1. The Agony of Buying Your First Telescope Sorin SoggyAstronomer.com

2. Too Many Choices

3. Red Tasco Cheap options with bad optics can be tempting…

4. until you see the view.

5. Spending a bit more delivers a world of difference!

6. Three Fours 4 Key Terms 4 Questions 4 Types of Telescopes

7. 4 KEY TERMS

8. Magnification 400x 200x 100x = Disappointment

9. Aperture 50mm 100mm 200mm 20 cm 2 78 cm 2 314 cm 2 < 9mm

10. Aperture = Clarity 50mm 100mm 200mm 20 cm 2 33x 78 cm 2 130x 314 cm 2 514x < 9mm 1x

11. Focal Length The distance over which an optical system converges light

12. Field of View Longer Focal Length = Narrower FOV Shorter Focal Length = Wider FOV

13. 3˚ 30 M51 Jupiter 110 11 7 <1 Field of View

14. 4 QUESTIONS

15. 1. How much do you want to spend?

17. 2. How far will you need to move your telescope to use it?

18. 3. What do you really want to see?

19. 4. Visual observing, or astrophotography? 4. Visual Observing or Astrophotography?

20. Image Credit: NASA

22. 4 TYPES OF TELESCOPES

23. Schmidt-CassegrainsDobsonians RefractorsNewtonians

24. Refractors

25. Best For: Wide Field of View Terrestrial Observing Fast Cool Down Double Stars Be Aware Of: Cheap Mounts Chromatic Aberration High cost per inch at larger apertures

26. Newtonians

27. Good For: Planetary and Deep Sky Observing Astrophotography Be Aware Of: Complicated or Shaky Mounts Occasional Collimation Not as good for splitting double-stars Long Cool Down

28. Dobsonians

30. Schmidt-Cassegrains

31. Be Aware Of: More Expensive Than Newtonians & Dobs Narrowest FOV Long Cool Down Best For: Astrophotography Planetary and Deep Sky Objects Small Size for Large Aperture

32. GoTo vs. Manual Forces you to learn the sky No Alignment Process Cheaper Can point you to hard to find DSOs Tracks objects while observing

33. ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

34. Image Credit: flurryofsmoke on Flickr You Dont Need Crazy Kit

35. A DSLR Camera is a great way to get started

36. Astrophotography is where GEMs Shine

37. JupiterM42 Orion Nebula AP does take patience… and a lot of practice.

38. Astrophotography Astrophotography is only as hard as you make it.

39. Yeah, ok, thats great… Now which telescope do I buy?

40. Four Key Terms Avoid Telescopes Advertising MagnificationAvoid Telescopes Advertising Magnification Larger Aperture = Better ClarityLarger Aperture = Better Clarity short Focal Length = Wide Field of Viewshort Focal Length = Wide Field of View LONG Focal Length = Narrow Field of ViewLONG Focal Length = Narrow Field of View

41. Four Questions 1. How much do you want to spend? 2. How far will you need to move your telescope to use it? 3. What do you really want to see? 4. Visual observing or Astrophotography?

42. Schmidt-CassegrainsDobsonians RefractorsNewtonians

43. Star Parties Attend a public Star Party

44. Join a Club

45. Email:Twitter:Website:sorin@soggyastronomer.com@SoggyAstroSoggyAstronomer.com Thank You!

46. Appendix

47. Chromatic Aberration

48. Newtonian

49. Schmidt Cassegrain