NEW TO ASTRONOMY Astronomy has a real aesthetic appeal and many hours of enjoyment can be yours - in your own backyard - as you soar with your eyes and imagination to the planets and beyond. You are entering into an area of interest that many of us hold dear to our hearts. True amateur astronomers are die hards. We never forget those magic moments we have had beneath a star studded sky and the inspiration we felt during those moments. But most of us, grew up with our equipment. As we made our way through this hobby, we started small and let the equipment grow with our knowledge. I believe it is important to always have something to look forward to. It is important to treasure the moment and savor the learning. So start small and learn the night sky first. Let your equipment grow with your understanding. This way you will experience the thrill of exploration each time you turn a new page in your understanding or get a new piece of equipment. This does not mean making large investments. It means making informed decisions. Here are four steps I recommend you follow in your pursuit of this wonderful endeavor:

STEP ONE: FIND OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING UP THERE The first step is to begin to understand what is happening up there as the earth rotates and the seasons change. So some basic books on astronomy will help. The classic book is H.A. Rey's, The Stars: A New Way To See Them.  A good book that will allow you to engage in projects with your child is, The Young Astronomer , by Harry Ford.  Two other good references for beginners: 40 Nights to Knowing The Sky by Fred Schaaf and Turn Left At Orion by Guy Consolmagno and Dan M. Davis.  As you expand your need to know more, you should subscribe to Astronomy Magazine and/or Sky and Telescope Magazine. Now, Sky and Telescope has a new magazine called Night Sky. It is a great first magazine for beginners. Also, the Internet is a great place to find things out and search engines on the Internet are loaded with information sites on astronomy. Be careful of the various chat sites as they do not always give you the best information.  The Internet world is chock full of nuts as it attracts all kinds. Better to get a good foundation first through books and magazines which have a much higher level of reliance.

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 flashlight. Go to an automotive store and buy the red reflector tape used to cover damaged tail lights. Cover the flashlight window with this material and you have a simple $3 astronomers flashlight.  Avoid the planispheres that are black with white stars as these are hard to see at night using a red flashlight. Two good planispheres are the David Chandler Planisphere (we sell these) and the David H. Levy's Guide to the Stars, available at www.skypub.com. This site (Sky and Telescope Magazine) has an online store that also sells the books we mentioned above. STEP THREE: BEGIN THE ADVENTURE OF DISCOVERY

David Chandler's Night Sky Planisphere

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. 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.

Most of us take our binoculars or wide field telescopes out even when we are using very large telescopes.  The advantage to starting with a wide field telescope is that unlike binoculars, you may boost the power and get a closer look. 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 not useable. 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 and 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 are. Common sense right?  The mount should look large compared to the scope and motions should be smooth and stable. You will be looking at objects greatly magnified and this also magnifies the vibrations. A flimsy mount is worthless. 3. Outstanding optics. Most telescopes advertise great optics but they receive mediocre reviews since they are mass produced. May provide soft, fuzzy images. You need sharp optics to see things clearly. Reviews should be taken with a grain of salt.

We believe that Stellarvue ED refractors offer an excellent first telescope. Unlike that 6" Dobsonian that you will buy and grow out of, the small refractor you will keep. This telescope 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. Our telescopes are not made with plastic. They are built like a tank and will last a lifetime.  Let's compare our 70 or 80 ED telescopes with others. Department store telescopes: Ask any knowledgeable amateur astronomer and you will learn that is the magnification power is printed on the box, you should avoid buying this telescope. Beginnners do not know this so they are lured by the high magnifications powers that show only a blur. Other wide field telescopes: You can purchase other wide field telescopes at the lower price ranges but they show excessive false color around bright stars. Department Store telescope. False advertising claims,  flimsy mounts, poor optics = a very poor choice.

Complex Optical Systems: Compound optical systems offer the most light grasp in the smallest package. The lure is a truly portable telescope. The folded optical system gathers more light so it will show more deep sky detail. 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 SCT but open clusters just look wonderful in a refractor. Refractors generally excel on the moon, planets and double stars whereas Schmidt telescopes and larger reflectors show more detail in faint deep sky objects. Everyone has their own preference and their favorite objects to view. 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. Even those on limited budgets are wooed by the lure of a computerized marvel. They think they can navigate through the sky like they navigate on the keyboard of a computer. Advanced amateur astronomers know to avoid the less expensive go to telescopes that are loose and wobbly. Stellarvue offers go to mounts with accurate drives and reliable go-to mechanisms. But we feel that one should always avoid buying computerized mounts "on the cheap." Stick with manual mounts and learn the night sky or invest in a reliable computerized mount. Anything else is an open invitation for frustration. The Celestron 9.25 on CGEM mount pictured to the right is a good choice for a go-to compound telescope offering good optics and an accurate go-to mount.

When you purchase a Stellarvue telescope, you are making an investment.  Later, if you decide to buy a larger telescope, you will probably keep the Stellarvue as it very easy to use and it provides wonderful wide field views unobtainable in the larger scopes. With it you will enjoy wide swaths of sky as you move about the Milky Way. I never get tired of this. You will also use it when you want to run outside for a quick peek or when you go on vacation (and can't lug along the monster). We have sold thousands of these telescopes yet they are rarely sold over the used equipment web sites. People keep these. They become trusted friends. They are easy to use, work very well as a daytime spotting scope and small enough to take with you wherever you go. That is why we sell so many telescopes to advanced amateurs.

I hope that my opinions expressed on this page are useful for newcomers. Stellarvue was begun as a result of the encouragement of my astronomy students over the years to provide the best equipment at reasonable prices so people get started right. It has been a real pleasure to be a part of the growing fascination and inspiration that astronomy provides. With all that is going on in the world today, I like to think that we are empowering some inspiration and hope. I appreciate all the e-mails I have received from my customers and I wish all of you who are new to this endeavor many enjoyable and meaningful nights under the heavens.   Vic Maris Vic Maris (right) and some good friends at OPT's annual astronomy conference.