By Michael Deneen Astronomy Chart Light – Gloucester Field Lamp: A few years ago, I started searching for a dimmable, battery-operated red-LED field lamp for my chart table, and I was surprised to find none on the market. I decided to build one on my own, and it has changed […]
Interview with Wayne Parker Creator of the SkyShed POD: Wayne Parker, creator of the SkyShed POD, POD MAX as well as a number of other astronomy related products, took some time to update us on the process of developing its unique POD MAX observatory. Wayne is also a member of […]
SBS SM-2 Seeing Monitor : Santa Barbara Scientific, a company formed by one of the original founders of SBIG (now part of Diffraction Limited), offers a unique product that allows amateur astronomers to measure the true seeing conditions in the areas they practice astronomical viewing and imaging. The SBS SM-2 […]
iOptron calls the iOptron AZ Mount Pro a “level and go mount,” the term it uses to describe its AZ Mount Pro’s simple set-up routine. Using its built-in precision level indicator, you simply level the mount and turn on the power – the computerized alt-azimuth telescope mount takes it from […]
MallinCam is now offering a new lower price of $799US for itsMallinCam SkyRaider DS2.3 Plus video/imager/autoguider. Part of the MallinCam SkyRaider family of astronomical video cameras, the DS2.3 Plus incorporates the Sony Exmor CMOS sensor to deliver the high sensitivity needed for astronomical observation and imaging. The MallinCam SkyRaider DS2.3 […]
Astro-Physics Starfire Refractor> Ever since reading Alan Dyer’s article Astro-Physics Refractors Big & Small in the 1993 September issue of Astronomy magazine, I have dreamt of someday owning an AP-155 f/7 EDF Starfire refractor. Well, it’s taken a couple of decades but I finally acquired Astro-Physics Starfire Refractor a few […]
BOSS Supernova Search: With each new advancement in the technology available to amateur astronomers, the line between amateur and professional – already barely distinguishable – is further blurred. There may be no better example than the feats of a group of amateur astronomers who call their group the Backyard Observatory […]
Many of us grew up firmly believing that 2001: A Space Odyssey was the coolest space sci-fi movie we have ever seen. Even if you didn’t feel that way, you had to admit, the elegance that Stanly Kubrick shot the film in makes it one of the most memorable of […]
Astrozap Telescope Dust Covers: Astronomers can get pretty finicky about cleanliness, especially when it comes to their telescope optics. The reality is that dust is everywhere and it is next to impossible to keep it entirely off a telescope’s optics. However, you don’t have to allow dust to settle on […]
Unihedron SQM-LU-DL: The names Unihedron and Sky Quality Meter have become synonymous with measurement of sky brightness. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a tool that has had greater impact on quantification of local light pollution. Unihedron’s original SQM set the standard and has since evolved into a comprehensive range of […]
The Observer Pro app is an iOS app designed specifically for advanced amateur astronomy planning for those using iPhones, iPads iPod Touch. No guessing when that galaxy will emerge from behind that dastardly tree; no estimating how many hours you’ll be able to image an object. It provides easy answers […]
First released in the Apple App Store December 2016, the Agile Autoguider app is an iPhone app that corrects the mechanical guiding of your telescope to achieve high guiding precision. The iPhone is attached to the finder scope of your telescope and tracks a guide star via the rear camera. […]