Beginner Guides

If you are into stargazing for the first time you’re in the right place. My astronomy beginners’ guides will take you through things you need to know when choosing gear including the magnifications, eyepieces, how to find objects, maintaining your telescope, and how to store it safely when it’s not in use.

To begin: Beginners Guide to Backyard Astronomy

broadband coatings on eyepieces

The Ultimate Showdown: Fully Broadband vs. Ultra-Wide Band Optical Coatings

Are you ready for the ultimate showdown in optical coatings? In one corner, we have Fully Broadband, boasting its wide ...

optical coatings explained

Discover the Power of Optical Coatings: A Guide for Backyard Astronomers

When choosing telescope eyepieces or binoculars you’ll likely come across these different types of optical coatings. If like me, what ...

best-telescope-to-take-with-you

Best Portable Telescope Options [What to Know]

A portable telescope is great for stargazing when on the move. You don’t want something that’s chunky and difficult to ...

beginners guide to star gazing

A Beginners Guide To Backyard Astronomy

Here I cover what I’ve found of value for starting out as a backyard astronomer including what to know about ...

Mars with white polar cap shown

Mars Through A Telescope. Best Timing and Magnification Setup

You might be wondering what magnification works best for getting a close-up of Mars and what features you’re likely to ...

star magnitude (360 x 280 px)

Stars: What Magnitude can I see with my Telescope?

How does stellar magnitude relate to your night sky viewing experience? As a newbie, I found terms like this a ...

what to look for in a telescope (360 x 280 px)

What to Look For When Buying a Telescope

What telescope should you buy?  What features should you consider and what do they mean? It can be frustrating, the ...

reading sky coordinates (360 x 280 px)

Using Sky Coordinate Systems: Horizontal Vs Equatorial in Stargazing

What coordinate system is used in astronomy? How do you decipher these celestial points to locate an object with your ...

star charts for beginners, celestial planisphere

Tips On Using Sky Maps + Best Planisphere For Beginners

It’s fairly easy to pick out the bright planets in the night sky, but what about other objects of interest ...

field of view astronomy (360 x 280 px)

Field of View in Astronomy Explained

The term field of view confuses a lot of people new to the hobby of astronomy. Here’s what to know ...