used to obtain images. Thanks to this feature, the aperture of the device is significantly increased, which allows studying distant galaxies and constellations.

Virtues

• Simple construction;

• A sufficiently large lens diameter (can reach 380-400 mm), which has a positive effect on the quality and sharpness of the image;

• Small overall dimensions and weight;

• The ability to observe distant galaxies;

• Low cost;

disadvantages

• The complexity of the initial setup and operation;

• Critical of temperature extremes;

• The open design facilitates the penetration of dust and dirt;

• Weakly applicable for observing nearby planets;

Catadioptric telescopes

To some extent, these devices can be called a symbiosis of the above types - inside the body of such a device are located as lenses of various designs, and biconvex mirrors. This made it possible to study both nearby and distant galaxies with the same efficiency and to obtain a clear volume and contrast picture at the output, devoid of distortions and defects, due to the presence of special corrective modules.

Virtues

• The highest quality, sharp and sharp image;

• The lens diameter can reach up to 450 millimeters, which directly affects the capabilities of the device;

• Versatile and functional;

disadvantages

• High price;

• Complex structure, critical to quality service and operating conditions;

Selection options. What to look for when choosing a telescope?

Having defined the specific objects that interest you the most, as well as the budget that you are ready to spend on buying a telescope, you should familiarize yourself with the basic technical characteristics of devices of this class, which should be given special attention.

The inner diameter of the periscope lens

Or aperture, as otherwise called this parameter. The situation here is similar to that when choosing any other optical technology. The larger the diameter of the optics - the greater the amount of reflected sunlight can assemble the device and the higher its overall sensitivity. In turn, this feature has a positive effect on the sharpness, contrast and overall image quality:

1. For operation in urban conditions and with strong illumination of the night sky, devices with an aperture of up to 100 millimeters are enough;

2. To observe the nearby planets should choose the device, the aperture of which will be 150-200 millimeters;

3. To monitor distant constellations and galaxies, it is best to prefer devices with an aperture of 250 mm or more;

Telescope focal length

This parameter indicates the length measured from the extreme optical lens to the eyepiece, in which the light rays are again combined into one common stream. The higher this distance - the clearer, clearer and more contrast the picture will be in total. The reverse side of the coin is the total length of the telescope and the difficulties of storage and transportation as a result. However, this rule does not apply to catadioptric telescopes, the luminous flux in which is not located along one straight line, but is refracted many times. This allows you to achieve almost perfect image with a relatively compact body size.

The degree of approximation and the magnification of the device

As well as in any other optical technology, this parameter shows the ability of the periscope to approach the observed objects. At the best periscopes, this parameter is almost always in the range from 5 to 40x. It is important only when observing nearby celestial bodies, while “hunting” for distant galaxies, the meaning and importance of multiplicity as a parameter is lost. It is easy to calculate this parameter: all you need is to know the parameters of the focal length of the telescope and the eyepiece and divide one value by another.

Stand type and design

It may seem to an uninformed person that the design of the stand does not play any role, but in fact, it depends on her ease of use and the ability to quickly navigate in space, to find interesting celestial objects. There are three main types of supports:

1. Azimuth type tripod - the most simple, it is equipped with low-cost low-end devices. Allows you to adjust the telescope horizontally and vertically. The main advantage of this stand is considered ease of operation and installation;

2. Equatorial - A more complex structure that allows you to set the telescope to the coordinates. It is popular among fans of watching distant constellations, as well as among those who practice photographing space;

3. Dobson system - the third type of coasters, representing a kind of compromise and symbiosis between the two types listed above. Its functionality is close to equatorial devices, but in terms of ease of use, such models are not much inferior to azimuthal analogues.

How to choose a telescope to solve specific problems?

Choosing a telescope for an amateur

Amateur telescopes are entry-level devices that are perfect for observing both near and distant galaxies. As a rule, these are long-focus reflex telescopes with an aperture of 150-200 millimeters and a degree of approximation of the order of 20x-25x. The stand is an azimuth-type tripod that allows you to observe the stars from any location;

Choosing a telescope for beginners

Telescopes, positioned as devices for novice astronomers, differ in similar characteristics. There is no point in buying expensive models: a high-quality short-focus refractor telescope with an aperture of the order of 100-120 millimeters and a multiplicity of 10-15x. The stand system is azimuthal, but in order to be able to observe the stars in nature, it is best to purchase the Dobson system.

Choosing a telescope for a child

In order to please the young astronomer, you should purchase a compact refractor telescope with an aperture of about 70-100 millimeters. In the catalogs of many manufacturers you can find special "children's" series of devices that cope with the functions assigned to them as well as possible.If the baby likes to take photographs, it makes sense to purchase a separate photo adapter, which allows you to connect a camera and photograph the space.

Criteria for choosing a telescope for observing planets

In order to get a high-quality picture and be able to observe distant planets, it is best to resort to using more expensive catadioptric telescopes, recorded using the Dobson system. The aperture of such devices can reach up to 380-400 millimeters, and the focal length can reach 600-1000 mm.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.