How does stellar magnitude relate to your night sky viewing experience? As a newbie, I found terms like this a little confusing. So here I explore star magnitude along with brightness and luminosity for newbie backyard astronomers. Why …
What telescope should you buy? What features should you consider and what do they mean? It can be frustrating, the technical jargon, as a beginner looking to buy astronomy gear. The following is to help you get a …
What can you expect to see with a home telescope? If you are looking to buy or are just starting to use a telescope as a beginner or one for a child, here are some basics to expect …
Why target variable stars? Targeting variable stars when stargazing helps improve your ability to distinguish faint objects (high on the scale of star magnitude) and increases the sensitivity of your eyes for detecting differences in brightness. There are …
What coordinate system is used in astronomy? How do you decipher these celestial points to locate an object with your telescope? What do all these different terms mean? It can be confusing when you’re starting out. Here I …
It’s fairly easy to pick out the bright planets in the night sky, but what about other objects of interest overhead? You can download sky map apps for your mobile device, which help. But the best finder charts …
The term field of view confuses a lot of people new to the hobby of astronomy. Here’s what to know about the field of view in optical instruments, including apparent vs true and degrees vs arcminutes, to help …
