Scope or telescope – what to choose?
Rifle scope or telescope – what to choose?
Watching wildlife or the night sky is undoubtedly one of the most exciting activities that often provide a truly extraordinary experience. However, in order to be able to observe stars or animals, we will need the right equipment. Here is a short guide from which you can learn how to choose the right telescope or telescope.
What is the difference between a telescope and a telescope? In which cases a telescope will be a more useful tool, and when would it be better to have a telescope at your disposal? Let’s take a closer look and try to answer these questions.
What is a telescope for?
A telescope is an instrument designed primarily for advanced nature observation. What does the adjective “advanced” mean in this case? Well, the zoom power of a spotting scope is much greater than that of even the best binoculars. This makes it possible to observe animals accurately even from a distance of many kilometres. The basic factor that distinguishes a telescope from a binocular in terms of construction is the fact that the telescope has only one eyepiece. In principle, advanced observing telescopes fall into two basic categories, namely straight-type telescopes and angle-type telescopes. Another, although less important, type of subdivision of the telescopes is that of size. In this case, small telescopes are those with a lens diameter of less than 65 mm, medium telescopes are those with a lens diameter of approximately 80 mm and large telescopes are those with a lens diameter of more than 100 mm.
In addition to nature observation, observation telescopes are also normally used to observe aircraft at cruising altitudes and in certain sports, such as sport shooting.
What should you pay attention to before you buy a spotting scope? The first issue is of course the magnification: the bigger the magnification, the better. The second important criterion is visual acuity: before buying equipment, it is good to make sure that it gives a sharp, accurate picture even from very long distances and not only in the centre of the field of view, but also on the banks.
Telescopes – what should you know about them?
Unlike binoculars or telescopes, a telescope is an object whose purpose from the very beginning was to observe objects not on the ground but outside it. The first telescopes, although primitive in their construction, allowed for incomparably more accurate observation of stars than it is possible only with the help of the human eye. Today, state-of-the-art telescopes allow us to observe areas hundreds of millions of light years away from our planet. Of course, the equipment available in shops is not that powerful, but it does not mean that it does not offer unusual opportunities for night sky observation.
When buying a telescope it is worth paying attention to the sharpness of the image and contrast. The telescope should have two high quality glasses, as well as a good reflector with a diameter of up to 150 mm. When buying a telescope, it is also worth paying attention to the quality of its construction: it should be rigid and completely stable, so that the observation of stars is not disturbed by any vibrations. Contrary to popular belief, the most important parameter of a good telescope is not magnification, but diameter: it is the diameter that determines the brightness and precision of the image. The refractor should have a diameter of at least 50 mm and be made of high quality glass.
It is also worth remembering that even the best telescope will not allow us to observe stars if we live in a city. In order to observe the stars it is necessary to have a clear, crystalline sky. For this reason, if you live in a city, it is not worth buying expensive, heavy and difficult to transport equipment, because just packing such a telescope into a car may take us a little less time than observing the stars.
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