Optics

From microscopes to telescopes, rifle scopes to night vision, eHow’s got the optics information you’re looking for. In the market for binoculars? On the hunt for the perfect optical accessories for the bird watcher in your life? Advice from eHow experts make shopping for optics easy. Having trouble getting a good look at Mars on a perfectly clear night? Learn how to focus a telescope. From sighting wild game to locating a paramecium on a microscope slide, see it all with step-by-step instructions from resident experts.

Categories in Optics

Articles in Optics

By eHow Electronics Editor 0 comments
Knowing how to properly adjust a rifle scope will pay dividends when it comes to getting consistent and accurate results during hunting or target practice. How you perform these adjustments will depend on what type of rifle scope you are using... more »
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Rifle scopes are available with a variety of options, including different magnification, reticle type and resolution. Choose a rifle scope wisely, and your junior hunter will get much more out of hunting... more »
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The best telescope is not the most expensive or the biggest - it's the one you'll use most... more »
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The area in which you can see through your telescope is known as the true field of view. Your telescope’s field of view is determined by the design of the eyepiece. Here is how to find the field of view of the Sky-Watcher Short Tube Refractor ... more »
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Microscopes can bring those seemingly invisible creatures of our earth to life on your glass slide. Sometimes the light bulb gets too dim or burns out. If your microscope light bulb needs to be changed, hurry to your computer and order a new ... more »
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A microscope is an investment. Even student models come at a price tag that will make you take your microscope seriously. Microscopes vary in quality and function, but their lifespan will be extended if you maintain them properly. In fact, with ... more »
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Birders, hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts who want to check out the terrain consider their binoculars a necessity. Nature watchers rely on them for quick species identification. Rafters or mountaineers use them to scout up ahead. You may ... more »
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One of the main reasons for using a telescope is advanced photography. A telescope can be attached to a camera for high quality detailed photos. The Sky-Watcher SK1206AZ3 Short Tube Refractor Telescope also offers such functionality. However, ... more »
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Dobsonian refers to the kind of mount - inexpensive, but cumbersome - on which the telescope sits. It moves the telescope on an XY axis, which is to say, up and down and left to right... more »
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Retina scanners are one of the most reliable and effective biometric scanning devices. By scanning the ultra-specific retinal blood vessel patterns unique to every person, retina scanners provide an almost foolproof means of identifying a person. ... more »
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Apochromatic telescopes are more expensive than reflecting telescopes, but they require less maintenance and are extremely portable... more »
By jiminflux 2 comments
If you've ever wished you could do something to reduce the glare of public streetlights in your windows at night, or wanted it a little darker in your backyard so you could see the stars, here is a legal, non-destructive way to improve the ... more »
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A rifle scope lets you employ the full potential of your hunting rifle at the rifle's maximum range. Before you can use your scope, you must sight it in with your rifle... more »
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The setting circles of the equatorial mount make it easy to locate objects in the sky. To use these setting circles, you must first align the equatorial mount with the earth's axis of rotation... more »
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The Meade 8-inch LightBridge truss tube Dobsonian telescope comes equipped with a red dot finder instead of the traditional crosshair configuration found in other telescopes. To get the most of your new red dot tool you need to align this tool ... more »
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The Meade LX90 telescope line comes almost fully ready to view the stars. Within a few minutes of unboxing and unwrapping your telescope, you will be ready to look at the many constellations in the sky. Just follow these simple instructions to ... more »
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You determine the magnification power of a telescope from the focal length of the eyepiece and the focal length of the telescope. The eyepiece in the Sky-Watcher SK MAK series is either 10 mm or 25 mm; the telescope ranges from 1250 to 1500 mm... more »
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Collecting rifle scopes can be a fascinating hobby, especially when you take into account the craftsmanship and precision of these optical instruments. You can choose to collect rifle scopes on the basis of their size, crosshair type, relative ... more »
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Use the setting circles for right ascension and declination on your Celestron Firstscope to quickly locate heavenly objects. You can find the objects' coordinates in star charts or atlases. Just follow these steps... more »
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Using a rifle scope will give you a big advantage over conventional rifle sights when it comes to accuracy. By choosing a scope that is right for you, and knowing how to adjust it properly, you will be able to increase that advantage even more... more »
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While the majority of rifle scopes these days are very robust instruments that are very difficult to damage, you will still need to perform some basic maintenance on them. By keeping your rifle scope clean and the lens protected from the ... more »
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Observing the stars is a hobby that requires good equipment if you plan on getting the most out of it. Astronomy can be done from home or while you travel, but you'll need the right tools, especially if you're going to enjoy astronomy away from ... more »
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Setting the polar home position of your telescope will help you accurately view celestial objects. By following these steps, you will be able to set the polar home position without too much trouble... more »
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An extension tube for a telescope or other optic acts between the objective lens and the eyepiece of the instrument by spacing and funneling light. Extension tubes affect focus capability by moving the lens within the eyepiece further from the ... more »
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Your Mead telescope can provide a guided tour of the heavens that can be as inspiring as it is educational. Here's how the guided tour function works... more »