Tips and Tricks for New Telescope Users
Are you one of the many people that have bought a new telescope, and
when you start using it find out
that it is a lot trickier than first thought to find the right angle and
setups? Many people these days become part of a stargazing club just for
this reason. The help you can expect with your first setup and
constellation gaze is simply priceless. Once you start to find what
you’re looking for, and start seeing the beauty of our night sky you
will soon be a true believer and devoted star explorer. Does size
matter with scopes?
When people buy a new scope they tend to buy a small to medium setup.
In order to use this setup to its full potential you might find a few
tips and tricks a welcome peace of advice. First thing to do would be to
find a suitable place to start your night watch. Always make sure that
the time you choose is within a few days of a new moon. This is to make
sure that the light bouncing off the moon does not distract from your
view on the stars. But as we all know the moon is not the only one that
gives off light, we also need to make sure that there is no light
pollution from our own planet that might interfere. So find a place away
from a town or city, and make sure that there are no trees around so you
have a clear path to identify constellations.
Next try to stay a couple of days and nights so that you can really
enjoy the pure beauty of the night vision that’s about to become a big
part of your life. Many people take to finding a star party where they
can meet and greet other interested people, and pickup on a few tips and
tricks. But always make sure that there is a no white light policy as it
goes with out saying that this would cause tremendous light pollution,
and that is something that could turn your experience completely the
wrong way. So when you do buy a new telescope don’t be too
disappointed when you take it outside and start pointing as you might
not see anything of interest right away. When you are just beginning to
learn to navigate at night you will find that it is a hobby that will
take some time to grow into. But when you have found the perfect star or
planet you will soon find that there is simply nothing better than
heading out on the weekend and taking part in a star party.
Tips and tricks for the novice
What is very important to understand is that your lights will have to
either be turned off or covered so that this light pollution does not
interfere with your stargazing. This is easily done by taking a peace of
red tape covering your flash light. Preparation is extremely important
and an absolute must. If you know that you would need a snack in the
middle of your watch you might want to make sure that you have this
snack handy so that you don’t pollute the night light with the dome
light of your car when opening the door for a simple snack. But the
most important tip is and will always be to take your time and simply
have fun. Once you have found your star or planet you will understand
that it has been worth all the waiting for the show you are about to see
is something you won’t forget. |
