Saturday, November 11, 2006

Stargazing on a Cloudy Night?

Unless you have a space telescope like the Hubble Space Telescope which seems like going to be forever stationed in space, here on earth you only have either your refracting telescope or a reflecting telescope so you definitely have to worry about clouds that would surely rob you of your magnificent views. (Of course the Hubble Space Telescope, since located in space would not have to worry about clouds.)

A cloudy weather is a spoiler for an otherwise great star gazing experience. Cloud will block any view and there really is nothing we can do about it. Wait for a clear, cloud-free night sky is the best time to set up our refracting telescope and enjoy a nice star gazing session.

Find an ideal place for astronomical observation can be a daunting task, especially if you are living in the city. First of all, the city lights can give you imperfect views of your targeted space objects. If you are a first time telescope user, try to know other amateur hobbyists in your neighborhood who might have determined the best public place for telescope set up.

Have fun - this is a simple yet sound advice. With your star gazing, you might not get the desired results with your refracting telescope or any other astronomical telescope. Usually the objects you are viewing may appear to you as small and not very clear. What do you expect? Most space objects are thousands and millions of light-years away. If you want a more magnificent view, you can train your refracting telescope to the moon anytime and enjoy its very visible features such as the craters and mountains.

Amateur star gazing is more about fun. Gradually you may opt to travel the path of a serious astronomer if it is really your calling.

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