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Telescopes help amateur astronomers view the stars and see the universe. Learn how to use and care for a telescope from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
There are 15 videos in this series:
Star charts and star wheels help home telescope users find and identify stars in the night sky. Learn to use star charts for telescope viewing from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Try red lights and binoculars when telescope viewing to keep up night vision and home in on star clusters. Use tools that help telescope observations with an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
The parts of telescope can differ in varying telescope designs, but they work by using mirrors or lenses as reflectors or refractors to magnify light. Learn the parts of a basic telescope from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Telescopes that follow the design made by Sir Isaac Newton were coined Newtonian and have finding telescopes attached. Study Newtonian telescopes with an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Clean telescope lenses and mirrors only every few years and never use a T-shirt or finger to wipe viewing surfaces. Maintain a telescope in working order with an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Use a telescope to see the Messier Objects or take in planets and moons as they trace the ecliptic arc. Observe the stars with a telescope alongside an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes use mirrors and lenses to form a telescope incorporating Newtonian mirrors and a redirecting lens. Study Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes with an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes can collect frost or dew on viewing plates, but simple heating devices can keep viewing crystal clear. Care for Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes with an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Telescopes with fork equatorial mounts rotate to follow the arc of the sun, not in straight lines. Learn how to use equatorial mounts for a telescope from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Telescopes should be aligned on equatorial mounts, often centering on the North Star, to ease following celestial bodies over time. Align Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes with an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Telescopes can feature different eyepieces that change magnification and viewing options during telescope use. Learn different eyepieces for telescope viewing from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Use a telescope far from city lights and light pollution to see stars, but view meteors with the naked eye. Get tips on viewing meteor showers and observing starry skies with a telescope from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
The internet can help telescope enthusiasts have fun exploring the night sky, seeing satellites or keeping up with astronomy. Learn internet resources for home telescope viewing from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Planetarium software for telescope users and lay astronomers help viewers explore the sky. Learn about planetarium programs that help local telescope viewers from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Home telescopes can see many galaxies and star clusters, but images will not be as profound as space telescope images. Find out what a home telescope can reasonably hope to see from an observatory director in this free astronomy video.
Since the dawn of time, the night sky has fascinated inhabitants of Earth. The Egyptians and Mayans used astronomy sciences and star charts to navigate, as did sailors. Constellations have provided fascinating legends and fodder for horoscope writers in newspapers all over the world. Since the invention of the telescope, astronomy, the study of stars and the celestial bodies, has made grand leaps understanding the way our universe exists. Telescopes can be small enough to carry in a satchel or large enough to fill an entire laboratory, and so the fascination with how the planets and stars swirl and twinkle can be scratched by amateur and professional astronomers alike. In this free telescope viewing and astronomy video series, observatory director Rocky Alvey teaches all about home telescope use. Alvey talks about telescopes with passion, including the parts of a telescope, the development of various styles, where to use them, and where to find local resources for telescope viewers. Alvey offers tips on caring for a telescope, transport and upgrading. He even addresses the reasonable expectations a telescope viewer can set when observing the stars from home.
Rocky Alvey & Billy Teets Rocky Alvey is the assistant director of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. Alvey has been involved in astronomy from 1969 to the present and now conducts educational programs and public outreach at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory and other locations in Tennessee, giving presentations to thousands of people on subjects which cover nearly all aspects of astronomy and telescopes.dkdk
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