Astronomy Writings
Little articles I’ve written, often in response to postings on discussion boards by beginners. Although I try to be accurate, these are my own thoughts and opinions only, nothing official.
- Starting Problems
- An exaggerated “life in the trenches” account of a fictional beginner
having a terrible time.
- Setting Expectations
- Avoiding disappointment by understanding what a beginner should and should
not reasonably expect as they enter Astronomy
- Getting Advice
- As a beginner, you’ll want to get advice on how to proceed.
It’s readily available, but the quality varies widely.
- Beginner Telescopes
- General advice on choosing a beginner telescope.
Pointers to good books and articles, analysis of classic beginner advice,
and my own feelings and advice.
- About Finders
- A description of the various types of Finders that can accompany your telescope,
and their advantages and disadvantages.
- Basics of Go-To
- An introduction to the concepts and basics of operation of
automated “go-to” mounts.
- Beginner Targets
- General advice on choosing suitable targets for a beginner’s
first observing sessions.
- Aperture Fever
- A discussion of why large aperture is important,
but why it isn’t always the most important thing you need.
- Understanding Magnification
- A discussion of how magnification is calculated and affected,
how much you need, and how toy telescopes use this figure to try to mislead you.
- Backlash
- A discussion of backlash in gear-driven mounts:
what it is and what to do about it.