What is the best make and model of Telescope?
829785
There's no one best telescope; it depends on what you want to do with the scope. How much you're willing to pay enters into it too - you can easily spend $100,000 or more if you want to.\n\nStarmaster ( http://www.starmastertelescopes.com/ ) makes excellent large dobsonians, available with computer control if you want. Or, a  Schmidt-Cassegrain (or the similar Meade RCX) makes a good general-purpose scope. \n\nAs uncertain as you are, you would benefit from some hands-on exposure to telescopes. Seek out your nearest astronomy club,  at http://skytonight.com/community/organizations and get to some star parties. One of the large regional star parties will expose you to a broad range of amateur equipment ( http://skytonight.com/news/3306276.html ).\n\nPermit requirements for an observatory will vary with the scope of your plans and local regulations. Generally, an observatory would be in a similar category to a small workshop.
1018864
You can purchase a Tasco 4.5 inch reflector telescope that comes with eyepieces that give magnifications of 50x 100x and 200x. \n\nTasco however is not known for great optics. They are better know for cheap optics. \n\nYou did not mention what you wanted to use the telescope for. \n\nFor a decent spotting scope, select a Celestron Ultima 100 mm. \n\nAnd do not scimp on the tripod. \n\nFor a top of the line spotting scope, select a Swarovski. The best of the best. \n\nFor astronomical viewing you want something a tad larger. An 8 inch reflector.  \n\nCheck out the link to this one.
788820
Sky and Telescope reviewed under $200 telescopes in the December '05 edition, and their well-rated telescopes (in order of preference) were:\nOrion SkyQuest XT4.5 Dobsonian\nOrion StarBlast Astro Telescope\nOrion SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth\nOrion Observer 70mm Altazimuth Refractor\nScientifics Astroscan\n\nThe two at the top of the list have the largest apertures, at 4.5", and will therefore show you more than the others. The next two on the list are smaller, and the Astroscan won't take enough magnification for planets.\n\nDon't listen to people who will try to tell you that a small telescope is better for light polluted skies - bigger is ALWAYS better.\n\nStay away from Walmart and other discount stores, sporting goods stores,  science stores, camera stores, and eBay. Buy from a reputable telescope dealer. I've listed a couple below.
162543
Is there a question somewhere there?\n\nWhen you look in a telescope you shouldn't need to wear glasses just adjust the focus till the image is clear.  The type of eyepiece you use doesn't matter.
920243
Make a Simple Telescope\nYou will need the following: \ntwo magnifying glasses - perhaps 1 - 1.5 inches (2.5-3 cm) diameter (it works best if one is larger than the other) \na cardboard tube - paper towel roll or gift-wrapping paper roll (it helps if it is long) \nduct tape \nscissors \na ruler, yard stick, or tape measure \nsheet of printed paper - newspaper or magazine will do \nTo assemble your telescope, do the following: \nGet the two magnifying glasses and a sheet of printed paper. \nHold one magnifying glass (the bigger one) between you and the paper. The image of the print will look blurry. \nPlace the second magnifying glass between your eye and the first magnifying glass. \nMove the second glass forward or backward until the print comes into sharp focus. You will notice that the print appears larger and upside down. \nHave a friend measure the distance between the two magnifying glasses and write the distance down. \nCut a slot in the cardboard tube near the front opening about an inch (2.5 cm) away. Do not cut all the way through the tube. The slot should be able to hold the large magnifying glass. \nCut a second slot in the tube the same distance from the first slot as your friend wrote down. This is where the second magnifying glass will go. \nPlace the two magnifying glasses in their slots (big one at front, little one at back) and tape them in with the duct tape \nLeave about 0.5 - 1 inch (1 - 2 cm) of tube behind the small magnifying glass and cut off any excess tube remaining. \nCheck to see that it works by looking at the printed page. You may have to play slightly to get the exact distances between the two glasses right so that the image comes to a focus. \nWith your telescope, you should be able to see the moon and some star clusters as well as birds, etc. \n\n+++++++++++++++++++++++\n\nMake a Simple Microscope\nYou can make a simple microscope by using magnifying glasses and paper: \nGet two magnifying glasses and a sheet of printed paper. \nHold one magnifying glass a short distance above the paper. The image of the print will look a little bit larger. \nPlace the second magnifying glass between your eye and the first magnifying glass. \nMove the second glass up or down until the print comes into sharp focus. You will notice that the print appears larger than it does in the first magnifying glass. \n\nI've included two links below for this and other info.\n\nMyst
979714
The Cosmos - Alex Filippenko    - ISBN 0-03-005218-1\n\nVery good introductory book, covers everything from the basics to some more in depth cosmology.\n\nTo accompany a telescope, I'd recommed Philip's Guide to the Night Sky
845520
A 6" Newtonian is an excellent starter scope.  If you can get a clock drive to go with it, you'll have countless hours of entertainment.  That kind of scope has all the power you will need to see some of the more spectacular deep sky objects as well as all of the planets.  You'll be able to see four of the moons of Jupiter and the colored bands and even the great red spot on occasion.  You'll see the rings of Saturn quite well and possibly even the Cassini Division and Titan.\nYou'll be able to see Uranus and Neptune, but I doubt you will see any features.\nFor deep space, start out with the nebula in Orion and M31.  There are some nice open clusters in Cancer (the bee hive) and then you can move on to globulars like M3 and M13.  You'll be able to see binaries like Alberio and Cor Caroli (my personal fav) and even the Ring Nebula in Lyra without any problems whatsoever.  \nGood Choice for a beginner's scope.
260642
The hubble space telescope
982426
That depends what consideration you have.  Reflecting have the advantage of having less chromatic aberration than refractor, and tend to be larger for a given weight.  The most important aspect for a telescope is the size of the primary mirror, because it defines the light gathering capability, so this is a case where bigger is better (as long as the quality is there, evidently)\nCassegrain is a variation of the reflector, where a secondary mirror sends the light back through the center of the primary; the other style is Newtonian where a diagonal mirror sends the light t the side.  For moderate size telescope Newtonian is more comfortable.\nA very important aspect to consider is also the mounting.  If you only want to do optical observation, then a Dobsnian mounting is very cheap, as it forgoes the tracking mechanism.  If you would want to do astophotography with long exposure, then you would need an equatorial mount with a drive that can track a star.  Recent models rely on computerized motorization, which as most electronics, have allowed the advanced capabilities for an relatively acceptable price.\nMy suggestion is that you document yourself, perhaps buy a couple of issues of astronomy magazine, like Astronomy or Star & Telescope, and get acquinted with the market.  You will be able to decide what you want, and what you can afford.\nAnd I hope you have access to clear sky and dark night.\nHappy observations!
770421
No one really knows. Galileo is generally credited with making one and using it specifically for astronomy but he was not the first to make one.\n\n"The first telescopes may have been Assyrian crystal lenses[1], but the Visby lenses tentatively suggest that the technology was known to the Arabs and Persians. Leonard Digges is sometimes credited with the invention in England in the 1570s, but usually credit for assembling the first telescope is given to an unknown Dutch spectacle maker in about 1608. Some name that person as Hans Lippershey (c. 1570 – c. 1619), but Jacob Metius and Zacharias Jansen also claimed to have invented a telescope during the same period. Even if Lippershey did not make the first one, he publicized it. Galileo Galilei made his own telescope in 1609, calling it at first a "perspicillum," and then using the terms "telescopium" in Latin and "telescopio" in Italian (from which the English word derives). Galileo is generally credited with being the first to use a telescope for astronomical purposes"
1011578
What is best depends on what you want to do with it. Do you want to take pictures? If yes, you need an equitorial mount, so a dob won't be for you. Otherwise, a dob tends to have the largest mirror for the price. Many astronomical objects for beginners are actually fairly large in the sky, but they are *dim*. You want a large aperature to collect as much light as possible.\n\nIt's agood idea to find a local astronomy club and ask to look through some scopes. Then you can figure out what it is you want. I personally have a 12.5" dob which I am happy with.
214155
I am gessing that you want to knoe about "optical" telescope.\n\nThere are basically two types of optical telescopes.\n\n1. Refrective Telescope\n==========================\n\nThere is an objective lense that creates a virtual image of the object you are trying to see very close to asecond lense called the eaypiece. The eyepiece magnifies that virtual image many times bigger.\n\nMagnification = focal length of objective/focal lenth of eyepiece\n\n2. Mirror type (Newtonian)\n==========================\n\nThis type uses a parabolic mirror to create a virtual image of the object you are trying to see very close to the eaypiece. The eyepiece magnifies that virtual image many times bigger.\n\nMagnification = focal length of mirror/focal lenth of eyepiece
816306
What do you need?  There are several types.  Newtonians, invented be Isaac Newton in 1673.  They have a primary mirror with a parabolic shape whose size is what is quoted when the telescope's size is mentioned.  The secondary mirror is small, flat, and angled to send the image to an eyepiece (or camera) mounted on the side of the tube.\nThe Cassegrainian (invented by Cassegrain!) has a hole in the primary mirror, and the image is reflected by the secondary through the hole to the eyepiece mounted on the end of the tube.  Most large reflectors today are this type.\nCoude' (from the French for elbow, not the inventor's name) has three mirrors, and the image is sent off to the side.\nSchmidt or Maksutov (invented during World War 2) has a lens at the top of the tube, plus the mirrors usually in the Cassegrain arrangement.\nNewtonians tend to be cheapest, Schmidt/Maksutov the most expensive.\nCheck wikipedia under each name for more details.
878102
Do you know the aperture and what kind of a telescope it is, or where it is made?\n\nI've attempted several web searches and cannot find any "Novus" brand telescope. Is this something you got off of eBay? Because I hope you didn't pay very much for it. It is more than likely that it is toy junk.\n\nGood luck. Add more details to your question and you might get more info.
350944
This sounds like a homework question?  Maybe I shouldn't give you the whole answer, so you can learn something on your own.\n\nYou are describing a Cassegrain telescope.  You can use the mirror formula to calculate the image plane for the first optic (the concave mirror) and then use that as the object plane for the second optic (the convex mirror) to get your final focal image plane.\n\nMirror Equation:  (1/So) + (1/Si) = -2/R\n\nSo = object plane (distance from object to mirror)\nSi = image plane (distance from image to mirror)\nR  = radius of curvature of mirror\n\nThe hardest part of these calculations is to use the right sign convention and to remember that the stars (initial object plane) can be treated as at infinity.
1143611
Well, first off avoid the TASCO ones 'cos they have a reputation for using cheap optics with overly powered eyepieces (according to those in the know) - I bought one myself off Ebay a couple of years ago.\nIt ain't exactly bad (apart from the wobbly stand, cheap eyepieces, hopeless spotting scope)...... more stupid but savable than bad. Couple weeks ago I finally got round to buying a better quality "Orion Explorer II 7-21mm Zoom" eyepiece, which is a good investment, but the usual New Telescope/Accessory + sky gone cloudy once it's dark enough outside to use it jinx has been occuring ever since I got the blinkin' thing!\n\nLooking @ Telescopes.com, within your budget I'd suggest...... *drum roll*....... \nthe \nCelestron - FirstScope 114 EQ Short Newtonian Reflector  @ $159 (knocked down from $377)  http://www.telescopes.com/products/Celestron_FirstScope_114_EQ_Short_Newtonian_Reflector_5936.html\nor the Meade - 114EQ-A Short Tube EQ Reflector @ $179.95 (knocked down from $249)  http://www.telescopes.com/products/Meade_114EQ-A_Short_Tube_EQ_Reflector_-_Deluxe_Mount_42684.html\n\nAnother alternative is to scour the adverts in the back of Astronomy magazines for ones people are selling off..... or of course good old Ebay\n http://photography.listings.ebay.com/Binoculars-Telescopes_Telescopes_W0QQfromZR4QQsacatZ74927QQsocmdZListingItemList\n\nFor more advice, check out:\nhttp://skyandtelescope.com/howto/scopes/
180573
The easiest (or less difficult) telescope to build is the newtonian reflector type. There are several websites that give information. You can buy some of the parts, or you can try to make them on your own, like the principal mirror. Grinding your own mirror is not easy without the help of someone who has done this before, so it would be better I think to buy the optics and make the mechanical part on your own. The easiest mount I guess is the dobsonian type.\n\nhttp://ben.davies.net/telescope.htm\n\nhttp://hometown.aol.com/sfsidewalk/intro.htm\n\nhttp://www.galvoptics.fsnet.co.uk/telescope1.htm