Star Gazing: Using a telescope or Binoculars

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Using a telescope or binoculars

Using a telescope or binoculars will greatly enhance your viewing of the sky. When you are using a telescope or pair of binoculars it is important that you keep a steady hand and you remain comfortable. Leaning against a tree or building will steady our hands and keep your arms from fatiguing too easily. Reclining in a lounge chair is also a good way to stay relaxed during your observing session.

The moon is probably the first thing you want to look at. It is best to observe the moon when it is in a quarter stage and not full. When the moon is full there are no shadows on its surface which makes it not as interesting and difficult to discern any real detail. Craters are easy to see when they cast shadows. The closer the moonis to a new moon the longer the shadows and the more interesting its surface will be to look at.

A small telescope will allow you to see the rings of saturn and jupiter will also reveal some of its secrets to you. You may even be able to see Jupiter's moons They will appear as small stars close to its side. Over the course of a few hours you may even notice that they will change position moving closer to it or further from it.

The Milky Way is also a good subject for viewing with a telescope or binoculars. Simply scanning it in different areas will reveal all types of gaseous areas and clusters of stars not visible to the naked eye.

The chapter in this booklet on objects of special interest details how to find three distinctlyl different things: A Galaxy, A Nebula, and a Star Cluster. You can see all three of these things with the naked eye when viewing conditions are good burt using a telescope or binoculars reveals them to be absolute little wonders.

Continue on to the Moon

Astronomy and telescope related books & products

Night Sky Star Wheel

Refractor Telescope Kit

Build-It Yourself! -- It?s so easy, now even an eight-year-old can build an 18" long, 3X refractor telescope in less than an hour. -- Includes objective lens, eye lens, glare stops, kraftboard tubes, instructions and an Edmund Star and Planet Locator. Finished product is powerful enough to show moon craters, Jupiter?s moons and many stars not visible to the naked eye. -- For ages 8 and up. --

Janice VanCleave's Astronomy for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work (Science for Every Kid Series)

Why do planets spin? How hot is the Sun? What keeps the Moon in orbit around the Earth? What are Saturn's rings made of? What's a black hole in space? Now you can discover the answers to these and other fascinating questions about basic astronomy. In Astronomy for Every Kid you'll learn about the constellations using a shoe box planetarium. You'll chart the movement of the stars with nothing but a string, a marker, and a nail. And you'll use a toy magnet to simulate the Earth's protective force field. Each of the 101 experiments is broken down into its purpose, a list of materials, step-by-step instructions, expected results, and an easy to understand explanation. Every activity has been pretested and can be performed safely and inexpensively in the classroom or at home. Also available in this series from Janice VanCleave: Biology for Every Kid Chemistry for Every Kid Dinosaurs for Every Kid Earth Science for Every Kid Geography for Every Kid Geometry for Every Kid The Human Body for Every Kid Math for Every Kid Physics for Every Kid

A Child's Introduction to the Night Sky: The Story of the Stars, Planets, and Constellations--and How You Can Find Them in the Sky

Children eight and up will enjoy this conversational but information-packed introduction to astronomy and stargazing, which includes the achievements of the great scientists, the history of space exploration, the story of our solar system, the myths behind the constellations, and how to navigate the night sky. Whimsical color illustrations on every page and handy definitions and sidebars help engage younger readers and develop their interest. The special star wheel helps locate stars and planets from any location at any time of year. This is the third in Black Dog & Leventhal's successful series including The Story of the Orchestra and A Child's Introduction to Poetry.

Looking for some Great Astronomy stuff like telescopes, lenses and science projects? Edmund Scientifics has it all.