The refractor basically has a long thin tube with an objective lens at the front that collects and focuses the light. This one is better for viewing the Moon and planets, usually giving a nice, crisp image. It travels well and doesn’t need much maintenance. Unfortunately, it is very hard to see faint objects like galaxies and nebulae. The reflector employs a large concave mirror rather than a lens for the purposes of accumulating and focusing light. This is one of the better beginner telescopes and it usually has pretty good visibility, although water has a tendency to condense on the optics of the telescope which can be irritating. Also, you can’t view terrestrial objects with this telescope, because they will appear upside-down. The catadioptric is a compound telescope, combining both lenses and mirrors. They are good photographic telescopes and they are a lot easier to carry than the reflector. This one tends to be more versatile, but they do tend to be more expensive than the other types.
If you want to bird watch (for example) with your telescope, you’ll be better off not choosing the reflector telescope because it won’t show you terrestrial objects. If you’re in a place where it dews frequently and you’re planning on using your telescope at night, you’ll need to consider whether choosing a refractor or catadioptric telescope might be your best option.
For any telescope the maximum amount of magnification equals 50-power per inch of aperture. So say you have a 6-inch reflector. 300-power is as high as you should go (for a 3-inch reflector it would be about 150-power). Even if you’re using a Barlow lens, magnifying it too far will only result in a blurred image. The telescope’s image can only be blown up to a certain point.
Altazimuth mount operates my going up and down and side to side, making it easier for beginners to operate. It is more simple than the equatorial telescope. Equatorial mount swings across the celestial North to South and East to West. The polar axis (which is the rotating part closer to the telescope’s base) needs to be aligned to Polaris, the North Star. It will then follow the motion of the sky around this point, moving from east to the west (as the stars move). It takes more time to get accustomed to the equatorial mount each time you want to look at a different star or planet you have to unlock the axis and take aim at the heavenly body using the finderscope and lock it once you have the general location. From there you’ll use the slow motion cable controls or panhandle controls to make the smaller movements. The equatorial mount is generally considered to be more helpful.
If you’re trying to observe the stars, for instance, going out on a moon-lit night won’t get you very far. Look at books on stars and constellations. These will tell you when the best viewing times are and when the planets are easiest to be seen. Examine sky charts so that when you are out in the dark you know where to point your telescope. Train your eye. To do so, make sketches of the moon and the planets. You don’t have to be a great artist to capture them as accurately as possible. This will help you to look more closely at the sky and observe details.
You’ll need to consider light pollution. For instance, if you’re in a big city, going up on a high roof (As long as it is safe) can get you away from the worst of the light pollution and allow you to see more clearly. Try to avoid decks and blacktop driveways and concrete. Footsteps on a deck can cause vibrations in the image. Blacktops driveways and concrete can create thermal issues for your telescope.
For practice set up your telescope and, using the lowest power eyepiece, point the main scope at something about 100 feet (30. 5 m) away like a tree (not the sun!). Center the object in your crosshairs and make sure it’s clear. Switch to a higher powered eyepiece and try again.
