Kemble’s Cascade is an asterism in the constellation Camelopardalis featuring more than 20 stars, with the open cluster NGC 1502 at one end. This star pattern is an unofficial arrangement of stars known as an asterism and is not one of the recognized constellations in the night sky. HIP 18505 is the star in the…
Finding the Winter Hexagon will give you a fresh viewpoint on the winter night sky. It is made up of six brilliant stars that surround the constellation of Orion in the southeast (as seen from the northern hemisphere). The Winter Hexagon is an excellent naked-eye target in January and February. Going clockwise in the hexagon,…
Variable stars are crucial for testing our theories of stellar development, from bloated red giants nearing the end of their lives to binary stars engaged in deadly gravitational dances. They play a significant role in stellar astrophysics. However, extrinsic variables and intrinsic variables are the two basic categories of variable stars. Intrinsic variables are stars…
The Pleiades or the Seven Sisters (M45) is an open star cluster that originated from a huge cloud of dust and gas around 125 million years ago. The stars of M45 are so bright for the high rate of fusion at the cores. However, they are located in the constellation Taurus having a distance of…
The Hyades Star Cluster is the closest cluster to the solar system containing myriads of stars some of which can be observed with the unaided eye. It is located at a distance of 150 light-years away from us. The four brightest stars Gamma Tauri, Delta 1 Tauri, Epsilon Tauri, and Theta Taur makes a V…
Imagine when Earth comes between the sun and the moon and the shadow of the earth falls on the moon. This darkens the moon and it happens only when the moon is full. The outer lighter shadow is called the penumbra, and the darker core is called the umbra. Penumbral shadow is hard to detect…
Sometimes stargazing does not need to memorize all the constellations because like the Summer Triangle, the best star patterns to observe are not always constellations but asterisms. An asterism is a pattern of stars not included in the official 88 constellations. The Summer Triangle is an asterism, made of 3 bright stars Vega, Deneb, and…
Polaris, the North star is located in the constellation named Ursa Minor. It is very close to the north celestial pole of the earth. It is very easy to identify from the northern horizon using the little dipper as a reference. It seems like all the stars and constellation orbits Polaris throughout the year. But…
The Big Dipper constellation is a group of stars belonging to the constellation Ursa Major or the Big Bear. It is easy to spot on any dark night in the Northern Hemisphere. The Big Dipper with its neighbor the Little Dipper can be seen rotating around the North star Polaris throughout the year. In summer…
The Lagoon Nebula is an emission nebula with an active area of star formation full of gas and dust. It is located in the constellation Sagittarius around 5000 light years away. We can see the glow of the embedded star cluster NGC 6530. It has a luminosity of magnitude 6 that makes it a nice…
M57 (The Ring Nebula) is a planetary nebula located in the Lyra constellation at a distance of 2,300 light years from the earth. The shell of gas was produced by a red giant that has to evolve away. The expansion rate of this nebula indicates that it is 10,000 years old. Quick Guide to Observe…
The International Space Station (ISS) can be observed through a telescope, offering a captivating viewing experience. The ISS is one of the brightest objects in the night sky, with a maximum magnitude of -5.9, making it an ideal object for telescopic observation. To view the ISS successfully, a telescope with an aperture of at least…
Comets are a mixture of ice, frozen gasses, dust, and rocks. Scientists think that comets are the debris from materials that formed the solar system initially around 4.6 billion years ago. Comets follow elliptical orbits around the sun. The more it gets closer to the sun, the faster it is pulled in. Some comets fall…
Telescope has revealed the interesting fact that all stars are not alone. Sometimes they are accompanied by one or other multiple stars and form star systems. Double stars that are bound gravitationally are called binary star systems. According to the research around 85% of the stars of the Milky Way are in binary pairs unlike…
The Orion Nebula (M42) is a bright and visible nebula that can be seen with the naked eye under dark skies, but is best viewed with a telescope for more detail. Even a small telescope with a diameter of 60mm can reveal the nebula’s faint, misty shape, while larger telescopes with a diameter of at…
The Andromeda Galaxy is a distant celestial object. Andromeda can be viewed from Earth using a telescope of the right size. Even amateur astronomers can enjoy a stunning view of Andromeda with a moderate-sized telescope, specifically one with an aperture of 6-8 inches (15-20 cm). This size is ideal for gathering enough light to reveal…
The Milky Way is our home galaxy. Milky way is a barred spiral galaxy that stretches approximately 100,000 light-years in diameter. You can view the Milky Way through a telescope, but it’s impossible to see the entire galaxy structure at once due to its enormous size. A telescope allows for a more detailed view of…
A galaxy is referred to as the collection of dust, gas, hundreds of billions of stars, and their planets which are held together by gravity. A galaxy is the most distant object you can see with your telescope. They appear with different shapes and colors and we can see the combined glare of all the…
A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust composed of Helium, Hydrogen, and other ionized gasses. They become visible from Earth due to the interaction of gas with other materials or supernova explosions. However, it is possible to see a nebula with a telescope. Typically a nebula looks gray though the view improves with…
Photo: The Dogstar (Sirius A) and its Pup (Sirius B) Sirius, also known as the Dog star, is the brightest star in the sky found in late winter and spring. It has a tiny companion named Sirius B known as Pup which is basically a white dwarf star. Both of them make a binary star…
Viewing the Sun through a telescope can be a fascinating experience, but it’s crucial to prioritize safety to protect your eyes from potential damage. Looking directly at the Sun through a telescope without the appropriate protective equipment is extremely dangerous and can cause severe damage to the eyes, including permanent blindness. Concentrated sunlight can burn…
Titan is the largest among 83 moons of Saturn and the second largest natural satellite in the solar system. Titan is the only moon that has a dense atmosphere. This is also known as the only object in space that has surface liquid. A small beginner telescope can spot them easily. Quick Guide to Observe…
We see night sky objects through a telescope because they reflect sunlight. Asteroids do the same thing which means it is possible to view them from the earth through a suitable telescope. In fact, sometimes it becomes indistinguishable from the stars though the distances between the asteroid and stars from the earth are different. Asteroids…
Pluto is a distant dwarf planet. Pluto can be seen with a telescope under specific conditions and with the right equipment, although it is not visible to the naked eye or with binoculars. Telescope with a significant aperture of at least 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) in diameter is required to spot Pluto. This size ensures…
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. Neptune can be seen through a telescope. Telescope with an aperture of at least 8 inches (20 cm) and a magnification between 100-200x is recommended to achieve the best view of Neptune. Neptune appears as a small, blue-green dot or disk when viewed through…
Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun. Uranus can be seen with a telescope, transforming it from a faint star-like object into a distinct celestial body. With a small telescope of around 60 mm (2.4 inches) in aperture, one can resolve the disk of Uranus and distinguish it from background stars. Moderate magnification between…
Saturn is the sixth planet in our solar system. Saturn can be viewed with a small telescope. A telescope with a diameter of 2 inches can reveal Saturn, while a larger 3-inch telescope with 50x magnification can distinctly show Saturn’s iconic rings. Binoculars with 40x magnification can provide a glimpse of the rings, but a…
The Hubble Space Telescope is a renowned space-based observatory orbiting Earth at an altitude of 340 miles. Launched on April 24, 1990, aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, Hubble has dramatically altered our view of the universe. The telescope features a 2.4-meter primary mirror and two solar arrays generating 2,800 watts of power. Hubble has made…
Getting started in astrophotography, you may be wondering which optical device is best for you. Telescopes provide a narrow and detailed view of objects in space, which makes them ideal for astronomy. Telephoto lenses provide a wider, less detailed view, which makes it easier to locate and capture imagery. Telescopes vs Telephoto Lenses for Astrophotography…
Telescopes and spyglasses are optical devices used for viewing distant objects. While telescopes are used for astronomy, monoculars are typically used for viewing terrestrial objects. While you can use spyglasses for basic astronomy, the magnification is much weaker than that of a telescope. How Strong is the Magnification of Telescopes vs Spyglasses? Because telescopes are…
Telescopes and periscopes are optical instruments used to view objects that we cannot see with the naked eye. Telescopes allow us to view extremely distant objects within your line of sight. Periscopes are used to view objects not directly in your line of sight and have much weaker magnification. When Should You Use Telescopes vs…
Telescopes and binoculars are optical instruments used to view distant objects. While telescopes are used for astronomy, binoculars are typically used for viewing objects on earth. You can use binoculars for basic astronomy, but the magnification is much weaker and won’t provide as much detail. Depth Perception of Telescopes vs Binoculars One major difference in…
Telescopes and microscopes are both optical instruments but have very different purposes. Telescopes are used to view extremely distant objects, like celestial bodies. Microscopes are used for viewing very small objects, like bacteria. How Are Telescopes and Microscopes Used? Telescopes magnify large and distant objects, making them best suited for astronomy. Microscopes magnify small and…
Telescopes and monoculars are optical devices used for viewing distant objects. While telescopes are used for astronomy, monoculars are typically used for viewing objects on earth. While you can use monoculars for basic astronomy, the magnification is much weaker than that of a telescope. Magnification of Telescopes vs Monoculars Because telescopes are used for viewing…
Telescopes are designed to view celestial bodies and spotting scopes are typically used for viewing wildlife. While they may look and sound similar, they have distinct differences in usage, view and portability. How Are Telescopes and Spotting Scopes Used? Telescopes are used to observe objects in space while spotting scopes are used to view objects…
Jupiter is one of the brightest objects in the night sky. Jupiter can be observed with a telescope to discern its disk and atmospheric details. A telescope with a lens diameter of at least 60mm is sufficient to reveal Jupiter’s disk, major cloud bands, and up to four of its largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede,…
Meteors are basically dust and rocks that float at thousands of miles per hour through our solar system. On their way, if they strike the earth’s atmosphere, they burn up and make a long streak across the sky. Sometimes earth encounters them in large numbers making Meteor showers. Meteor showers are formed by debris from…
Zhumell is an optical company that produces telescopes. The company was founded in Duluth, Minnesota and moved to Omaha, Nebraska after being purchased by Hayneedle in 2006. Zhumell offers a relatively small selection of telescopes compared to their competitors, but they have established a reputation for popular models such as the Zhumell Z130. Zhumell has…
The Zhumell Z130 is the largest and most capable of the three Zhumell tabletop Dobsonians, which places it in a bit of an awkward position both mechanically and price-wise. It features a 130mm parabolic primary mirror, a high-end feature not usually found in telescopes of this size. The parabolic mirror removes visual defects like spherical…
The Zhumell Z114 has great build quality and optics. It is extremely portable. It is recommended for beginners who are just starting out and intermediate astronomers who would like a telescope to scan the sky for just a few minutes. The great thing about the Zhumell Z114 is the low price. For just 150$, you…
The Zhumell Z100 Portable Reflector Telescope features a 100mm parabolic primary mirror, a high-end feature that’s very uncommon in telescopes of this size. The parabolic mirror removes visual defects like spherical aberration, providing noticeably sharper views. The primary mirror and all other optical surfaces are coated with Zhumell’s high-reflectivity coatings. You can count on more…
The Zhumell Z12 Dobsonian telescope features a massive 12” parabolic primary mirror that captures a substantial amount of light and produces crisp, bright images free of visual defects like spherical aberration. You will also get two fully multi-coated eyepieces: a 2” 30mm eyepiece for wide field views and a 1.25” 9mm eyepiece for higher magnification. …
The Zhumell Z10 Dobsonian telescope features a 10” parabolic primary mirror that captures a substantial amount of light and produces crisp, bright images free of visual defects like spherical aberration. You’ll also get two fully multi-coated eyepieces: a 2” 30mm eyepiece for wide field views and a 1.25” 9mm eyepiece for higher magnification. With the…
Aberrations are defects in optical systems caused by the deviation of light. This can be a result of either a limitation in your design or a defect in your optics. Every telescope experiences some degree of aberrations, but by selecting the right telescope, you can reduce or eliminate specific aberrations. What Are the Types of…
Distortion in optics modifies images produced by optical systems, causing information loss about observed objects. Aberrations like spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, and chromatic aberration introduce errors into images. Radial, tangential, and angular distortions affect images distinctly. Lens design and shape are primary factors contributing to optical distortion. Curved lens elements introduce distortion by varying magnification…
Field curvature is an optical aberration that affects the ability of a telescope to bring a flat object into focus on a flat image plane. It can cause distortion, reduced image sharpness, and other aberrations, impacting the overall quality of the images produced. Field curvature in telescopes can be corrected using various methods, such as…
Astigmatism is an optical aberration causing distorted or blurry images. Lens or mirror curvature irregularities result in light rays focusing at two different points instead of one. Corneal astigmatism occurs when the corneal surface curves unevenly. Optical professionals measure the astigmatism axis in degrees. Astigmatism correction employs cylindrical lenses, mirrors, and prisms. Cylindrical lenses refract…
Coma aberration is an optical defect in lens designs that causes off-axis point sources to appear distorted with comet-like tails. Imperfections in lens components, asymmetry in optical systems, and non-uniform refractive indices contribute to this image-degrading effect. The coma coefficient measures distortion severity, ranging from 0 to 1, with 0.5 representing moderate to severe distortion….
Spherical aberration is an optical phenomenon where light rays passing through a lens or curved mirror fail to converge at a single focal point. Light rays striking different parts of a lens are refracted at varying angles, causing them to focus at multiple points along the optical axis. Spherical aberration results in distorted or blurry…
The Zhumell Z8 Dobsonian telescope features an 8” parabolic primary mirror that captures a substantial amount of light and produces crisp, bright images free of visual defects like spherical aberration. You’ll also get two fully multi-coated eyepieces: a 2” 30mm eyepiece for wide field views and a 1.25” 9mm eyepiece for higher magnification. With the…
The Zhumell 76mm AZ Reflector is one of the most affordable reflectors on the market. It comes in well under a hundred dollars, but the quality is up there with other higher-end telescopes. This is not a terrible drug store quality telescope, this is a scope built by people who know how to make some…
Chromatic aberration is not a significant problem for reflecting telescopes, which use mirrors to form an image. Reflecting telescopes use mirrors to collect and focus light, relying on reflection rather than refraction. This makes them free from chromatic aberration, which is the most serious aberration that affects any optical telescope. Mirrors are simpler than lenses…
Mars is a fourth planet from the sun. Mars is visible through a telescope, making it an attractive target for amateur astronomers. Even a small telescope with a diameter of 60 mm (2.4 inches) can provide a view of Mars, including its reddish hue, polar ice caps, and darker regions. The best time to view…
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. Viewing Venus through a telescope is a popular activity for amateur astronomers due to its brightness and proximity to Earth. You can observe Venus’s crescent shape as it moves away from the Sun with a small telescope. Higher magnification can help reduce Venus’s bright glare, although surface…
The largest member of its family, the Zhumell Portable 70mm AZ Refractor is the ideal grab-and-go telescope for taking with you everywhere you go, especially for camping vacations, treks, and backyard gatherings. Its small body easily fits within the provided nylon duffle bag, and you can be prepared to observe in just a few seconds….
The smallest in its family, the Zhumell Portable 50mm AZ Refractor is the ideal grab-and-go telescope for taking with you everywhere you go, especially for camping vacations, treks, and backyard gatherings. Its small body easily fits within the provided nylon duffle bag, and you can be prepared to observe in just a few seconds. You…
Viewing Mercury with a telescope is possible but challenging due to its proximity to the Sun. The Sun’s glare often obscures Mercury. Mercury can be seen during its greatest elongations, when it appears farthest from the Sun’s glare. Telescope with at least 60 mm (2.4 inches) in aperture is recommended to see Mercury. Observers will…
Zhumell’s 60mm Refractor Telescope can gather enough light to see Jupiter, Saturn, the Orion Nebula, lunar craters, and more. Additionally, you’ll always be prepared to observe passing comets and other astronomical occurrences like the “Blood Moon” with the Zhumell 60mm AZ Refractor Telescope. It is always easy to get started with the Zhumell 60mm AZ….
It is not possible to see the American flag on the Moon with a telescope, even with the most powerful telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope. Telescopes lack the necessary angular resolution to distinguish an object as small as the flag or a landing site on the Moon’s surface. The largest optical telescopes in the…
This article covers a brief description of telescopes of 2-16 inches available on the market. Whether you want to buy a telescope for your kids or for astrophotography or just to view planets and galaxies, this article may guide you to the best option you are looking for. You will also be able to compare…
What is a 16-inch telescope? A 16-inch telescope, also known as a 16-inch reflector or Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, is a large optical instrument designed for astronomical observations in the visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The primary purpose of a 16-inch telescope is to collect light, allowing for the observation of faint and distant…
What is a 15-inch telescope? A 15-inch telescope is a large optical instrument with an aperture of 381 mm (15 inches), allowing it to gather a significant amount of light for enhanced resolution and magnification capabilities. The focal length of a 15-inch telescope typically ranges from 1500 to 2000 mm, with an example like the…
What is a 14-inch telescope? A 14-inch telescope is a powerful optical instrument designed for observing celestial objects in the night sky. It features a significant aperture that determines its light-gathering power and resolution, enabling astronomers to capture clear and detailed images of stars, planets, galaxies, and deep space objects. The telescope’s focal length is…
What is a 12-inch telescope? A 12-inch telescope is a powerful optical instrument designed for amateur astronomers to observe deep-sky objects with enhanced clarity and detail. It features a 12x magnification power, making celestial objects appear larger and more defined. The telescope’s primary function is to capture bright and contrasty images of outer space through…
What is a 11-inch telescope? An 11-inch telescope is a robust astronomical instrument that boasts a substantial aperture of 279mm, enabling exceptional light-gathering capabilities and high-resolution imaging. The telescope’s computerized control system streamlines object location and tracking, making it user-friendly for novice stargazers. The focal length of an 11-inch telescope is influenced by the aperture…
What is a 10-inch telescope? A 10-inch telescope, such as the Orion SkyQuest XT10g, is a versatile optical instrument designed for observing a wide array of celestial objects, including planets, stars, galaxies, and nebulae. With its substantial light-gathering power, it offers exceptional performance in capturing high-quality images for astrophotography, particularly of deep-sky objects like galaxies…
What is a 9.25-inch telescope? A 9.25-inch telescope, known for its large aperture size, boasts a significant light-gathering ability and high resolution in observing celestial objects. The aperture of this telescope, approximately 25 inches in diameter, allows for a maximum magnification power of around 120x to 250x, with a theoretical limit of 463x, making it…
What is a 7-inch telescope? A 7-inch telescope is a versatile and powerful optical instrument that offers exceptional performance in observing celestial objects. With a price range that caters to both beginners and seasoned astronomers, this telescope is a popular choice for stargazing enthusiasts. Its 7-inch aperture provides superior light-gathering ability, making it 126 times…
What is a 5-inch telescope? A 5-inch telescope is a type of telescope with an aperture (the diameter of the objective lens) of 5 inches (127-130 mm). It is considered a medium-sized telescope, ideal for amateur astronomers and kids. A 5-inch telescope is a powerful optical instrument designed for observing celestial objects in the night…
What is a 4-inch telescope? A 4-inch telescope is an amateur telescope with an aperture size of 4 inches or approximately 100mm. The diameter of the objective lens or mirror in a 4-inch telescope is typically around 4 inches, which is smaller than larger telescopes, resulting in a narrower field of view. The focal length…