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Telescope gadgets and tools - Dec 3, 2009

There are plenty of tools and gadgets that every astronomer will need, beyond a telescope and eyepieces. One small item is a must - a red lens flashlight to preserve night vision when working around the telescope or reading star maps. A good choice, here, is the Celestron Night Vision Flashlight 93588. Another must is a basic star map/atlas, such as the Celestron Sky Maps - 93722. Telescope lenses, mirrors and eyepieces do get wet from dew and also dusty, from time to time. For cleaning eyepieces, I like a mini-lenspen, such as the Carson LP50. For larger objective lenses, I find a lens cloth, such as the Carson Stuff-It, to be perfect and, like any lens cloth, it can also be washed when it gets a little soiled. I always carry one in my purse for cleaning my glasses.

posted by Joanie K @ 5:51 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Meade beginner telescopes - Oct 29, 2009

Meade has a new series of beginner telescopes in the Meade A-Series Entry Level Telescopes. These include small, but moon-worthy telescopes like the Meade 50AZ-P, the Meade NG60-SM and the Meade NG70-SM. I started out with such a telescope, but, as always, a parent or grandparent, when buying a telescope as a gift for a youngster, should try to match the telescope to the interest level. Small telescopes, such as these Meade A-Series Entry Level Telescopes, are fine for testing the water to see if there is a sustainable interest in a child, but any beginner that stays with astronomy will soon outgrow one of these small telescopes. When in doubt, always better to opt for a larger telescope, even if it costs a bit more, such as the Celestron 80 EQ OP or, even better, an even larger reflector, like the Celestron Powerseeker 127 or Meade 114EQ Going larger on a telescope allows you to see more objects and more detail objects and, most importantly, gives a beginner a telescope that can get him/her past that first look at the nightsky.

posted by Joanie K @ 1:33 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Premium compact binoculars - Oct 22, 2009

It's a good thing that even compact binoculars come in different sizes. As the owner of four high grade premium compact binoculars - a Leica Ultravid BL 10x25, a Nikon Premier LX 10x25, a Swarovski Pocket 8x20 Nabucco and a Zeiss Victory 8x20 - I can tell you that there are differences, even when comparing the two 10x25s or the 8x20s. I normally prefer the more petite 8x20 compacts for my hands, but that Leica Ultravid BL 10x25 is so sleek, that it fits my hands, perfectly. On the other hand, Bill, my fiancé, prefers the larger outline of the Nikon Premier LX 10x25. The little Swarovski Nabucco positively gets lost in his bear paw hands. In the field, the Zeiss Victory 8x20 is perfect for me, especially with gloves, but, at the opera, I wouldn't be caught dead without my Swarovski. Anything else would seem almost crude.

posted by Joanie K @ 1:21 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Let A Vixen Telescope Introduce You To Astronomy - Aug 26, 2009

Getting a great new deal every single week from OpticsPlanet sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well that is what we indeed offer on our Deals of the Week page. There you can find great prices on many binoculars, spotting scopes, flashlights, and more. The low prices won’t last, so hurry and see what is right for you. This week Vixen Optics is presenting a telescope setup that is perfect for beginning astronomy, and is probably right up your alley.
A Vixen telescope is a symbol of happiness to the user, granting superb visions of planets, stars, and nebulas to astronomers young and old for the past 60 years. The Vixen R130SF is 130mm of jaw-dropping excitement. With immediate comfort right out of the box, you will be experiencing the night sky to its fullest. Vixen telescopes feature light gathering capabilities that are out of this world. You can finally light up popular deep sky objects without having to drag around a 12 inch telescope.
Vixen has created numerous high quality optics and was the first to introduce a Go-To mount for astronomical telescopes. Pioneering Vixen optical units are available from OpticsPlanet at a price that you have to see to believe. To see more telescopes as well as other sport optics at special prices, check back often to our Deals of the Week, Clearance, and Closeouts pages. Also, receive OpticsPlanet coupons directly to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter. Find more and more ways to save at OpticsPlanet.com.

posted by DMiller @ 12:15 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

Telescope Tips for a Better Astronomy Experience - Aug 24, 2009

Astronomy, when looked at as a whole, is a tough subject to master all at once. There are thousands and thousands of different aspects to learn about when looking through telescopes and star maps, only the most experienced will fully experience quality star gazing. OpticsPlanet, your optics information resource, has a few tips for the beginning telescope user to have the most fun possible in the night sky.
When setting up your space telescope, stay away from buildings, pavement or large objects that absorb heat by day and release it at night. Upon releasing heat, these objects create air currents (heat mirages) which ruin image quality in your telescope. This is why observing from a terrace or top of a building is not a good idea. Grassy, open meadows or clearings are the best for star navigation.
Parallel to above, observing from a porch is also a bad idea. Not only are you stationed near a building, the ground will constantly be in motion from gatherers circling around. Even at low magnifications, the slight vibrations around you will make noticeable distortion of your picture. Telescopes work best on the solid ground.
Speaking of magnification, too much of it is, perhaps, the single biggest beginner mistake with a telescope. Too much magnification yields an unclear and unstable image. When clarity becomes an issue, use less magnification.
This is just a tiny fraction of the tips and tricks you can find in our How To Articles. For more telescope tips, check out our Dozen Observing Tips. For telescopes, spotting scopes, or binoculars, you know that you can find it at OpticsPlanet.

posted by DMiller @ 9:12 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

The First Questions When Buying A Telescope - Jun 23, 2009

Telescopes are great learning tools to help raise interest in astronomy and the stars amongst viewers young and old. A telescope is not only a great visual aid; it also looks really neat in a den or study. Regardless of the application or decoration, choosing an astronomical telescope can be difficult. Not to worry! OpticsPlanet is here to guide your through those introductory questions that every aspiring astronomer dares to ask.
The first question to ask is whether you would like a computerized telescope or one without a computer. The telescope mount can come with a built in computer that can locate celestial objects for you. Computerized telescopes are recommended if you are a beginner, and if you live in a polluted city with a cloudy sky. There are plenty of star maps available to help guide you across the night sky, but with out seeing the stars themselves it is a bit hard to navigate. Celestron telescopes or Meade telescopes with a computer will cost more than their non-computer counterparts, meaning that a bigger telescope without a computer will cost similar to a smaller version with it. Computers also come with the same headaches that your personal computer can give you. Software, compatibility, and crashes are all risks you must take when dealing with a computerized telescope.
Should you get a big reflecting telescope or a refractor telescope? Telescope size is the way that performance is measured. Large-objective Meade telescopes won’t necessarily outperform smaller Celestron telescopes. Remember that the best telescope is the one that you will use the most, and a clear night sky will allow for the telescope optics to be exemplified. OpticsPlanet has hundreds of telescopes available so that you can find the right one for you.

posted by DMiller @ 9:05 AM 0 Comments Links to this post

Bogen and Gitzo Tripods for Total Support - Jun 17, 2009

There is an assortment of tripods available on the market ranging from low budget to high end. Bogen tripods, Gitzo tripods, and other brands are fighting for your business and support, but what makes a good tripod? Is a camera tripod or a mini tripod your best bet? Should you worry about getting a lightweight tripod or focus on the tripod head? OpticsPlanet has all of these answers, plus the tripods from all of the name brands that you trust.
The type of tripod that you select is directly related to the safety of the optical equipment that you are mounting. There are two basic parts of a tripod: the tripod head and the tripod leg set. On cheaper models of tripods, both of these components come together, so there is no need to buy them separately. When ordering a Bogen Tripod, for instance, you only get a leg set if you order a model labeled as a "tripod". If you want both a leg set and a head, you must order a tripod by Bogen labeled as a "kit".
The most important fact that you should consider when buying a tripod is the material. As tripods get more expensive, the quality of materials goes up as well. A plastic tripod will not be able to hold a heavy spotting scope or telescope. Also, the wind is a huge factor when looking through a binocular with high magnification. A lightweight tripod will not hold steady even with slight gusts. Gitzo tripods are known worldwide for their reliability and stability.
There are many things to take into consideration when buying a tripod. For more information, read the in-depth tripod guide, or our other how-to articles. Make sure that you tune in to OpticsPlanet to learn more and save.

posted by DMiller @ 12:45 PM 0 Comments Links to this post

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