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Tips for Finding the Right Astronomy Telescope for You

Children and adults everywhere find the night sky fascinating and love to make wishes on the stars they see. As children get older, they begin to learn about what is in the night sky and many develop an interest in astronomy.

Astronomy is a word from the Greek language. Astro, the first part of the word, comes from the Greek word for the star shape and also refers to outer space. The last part of the word, onomy, is Greek for "the study of". So from the original Greek, astronomy means study of the star or outer space.

Novices and experienced astronomers need one main tool to learn about and enjoy the night sky: an astronomy telescope. There are many different kinds of astronomy telescopes. You need to choose carefully and consider some important aspects of the telescope, such as the size of the lens and the sturdiness of the telescope stand, when you are looking to buy your first telescope.

The Importance of the Lens Diameter

Certain aspects of your new astronomy telescope will either make it enjoyable or leave you frustrated. Lens diameter is one of these aspects. Forget about magnification; the size of the lens of the telescope is more important. The larger the lens diameter, the more light it lets into the telescope and that affects how well you can see the things you are trying to look at in the night sky. The brighter the light, the clearer the images will be.

Choosing a Good Astronomy Telescope Stand

You will want to give a lot of thought to the type of stand you mount your new telescope to so that you get the most efficient use out of your telescope. A good tripod stand is the way to go. You want to choose a stand that will keep the telescope still so you get the best views of the night sky. Any movement at all will make the images you see blurry and cause you frustration.

Where and How to Shop for an Astronomy Telescope

You need to find out what your options are and know what the different telescopes offer before choosing one. One of the easiest ways to gather information about telescopes is by looking online. You should try and find out what the features are that are offered on each kind of telescope, how much they cost and what reviewers think about the different brands of telescopes.

One way to choose a good astronomy telescope is to try some of your potential telescopes out. If there is an astronomy club in your local area, you might be able to join and meet people who share your hobby. Then, you can try a variety of different telescopes to see which ones work for you.

You can also get a lot of useful information to help you choose an astronomy telescope by talking to people who are in astronomy. Your friends and family members who have astronomy telescopes can tell you what they like and dislike about theirs.

If you have friends or family involved in astronomy, you might ask them to let you know when they are replacing their telescopes so you can possibly buy their old one from them.

If you are looking to take your astronomy to the next level and learn more about how to buy a telescope drop by the TelescopesCafe.

By Bo Collins
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bo_Collins