Are the skies clear or are there passing clouds? Knowing there are clouds in the area helps you understand why an object you are gazing at suddenly disappears, or your GoTo telescope insists an object is there but you can’t see it!

Choosing the right telescope can be quite a challenge for the beginner. There has never been as much choice, so many optical configurations and range of prices than exist on today's market. In general terms telescope design and optical quality are usually pretty good nowadays — it wasn't always so. As buyers have become more informed via the internet and astronomical publications they have become far more discerning in their choice. This has meant that optical quality has improved and truly awful telescopes are, thankfully, becoming increasingly scarce. Unless you're a seasoned skywatcher and you can afford to go for the more expensive apochromatic — which corrects for such an effect by using exotic glass for the lenses — this degree of color fringing will not ruin your observing experience to any great extent. If you decide to go for the expensive option, you will be stunned by the views you will get through these excellent telescopes. Be warned, though, you might find that some apochromatics come without a tripod, something that you'll have to buy separately along with any accessories.

The World Space Tourism Guide

During our Celestron Advanced VX 8 EdgeHD review, we were pleased to find that the optics in the EdgeHD negate the blurred edges, creating a perfectly flat field right to the edge of the frame for pinpoint sharpness across the whole image. The Celestron Advanced VX 8 EdgeHD's optical performance is impressive, with crisp and clear views with no optical distortion or false color. The Celestron Omni XLT 102 is aimed at intermediate-level skywatchers, particularly those who have mastered setting circles and know how to use the right ascension and declination coordinates on the supplied high-quality CG-4 German equatorial mount. Center your subject in the finder scope's frame; there are usually crosshairs or a dot so you know when it's central. Now when you look through your telescope's eyepiece, your subject will be centered here too.

Time to dispel jargon myths with a bit of a telescope glossary. The larger a telescope's aperture (the size of its main lens or primary mirror) the more light is collected and more fine detail is revealed. For example, a 200 mm aperture collects four times more light than a 100 mm telescope. Under ideal conditions, a 100 mm telescope reveals stars down to magnitude +11.8, while a 200 mm telescope will show stars down to magnitude +13.3. A 100 mm telescope will 'split' a double star separated by 1.5 arcseconds and resolves a three-kilometer lunar crater; however, a 200 mm telescope resolves a crater just 1.5 km across and a double star separated by just 0.6 arcseconds. Resolution is limited by the telescope's optical quality and the steadiness of the Earth's atmosphere. The next step after looking at products in the same category, was to look at products from the same brand, . Going out and about and capturing images of the night sky from different places is one of the best things you can do with your telescope. For the best travel portable telescope, look no further than the Celestron 52304 Regal M2 65ED Spotting Scope. This scope is not just for nighttime viewing; you can use it in the daytime for amazing imagery too. Perfect for bird watching or spotting wildlife from afar, the 52304 provides crystal clear images and great focus. The Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass is ideal for capturing accurate colour reproduction and minimising chromatic aberration. It’s great for those that wish to dabble in astronomy as well as using the scope to view things closer to home. What I like about it: This is pretty easy, because computerized telescopes have a built-in navigation system. Not only can they align themselves with little help from you, they have a built-in database and drive system that can show you thousands of objects with the push of a few buttons.Sky-Watcher Skymax 150 PROFor astrophotography, you cannot go wrong with this telescope — it has great quality optics and an excellent build, although not all models come with a tripod.★★★★