How to use a telescope to observe the sky?

For amateur astronomy enthusiasts, the telescope has become familiar. However, a telescope can only maximize its effect if you know how to use it properly.

Use a telescope to track the stars. Illustration: IT. Stay away from lights when observing the sky When using a telescope to observe the sky, determine for yourself reasonable objects and choose the right time and place to observe them. Strong light is the enemy of the astronomical observer. Therefore, stay away from city lights. If you are in the city, you can go to the quiet suburbs if possible. Otherwise, you should choose high positions and have a wide viewing angle to limit the effects of light pollution. Which objects are best for you to observe with amateur telescopes? Many young people after completing the telescope with their own hands feel disappointed. Because you have too much hope for a dream glasses without taking into account the reality factor. Remember, even the glasses that cost thousands of dollars that you order from the world’s leading manufacturers cannot allow you to see the colors shown in the photos taken on Google. Also, pay attention only to the brightest and most observable subjects. Which objects are the brightest? Except for the Moon, readers with basic knowledge of astronomy will think of Venus, Jupiter, Mars or Sirius – the brightest star after the planets in the system. However, Venus is not a good object to observe even though it is very bright. All you see is a yellow halo due to its thick and toxic atmosphere. Stars like Sirius, Canopus, although many times brighter than that, they are just distant balloons. It is not a reasonable target for observation through amateur optical telescopes. The best observed objects are the Moon first, followed by Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and a few galaxies, remarkable nebula. Don’t Observe When The Moon Is Full To observe the Moon, adjust the position of the eyepiece accordingly and aim at the vicinity of the semi-dark area during the nights between the 6th, 7th and 11th of the 12th lunar month. The full moon is a bad subject because it is so bright that it will obscure the craters and valleys you can see. You can solve this with a thin layer of glass called a moon filter, which will reduce the light of the Moon as it reaches your face. With industrial-grade telescopes, most have this. As for the homemade glasses, you can also design it yourself using a glass or a piece of blue plastic but still clear enough to see through it. Even so, the Moon should not be observed on full moon nights. Because in addition to it covering itself, it also obscures other attractive objects of observation, except, of course, on full moon days when the lunar eclipse occurs. You should have a map of the visible part of the Moon to compare when observing. These maps are now easy to find on the Internet and simply print out with any black and white printer. To observe the planets, it is best to choose the right time for good results. Planets have a different period than Earth, so they do not have a stable position like the distant star background. The easiest way is to use computer software to check the positions of the planets, or you can use free software downloaded at www.stellarium.org. Do not forget to set the exact location of the user and when you want to observe. It is advisable to choose days that are not full moons because the planets are in relatively high positions. Jupiter is the most observable object through amateur telescopes. Push your eyepiece a little deeper than when looking at the Moon and try to orient the lens because it will disappear instantly if you don’t keep your gaze exactly. Although it is not possible to see the colors as clearly as in the photos online that have been taken with exposure techniques, and through equipment thousands of times more modern than the amateur glasses you own, the colors Basic with brown lines, dark yellow is what you will see, and moreover the 4 Galilean satellites of this planet. Saturn is like Jupiter, just determine the right direction and fix the glass and you will easily observe it. The most interesting thing to look at this planet is its ring. However, it won’t be as colorful as you’re used to seeing in the photos, both the planet and the ring appear pale yellow. Next in the Solar System is Mars. But observing this planet is not very interesting because all you see is a faint red and maybe some black patches with faint ice caps at the poles if the telescope is relatively good. Anyway, this is the only planet in the Solar System that we can see some of its surface through amateur telescopes. One type of object that is very interesting to observe with amateur telescopes or, more neatly, tubes are bright galaxies and nebulae. Remember to push your eyepiece even further towards the objective so that you can observe the celestial bodies at infinity. The first notable is the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), a spiral galaxy. At a distance of nearly 3 million light-years, it emits light strong enough to be seen with the naked eye. Even with a small binocular you can see a band of light that seems to be a combination of countless small bright dots when directed towards it. What you see is billions and billions of suns like our own. Next is the Pleiades star cluster (M45), also known as the stellar group. It is also easy to recognize with the naked eye, it is a small group of 7 brightest stars located right in the constellation Taurus. Through binoculars or small telescopes, it can be clearly seen that it is a blue star cluster with many stars, including 7 brightest stars visible to the naked eye, so it is called the Seven Stars. This is an open cluster in the milky Way located 400 light-years from Earth. Another member you should look out for is the Orion Nebula (M42), an emission nebula with the same galaxy about 1,350 light-years from Earth. The Orion Nebula, although visible to the naked eye, is quite faint.