When you start with astronomy from your backyard, you might not know where to start pointing your telescope in order to view the stars and planets. A star map is said to be useful because it can help you out, but it’s not very practical, and sometimes star maps you can find online are pretty […]
6 Top Stargazing Apps: There’s An App For That! Read More »
Celestron’s StarSense Explorer line is the latest in Celestron’s revolving door of low-cost, oddly designed and often computerized beginner telescopes. Celestron has previously tried to make using a telescope as easy as possible in the form of the NexStar telescopes (which sadly lost their extremely simple Level North alignment feature in a patent lawsuit, and
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102 Review Read More »
12×25 Binos: What to Expect Binoculars are one of the most important assets in an amateur astronomer’s arsenal. They provide easy grab-and-go portability while allowing you to crank up the power and light gathering on objects that may need it. For daytime users, binoculars can also be a great tool for walking or exploring, providing
How Far Can You See with 12×25 Binoculars? You’ll Be Amazed Read More »
Lying on the celestial equator, the constellation of Orion is one of the most recognizable and well-known constellations in the night sky. It is visible in both hemispheres from November to March, hitting the meridian at sunset in January. The areas in and around Orion are home to one of the most glorious parts of
Orion Constellation – The Ultimate Guide to a Classic Beauty Read More »
We’ve all been there; scrolling through images of planets and deep-sky objects on your phone, your eye settles on an astoundingly detailed and colorful nebula. Then you view an image of Jupiter with its intricate cloud belts shown in high-resolution detail. What, you wonder, would it take to produce results like that yourself? Checking the
Can You Rent Telescopes? 7 Top Considerations Read More »
Pluto was discovered in 1930, but in recent years it has become a divisive issue for modern astronomers. Some say that the planet is too small to be considered a planet at all. Others say that it should still be called a planet because it is very similar to Jupiter and Saturn, and has a
Can I See Pluto And Other Dwarf Planets With A Telescope? Read More »
Refractor vs reflector that is the question… Most people seem to have a fairly generic idea of a telescope that they picture in their minds, particularly when shopping for one: A long, skinny instrument with a lens at one end mounted on a spindly but elegant tripod, with the eyepiece at the rear. This is
Refractor vs Reflector Telescope: What is the Difference? Read More »
Located on the ecliptic, Cancer (the “crab”) is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac and is found in the northern celestial hemisphere. Cancer is a medium-sized constellation with an area of 506 square degrees and is home to many exciting deep-sky objects, many of which will be discussed in this ultimate guide to
Cancer Constellation: The Ultimate Guide Read More »
Celestron’s Advanced VX is frequently cited as a great multipurpose mount for astrophotography, but in actuality, it’s ridden with problems in its design which make it less-than-optimal – a product of cost-cutting measures. The Advanced VX is great, however, if you want a big dumb mount for planetary imaging and visual use which has to
Celestron Advanced VX: More Trouble Than It’s Worth? Read More »
You’ve purchased a new telescope and can’t wait to use it to find celestial objects in the night sky. But although your telescope can be set up in minutes, that doesn’t mean that you can use it straight out of the box – it needs to be aligned! Why do you have to align your
How To Align Your Telescope Read More »
The Skywatcher EQ6-R-Pro is a Go-to German Equatorial mount that finds itself in something of a price and weight-bearing sweet spot. It’s relatively affordable in a hobby that will never be cheap, but expensive enough an investment that you won’t want to replace it for many years. It’s a well-known true-ism in astrophotography circles that
Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro Review: Is This The Sweet Spot? Read More »
The moon is potentially one of the easiest astronomical objects to photograph. It is very bright so it does not require long exposure times or specialist equipment, and most people in most places on earth can see the moon every month. However, photographing the moon well does require some knowledge and planning and some basic
How to Take a Photo of the Moon Read More »
