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...Since the first time humans have looked up into the heavens, they feel of some kind of a cosmic connection between them and the universe. By taking part of this universe, they begin to understand themselves when knowing about the mysterious shapes out there. Space sciences have answered lot of questions, but we are still looking to answer fundamental questions like how did the universe begin? How has it evolved? What will be its fate? How did life begin? Amateur Astronomy has played a big role in seeking for answers, amateur astronomers has also played an inevitable and essential role in helping Astronomy to advance, it is because they have the time to look and contemplate tiny things that professional astronomers dont do. To gaze this infinite laboratory we call UNIVERSE, we have invented a great and simple device that able us to see things bigger, deeper into space and earlier into time; this device is called TELESCOPE, it is some kind of a time machine. Telescopes prices begin from the ones of 2$ that you find in a toy center to billions of dollars the price of the Hubble Space Telescope up there orbiting Earth right now. In the pages to follow, we intend to introduce you to amateur telescopes types, functions, beginning from reflector telescopes first developed by Sir Isaac Newton, passing by refractors, the ones all of us are familiar with, and arriving to Catadioptric telescopes. Telescopes mounts are the stand on which telescopes are supported and guided, we introduce you to the optical features that make you distinguish telescopes, and choose the best one suitable for you and your demanding, that is without forgetting telescopes accessories that will able you to expand more your hobby. Different types of telescopes accomplish exactly the same thing, but in completely different ways. Each type has advantages and disadvantages with respect to optical quality, mechanical performance, maintenance, ease of use and price. In the second section we talk about what you can observe with telescopes, beginning by Earths lonely satellite: the Moon, which represents craters due to impacts of rocky celestial objects, passing by the giant thermonuclear reactor, the SUN. We make you visit the far reaches of the solar system by pictures taken by amateur telescopes, and send you far away into space to look for our Galaxy cluster. In the last section, and in a goal to achieve all of what is above, we reveal you the best conditions for a good observation, beginning by your comfort during observation, and introducing you to some tips that able us to endure cold weather and attend the best from our work. Numerical applications help us to be more familiar and practical when observing, this is our first step in knowing how to GAZE THE SKY and what eyepiece and type of telescope is suitable for observing a specific celestial object. That is what we intend to help you with by adding the users guide of a Vixen Cosmostar DXR-114M. Amateur astronomy is for people from all walks of life, we want you to share with us our great skies in Lebanon, especially when light pollution and air pollution are menacing this hobby throughout the modern world. Finally it is the best in our instincts, if we decide to leave space exploration for any reason, we become another specie. ALAIN J. KHAYAT Contents Introduction
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Site Manager:
Alain Khayat |
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