A telescope is no starting point for a beginning astronomer. There are books, apps, and a host of astro-gear that’ll launch your space cadet into a rewarding life-long hobby.
But if it’s time to move up, binoculars should be the next step. What you want to look for is a pair of binoculars that aren’t too heavy to hold or so powerful that the only way to get a steady image is to mount them on a tripod. My advice is to pick up a pair of 7X50 or 10X50 binoculars. But what do the numbers mean?
The first number is the power of magnification and the second is the distance across the front lens in millimeters, also known as the aperture. The magnification simply means the object will appear 7 or 10 times closer. The bigger the aperture, the brighter the object will appear. But 56mm is max otherwise you’ll need a tripod to hold them.
Telescopes are more complex. Portability is a prime concern for city dwellers to escape downtown’s light-polluted skies.
Country folks already have a dark sky so portability isn’t as important. They can handle a larger telescope with more aperture and greater light-gathering ability.
In the case of telescopes, their power is dependant on the eyepiece you put into the focuser. Just beware of companies that claim to deliver 600 power of magnification. That’s way beyond reality. My observing is done at100 to 150 power max. Only bright objects like the Moon or planets allow more magnification.
www.peterboroughastronomy is an excellent local resource. Google them and talk to one of the members. There are also commercial telescope makers with advice videos. So hit the Internet, email johnstargazer@nexicom.net or call 705-657-7717.
by John Crossen
