Telescope Astronomy – Some Practical Things To Consider

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Amateur telescopes are now increasingly large and sophisticated.

Generally, this is a very good thing. You can now buy a very capable, powerful instrument for a remarkable price.

It is not unusual for amateurs to obtain a 6 inch, 8 inch, or even 10 inch aperture telescope, quite possibly as their first serious instrument for astronomy. And, built-in computerised control is becoming common.

As I say, this is good.

However, I think a few words on the real-world practicalities of using these telescopes, may be helpful to beginners, before they part with their money.

I am certainly not trying to put you off buying a decent sized telescope. I encourage you to do so, assuming you are interested in astronomy and can afford it.

Just think through these practical aspects in advance and it will be all the more enjoyable.

Storing The Telescope

Telescopes are large items and they have an awkward shape. They take up quite a lot of space in a small house, even if they can be partly dismantled, say by removing the tripod.

They need to be protected when not in use, from dust, moisture, excessive heat and cold, being knocked over and inquisitive children who want to take them to pieces.

Consequently, you need a large cupboard or a corner of a special room, that can be set aside to store your telescope.

Assembling The Telescope And Moving It Outside

Telescopes are heavy, particularly if they are larger than 6 inch aperture.

Also, you may have to do some limited reassembly, like putting it back onto the tripod, before it is ready for use.

At 8 inch aperture and above, moving the telescope safely is really a two-person job. Think about this before you spend thousands on a large telescope

Firm Mounting

To get good results, you need a flat, solid area to site the telescope. When you use even moderate magnification, any movement in the floor surface will drive you mad, as you try to track faint objects.

A wobbly wooden deck is not much good.

Concrete is firm, but if it has been heated by the Sun, it generates thermal air currents moving upwards past the telescope. This spoils the image.

Grass, providing it is dry and firm, is surprisingly good as a base for your telescope, as thermal effects are limited.

Cooling Down Time

A refractor or schmidt cassegrain telescope is sealed and so it does not need very long to aclimatise to the outside temperature.

A reflector is very different, however.

Don’t think you can take one out of a warm room and put it outside where the temperature is 20 degrees lower, and then immediately see good images.

A reflector takes up to two hours to settle to thermal equilibrium with the outside temperature. Only then will it provide good images.

As any telescope cools, dew starts to form on the lenses and mirrors. This is frustrating. A dew shield can help, but some people experiment with mild electrical heating to dispel the moisture.

Aligning The Telescope

“Go-To” computer controlled telescopes are very tempting, especially for beginners who do not know their way about the night sky and generally, they are very good.

This type of telescope is common now. It has a computer that will automatically point the telescope at the celestial object you want to observe. Telescope dealers use this as a BIG selling point.

However, the Go To system will find nothing unless the telescope has been accurately aligned.

This involves entering certain settings for latitude, date and local time into the computer and then going through an alignment process, usually involving the finding of two bright stars.

In my experience, many people find this alignment process difficult and time-consuming.

It can totally spoil the idea of “just popping outside with the telescope” to observe something.

So please bear in mind, that Go-To controllers need proper setting up, if they are to work as promised.

If you find it difficult to use a computer, say to find and use websites on the internet, you will find it tricky to use a computerised telescope Go-To system properly.

Summary

None of these points are meant in any way to put you off buying a good telescope. Modern commercially produced telescopes offer fantastic value for money, compared to what used to be available.

I suggest only that you give these practical considerations some thought before you purchase. Then your new telescope should give you the rewarding experience, it is surely capable of delivering.

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