Many of us marvel at the idea of sailing across the deep skies, soaking in the beauty of the solar system and beyond. However, getting into astronomy with a telescope that cannot view the planets is like eating bread without butter. Of course, most of the planets in our solar system, namely Mercury, Venus, Mars,…
Refractor telescopes are what we think of when telescopes come to mind. “Classic & traditional” would probably be the best words to describe this scope. But make no mistake, the refractor scopes are far from old or outdated. Sure, they retain their age-old and tried-and-true optical light path, but they also have certain flair of…
When we think of astronomy, we often picture ourselves with large telescopes pointed to the sky. Now, while scopes certainly give astronomers a chance to get up close with the skies, they’re not the only available tools for astronomy. A humble astronomy binocular can be a great alternative to a telescope. The best binoculars for…
Learning about space is an exciting topic for just about any kid. Children are awed and inspired by the vastness and beauty of space but, unfortunately, they can only see so much with their naked eyes. Now, instead of having them read dry facts about space in their school textbooks and maybe see a few…
If you’re anything like most photographers I know, sunset signals time to pack your gear and head inside. After all, it’s hard enough to take a great photo during daylight, and trying to get quality nighttime shots is even more difficult. Or so it would seem… See, photography equipment has come a long way in…
Astronomy is a challenging hobby to get into, and it can even be downright frustrating if you start with the wrong scope. Often, we see budding astronomers quickly getting caught up in the excitement of a new telescope, but they don’t stop to think about how practical it will be for their lifestyle. It’s tempting…
Beginners regularly ask me, “What telescope should I buy?” or “What telescope do I need to see X with?” Nine times out of ten, I recommend a Dobsonian telescope, and if you ask most astronomy clubs, websites, or observatories, they’ll probably respond in unison, “Get a Dob.” Here’s the reason: a Dobsonian is simplicity itself. Dobsonian…
Have you ever wondered why your colleagues with less powerful and cheaper telescopes have much better and more exciting testimonies than you do? Well, there’re a few reasons for this, but perhaps, they’ve invested in much better telescope eyepieces. See, an eyepiece is one of the fundamental components of a telescope. A telescope can’t work…
Astronomy travel is exciting, offering urban astronomers the chance to leave polluted city skies behind and journey to distant, unadulterated dark-sky locations. However, for a successful astronomy holiday, you’ll need a lightweight, compact, and portable travel telescope that can be unpacked and set up within minutes. It’s not a good idea to lug around bulky…
When we think of planets, we normally think of the eight planets in our own solar system. However, stepping beyond the edge of our star’s influence and out into interstellar space, the true vastness of the universe becomes apparent and our own planetary system starts to appear as nothing particularly unique and special. There are…