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Telescopes on Amazon

Galileo FS-80/K-800 800 x 80mm Yoke Mount Reflector Telescope
Amazon Price: $79.99
Customer Review: This telescope is my more like a toy. It's large but also very light and unstable. We tried for several hours to use it with bad to medium results. Mostly bad. The software is...
 
Celestron 31042 AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope
Amazon Price: Too low to display
Customer Review: I bought this as a Christmas gift for myself and my 7 year old son (OK, mostly for me). It's put together very well. As a Newtonian, its hollow, which makes it feel somewhat odd,...
 
Celestron 31045 AstroMaster 130 EQ Reflector Telescope
Amazon Price: Too low to display
Customer Review: I gave this telescope to my fiance for Christmas and he loves it. He never had a telescope before, but he was able to find things with it still, so it was "beginner friendly". Ov...
 

The Perfect Machine: Building the Palomar Telescope
by Ronald Florence
Amazon Price: $16.50
Customer Review: The book is well researched and documented.
I found the writing captivating only in some parts, while other parts were a bit dry.
Overall a good book that in my opinio...
 
Choosing and Using a Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope : A Guide to Commercial SCT...
by Rod Mollise
Amazon Price: $29.93
Customer Review: If you're an SCT (CAT) owner, you definitely need to read Ron Mollise's book. His decades of experience with this telescope will help you in realizing why this is such a capable - ...
 
Reflecting Telescope Optics II: Manufacture, Testing, Alignment, Modern Techn...
by Raymond N. Wilson
Amazon Price: $102.77
 

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Reflecting Telescopes

One of the first reflecting telescopes was developed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1680. Sir Newton was looking for a better way to view the heavans...

While there were refracting telescopes available, they had their difficulties. Refracted light splits into its various wavelengths or colors producing a rainbow effect when going through the tube of a refracting telescope at that time. This was a real problem as all the images were surrounded by a rainbow of color.

Isaac Newton concluded that it was impossible to refract light without this occurring. The mathematical genuis's "newtonian reflecting telescope" was followed up by John Hadley who in 1722, developed a telescope that used parabolic mirrors.

The reflecting telescope uses a curved mirror instead of a lens to focus the light and having a wider field of view than refracting telescopes as well as greater focal ratios and magnification. This means they are excellent for viewing distant nebulae and galaxies as well as nearby star clusters and comets.

They are fairly easy and cheap to make a simple reflecting telescope at home. It is essential that the mirrors are squeaky clean and in a perfect line to get a decent picture. If a mirror is ground wrong, it will distort the image. These scopes have huge light focusing ability and you will be able to get fantastic views of distant objects and take pictures of what you can see.

 
Reflecting telescopes come in many shapes and sizes, but Newton's design is the simplest and easiest to make. Basic materials you will need to make a refracting telescope include a parabolic mirror, a spherical mirror and finally a flat mirror. A focal ratio of f/8 is good for all round viewing; F/8 refers to the brightness and width of the field of view.

Once you have made your reflector telescope, you can have fun and see what distant spot in the universe catches your eye. There are so many awe inspiring things to watch and take pictures of.

About the Author:  Scott Harker is the publisher of several websites including: Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, Hyperhidrosis, Samurai Weapons, Baby Care Blog, and the Spotlight on Science Blog.

Video About The Parts of a Reflector Telescope


An explantion of the reflector telescope and how it differs from a refractor. Lots of projects and activities like this are on the website at: http://www.stormthecastle.com

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News About Reflecting Telescopes


Kykernel.com (subscription)

Opportunity to stargaze available to students
Kykernel.com (subscription)
AST 191 and 192 students are able to stargaze using the 20-inch reflecting telescope positioned in the center of the dome-shaped observatory, ...



Engineering a challenge for high school students
Canowindra News
... balloon powered cars, reticulating water systems, reflecting telescopes and fixed arm helicopters. Each activity was scored on specific criteria, ...



The '51 Observatory: a new view of the sky
The Miscellany News
The Class of 1951 Observatory is home to two large reflecting telescopes in separate domes. Every Wednesday, the Observatory is open for ...



Explore the universe at Chabot Space and Science Center
San Jose Mercury News
Each one — historic 1883 Leah with an eight-inch lens; Rachel, a 20-inch refracting telescope; and Nellie, a 36-inch reflecting telescope — can't help but ...

and more »


Suburban News

Amateur Astronomers Inc., explore the mystery of Mars
Suburban News
Visitors can view Mars and many seasonal objects through the 24-inch reflecting telescope and the 10-inch refracting telescope free of charge. ...



Cambridge scientists feature on The Royal Society's 350th Anniversary stamps
Media Newswire (press release)
Described how gravity works, laid down the three laws of motion and built the first practical reflecting telescope. Ernest Rutherford - key figure who ...


Google News


Reflecting Telescopes For Sale

Old Gilbert Reflecting Telescope Deluxe 80 w box vintag
US $3.24 (2 Bids)
End Date: Wednesday Mar-10-2010 8:20:14 PST
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Polaris Telescope Meade DS-2000 Reflecting Remote
US $50.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 13:33:19 PDT
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Gilbert Reflecting Telescope Deluxe 80 w/Box. 1962
US $9.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 14:17:06 PDT
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6" Reflecting Telescope & Tripod HowTo build PLANS 200x
US $5.95 (0 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Mar-14-2010 19:18:31 PDT
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Reflecting Telescope