Subscriber D.H. asks, “How can I take pictures of aurora borealis with a digital camera?” It’s a timely question, since the Sun finally seems to be waking up from a period of inactivity. There were two solar storms over the past week that caused amazing aurora in many parts of the world, and there’s likely more to come. So here are a few tips to snap a great image with minimal effort and equipment…
Many subscribers are asking about buying telescopes for Christmas. Here’s a video that shows some good choices for beginner scopes. The video emphasizes Orion telescopes (similar to Sky-Watcher in some countries). But the advice is generally applicable to many manufacturers and suppliers.
“Two eyes are better than one”, the old saying goes, but telescope aren’t exactly designed with this in mind. If you’ve endured eyestrain and pesky “floaters” in your eyes ruining your view of Jupiter or the Moon, you understand the drawbacks of “cyclops” astronomy. But there’s a solution: bino-viewers. Few other accessories can add horsepower to your telescope like a pair binoviewers, especially for observing the Moon, planets, and smaller celestial objects. Here’s what you need to know about these powerful observational tools…
Over the past few weeks, many have asked if there are filters to help get a better view of Comet Hartley 2 and other comets. In fact there are such filters, and for a dedicated comet hound, they may be worth the price. Comet filters help increase contrast and tease out faint detail, even in dark sky. And they help you distinguish between dusty comets that primarily reflect sunlight, and more gaseous comets that emit light from glowing gases and ions excited by the solar wind. Here’s how they work…
Today, a guest article from well-known astrophotographer Jerry Lodriguss at Astropix.com. Jerry shows you how to easily take a great image of the Milky Way… just one of the many tips in his Beginner’s Guide to DSLR Astrophotography. Take it away, Jerry…
If this hasn’t happened to you yet, it will.
It’ll go something like this…
You’re out with your telescope on a pleasant summer evening, up late to get a preview of the nebulae and star clusters along Scorpius and Sagittarius. The sky is clear, the seeing steady, and you can stay up all night because you don’t have to work tomorrow.
Then, as you’re getting your best-ever view of M7, or M8, or the great Sagittarius star cloud, you notice something strange. The dim stars begin to fade. The images of the brights stars suddenly have ghostly white haloes. And finally, you can barely see anything at all.
Imaged-stabilized (IS) binoculars give stunning low power views of the night sky without the dreaded “image shake” of standard binoculars. It’s hard to read a review that doesn’t rave about these advanced optical systems for astronomy or terrestrial use.
Based on technology developed for military surveillance and laser-based weaponry, IS binos are amazing high-tech wonders.
We haven’t done an observing tip in a while. So here’s one that’s brief but a little… unusual. If you like to look at the sky with your unaided eye or binoculars, but don’t like getting a stiff neck and sore back, then today’s idea might be worth trying out. It takes a little practice, but it’s simple and works amazingly well.
A special treat today for you… an exclusive interview with astrophotographer Jerry Lodriguss in which he shares with you the basics of taking a simple but quite lovely photo of the night sky with a digital camera. No telescope required.
Jerry’s a world-renowned astrophotographer and a former professional sport photographer who was 3 times nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His astrophotos have been published in Sky and Telescope and NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, and he’s published three books about astrophotography including The Beginner’s Guide to DSLR Astrophotography.
Subscriber E.D. writes, “I wonder if you can help me get a better view of Jupiter. I have a 10” reflector and with a 5mm eyepiece, so I get 240 X magnification of Jupiter and very good resolution. What I lack is contrast. I can see the planet quite large and see the cloud bands, but the red spot is very difficult to see. I’ve tried a blue filter but it’s just very difficult to discern. Do you have any advice for making the red spot really pop out?”
Once I get going on a night’s observations, not much can stop me. The cold doesn’t bother me. I don’t mind the fatigue, the eyestrain, or the strange noises in the night.
But I cannot stand mosquitoes.
Most telescopes sit on either an alt-azimuth mount or an equatorial mount. Today we cover the former, which is the easiest mount to understand and use. For many visual observers, it’s the only type of mount they will ever need.
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Some new subscribers are terrified by the coordinate system for the celestial sphere. But if you understand the concept of latitude and longitude on the Earth, you can understand their celestial equivalents. Here’s what you need to know to find things on a star map.
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We came across some ads for classic telescopes from the 1950′s to the 1980′s, and we were stricken with astronomical nostalgia. We drooled over some of these ads in our younger days, and if you’ve been around long enough, perhaps you did too.
To be honest, almost every telescope available today is just as good or better than the offerings of 30-40 years ago. And the prices in real dollars are much lower. But it’s still fun to look back and consider how far the tools of amateur astronomers advanced over the last 30-40 years. Thousands of these old telescopes are still in use today.
Today, an article for beginners that’s well past due. Many new readers of One-Minute Astronomer have trouble understanding our reference to “degrees”, “arc minutes”, and “arc seconds” when talking about the separation of celestial objects. So here’s a primer on measuring angular distances. You’re one minute away from knowing an essential skill to finding your way around the sky.
You asked for it, so here it is… the third part of my interview with Rod Mollise, author of Choosing and Using a New CAT: Getting the Most from Your Schmidt Cassegrain or Any Catadioptric Telescope. In this installment, Rod tells you about the best deep-sky objects to see from the city, his favorite sights in the night sky after 40 years of observing, and the secret of how he saw a supernova in a distant galaxy from the bright, hazy skies of Mobile, Alabama.
If you observe under light-polluted skies, these articles will help you get the best possible views of the heavens under the most unfavorable conditions.
The first installment of the interview is here, and the second is here.
Are computerized “Go-To”mounts just for people too lazy to learn the sky for themselves? Some think so. Others say “Go-To” mounts are the best thing to happen to amateur astronomers since the invention of the Newtonian reflector.
Both sides have a point. Yes, you should learn the stars and constellations for yourself as a matter of pride and personal accomplishment. But a Go-To mount is a wonderful tool, especially for city-based astronomers who struggle to find faint stars in the murky urban skies. No matter what kind of sky you have, a good Go-To mount can make you a better amateur astronomer. Here’s how…
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Today, the second of three installments of my interview with Rod Mollise, author of a just-published book Choosing and Using a New CAT: Getting the Most from Your Schmidt Cassegrain or Any Catadioptric Telescope. In this installment, Rod guides you through the best mounts, eyepieces, and accessories for urban astronomy, and gives an unedited view of why go-to mounts are indispensable for city-based observers. The first installment of the interview is here.
(NB: Yes I know this is a much longer article than usual. But it contains valuable advice for urban amateur astronomers… and all of you will learn how big a telescope it takes to see the elusive Horsehead Nebula in Orion!)
A special treat for you today… the first of three segments of my interview with Rod Mollise, author of The Urban Observer’s Guide and his just-published book Choosing and Using a New CAT: Getting the Most from Your Schmidt Cassegrain or Any Catadioptric Telescope. Rod’s a renowned astronomy author and educator, and he graciously spent some time explaining the why’s and how’s of urban astronomy for amateurs. Here’s the first part of our interview.
(NB: This is issue is quite a bit longer than usual, but if you have to fight light pollution or you know fellow astronomers who do, this series of articles is well worth reading…)
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In the spirit of continuous improvement, and to help you get the most enjoyment out of your interest in astronomy, here are 10 astronomical new year’s resolutions for 2009. Pick one or try them all. But whatever you do, I wish you a new year filled with happiness, good health, and clear dark skies.
To bring out contrast in the clouds of Jupiter and Saturn, or see fine detail on the surface of Mars, you should consider a set of inexpensive colored-glass planetary filters that thread into your eyepieces. Here’s a quick guide to choosing a few filters that will help you get the most out of your telescope.
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We’ve covered portable grab-and-go refractors that are ideal for a quick observing session when time is tight. But refractors are expensive relative to their aperture. And some have bothersome chromatic aberration which ruins the view of bright objects like the moon and planets. So if you’re considering a grab-and-go telescope, a reflector might be the choice if you prefer brighter images with truer color at a reasonable price.
Small Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes are a godsend for urban observers who need a compact scope with a go-to mount and good optics. And “Maks” are back in style, so there’s a good selection on the market. But Maks aren’t for everyone. Here’s how to tell if a Mak is right for you.
Last time we went through the basics of magnifying optical finders. Today, we cover “red-dot” and “Telrad” finders. These devices, also called unit-power finders because they don’t magnify an image, are much more intuitive for beginners and in many cases much easier to use. Especially in dark sky.
On top of your main telescope, you may have a smaller wide-field telescope. This is your finder… an essential tool to help you see and magnify faint stars and deep sky objects. But finder scopes can be a little confusing at first. If you’re frustrated by your finder, here are some tips to help you get aligned and find your way around the sky.
As you’ve discovered, wide-field eyepieces give wonderful views of star fields and faint deep-sky objects. But because of their design, they are not the best choice for viewing bright objects like the moon and planets. So here’s how to select one or two good eyepieces that work well for seeing the bright wonders of our solar system.
For expansive views of star fields, nebulae, and other deep-sky objects, you’ll want a couple of good wide-field eyepieces for your telescope: one for low-power and one for medium power. There are many on the market, but here is a comparison of some superior offerings for a range of budgets.
Think it’s tough to choose a telescope? Wait until you try to choose a good eyepiece: there’s a bewildering variety on the market right now. Here are a few words of wisdom to help you choose an eyepiece that coaxes the most out of your telescope.
Here’s another short guide to quality options for astronomy gear. The first installment reviewed a great set of optics and accessories for $500. Today, an example of a more feature-laden outfit you can get for less than $1500.
You’ve seen them in the astronomy magazines. Glossy blue or black tubes, short and wide, set on sturdy mounts and aimed hopefully at the sky. These are Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT) telescopes made famous by Celestron and Meade. Are they the best all-around telescope for amateur astronomers? And is an SCT the best telescope for you?
The sky is blue… the sun is setting, and it looks like it will be a perfect night for stargazing. Or will it? Blue sky doesn’t necessarily lead to a great night for observing. Here’s how to read your sky and get the most out of your stargazing session.
The telescope with the most light-collecting power for your money is the venerable Newtonian reflector, invented by Sir Isaac Newton himself in 1689. If you love to see the wisps of faint nebulae and the spiral structure of distant galaxies, then this may be the scope for you.
We’ve been talking about refracting telescopes over the past few months at One-Minute Astronomer. Today, we switch gears to talk about reflecting telescopes, the most widely used type of telescope in the world for both amateur and professional astronomers. Here are the basics.
The image of a distant galaxy or star cluster in your telescope will never rival the pro-quality photographs you see in books and magazines. But with a little practice, you’ll learn to observe subtle detail and structure in faint objects that even the best cameras will never capture. Here’s how to see more through your telescope or binoculars.
A great big telescope is indispensable for seeing faint deep-sky fuzzies. But on nights when you don’t have the time or energy to set up a big telescope, it’s handy to have a smaller scope you can quickly take outside for a short observing session. Here’s how to choose a “grab-and-go” refractor to help you get the most out of every clear night.
To best see faint deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae, you have to make sure your eyes are “dark adapted”. Here’s how to do it.
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced amateur astronomer, star parties are a great way to share your interests with others and check out all kinds of astronomical hardware. But there are a few unwritten rules of behavior at a star party. Here’s how to avoid being an astronomical social misfit.
Light pollution filters help you transform a washed-out city skyscape into reasonably dark location, at least when observing some types of celestial objects. Also called deep-sky or nebula filters, these high-tech wonders are a huge help for backyard astronomers. One look at the Veil Nebula or Barnard’s Loop will have you hooked.
If your summer vacation takes you to clear dark skies, here’s what to bring along to help you indulge your interest in astronomy.
“Can you recommend a good telescope for a beginner?”. It’s a question we get a lot here at One-Minute Astronomer. So here’s the first of a series of articles that gives you quality options for astronomy gear for a range of budgets. Today, an example of an outfit you can get for less than $500.
Spending your vacation in the city this summer under hazy light-polluted sky? Here’s how to make the best of it.
Darn it! You’re away on a trip and you’re without telescope or binoculars. And you find yourself under a perfect night sky. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the sights, sans optiques.
Although they are expensive, imaged-stabilized (IS) binoculars give stunning low power views of the sky without the dreaded image shake of standard binoculars. It’s hard to read a review that doesn’t rave about these technical wonders for astronomy or terrestrial use.
Here’s some plain advice on how to choose a good pair of binoculars for astronomy, and save a bunch of money in the process.
A good pair of binoculars gives you grab-and-go convenience on nights when you don’t have much time to observe. Binoculars give you an expansive view of the sky, let you see in “3D” with both eyes, and cost far less than a telescope. Even a modest pair lets you see as many as 100,000 stars, hundreds of star clusters and nebula, supernovae remnants, and dozens of galaxies. Here are some binocular basics.
An apochromatic refractor uses an objective lens of extra-low dispersion glass that gives remarkably crisp images without chromatic aberration. Many consider an “apo” to be the ultimate telescope for photography and planetary observing. Said one amateur astronomer, “The sight of Saturn through a good apochromat is enough to make a grown man weep”.
Four hundred years ago, Dutchman Hans Lippershey looked through two lenses and noticed distant objects appeared larger. He had invented the telescope. Because his device used lenses to bend, or refract, light, this type of scope is called a refractor, one of the two main types of telescopes.
To best see faint deep-sky objects like galaxies and nebulae, you have to make sure your eyes are “dark adapted”. Here’s what you need to know.
Using averted vision means looking slightly off to one side rather than straight on. It exposes the most sensitive part of your eye and lets you see much fainter objects. If you’ve never tried this before, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can see, with or without a telescope.
