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Welcome to Bargain Telescopes Astronomy can be an expensive hobby, but it doesn't have to be. There are ways to start enjoying the night sky without a lot of expensive equipment. In fact you may aready own a pair of binoculars which is a great way to enjoy the sky. For a few dollars you can get a planisphere. This is a rotating map that can show you the positions of the constellation and major stars in the sky for a given date and time. I would suggest that you get one whose "stars" glow in the dark. You can go to the public library or explore the internet for all kinds of information about astronomy and celestial events. You can go to the NASA website or the website known as Bad Astronomy or you might start with these. There are pitfalls when starting out with astronomy. Many department and toy stores sell small refractors (usually 50-60mm) that advetise 500, 700 or 1000 POWER! They have colorful space images on the box. These should be avoided. They can become an exercise in frustration, with their inadequate optics and shaky mounts. It best to start simply. Find a local astronomy club if available. Astronomy Clubs are great places to learn and to meet people who can answer your questions. Also find a reputable store that sell telescopes. Ask the folks at the astronomy clubs who they recommend. Start learning the sky with your eyes or with a pair of binoculars. As you start to learn about telescopes and astronomy, you'll discover that "Aperture" is more important than "Power" and a surprisingly large aperture telescope, like a "Dobsonian Telescope", can bought with relatively little expense. A telescope provides a very narrow view of the sky, typically around one degree and can provide a lot of aperture and magnification. Binoculars can provide wider views of the sky, around 4-10 degress and have the advantages of using both eyes. Hopefully the website will help guide you through your beginning steps. I have a Survivors Guide if you find yourself with a department store telescope that cannot be returned. Some thank you's... I would like to thank Woodland Hills Cameras and Telescopes.net for providing free hosting for this website through their Hosting Grant Program. They are nice, friendly and knowledgable folk. Finally, I would like to thank Peter Ue for use of his "Stars and Scopes Glossary" website. |
...and now a word from our sponsors...
Meade LightBridge Dobsonian Telescopes
Celestron Starhopper Dobsonian Telescopes
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