Most beginner telescope packages come with a single eyepiece. Thinking that most beginners would want something more in the way of power than the lowest possible power (which yields the largest true field of view), the manufacturers provide an eyepiece that, charitably, is a “jack of all trades and master […]
DSLR Astro Photography with Astronomik Clip-Filter System I decided that I would dive into astrophotography long before I’d purchased my first telescope. In fact, my first foray into this dark art involved a DSLR, a 50-mm lens and a secondhand Orion EQ-1 mount with a motor drive. It was a […]
Repair Your Telescope Equipment: I used J-B Weld for years to repair minor cracks and breaks in metal components when I couldn’t justify the cost of a proper brazing-machining repair. It’s great stuff, but it sets quickly – within four minutes – and requires mixing the epoxy filler with […]
By Austin Grant Lunt Calcium K Filter Review: I remember from an early age being told not to look directly at the sun, and I’m also quite sure that my first pair of binoculars had a sticker on them instructing me to absolutely not point them at the sun. So, […]
Celestron CGEM II Mount: The Celestron CGEM, CGEM II and CGEM DX mounts are a midsized class of German Equatorial Mounts (GEM) generically called EQ6 mounts. They are similar to the Orion Atlas mount and the Sky-Watcher EQ6. These mounts are higher capacity mounts than the Celestron Advanced VX but […]
By Michael Deneen Astronomy Chart Light – Gloucester Field Lamp: A few years ago, I started searching for a dimmable, battery-operated red-LED field lamp for my chart table, and I was surprised to find none on the market. I decided to build one on my own, and it has changed […]
Interview with Wayne Parker Creator of the SkyShed POD: Wayne Parker, creator of the SkyShed POD, POD MAX as well as a number of other astronomy related products, took some time to update us on the process of developing its unique POD MAX observatory. Wayne is also a member of […]
Astro-Physics Starfire Refractor> Ever since reading Alan Dyer’s article Astro-Physics Refractors Big & Small in the 1993 September issue of Astronomy magazine, I have dreamt of someday owning an AP-155 f/7 EDF Starfire refractor. Well, it’s taken a couple of decades but I finally acquired Astro-Physics Starfire Refractor a few […]
Celestron Lithium PowerTank Review: The leaps between the technology of today versus that when I received an un-motorized equatorial 114-mm Newtonian reflector as a 10-year-old in 1988, are mind boggling. I would have barely recognized today’s average reflectors, with red-dot finders, go-to drives, things that plug and unplug, and that […]
Astronomy Shoppe’s Olde School Optics telescope repair and restoration division specializes in the restoration and sales of telescopes, eyepieces and optics from a bygone era – high-quality, classic instruments that were typically manufactured in all metal – no plastic parts or computers, just excellent optics. In addition to refurbishing classic […]
Explore Scientific 92 Degree Eyepiece Review: Due to primarily using Dobsonians and altitude/azimuth scopes, I’ve long enjoyed and preferred wide-field eyepieces to the standard 40-50 degree oculars. And with the continued advancement in optical coatings, I’ve found that light transmission loss from eyepieces that incorporate more lens elements has become […]
3D Astronomy Space Walker Binocular Review: I’m at a loss for words. Oh, it’s easy enough to conclude that I tried 3D Astronomy’s 8×42 Space Walker binoculars and enjoyed them – so much so that I re: commend you try them, too. The hard part is conveying why. You expect […]