I recently reviewed a Guan Sheng Optical (GSO) 8-inch classical Cassegrain telescope for Astronomy Technology Today. In this article, I review the GSO 8-inch GSO Ritchey–Chrétien. The classical Cassegrain would be the better choice for visual use, while the Ritchey–Chrétien is the better instrument for astronomical imaging. American astronomer George […]
Explore Scientific Eyepiece Review When I first bought my first telescope in the 1970, there were many types of eyepieces to choose. The designed had names like Ramsden, Erfle, Huygen, Kellner, König and Orthoscopic, to name a few. Each had pros and cons. Eye relief, exit pupils, and field of […]
Apparent magnitude is something that every beginning and experienced telescope owner has to consider. I sometimes reminisce about my first telescope, an entry-level 115mm reflector. My family let me pick out (but not touch) the scope and assorted accessories well before Christmas, a holiday that rapidly became an eggnog-induced flurry […]
Sorry Rainbow Astro! “Teeny.” “Tiny. Can lift it with one hand.” These are not words one hears applied to a goto smooth-tracking EQ mount. Normally it’s: “Big.” “Heavy.” “Gah, my back! Someone help me!” But the Rainbow Astro RST-150H (Image 1) really is a one-handed telescope mount that’s super light. […]
When I heard about the MallinCam HD-10 CMOS video camera and its ability to be controlled both via PC and independent of a PC, I was quite intrigued. I was looking for a CMOS video camera that would deliver high quality imagery and permit a streamlined workflow both with and […]
When thinking about the GSO Eight Cassegrain telescope, its worthwhile to look back to Laurent Cassegrain who was a 17th century French Roman Catholic priest and is given credit for inventing the telescope design that carries his name. Cassegrain telescopes use a parabolic primary mirror with a hyperbolic secondary mirror. […]
“Seventeen years ago, I was blessed with a daughter having special needs.” Though the quiet solitude of losing ourselves in the night sky’s depths is undeniably magical, sharing our love of outer space with others has its own unique rewards. We may share with complete strangers, inexperienced friends, or even […]
“Enter the Pegasus Astro Ultimate Powerbox V2 and cable tangle and complexity have been broken like a wild Mustang.” I would not date Medusa. Not because she’s got a bad attitude or anything (been there, done that), but … too many cables. I hate cables. Cables are problems waiting to […]
“When considering the QHY Polemaster I read comments about folks wishing they had purchased the PM long before they did due to its simplicity and effectiveness. I can share that sentiment.” In the absence of an observatory, typical viewing sessions require that I set up/tear down my scope du jour […]
“How to Print Astroimages? If you want prints that get a “Wow, is that real? Did you do that?” reaction, then read on.” You’ve spent hours acquiring and processing the perfect image. It looks great on your big new computer monitor, but you have to pan around to see the […]
By Matt Harmston I sometimes reminisce about my first telescope, an entry-level 115-mm reflector. My family let me pick out (but not touch) the scope and assorted accessories well before Christmas, a holiday that rapidly became an eggnog-induced flurry of unmitigated wrapping paper mayhem. When clear skies eventually put the […]
Niels Haagh hosts the website Astronomical Telescopes and Mounts Explained for Amateurs. He recently posted the second article in a series covering astrophotography using an Alt-Az telescope mount. The article, titled Alt-Az Mounts for Long Exposure Astrophotography – Camera Rotators, offers insight into the most advanced type of Alt-Az astrophotography […]