STEP TWO: BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE NIGHT SKY
Now that you know how things work, go outside and learn the constellations. Start with a star finder or planisphere and a red flashlight. The planisphere shows you where the constellations are in the sky. You need a red flashlight to preserve your night vision. You can use any flashlightwith red reflector tape used to cover damaged tail lights. Cover the flashlight window with this material and you have a simple $3 astronomer's flashlight. Avoid the planispheres that are black with white stars. These are hard to see at night with a red flashlight. The David Chandler Planisphere (we sell these) and the David H. Levy's Guide to the Stars, available at www.skyandtelescope.com, are both good planispheres. Sky and Telescope Magazine has an online store that also sells the books we mentioned above.

Planispheres are frequently used improperly, being held below chin level, like a ground map. A planisphere is like a map of the sky, and should be held at sky level, above your head. This way, you are more likely to see what you are looking for. Refering to the picture, the blue semi-circle beneath the stars is the horizon. Place it at horizon level. Shift it side to side along the length of the horizon as you want to look at other stars and constellations. Frequently, planispheres will have North through West marked on the planisphere so you can align it to the sky. The top of the planisphere is the highest point of the sky. Move the planisphere so that it is positioned with the top of the sky. To make sure your planisphere is aligned properly, finding the North Star, Polaris, is indeed useful. Follow the hook of the handle of the Big Dipper, tracing a line as you move across the sky, until you come to a medium bright star. It will be brighter than the other stars surrounding it. Another way to find north is to stand with your right hand pointing to where the Sun rises and your left arm pointing to where the Sun sets. Your arms should both be fully extended, creating a nearly straight line. Where your nose is pointing is north.

STEP THREE: BEGIN THE ADVENTURE OF DISCOVERY
Having learned the basic constellations, you are now ready to take a closer look. This is where you need to be careful. Again, savor the experience over time and start slow. We highly recommend you start with either a pair of binoculars or a wide field telescope (like the Stellarvue SVR80ED). Start with low power as you develop your knowledge and appreciation. You saw some glowing objects in the sky with your naked eye. Now you will begin to look more closely at them with binoculars or a high quality, wide field telescope. Avoid purchasing a department store telescope. These telescope are generally low quality and will prove to be a great burden and frustration, so much so that you may give up on the venture entirely. Start with a good reference to help you navigate out there and to let you know what you are looking at.

Good binocular references include:

• Binocular Astronomy by Craig Crossen and Wil Tiron,
• The Binocular Stargazer by Leslie C. Peltier and
• Touring the Universe through Binoculars by Philip S. Harrington. Harrington's book includes chapters on observing the Moon, Sun, Planets and Asteroids. He also offers a companion CD-ROM, Touring the Universe Through Binoculars Atlas CD-ROM by Philip S. Harrington and Dean Williams. Binocular and wide field astronomy is something you will never get tired of doing.

STEP FOUR: THE TELESCOPE - NOW THE REAL FUN BEGINS!
Here is where you need to be very careful. I have taught thousands of people astronomy for more than three decades and many made the mistake of buying department store telescopes. They always come to class saying the same thing: "I have a telescope, but I am not very good at using it." It always amazes me at how people blame themselves for their poor equipment. Even after trying to use it for several nights, they think the problem is with them. It isn't. Many inexpensive commercial telescopes on the market are junk, yet they sell by the millions. Essentially, they are unuseable. Working with thousands of newcomers to astronomy, I have found three elements that are consistently important for a first telescope:

1. Wide field of view. This makes it easier to locate objects in the night sky. If the field is narrow, you will never find anything. Use a wide field telescope and a red dot finder; you will find things. However, it is hard to make a good wide field telescope. Very few wide field telescopes provide sharp images. So be careful in making your decision. A $200 wide field scope is only good for low power. A high resolution wide field telescope will enable you to see all kinds of objects at either low or high power. This will continue to enable your exploration. High power is essential for the planets.
2. Stable mount. Most telescopes use flimsy mounts. Do not buy telescopes with look like a toy; they most often are. Common sense right? The mount should look large compared to the scope and motions should be smooth and stable. The legs of the mount shouldn't be the least bit wobbly. Just imagine what would happen were you to use this on a suspened porch. You will be looking at objects greatly magnified; this magnifies the vibrations. A flimsy mount is worthless, not to mention frustrating.
3. Outstanding optics. Most telescopes advertise great optics, but receive mediocre reviews since they are mass produced. The optics may provide soft, fuzzy images. You need sharp optics to see things clearly. But be wary of reviews. They ought to be taken be taken with a grain of salt. Of all the reviews posted, ussually only half the people know what they are posting about.

We believe that Stellarvue ED refractors offer an excellent first telescope. Although it may be small, refractors are versatile instruments that can grow with you. The Stellarvue ED telescopes will serve as an excellent wide field telescope even if you purchase other larger telescopes in the future. It also serves as a wonderful spotting scope, long range photographic telephoto lens and an excellent guidescope if you decide to get into astrophotography. Unlike other refractor telescopes, our telescopes are not made with plastic. Plastic is a flimsy material best used in toys, not instruments that will be roughed up a bit from common use.Where plastic will bend, metal remains sturdy. Stellarvue telescopes are built like a tank and will last a lifetime. Let's compare our 70 or 80 ED telescopes with others.

Department store telescopes: Magnification power is based on the eyepiece that is used. Each telescope is only capable magnifying to advantage to a certain limit. Companies often sell telescopes with eyepieces that magnify far above this limit. So while it looks impressive that a given 60mm refractor is capable of magnifying 600 times, this telescope cannot be used to advantage above 120 power. Ask any knowledgeable amateur astronomer and they will tell you, never buy a telescope that has the magnification printed on the box. These magnifications will only show a blur.

Other wide field telescopes: Be careful. There are a lot of attractive but mediocre telescopes on the market. The optics will typically be of poor quality, untested by the manufacturer. With these you will see less. A hand crafted telescope will show more than a mass produced, pretty-looking telescope with mass produced optics.

Complex Optical Systems: Compound optical systems offer the most light grasp in the smallest package. The lure is a truly portable telescope. The larger folded optical system gathers more light so it will show more deep sky objects. The refractor on the other hand offers extremely high contrast and pinpoint clarity. That is why they are so popular among many advanced amateur astronomers. So before deciding which you prefer, you should view through both types of telescopes over several nights and look for the fine details you want to see. Planetary nebulae for example appear bright and obvious in a larger compound telescope but star clusters just look wonderful in a refractor. Refractors generally excel on the moon, planets and double stars whereas compound telescopes and larger reflectors show more structure in faint deep sky objects. Everyone has their own preference and their favorite objects to view. Many have both types of telescopes to get the best of both worlds. Also, many people change their preferences as they continue to learn, explore and grow in this wonderful endeavor.

Go-To Telescopes: Go-To mounts are popular but cheap go-to mounts are a terrible idea. Advanced amateur astronomers know to avoid less expensive go-to telescopes, esspecially those that are loose and wobbly. Stellarvue offers go-to mounts with accurate drives and reliable go-to mechanisms. We feel that the Celestron CG5 or SE mounts are the least expensive computerized mounts one should buy. It is not a bad idea to have a firm understanding of the sky before you get a go-to telescope. That way, if the computer fails you, you can simply turn off the computer and use the scope manually.

When you purchase a Stellarvue telescope, you are making an investment. As a telescope manufacturer, we will take care of you even long after your telescope is out of warranty. As a Stellarvue owner, you can embark on a journey of discovery by joining our growing family of enthusiastic users. We conduct star parties, training programs, and Stellartrips. We give our owners the opportunity to enjoy the company of like minded users and as a result, they learn more about this fascinating endeavor.

We have assembled and sold thousands of telescopes, yet they are rarely sold on used equipment web sites. People keep our telescopes. The telescopes become trusted friends. Not only are they easy to use, they work very well as a daytime spotting scope and are small enough to take with you wherever you go. That is why we sell so many telescopes to advanced amateurs.

I hope you have found my opinions useful. Stellarvue was begun as a result of the encouragement of my astronomy students over the years to provide the best equipment at reasonable prices to people get started right. It has been a real pleasure to be a part of the growing fascination and inspiration that astronomy provides. I wish all of you who are new to this endeavor many enjoyable and meaningful nights under the heavens.

~Vic Maris

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