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Aperture, focal ratio, magnification limits and mount types explained so the first night out is a good one.
Telescopes
Refractors, Newtonian reflectors, Dobsonians and catadioptric telescopes.
Telescope types compared: refractors, reflectors and Dobsonians, and Schmidt-Cassegrain and Maksutov designs, by aperture per dollar, upkeep and targets.
Why aperture matters more than magnification: how to calculate magnification, the maximum useful power, focal ratio, resolution and how seeing limits the view.
Smart telescopes
All-in-one smart telescopes that image and stack automatically.
Mounts & eyepieces
Equatorial and alt-azimuth mounts, star trackers, eyepieces, Barlows and filters.
Telescope mounts compared: alt-azimuth, Dobsonian, equatorial and GoTo mounts, polar alignment, payload capacity, tracking for imaging and star trackers.
Choose telescope eyepieces: low, medium and high power focal lengths, apparent and true field of view, exit pupil, eye relief for glasses, barrel sizes and Barlows.
Imaging & observing
Astrophotography cameras, guiding, binoculars, solar filters and observing accessories.
