Dobsonian Telesecopes – Page 2

How To Clean a Telescope Mirror: 5 Effective Ways

It takes a lot of dust to distort your image in a reflector telescope. The biggest question about cleaning telescope mirrors is not how to clean them as much as when to clean them. Optical mirrors, like the ones used in telescopes are called first surface mirrors, that means that the reflective surface is on…

Equatorial vs. Dobsonian Telescope Mount

Dobsonian Vs. Equatorial Mount Compared: 49 Opinions

Telescope mounts have a big impact on how you can use your telescope. Dobsonian mounts are often recommended for beginners, but Equatorial mounts are preferred for astrophotography. Dobsonian mounts are very intuitive and easy to use, they require no setup and you get a lot of aperture with a low budget. Equatorial mounts are the…

Where to Install a Telrad: A Guide for Dobsonian Telescopes

A Telrad finder is a great piece of equipment for any astronomy setup. Installing it is simple and does not require any tools. Install a telrad to the right of the focuser, next to the finderscope if one is installed. You can choose to remove the finderscope and replace it with a telrad. The telrad…

Storing a Dobsonian Telescope: A Handy Guide

Dobsonian telescopes are really big. They are great for beginners, they are affordable and easy to learn, but storage can be tricky. Store your Dobsonian telescope in a weatherproof location inside or outside of your house. Telescopes need to be kept away from dust, dirt and moisture, but temperature fluctuations are not as big of…

Why Are Their Holes In My Dust Cap? Explained

When I noticed the holes in the dust caps, I flipped through the manual and I was surprised to find no mention of the holes. The holes in your dust cap are called aperture stops. Observing with the dust caps limits the amount of light that can enter the scope. It makes the images being…

Does Transporting a Telescope Ruin the collimation?

Collimation is a skill to learn and if you have finally gotten your scope aligned, you may not want to ruin it. After transporting a telescope will you have to collimate it again? Transporting a telescope can change the position of the mirrors very slightly which will impact collimation. Check collimation wherever you set up…

Does Transporting a Telescope Damage It? How to safely transport a telescope

There are many ways to transport a telescope and they all have the potential to cause damage to the telescope. Most astronomers do travel with their telescope at least occasionally and it does not ruin the telescope. Transporting a telescope has the potential to damage it, but it is safe to transport a telescope in…

Can I Transport a Dobsonian Telescope In a Small Car with Pictures

I drive a Honda Civic and I have had solid tube and truss tube Dobsonian telescopes. Most cars have enough space to transport a telescope no matter the size. Dobsonian telescopes break down into two or more pieces, the base and the optical tube. Truss tube Dobsonians break down into even more parts. These parts…

How to Power a GoTo Telescope: 7 Options

When you first get a GoTo telescope, you may be surprised to see a cigarette lighter style plug, a 12 VDC. You will need a way to power your scope and there is a lot to consider. You can power a GoTo telescope with an extension cord when at home, but when you are observing…

Collimation: A Handy Guide for Dobsonian Telescopes

It may seem like it is overemphasized by astronomy groups, but collimation is very important. Collimation is the practice of aligning the primary and secondary mirrors with the focuser. It is done with the assistance of various tools and it gives the viewer the clearest view possible with their scope in their conditions. There is…