Here’s how to modify a webcam so that you can attach it to a telescope. The video is 4 years old, but nevertheless, it’s still useful today. Check this out:

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Telescopes were also a favorite in the classroom, yet not quite as much as viewing the world of scabs, hair or whatever gross object that a middle school child could find to view up close and personal.

Microscopes and telescopes have the interesting effect on pre-teens and the thought process that they can come up with to view with microscopes and telescopes is often times quite original.

Microscopes and telescopes are quite similar in that they are both utilized to view objects up close. The utilization of microscopes and telescopes dates back to the early 17th century and the similarity in the use of convex and concave mirror and lenses to make them have not changed much in the last few centuries. While these similarities in materials have not changed the utilization of technology has increased the abilities of microscopes and telescopes.

Microscopes and telescopes have evolved into computer versions that allow the user to manipulate the scopes and view the images on a computer. The computerization of microscopes and telescopes allows the user to manipulate the imaging process as well as the search process.

Differences in Microscopes and Telescopes

Beyond the obvious viewing material, looking at organic material under a microscope or the stellar skies with a telescope the microscope and telescopes differ in the manner in which they produce images to the user and the various types of microscopes and telescopes produce varying results that enable the user to view various images. While microscopes provide the user with a view of material in an easier manner than the telescope user, since telescope use takes patience to find various objects in the sky.

While many of us have fond memories of our first microscopes and the dream of our very own laboratory and although many of us are older we can still pass that passion on to our own children or grandchildren by introducing them to microscopes and telescopes. So when looking back at your childhood and remembering the times with your microscope or telescope take the time to share those memories with youth in your life.

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Purpose of a Telescope Mount

A telescope mount provides a stable platform for your telescope, whether it is a refracting telescope, reflecting telescope, Dobsonian telescope, or catadiotric telescope. A telescope mount will ensure that your viewing of a celestial body is not interrupted by unexpected movement. It also determines how you will position your body relative to the telescope to view the night’s sky, determining how comfortable you will be over any extended period of stargazing.

Types of Telescope Mounts

Altazimuth telescope mounts are generally used on a Dobsonian type telescope. These telescopes look like a large canister and are mounted on a chassis that provides limited mounting capabilities. With this type of mount, the telescope can be adjusted in up and down or left and right positions. This range of movement in a telescope mount is generally fine for the beginner and intermediate astronomer.

Equatorial mounts are more advanced and allow for greater movement to coincide with the movement of planet Earth. As good as this sounds, there is a level of skill required by the user. The user will need to understand the planet movement and be required to make minor adjustments to the telescope mount. This type of mount is usually reserved for higher quality telescopes, so it is really geared for the intermediate to advanced astronomer. However, with a little experience and practice, the mount could be used by most stargazers.

In this hi-tech era, computers have become an integral part of astronomy and are used to move and track heavenly bodies. Well, an advanced telescope mount, though expensive, is available that provides this kind of computer tracking and superior viewing options. This mount even facilitates the viewing through the computer monitor as well as the eyepiece, with a few clicks of your mouse moving the mount into position.

Choosing the Right Mount

In choosing the right mount, you must first determine what the intended use of the telescope is. Other considerations are the skill level and specific needs of the operator. Determining the type of terrain the mount will be used on will dictate the stability requirements. And, of course, your astronomy budget will play a major role in what type of telescope mount you will purchase.

Choose a mount that will allow for a comfortable body position for times of extended viewing. Nothing can ruin a stargazing experience faster than being required to contort your body in unnatural positions to get a satisfactory view of your desired object.

So, to choose the right telescope mount, take the time and effort to research the different brands of telescope mounts and the various quality levels available. Then, and only then, choose the one that best suits your needs and falls within your budget limits. It can make the difference between a comfortable, enjoyable stargazing experience and a cramped, short-lived outing.

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This video shows you how to make a Wiimote controls an Orion Atlas EQ-G (Also known as Eq6) mount. I used GlovePIE, BlueSoleil, and PPJoy to make this work.

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Still others were interested as children, but then lost the interest, only to have it rekindled in later life, perhaps by seeing a TV documentary, talking to an amateur astronomer, or maybe just one day looking up at the night sky and being bitten with a longing for those long-forgotten childhood pleasures of discovering the universe.

So the next step is, of course, to go out and buy a telescope. Or is it? Here’s a strange piece of advice, think of a pair of binoculars first. Why? Because, quite simply, a good pair of binoculars will allow you to see much of what you can see with a telescope. And a good pair of binoculars can often give a better view (a much better view in many cases) than a cheap telescope.

This is because binoculars have a wide field of view and allow you to navigate the sky very easily. Many great things can be seen with binoculars, including hundreds of thousands of stars, many of the most striking star clusters and most of the planets of the solar system. You can also see much of the detail of the moon, including craters and mountains.

But eventually you will want a telescope. And as with all purchases, the best thing to do is ask an expert which is the best one. And where do you find experts? At your local astronomy club, of course. Ask the members about the pros and cons of the different telescopes. Every telescope has its advantages and disadvantages. With the experience of a pro under your belt you’ll be able to buy the telescope that’s right for your viewing needs.

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Now, of course, the idea of making telescopes is something that can be considered as an art form, something that only few can do, but something that can give wonderment to plenty. In reality, making telescopes has become something of an art form. Not many people can do it, and even though telescopes are mass produced, they are done so by machinery and computers that can make the best lens, and put it at the best angle, with the best kinds of eyepieces so that you can see the furthers and the clearest.

This is not something that many people know how to do, because the computers can much more easily compute what type of lens should be used and where each part should go so that you are able to find yourself with the best telescope possible.

Art Form

However, in the difficulty of making telescopes lies the actual art form. Those that began to make these devices a long time ago passed on the wisdom to their children, and to their children’s children. This is the kind of art form that is something which will last for a lifetime, and these children have never forgotten it.

Even today there are people who build telescopes by hand, using just the right types of wood and just the right sizes of wooden pipes to make the telescope. The art of making telescopes is something that is much alive today.

Of course, making telescopes is an art form that does not result in telescopes that can see the farthest and the clearest. It is, in fact, something that is not done because these telescopes are going to be the best ever made. It is something that is done to preserve the original idea of exploration that these craftsmen had.

If you have a homemade telescope, it will not see the farthest and the clearest. It will, instead, give you a glimpse into history and what it meant to truly be the first to discover something. You might just be impressed at what you come up with.

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In addition, there are two types of telescopes. One type of telescope is called the refractor telescope and the other is known as the reflecting telescope. The difference between these two telescopes is how the light is captured.

Refracting and Reflecting Telescope

The refracting telescope obtains the light through its objective that is made out of glass. Basically, in this type of telescope, the glass lens is situated towards the front of the telescope. As the light is captured by the objective, it is then refracted or deflected through a lens which allows for the viewed image to be magnified. Examples of this type of telescopic equipment include scopes that are used on rifles, binoculars and spyglasses.

A reflecting telescope uses a mirror as its objective. This mirror is located towards the distal end of the telescope. In addition, the mirror has a concave shape. The curvature of the mirror allows for the midpoint of the mirror to be the focal point for all of the light that strikes each part of the surface of the bowl-like mirror. This reflection is then captured by the lens to view the item of interest.

Advantages Of The Reflecting Telescope

There are several advantages to the use of a reflecting telescope. The major advantage is that distortion of what is being viewed is minimal. This is because, through the use of the mirror, the wavelengths are all reflected consistently. This advantage also leads to the reflecting telescope being less expensive than the refracting telescope.

In addition, through the use of the mirror as the objective, the support for this mirror can be all along the posterior portion of the telescope. This allows for the housing to be very large which will accommodate a larger mirror. Larger mirrors mean more light which results in increased visibility.

Disadvantages

However, as with anything else, there are a few disadvantages in the use of a reflecting telescope. One of those disadvantages is size. This is due to the fact that these types of telescopes can accommodate larger mirrors. This results in the telescope itself being larger which may prove to be an issue when storing or relocating the reflecting telescope.

In addition, because of the use of mirrors, there may need to be occasional adjustments made so that optimum light alignment is maintained.

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Clean telescope lenses and mirrors only every few years and never use a T-shirt or finger to wipe viewing surfaces. Check out this video tips on how to maintain your telescope.

Expert: Rocky Alvey & Billy Teets
Bio: Rocky Alvey is the assistant director of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory and has been involved in astronomy since 1969.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

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Expert: Rocky Alvey & Billy Teets
Bio: Rocky Alvey is the assistant director of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory and has been involved in astronomy since 1969.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Buy a telescope from our e-store »

Giving your youngster a kids telescope will let them know that you support their interest in astronomy and see it as a worthwhile endeavor. A real telescope, even without all the features, can give your child or grandchild a head start in learning about the universe and star systems.

Investing in a Kids Telescope

While you can purchase a child telescope for under $25, these are really more of a toy than a functioning astronomy telescope. A real basic beginner telescope can be purchased for around $100 and can provide the young astronomer with a gateway to the heavens. If you wish to invest a little more, a good starter telescope with some of the more advanced features, will cost anywhere from $200 to $300. This will provide your youngster with a quality piece of stargazing equipment.

As the child’s interest grows, an investment in a more sophisticated telescope model might be appropriate. For instance, many young astronomers enjoy having the capability to photograph certain star formations or passing comets.

Tips for Buying the Right Child Telescope

Many astronomers and educators recommend a telescope with a longer focal length and separate viewer. This allows the child to find objects much easier and reduces the frustration that can result for the novice astronomer.

There are many cheaper models that offer a focal length of only 30mm or 50mm and will provide a more generalized view of the night sky. However, if you want a telescope that will provide a more detailed picture of the planets, moon and constellations, a 70mm or higher focal length is strongly recommended.

Kids telescopes are available from a number of top-rate optics companies like Meade, Celestron, Bushnell, Orion and many others. Even the Discovery Channel offers an affordable kids telescope with easy set-up and easy-to-use features.

Meade provides some of the best telescopes on the market today and caters to the amateur astronomer – from beginner to expert levels. For example, a 1000mm focal length telescope with photographic capabilities can be purchased for about $150. This is an excellent choice for the new astronomer because it provides a very good view of the heavens and shows details of the planets and moon that are generally not found with a telescope in this price range. An added bonus is that a 35mm camera can be attached to this telescope that allows your child to preserve those special night sky views on film.

How to Use a Kids Telescope

Reading the instructions for your child’s new telescope can’t be stressed enough. Even the basic kids’ telescopes can be confusing to use the first few times. It is advisable for the parent to read through the instruction manual and help the child astronomer learn the basics of the telescope’s operating features.

A great way to enhance your child’s interest in astronomy is to view the night skies together. There is no better way to bond with your child than by enjoying the same hobbies and actively pursuing them together.

A kids telescope can open up a whole new exciting world to your youngster. It can broaden their understanding of the universe and allow them to be a part of the cosmos beyond just this planet. Why not invest in your child by getting them a kids telescope for fun, education, and a true bonding experience.

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