iOptron HAE43EC Harmonic Mount Review

iOptron HAE43 telescope mount

HAE43EC (enhanced encoders)   Product: iOptron HAE43 Strain Wave AZ/EQ Mount with High Precision Encoders Manufacturer: iOptron Current Price: $4248 What are Strain Wave Mounts? Strain wave telescope mounts, also known as harmonic drive telescope mounts, are a type of motorized mount used to control the movement of telescopes. This type of mount is rapidly … Read more

Why do astronomers use red lights at night?

red light flashlight

Why do astronomers use red lights at night? It is because of the complexity of the human eye. Unlike a digital camera which has pixels of relatively equal light sensitivity, the human eye is composed of two types of light sensitive cells, rods and cones. Cones allow us to see color in bright light. Rods … Read more

eQuinox2 Smart Telescope Review

Equinox2 and included tripod

  Unistellar eQuinox2 Smart Tracking Telescope Price: $2499 (now includes smart solar filter, a $249 value!) Have you ever looked through a telescope expecting to see beautiful celestial objects in full and vivid color? Have you been disappointed when everything looks dim and fuzzy with no real color? Do you live in a city with … Read more

Right Ascension and Declination Explained

Right Ascension and Declination

How do we find objects in the sky? Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec) are two important celestial coordinates used to do this. What is Right Ascension? Right Ascension (RA) is similar to longitude on the Earth’s surface, except that it is measured in hours, minutes, and seconds rather than degrees of angle. RA is … Read more

Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4 Review

Takahashi FSW106EDx4

Product: Takahashi FSQ-106ED4X Manufacturer: Takahashi Price: $7330 as of the time of this review The Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4EDX4 is a high-quality, apochromatic refractor telescope that is designed for astrophotography and visual observing. It is a redesign of the venerable FSQ-106 telescope. It has a compact size and a relatively large aperture of 106mm, making it an … Read more

How to Match Telescope to Camera

My Equipment in Back Yard

Choosing astrophotography equipment can be confusing due to the many choices available. When matching a telescope with a camera for astrophotography, there are several things to consider to make sure you have the best match. It is much more than just thinking about budget and what looks nice. Image circle Many beginner astrophotographers fail to … Read more

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Go-To Mount Review

SkyWatcher Pro with Tripod and Controller

If you are looking for high quality equatorial telescope mount, look no further. Manufacturer: Sky-Watcher Mount type: Equatorial computerized go-to mount Price: $1699 The Sky-Watcher EQ6-R telescope mount is a quality telescope mount that provides reliable performance for both astrophotography and visual observation. It is a very popular choice for astrophotographers who are looking for … Read more

Celestron NexStar 6SE Telescope Review

Celestron NexStar 6E and Tripod

Celestron – NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope Manufacturer: Celestron Optics: Schmidt-Cassegrain Mount: Altazimuth Price: $1099 without accessories (as of the time of this review) The Company Celestron, based in Torrance, California, has a long history of making quality, affordable telescopes for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced users. The company is known for its innovative … Read more