
An astronomical telescope's view, by contrast, is often upside down, is sometimes mirror-imaged as well, and is usually presented at right angles to the direction you're aiming. They also show a view that's right-side up and straight in front of you, making it easy to see where you're pointing.A higher-power telescope magnifies only a tiny, hard-to-locate bit of sky. Binoculars show you a wide field of view, making it easy to find your way around.Thinking Telescope? Start Stargazing with Binoculars Insteadīinoculars make an ideal "first telescope" for several reasons: The ability to look up and say, "There's Polaris" or "That's Saturn" will provide pleasure, and perhaps a sense of place in the cosmos, for the rest of your life. but pretty quickly you'll be able to trace out star patterns in the sky with the help of star charts.Įven if you live in a densely populated, light-polluted area, there's more to see up there than you might imagine. Buy yourself an inexpensive planisphere, which shows the constellations visible at any time throughout the year.Download our free Getting Started in Astronomy flyer (with bimonthly maps).Use the monthly naked-eye star charts in Sky & Telescope magazine.Pooling thoughts from more than 100 years of collective experience answering the phones and mail, we came up with the following pointers to help newcomers past the most common pitfalls and onto the likeliest route to success.Īstronomy is an outdoor nature hobby, so the best way to begin is to go out into the night and learn the starry names and patterns overhead. What advice would help beginners the most? A while ago, the Sky & Telescope editors got together to brainstorm this question about astronomy for beginners. Astronomy for beginners shouldn't be that way. The first step in astronomy for beginners is simply to look up and ask, "What's that?" Begin gazing at the stars from your backyard, and you'll be taking the first step toward a lifetime of cosmic exploration and enjoyment.īut what, exactly, comes next? Too many newcomers to astronomy get lost in dead ends and quit in frustration.

How good an astronomer you become depends less on your gear than on building your knowledge and skills.ĭid you know you can see a galaxy 2½ million light-years away with your unaided eyes? Craters on the Moon with binoculars? Countless wonders await you any clear night.
