Newtonian reflector telescopes do require some maintenance. The mirrors must be aligned periodically to ensure that they are reflecting light properly. The mirrors can also become tarnished over time, so they may need to be repainted. If you choose a Newtonian reflector telescope, select one with a protective mirror coating. This will help extend the mirrors' life and make them easier to maintain. There are three primary types of telescopes: Reflector vs refractor vs catadioptric telescopes. Reflectors use a main mirror to gather and focus light; refractors use an objective lens, while catadioptrics use a main mirror and a lens of the same diameter. All three kinds of instruments have their own 'sub-species' based on their particular optical design. For example, the most basic type of reflector is the Newtonian design, which uses a main mirror and a small secondary mirror, which diverts the light at right angles to the eyepiece through the top end of the telescope. Gives fantastic clear imagery of the moon, Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons, as well as nebulae and star clusters Center your subject in the finder scope's frame; there are usually crosshairs or a dot so you know when it's central. Now when you look through your telescope's eyepiece, your subject will be centered here too.

Telescopes create a circular image of the night sky. We measure the size of the objects that appear in that image – for example, the moon – in degrees. As a point of reference, the moon takes up around 1/2° in the night sky. This is important to remember, as you’ll often see references to degrees when shopping around for telescopes. Magnification STARGAZER EASY TO ASSEMBLE & USE: Stargazer understand the importance of setting the telescope up correctly to offer you the best experience possible. With our picture by picture with text step by step guide shown in the user manual, you can be sure to be set up and exploring our amazing universe in no time. No tools needed This telescope has a 130mm aperture, which means it can gather a great amount of light and help you see faint celestial objects better at night. Its 650mm focal length provides a wide field of view, allowing you to observe a larger portion of the sky. It's both sturdy and lightweight, making it easy to carry around, and it comes with a stable tripod, a red dot finder and eyepieces, making it a great deal for its price.Choosing the right telescope can be quite a challenge for the beginner. There has never been as much choice, so many optical configurations and range of prices than exist on today's market. In general terms telescope design and optical quality are usually pretty good nowadays — it wasn't always so. As buyers have become more informed via the internet and astronomical publications they have become far more discerning in their choice. This has meant that optical quality has improved and truly awful telescopes are, thankfully, becoming increasingly scarce. Aligning the Skymax 127 is a simple process, but beginners may need some practice to get it just right. We recommend thoroughly reading the manual to get familiar with the telescope before you take it out in the dark and realize you don't know what to do! Celestron Advanced VX 8 EdgeHD Intended for serious amateurs, this optically excellent telescope is suitable for all types of visual astronomy with its rugged, lightweight computerized mount. If you know the sky and plan to be doing astronomy for a long time, this is the telescope to get. ★★★★½

Are you looking for a telescope to get started with? When you want to get into stargazing, one of the most important – if not THE most important bit of kit is a telescope. Without a telescope you might just be gazing dreamily at the stars out of your bedroom window! The refractor has a fairly straightforward design, with a main objective lens at one end and a star diagonal with a threaded eyepiece at the other. Being intuitive to use, the refractor is often a popular instrument for novice astronomers, given their low maintenance. Refractors are usually affixed to a simple alt-azimuth mount, that slews from side to side and up and down to locate a desired target. Being easy to use means these telescopes are also simple to manufacture (at least for novice models) and, therefore, cheaper to buy. When we reviewed the Celestron Astro Fi 130 telescope, we were really impressed with it and found it to be an excellent value for money. Even though it doesn't fall into the 'budget' category, it's still considerably more affordable than many other telescopes in this guide, we think it's still a great choice in terms of value for money and would be perfect for enthusiast astronomers. Celestron Astro Fi 102A good telescope at an exceptionally good price, it has everything you'd need if you're just starting out, although we would recommend upgrading some of the included pieces. It can lose charge faster in cold conditions, though, so consider buying an additional power source.★★★½ Watch the weather reports for any news of warm or cold fronts arriving. These occur when warm or cold air blows in and displaces the air that’s already around you. This displacement causes a lot of turbulence in the atmosphere. Depending on whereabouts in the sky you’re looking, this can make it very difficult to see clearly. If the air above you is settled, you’ll be able to see much farther. Listen out for weather reports talking about high-pressure systems, which bring a few straight days of clear skies. Try to go out on these settled, clear nights to give yourself the best chance!While not as long as the Celestron Inspire 100AZ, the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2's long tube length results in f/7 and makes high magnification possible. During our review of the Sky-Watcher Explorer 130 EQ2, we could easily get sharp views of the Jovian System (Jupiter, its rings and moons) and Saturn's rings looked impressive while using the supplied Barlow lens. In 2006, Murabana joined a teacher training program called Global Hands-On Universe, where she led a space education project. Four years later, she completed an online Master’s degree in astronomy from James Cook University in Australia, before being invited to the University of California as a short-term scholar. Here, she realized she wanted children in Africa to be as exposed to opportunities as children in the US were. We look at how easy each stargazing app is to operate, whether it contains the latest up-to-date observing technology like VR and synchronizing with calendars. We'll also make suggestions if a particular stargazing app would benefit from any additional accessories to give you the best observing experience possible.