If you’ve ever tried wearing glasses while looking through a telescope, you know it can be a bit… awkward. So maybe you’ve asked yourself: Do I even need to wear them during my observing sessions? The answer depends on what … Read more
If you want to calculate the magnification of your telescope, you’re in luck: It’s a surprisingly simple formula. In fact, as we’ll see in a moment, your telescope is actually capable of many different magnifications, by combining it with different … Read more
In the photography world, there is a saying: “The best camera is the one you have with you.” The same applies to telescopes. Even if a larger telescope can technically give better views, that won’t help you if you aren’t … Read more
It has come to my attention that some people are asking Google the following question: “Can Earth be seen without a telescope?” And over twice as many people are asking the question: “Can Earth be seen at night without a … Read more
A Barlow lens is a type of lens that can increase the magnification of your telescope. The most common type is a 2x Barlow, which doubles the magnification, but you can also find them in other magnifications, such as 3x … Read more
Whether you’re just curious or trying to settle a bet, you’re here because you want to know how many planets there are. The answer is… complicated. It depends on whether you’re only looking at our solar system or the observable … Read more
When I was a kid, I remember seeing a weird, short telescope at The Sharper Image at the mall. It didn’t look like any telescope I had seen before—more like an expensive coffee can. I wasn’t sure what the deal … Read more
We live in a world full of lights. Nighttime never truly arrives when we’re surrounded by bright headlights, streetlights, smartphones, and more. So although our eyes are equipped with an incredible ability to adapt to the dark, we rarely experience … Read more
If you own a telescope, it probably came with at least one or two eyepieces. But after a while, you may start to feel limited by the stock eyepieces. As you begin to look at the wide variety of eyepieces, … Read more
There are countless nebulas in the sky, and each one is amazing in its own way. Although they’re fairly dim when seen from Earth, telescopes can pull in enough light to allow us to see these distant space-clouds. But if … Read more
The Big Dipper is not a constellation. For that matter, Orion’s Belt isn’t a constellation. Neither are the bright Summer Triangle or Winter Triangle. So if they aren’t constellations, what in the George Ellery Hale are they? Asterisms! These examples … Read more
OK, let’s keep this simple. If you’re reading this, you’re thinking of buying a telescope, but you may be overwhelmed by all of the options. I’m going to make it easy for you and tell you which telescope you should … Read more
We all know about the Great Red Spot. This dark, blood-red patch has an imposing presence in Jupiter’s atmosphere. Well… that’s not exactly true. The Great Red Spot (or GRS) is a storm, and storms change over time. The color … Read more
Observing can be a challenge. Many nebulae and galaxies are extremely faint, and even Jupiter’s Great Red Spot isn’t all that easy to see. Sometimes you just need a little help to see that challenging object. Filters may be just … Read more