A telescope can be a wonderful tool for those who have always been fascinated by the night sky. With the right model you may be able to see the planets, stars, and the moon with greater clarity than you had ever imagined before. But, how will you know which model is right for you? You can choose from a reflective or a refractive model and you must also think about the power and magnification of the telescope that will be most useful along with the portability, the mount and the cost.

1. What is the difference between a reflective and a refractive scope? A reflective scope uses mirrors to focus the image and the light while a refractive scope uses curved glass lenses to focus the light and the image. Generally the reflector telescope is better for deep sky viewing and the refractor is better for lunar and planetary viewing. You can also find a compound telescope which uses both glass and mirrors which is better for general viewing.

2. If you think that the greater the power and magnification on a scope, the better it is, you would be mistaken. Generally, the best and clearest images are seen on lower magnification. If you want greater magnification you can always purchase different lenses to supplement your original lens. The main consideration should be the aperture. The aperture is how much light the telescope will let in and be able to focus and this should be one of your main considerations.

3. For those who want to take their telescope with them when they go out into the woods hiking or camping, portability should be an important consideration-especially if you will also be taking a mount and a tripod. If you will simply be setti

ng it up at home, these will not be such important factors.

4. You can choose from one of a few different types of mounts for your telescope-here are two of the most popular: An altazimuth mount allows the scope to move horizontally and vertically and is perfect for beginners. The equatorial mount is favored by professional astronomers and allows the scope to move perpendicularly along the line of the equator to follow the movement of stars and other objects across the sky.

5. Your budget should be one of the most important considerations when choosing a telescope. They range in price anywhere from under fifty dollars to thousands. As a beginner, you will probably want to stay at the lower end of the price spectrum, but consider getting a scope that will allow you to add pieces as you get more experienced and your interest grows.

You can find a lot of information to help you to choose your first telescope online. Information about how scopes work, what all of the scientific jargon means, and also the best places to purchase a scope. Before you make this purchase, educate yourself so that you can feel confident and comfortable that you have made a good choice and you will be able to "focus” your energy on the night sky.

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