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Best Telescopes for Beginners: Reviews & Buying Guide
I get the question “What’s the best telescope for amateurs” a lot on both the CWL and Scinerds blog, so I figured I would hand the ball over to the experts on the answer. Here’s an awesome feature from Space.com detailing what the best telescopes for beginners are, how to find the right scope to fit your needs, and all you need to know about what telescope you decide to choose.
Thanks to digitally driven manufacturing and low-cost onboard microelectronics, it’s now quite practical to own a telescope of very high quality and amazing capability. And there’s a lot of startling star-stuff within easy reach of these innovative instruments.
Telescope Types:
There are four basic telescope types that are good for beginners: Reflector, Refractor, Hybrid and Dobsonian. Let me show you a first-rate example of each:
Reflector Telescopes: Celestron NexStar 130SLT Review
Among the best reflector telescopes for beginners, Celestron’s NexStar 130SLT boasts big aperture, respectable optics and easy set-up with the Sky Align Go-To computer.
Refractor Telescope: Meade StarNavigator 102 Review
Low maintenance, excellent optical quality, a fine Go-To computer and the capability of daytime use for targets on Earth persuaded our reviewers to name Meade’s StarNavigator 102 the best refracting telescope for beginners of 2012.
Hybrid Telescope: Celestron NexStar 4SE Review
Compact size, innovative light-path and beefy mount got our reviewers’ attention. Celestron’s NexStar 4SE is one of the best hybrid telescopes for beginners, with a database of 40,000 celestial objects and daytime spotting scope capability.
Dobsonian Telescope: Orion StarBlast6i Review
Big light-gulping aperture and simple intuitive operation give Orion’s StarBlast 6i a strong edge among low-price Dobsonian telescopes for neo-astronomers. There are no motors to drive it but the “IntelliScope” computer helps you find targets.
Which one is right for you?
To decide which type you might want; think about where you live, where you might go, and how you’ll be observing. All four will work for the night sky. But, if you intend to also bird-watch – or people–watch! – you’ll probably want either a Refractor or a Hybrid, because the image you’ll see can be “right-side-up” and easy to track when it moves.
Also, think about maintenance. Refractors and Hybrids are closed tubes; they accumulate little dust on the optics. Reflectors and Dobsonians do take in a little dirt. But, they’re easy enough to clean. And, because air can easily circulate through, they adapt (“equilibrate”) to changing temperatures faster. That’s important to keep image distortion low.
Reflectors and Dobsonians also require that you manually “collimate” their mirrors from time to time. That’s not hard to do, but you still have to do it. Hybrids rarely need collimation. And Refractors never do.
Aperture
Aperture means “opening.” In telescope-speak, it refers to the size (diameter) of the useable part of the main mirror or primary lens. If all else is equal, wider aperture gives you sharper focus and brighter images. A telescope’s main job is actually not to magnify, but to funnel photons into your eyeball so your brain can assemble a picture. So, basically, bigger is better.
Computer Control
All the beginner telescopes we’ll show you have simple on-board computers to help you point at celestial targets. These will save you time and effort. You won’t have to learn how to read star charts right away, or struggle to find objects in the ever-changing night sky. But these units do require that you set them up properly to track accurately.
Now. some astronomers will disagree with our decision to include such “go-to” computers in the beginner category. They believe you’d be better off buying “more telescope” for the price.
We hear and respect that viewpoint. In a perfect world, you COULD devote long hours to learning the sky prior to observing. But we believe you’ll be more likely to invest that study-time AFTER you’ve had some early successes experiencing the wonders of the cosmos.
Getting started
For a quick start, dive into these four short articles and videos on best examples of telescope types for beginners:
Reflector: Newton Astride A Tripod
Hybrid: Compact Power & Cool Design
Refractor: Galileo’s Elegant Simplicity
Dobsonian: A Universe For Every Person
If you’d like a deeply detailed look into this rewarding hobby, please read Joe Rao’s extensive article: “Telescopes - What You Must Know.”
And, if you just want to see the detailed specs of each one, click through these:
Reflector: Celestron NextStar 130 SLT
Hybrid: Celestron NexStar 4SE
Refractor: Meade StarNavigator 102
Dobsonian: Orion StarBlast6i
[Full Article]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m53ocgAw7V1qbn5m1o1_r1_500.jpg)
The Evolution Eraser by Hiroyuki Shiratori
About:
The Evolution Eraser with an ape on one end, evolves into a human on the other end. Take evolution at your own pace. By starting at the ape end, you can speed up the evolutionary process in the act of erasing your mistakes. Or you can start at the human side instead….
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”THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES” (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. it may save a life.) Reblog this!
It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such asituation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world. THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG…FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.6] Number three is public restrooms.7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.———————————————————————————————————————————-POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.
2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow andarmpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told ourinstructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without usingmuch pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feellittle silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.——————————————————————————————————————————-FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/orpurse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may behiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT REBLOGGING THIS! IT COULD ACTUALLY SAVE A LIFE.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lu7lwsOJZT1qc1gsio1_250.jpg)
Beautiful “chandelier” made of 15 world globes. This 2m high piece of art was made by Benoit Vieubled and called “Monde à l’endroit, Monde à l’envers”.
