“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 […]
We’ve all learned that you should only clean a telescope mirror when it is absolutely necessary, for fear of harming those delicate coatings. If you’ve got a reflector and you want a clean a telescope mirror, there’s no lack of recommendations for solutions to use – and the techniques are […]
With the Vixen Polarie, Vixen offers this neat little device that looks kind of like a camera. In fact, it’s actually about the same size and weight as an old Leica M9. It even has a flash shoe! Doesn’t look like much, does it? However, if you own a basic […]
Astronomy Light Pollution Filters from Chroma Technology solve a big problem – Light pollution – every astronomer’s nightmare. Unless you’re lucky enough to live beneath a nice dark sky or have access to a remote observatory, you’ve had to learn to deal with unwanted light intruding on your pastime. I […]
Reasons to use the Hubble Artificial Star for Collimation? You can do it during the day. You can’t do it at high noon, but early morning and twilight hours are fine, twilight is best. You don’t have to worry about keeping a moving star in the field of view. I […]
I have been involved with astronomy for a number of years and building my own artificial star came naturally. As in so many hobbies, there are countless gadgets and doodads that can make your astronomy setup, alignment, and viewing much more enjoyable. Unfortunately for most of us, without the benefit […]
By Dr. James R. Dire In 2017, I picked up two new William Optics telescopes: a Twentieth Anniversary Edition Fluorostar 132 (132-mm f/7 triplet Apo) and a William Optics Zenithstar 61. In a previous article, I reviewed the Fluorostar 132. Here, I will review the William Optics Zenithstar 61. The […]