7 Common Mistakes Made by Beginning Amateur Astronomers

[@danielboyar8016]

I would add one other common mistake: not familiarizing oneself with the use of the telescope before using it in the dark (night time). A beginner can learn a lot about how to use a telescope by practicing with it in the daytime to view distant land objects. It is a lot of fun and in doing so, one learns how to point a scope, use a finder, focusing, positioning the eye, adjusting the mount to center an object, and the effect of using different eyepieces/magnifications. Also, I suggest the use of a chair to be comfortably seated and setting up the telescope around sunset to make the moon a first target. Dan B., FL

[@edting]

Yes, good tips, thanks!

[@metalsoft26]

#1 Not ask for your wife permission before bringing a telescope home! Lol. Nice video Ed as always!

[@audioaficionado9494]

Asking for forgiveness is better than asking for permission. Then get her something nice too.

[@metalsoft26]

This works the first time. From the second or third telescope onwards it doesn't anymore! Lol!

[@SteveN-uc4xh]

Just hide it behind her shoes she got "on sale" 😜

[@metalsoft26]

@@SteveN-uc4xh lol! When you are a dobsonian addicted there is no more closets enough inside the house. My first 10 inch scope take place of her bookcase, my 8 inch is inside the guest room, my 4,5 inch is inside another room and my 70mm refractor inside our closet. My excuses or tricks were all used... Lol

[@Chromia1]

With me, it's the opposite. My other half..."What did you buy!?!" LOL

[@BruceElliott]

When I got into astronomy last year I was convinced that I had no interest in astrophotography and expected to be doing only visual observation. That changed when I put my cell phone up against the eyepiece so that I could show my wife later what I'd been seeing: a dim wispy bit of gray that I knew was the Orion Nebula. What I got instead was a color image with reds and blues that I could never see with my eye. Since I am older (now 60) and I can't escape light pollution without driving at least two hours, I'm starting to see AP more as a way of enhancing my observation than as a way to produce great images. Fortunately for me, I was already familiar with many of the concepts of visual astronomy, so the increased learning curve isn't too bad - that wouldn't be true for everyone.

[@johnnyringo2670]

Thats what i thought too, i was looking at the ring nebula, and then I decided to try the cell phone mount I was using to take moon pics, I was very surprised when the phone picture showed green and blue.

[@raduarghiros7364]

you can see color on the Orion nebula with a big enough telescope or if the sky is very dark (you still need a decent size telescope). Sure, a long exposure photo will always show more, but I like exploring it with my eyes, as you can focus on details.

[@talesoftheinlandseas5063]

​@@nunyabeezwax7417you will never be able to see a supernova happening in visual astronomy during your lifetime.just not gonna happen. And as for stuff moving on the moon, that doesnt really happen. What the person you replied to was refering to was the human eye adapting and some of the color becoming visible, as through the naked eye you will almost always only ever see deep sky objects as black qnd white smudges

[@beenaplumber8379]

I feel a bit out of sequence. I bought a nice camera for my trip to see the eclipse on April 8 this year (I got amazing photos!!!), and it came with 2 cheap kit lenses. I've been driving out to farm country now fairly frequently, just the camera, tripod, and kit lenses, taking pictures of all kinds of stuff, mostly the fascinating star field inside Draco's head and the 2 globular clusters in Hercules. (That's what's in the sky now.) Oh, also keeping an eye on T CrB. I learned how to do image stacking, so I don't need (or want) motorized tracking. I learned all that stuff, and now I want to add a telescope, like adding a really nice telephoto lens. I want to get a telescope to improve my existing hobby of astrophotography. It's awkward because I can't find answers to my most basic questions, like, how to find a telescope that I can connect my camera to, or what adapter hardware I might need. That is by far my biggest concern when choosing a telescope, not mirror size, portability, type of mount, etc. I just want more light for my camera.

[@Astronurd]

​@@talesoftheinlandseas5063 What supernovae have you discovered with AP? AP has become nothing more than electronic and software manipulation of the images. I done AP for 10 years and I still get the most enjoyment from my 16" dobsonian in bortle 2 skies.. Breathtaking. I think doing EAA is far closer to reality than AP.

[@mj1653]

Great advice. Aperture fever is another mistake. Bigger isn’t always better, the best scope is the one you actually use, not the behemoth sitting in your house collecting dust.

[@Mandragara]

I almost, and I mean almost, made that mistake with my 12" Dob. But thankfully it's just portable enough that I don't worry about lugging it outside due to it's size, but it's right on the edge of too much!

[@flyindividual]

Guilty as charged.

[@turbomecca5709]

Raising my hand reluctantly.. A 10" Dobsonian (collapsible flex tube atleast) seemed like a good purchase during the 2020 corona restrictions.

[@freeman10000]

I once had an amazing custom made 14 inch Dobsonian back in the day. Cost quite a lot of money and the images were out of the world. However, the same telescope was heavy and took quite a bit or time setting up. I eventually ended up with a mass produced 8 inch dob. Was I disappointed? Absolutely not. This scope was much easier to set up and transport and an eight inch mirror is easily enough to show me the wonders of the universe. Basically if I had a permanent observatory in the countryside I would much prefer the 14" but living in suburbia with a young family I have to face certain realities. For me, at this point in time, portability and convenience are my objectives. A few Televue eyepieces and narrow band filters and I am truely set with my eight incher.

[@xDeeKayHD]

Honestly, lugging around my 10” dob is a price I would gladly pay any day for the views it gives. I get it’s not for everyone, though.

[@davidstaiti]

Ed, I'm 45 and getting back into astronomy with my own kids, after having been away from the hobby myself since high school! I just bought a Celestron 8se as a family Christmas present because both my teenage daughters independently asked for a telescope! I've been devouring your videos to reacquaint myself with a hobby I love as a young man in the late 80s and early 90s. Thanks so much for the great videos!

[@Uieca]

ur a great parent in your children are interested in astronomy!

[@lowellmccormick6991]

Dark skies and altitude are everything. My favorite observing site was New Mexico Skies back when they were taking guests. 7400' elevation with perfect transparency. The details in galaxies was incredible. I encourage everyone to get out to dark skies in the SW when you have the opportunity. The Grand Canyon Star Party is a great event to consider. You don't have to bring a telescope, there's a parking lot full of telescopes for you to look thru.

[@Michaelcaba]

Ed, as usual, excellent video. One thing I wish I had done was to follow the advice to start with binoculars. Like most, I just had to get a scope, and it was fun looking at Saturn's rings with said scope. Yet, I also had some binoculars, and I noticed that if I mounted them on a tripod, well, I could see a lot of stuff. As time went by, the binoculars began to be used more and more. Easy to set up, portable, and lots of Messier objects to view! Then, one day my wife said: "You don't use your telescope anymore." Over the years, I have learned to listen to my extra brain, that is, to my wife. So, bingo, the light went on and I sold my big scope, my auto mount, my extra mount, my eyepieces, my this, my that, etc., etc. etc. Now, for my personal observing I just have two principles which are: (1) portability and (2) quality. I now have some high quality binoculars, and one lightweight 80mm APO with two good eyepieces; plus a few accessories. I use the scope to see Saturn's rings and a few other things, but the binos are my main tool. It helps that I volunteer at an observatory, so if I need something big I am set. But your advice to join a club can fill this need. Astro buffs love to show off their stuff! That's my story and I am sticking to it! (NOTE: APM binoculars are, in my view, an excellent option if you want to pursue the hobby over the long run; but starting with, say, Celestron binos for under a $100 ia a great option to begin with. Finally, I think binos in the range of 15 - 20 power with 70mm - 80mm aperture are the best overall; but, a 7x50 handheld is nice to have to see something really quick, and a mid power of 10x50 on a tripod is a nice addition too.)

[@ocelotMartinez]

Great advice! I have been using a 20X80 Orion binos and I love it! I did have to spend about twice the cost on the tripod though bc I hated using a camera tripod bc it was very cumbersome to have others look and tell them "DON'T TOUCH IT OR IT WILL MOVE!!" so I bought a parallelogram mount to attach to my tripod.

[@gabrielrobles5288]

@@ocelotMartinez that is my story as well, binos rock! Wich parallelogram did you bought?

[@ocelotMartinez]

@@gabrielrobles5288 I bought Orion Paragon-Plus mount. Bc I bought without tripod I had to do some adjustments to my Zomei tripod to make it work. Works very well.

[@togray619]

I'm guilty of several of these rookie mistakes. That was 40 years ago. Having information available at the touch of a key has helped more than anything. Anyone else remember searching for information and having to wait for its arrival in the mail or at the library?

[@michaelkbutler]

yes!

[@stevieb6173]

complete beginner , not even bought anything yet , but boy did this help , thankyou so much 👌👍

[@davidborger1808]

This guy is awesome.

[@44messier]

One usual mistake our customers make when enquiring is they ask about taking photos before even looking through the eyepiece. Another mistake some make is thinking there is nothing else in the night sky other than the Moon and Jupiter to look at, get bored and sell a few months later, saying used once and no longer needed. Great video

[@mzmagister]

Ed, you are my best discovery regarding getting started in astronomy. Thanks a lot from Switzerland!

[@kayinoue2497]

My first learning on stargazing came from a hand-me down book of star-charts from a middle-school teacher of mine who happened to be a part of our local astronomy club in Massachusetts. That simple spiral-bound, 1980s-printed and patina'd guide to the night sky was my ticket to ride. I cannot pverstate how important it is to keep it simple so you absorb as much of the joy of the experience as possible. Cool gear and fancy scopes come with time and experience. And ASK QUESTIONS!

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

I stand by my _Uranometria 2000.0_ chart books, red and blue.

[@UserMum7512]

I remember those first dim observations, I was blown away. It was way better than any google pictures

[@kelrico1]

Thank you! This helps me a lot as I am truly a beginner with a brand new 8" Dobsonian. :)

[@ScrapYardDog64]

So true Ed, I spent tens of thousands of pounds on AP, and I burned out and sold everything and bought a new motorbike, and now I've started a new journey in visual astronomy and no more frustration with guiding and un-sharp noiseless data! Good binoculars or an 8-inch dob are all you need.

[@oninoyakamo]

My first scope was equatorially mounted. It was just such a bother to set up that I never used it properly. Growing up with an Etch-a-Sketch turns out made me most comfortable with Alt-Az's with slow-mo controls. Bought an LX200 and have been happily viewing ever since.

[@gowdsake7103]

Only problem with that would be deep sky photography if you dont do that alt az is perfect

[@again5t.your53lf6]

Buying telescope&mount set, the mount is usually by 1 model off, it is overloaded so buy seperately and bigger is not better

[@rodneyjohnson4794]

you saved me! i've been trying to justify buying a scope. here is a tip from my backpacking days: don't take more than you are willing to carry. the farther you go on foot, the heavier it gets. if you really, really think you need a big scope then buy a large truck with outriggers and mount the scope permanently. 4 wheel drive and super stiff suspension. i accidentally did the right thing- i bought a pair of used nikon action (rubber) 8x40 binos off ebay ($50!). i like them a lot, but my brother in law has a pair of sears 10x50, i used them a bit, liked them, and found a pair of used nikon action, (rubber) 12x50 ( ebay $50!). they are heavier, so i got a bino mount for a tripod. much better. well, it got worse. there was talk about 7x35s giving a wider view with a little loss of size of the viewed object. once again, ebay ($8! yup, $8), only sears this time. this has worked out well. i use the 12x for moonwatching, and the others for the general sky. having said that i'm giving thought to a short tube 80mm scope, a refractor.

[@davidrichardson9387]

Keep up the great work. You are saving a lot of people a lot of pain and hopefully helping them enjoy astronomy a lot more!

[@ultrametric9317]

I think my biggest error was demanding perfection from imperfect equipment. My first telescope was a very fine 3" Japanese refractor from Sears (back when department store scopes were good). There was some very slight play in the RA worm gear drive and this drove me nuts. I ended up disassembling the mount and making it worse. Well I learned a lot, but the original "problem" was in my head, not the equipment.

[@JonathanSias]

I got into astronomy after I pointed my camera at the night sky. I got a star tracker before I got a telescope!

[@benjaminolry5849]

Same with me. The Video really doesn't take this vector to astronomy into account. I still have no eyepieces and just thrive on AP.

[@NatarajanGanesan]

Probably #1 comes close. I nearly made that up by joining a few online groups in social media and I never regretted it. I learnt so much that even today I consider myself past the beginner stage. Of late coming across such wonderful channels in KZbin such as yours has been another boon. My equipment are a measley 60mm apo refractor, which I bought after a lot of thought, an EQ-1 mount with motor (pretty worn), and my Canon T3. A departmental store gift was one I used for a long time and extracted the max out of it. Binoculars and apps on my phone to find my way in the night skies have been my long time friend. I could go on ... Great video

[@David-hm9ic]

Some additional thoughts: Don't buy cheap eyepieces! They're no bargain and will spoil your astronomy experience. You don't need Tele Vue to start out but at least buy name brand Plossl eyepieces. Astronomy club members are invaluable for helping with eyepieces. Consider the size, weight and setup time of the scope. A 10" or larger Schmidt Cassegrain can be ungainly to handle. A 12" or larger Dob will start getting pretty big and heavy, too. After some injuries and as I get older I'm considering moving from a 10" to an 8" SCT.

[@zbnmth]

Reading your comment, I now consider myself very lucky to be fit enough to very easily handle my 8" SCT - I still find it easy enough to carry my 16 kg SW EQ8 mount and 20 kg tripod from my parents' attic to their garden to still enjoy the hobby. Am considering a 14" SCT for planetary imaging. If fate decides, a 16" would even be in the options. I am 30 and physically fit. But the 16" would be housed in a small semipermanent observatory.

[@MountainFisher]

I bought a Celestron digital camera adapter and it fits onto most scopes. I put my camera on it and adjusted it with my ED eyepieces which are all the same. It takes great pictures or videos and there is free software that will stack the video. My scope has near perfect focus at lower power so I can use the zoom feature and still get a good picture. I had the mirror worked on, but it was worth the extra money for the return.

[@markihde4381]

Excellent advice. Even when I should have known better, I should have invested in an adequate equatorial mount before getting my 4th telescope. A 6", f-12 refractor isn't just big. It's HUGE. So, this video is good advice, even for non-beginners.

[@ronboe6325]

I've made most of those errors. Working on making different ones now. :^) I'll just add, if you are NOT a joiner, at least take advantage of the star parties these clubs put on. You will learn a lot at a star party, and see if you gel with the folks.

[@myfishingadventures1509]

Wow I just found him last week and am hooked!

[@BWSTX]

Absolutely the best advice I have heard. Covid gave me the opportunity to get a scope and start looking. A 6" table top works great for me. I would like to have something more but for my location and lifestyle it is the right choice. Bigger I wouldn't have time for. Smaller I wouldn't be happy with. As a newbie the only thing I would add to your list is to have realistic expectations. Astrophotography shows you things you won't see with the naked eye. And a lot of what you see in advertising is Astrophotography. And practice. The saying that you can't grow a beard in a day applies to this study very well. It takes time.

[@minosvaidis]

I listened to opinions of self-claimed experienced astronomers on Facebook about what should my first telescope should me. As it turned out, many of their suggestions and comments were not helpful at all. At the end i figured out that i need a 200mm (8 inch) dobsonian that i bought used for a really good price.

[@bomartin]

watched your video three times, trying to absorb all the information I could, i would probably only use this for a few weeks in the beginning then a few time a year, so I think I will just wait and see what the new ones look like, enjoyed your honesty, thanks again for your video.

[@DrKO2453]

I'm breaking one of the no nos...going for astrophotography. I used an ETX125 a few years back and loved it. I knew from the get go what I saw in the eyepiece was not what the astrophotos look like. But, I've been a photographer for the better part of my life, over forty years, and just ordered an Orion StarShoot tracker. As you said...no rush. Trial and error, learn and take my time. Thanks for doing these!

[@DataCymru1701]

I'm just starting and I find it overwhelming, but it's something I've always wanted to focus on so I'm not giving up!

[@schmetterling4477]

The most fun "telescope" I own is a $12 pair of 7x50 binoculars. What's overwhelming about that? You have to understand that more equipment means only three things in this field: less money in your pocket, more weight in your car (or garage when you are not using it) and more work. Unless a telescope is a manhood inflator for you and you actually enjoy showing off your toys, hobby astronomy doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. You don't have to be the guy who replicates yet another amateurish shot of a deep space object that Hubble has taken in all of its real glory 25 years ago for you.

[@NinjaSoldierbviewssecondsago]

This video was very helpful man , I made the mistake by getting into astrophotography first and then after months I quickly lost interest until now I started simply pointing my telescope at planets and slowly making my way back up.

[@gregerianne3880]

Great video, Ed! It's nice (well, sobering) to see how many of these mistakes I made now that I've been in the hobby for a couple of years. I am thankful that I progressed slowly: binoculars to learn the night sky, then a 6" Dob (although I can't tell you how much I wish I would have gotten an 8"!) to keep learning the night sky, star tracker/cheap DSLR for some quick pics to show my family what all the fuss was about, and now -- astrophotography. (Yes, I'm afraid succumbed to its Siren Song and I'm addicted now...no going back.) But you couldn't have been more on target. Had I decided to pursue astrophotography before learning what I learned in the two years before, I would have been utterly lost and spent even more money trying to find my way out. So, very sound advice as always! Thanks.

[@flechettedart]

Thank you a lot. I am just following the steps and not overspending neither time nor a dime. Love space!!!

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

Dear Ed, The only way I know to get ahold of you is to leave a comment in your latest video you or someone as knowledgeable responds. You like to say "refractor goodness". I bought a used Zhumell 8" Dobsonian 1200mm FL and a used 120mm Orion 1000 FL refractor. I also bought a nice new Canon mirrorless camera and I've been trying to get good pictures (well, better and better anyway) through them. I've tried to collimation the Dobsonain... I think it's pretty good at this point.. I'm mostly focusing on terrestrial objects at this point (I have a lot of pictures of a neighbor's flower bed). I ALWAYS get better pictures from the refractor than from the reflector. I'm using prime focus in both, so there's just the big light gathering aperture and the camera. I've taken the mirrors out of the Dob and cleaned them. I think I did a good job. Got a lot of dust off of the main mirror... I think collimation and cleaning improved the Dob pictures a bit, but it wasn't night and day by any means. Why is the refractor producing better pictures??? Do I just have crappy mirrors in the Dob? Brand new, I think the Dob was about $450, which I consider to be pretty much bottom of the line. I would say that the Dob pictures look "washed out" or like there's a cloudy film over the image as compared to the "richer and deeper refractor goodness".... ahhhh, "refractor goodness".... What is it? Where's the "Newtonian goodness"??? Obvious the Dob is gathering more light, so I turn the shutter speed and/or the ISO up a bit when I use it. I know the answer will be something along the lines "well it could be a lot of things...". I'm just wondering if there's some fundamental difference between the two types of scopes, or if I should be able to get just as good of pictures from the Newtonian and I probably just have some poorly collimation cheap mirrors in my Dob. Tell me what "refractor goodness" is.... Jason

[@edting]

You might be near a similar level of skill where I am. I *always* get better pictures through a refractor than anything else. On astro images, using a refractor is almost like cheating. I do know people who get great images through reflectors and SCTs but I am not at that level.

[@jasonmcintosh2632]

@@edting Thank you for replying. You're a gentleman. I forgot to mention that it's a 2 element refractor. I'm going to guess that the secondary diagonal mirror is limiting the quality and look into wasting some money upgradding it... I'm going to buy a used pair of Skyhawlk binoculars tonight w 100mm objective lenses. I originally passed on buying them, but he's selling them for a good price and I don't ever see me getting a better pair for astro viewing. So my low end refractor equipment will grow tonight.

[@A_BLACKMANUSMC]

I am not going to lie I bought a Celestron Omni AZ 102 telescope from Costco for me and my son (10yr) for our first telescope. Almost bought a Barlow lens as well....BUT WE got to see JUPITER very very blurryish with its small sand size moons we were and still are very excited!!! I will always remember that moment. I will ALWAYS remember the look on my son's face and how excited we were! I am looking forward to seeing more! Thank you so much for your time and effort in making videos for me and my son to watch and learn.

[@edting]

That telescope is not firmly in the junk category. It's borderline. Glad you made it work.

[@zygmuntziokowski7877]

Great tips! My first was #7, and never used it because I could see anything. I happen to get into Astrophotography before buying a NexStar SE6. My neighbor and I joined a club and needs assistance setting up his 14’ scope, so we go done with that, I setup my star tracker and took pictures. I also done the high power one also, and over buy. Since then, I took your advice and kept only two eye piece and bought Tele Vue Delite 19mm. Currently, the Tele Vue 24mm or 27mm are out of stocks.

[@AviationAstro]

Nice video, but there are exceptions to the astrophotography rule. I purchased a used 10" dobsonian, and quickly realized that what I wanted to see required astrophotography. I used the dob maybe 5 nights and it has not seen the night sky since. I have been actively doing Astrophotography for well over a year now.

[@Will-fn7bz]

I'm an absolute beginner and dove headfirst into astrophotography. Disappointment reined supreme. Frustration almost made me park my new 8 inch telescope and not touch it again. Then I did like three more of your listed sins: barlows, over buying, etc. Thank you, seriously, for making a sensible video for guys like me. I will regroup and hopefully enjoy it a lot more.

[@edting]

Haha, don't worry about it. We were all there once!

[@quarterhorsetj]

Thankyou for the great advice! I had a 8" Dob, that did pretty well, but I now replaced it with a celestron se8, so I can have better luck finding objects. I am a beginner, so am thankful for good information.

[@vandakat]

I’m trying to decide between a Celestron se8 or se6 Or a 8” Dob for my hubby for his birthday. This would be his first telescope. It’s been on his wishlist to get a telescope. Would you recommend the Celestron ones? I’m attracted to it for portability and I think he can grow with it and get fancier with it…sorry, I’m a total newbie trying to learn quickly to be able to shop properly!

[@quarterhorsetj]

I had a 8" Dobsonian and altho I did get great views of the moon with it, this telescope you have to collimate more often, it is heavy and awkward to carry around, even in the 2 pieces (tube and base) and I sold it to buy a Celestron SE8, which I really like. The computerized part of it makes it so much easier to find objects, and it is a little lighter to carry, and less awkward in size. I just plug mine in to an electric cord outside, and do not use any batteries, other then the little red dot finder, which does take batteries. I am still getting used to finding 3 objects, mostly because of our weather, and the smoky sky. The SE 6 is a good scope as well, will be alittle lighter, and I hear there is not much difference in viewing from the 6 to the 8, and is cheaper in price.

[@k-d-n]

I was putting barlows inside barlows to really get that full immersion experience. Doh!

[@melbournecyclingsegments7510]

20 years ago i was in this hobby, and i read all of ed's scope reviews, countless times. i think i even have them printed in a binder somewhere. Just dragged out the scope this week, hooked again and presto! 20 years on I have Ed Ting on KZbin! Like all my childhood dreams have come true (your voice sounds the same as it was in my head reading scope reviews all those years ago)

[@michaels3003]

MCS, in what magazine? Thanks.

[@N7492]

#8: Not dressing warmly enough. The more comfortable you are, the more you see.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Observing M42 in -38 C for several hours. Frosbite on one foot lasted six months!

[@koyaanisrider6943]

+ never take anyone with you who doesn’t wear warm enough clothes, esp. girlfriends, wives ,)

[@jgeur]

Ed, great advice and presentation. i wonder how human history would've changed if there was a south star instead of a north star.

[@henribuhagiar9445]

The Northern Hemisphere guys don’t know how good they got it.

[@jpulley]

Your videos are awesome, they are really helping me get started out.

[@genefoster8936]

I like this video. I bought my telescope three years ago and only used it once. I did not join an astronomy club and I wanted to take pictures. Think I'll just use what I have and learn to appreciate the night sky. I would add that there are books out there for the beginner that were very useful to me. By the way I got an Orion GoTo 127mm Mak-Cas. Actually please with the choice.

[@hopes888]

Thanks so much!! Love your videos learning so much... I'm just about to purchase the Orion 134 MM Observer Equatorial Mount.. Excited! 😊

[@DyingStrike]

I fell into the 2xBarlow trap. ☹️ Your videos are fantastic each and every episode, the wife says that you have a calm voice and luckily for me you send her to sleep every time. ... Which is why I thank you. Ample time to reflect (pun intended) enjoy peaceful scope research and shopping time for me. 😁👍👌

[@irgtk]

100% correct on astronomy club advice. Many astronomy clubs will offer their excess inventory of donated telescopes to their members with a try before you buy at a nice discounted price. 🔭

[@abhilashabhatia9860]

I am new to using telescope and learning to use my 8" orion with eq mount. One mistake I made was to look at the super moon with 40x magnification without filter. It was stunning, beautiful. But I could feel the effects of that bright reflecting glare on my eyes till a couple of days later.

[@viendoonepieceporprimerave9539]

Hi! It surprises me how everyone here is at least 40, I just turned 20 last month and I've always been interested in astronomy but never really tried to actually learn about it, it was just kind of in the back of my mind. When I was a child, I would ask for a telescope every Christmas, but sadly my family couldn't afford it. I also love storytelling, I created a character who wants to be an astronomer, so he kind of inspired me to try to learn about it for real and I'm loving it so far!! Yesterday I learned how to localize Polaris and I know it might be basic information for some, but to me it's already exciting!! Thank you for these videos, keep up the good work 💞💫

[@ricardohdz1987]

Great video and advice, made some mistakes too, I bought my first telescope at sam’s club and couldn’t see anything but the moon, the mount and the finder where useless and almost gave up, bought an used telescope from craigslist, bad idea, so finally ordered an 8 inch dobsonian and totally changed my life, spent so much money buying useless telescopes that I couldn’t enjoy

[@yesjo1456]

high power, and I'm doing ap from the get go but I'm honestly having fun with it 😁 it was a big hassle but I found the challenge to be fun

[@toadamine]

I just got an older 6" orion newtonian on an equatorial mount, used for $100, came with a 25mm and 6mm eyepieces and a 2x barlow.. found most of the main stars of the main constellations, even ones not visible with naked eye or binoculars (I'm kinda rural but not super dark at my place) got the equatorial setup super easy, I couldn't stop staring at the moon more than anything though... was just a small crescent 🌙 and I've never seen it in such detail, even saw a satellite and a jetliner pass in front of the moon while watching and could see thrm both in perfect detail and focus! just used the 25mm and tossed in the barlow a few tines also, mostly just used the 25mm alone though... glad I watched some of your videos before buying, thank you.

[@av-ji9qy]

Just starting out in the hobby so thanks for the advice……fortunately I have someone to mentor me …….keeping me from purchasing all kinds of equipment and taking things one step at a time

[@billallen275]

I've had 🔭 for 50 years! Only now getting started with astrophotography. On a budget, too!

[@heven729]

I am extremely fortunate to have gotten the opportunity in becoming a telescope operator & volunteer at Mount Wilson Observatory. This was only possible with the wealth of knowledge learned from my astronomy club (Los Angeles Astronomical Society). During a private observing run on the 60-inch telescope, the client that booked the session wanted to do astrophotography (which is allowed and welcomed). He showed up not having a clue how to operate his new camera or imaging software. He was not able to photograph any deep sky object we visually observed, I felt so bad for him since I was unable to help (I’m not an Astro photographer). Fortunately, having 60-inches of aperture to play with affords amazing visual observing. Don’t make the mistake of booking an expensive observing session not knowing your camera!

[@edting]

Thanks for the story. I'd like to get to Mt Wilson someday!

[@heven729]

@@edting you will be more than welcomed when you visit!

[@christinestevens4283]

I'm tempted toward acquisition, but I tend to watch a lot of reviews and other videos before buying and end up getting talked out of it. Thanks, Ed.

[@toplistcrew7645]

I used my REI rewards points to purchase a Celestron 80AZS and it’s fun. I took a photo of the moon within the first twenty minutes of using it the first time without an adapter. It was not easy it took a lot of balancing and maneuvering. Either way I do agree with this video! Keep up the good work!

[@davecrook8355]

Thanks Ed. More fun than NEAF.

[@StagnantMizu]

funnily astrophotography got me into astronomy; found old DSLR and made some awesome photos with deepkystacker and gimp from the pleiades used a 210mm lens I had laying around and no mount nor tracking used. also found an old swarovski optik binocular I inherited from my grandpa and suddenly remembered it and ended up being quite a decent piece of optics too.

[@pierrechaput2439]

Great Vid, thank you. Most agreed on the max magnification pitfall; it certainly was my misguided focus (hehe) when I started.

[@theslowwalkhome7314]

Brilliant advice and such a good channel

[@dmb2951]

Thanks Ed. I would love to hear about your experience in astrophotography and see some of your work.

[@billmartz4290]

I listen to you. Thank you for the video. well appreciated. Cheers!

[@warrenhunt5556]

The misses and myself enjoyed your presentation, especially me, because now the she is going to let me join the Sutherland Astronomical Society here is Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She felt a bit guilty about making me, make the number one mistake and is even paying for my membership, It's only taken four years. Cheers Ed

[@jgeur]

be careful mate, there may be strings attached!!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@alpsalish]

Yeah, this is a little sad. Why was she so opposed to you joining the club?

[@snakepliskin3530]

The things I got right were not jumping into astrophotography to soon. Actually I just started but have been an amateur astronomer for 10 years. Second thing I got right was choosing my eyepiece s carefully and matching them to a 2x Barlow for useable magnification. I have a f/11 80mm refractor. I own the following 32mm, 18mm, 15mm, 9mm, and 6mm eyepieces. The only eyepiece that I don't use with the Barlow is the 6mm. All the others can be used but the 9mm is only useable with the Barlow when seeing conditions are excellent. One thing to add. My Barlow and I'm sure others can do this can be screwed onto the eyepiece barrel. This provides 1.5x magnification if I'm thinking correctly. The largest mistake I made when I bought my scope in 2013 was going for the $150 range telescopes. Now though the same scope I own cost $200. I ended up replacing everything but the objective lens on my Celestron PoweSeeker 80eq. I replaced the finder with a 8x40 Orion, replaced the diagonal with a Dielectric coated one also made by Orion, and lastly replaced the crappy focuser with a 2" GSO Crayford single speed. Now about the wobbly headache of a mount ( EQ1) I was able to replace some parts on it with things from Home Depot that made it much more useable. Finally after 10 years I bought a solid mount that should last me a lifetime and whenever I upgrade to a larger scope it should handle up to a 6" size scope. I don't k or what the weight limit is on a CG4 but I know it's good for a 6" Newtonian. Probably if I get a new scope if will be a 102mm apo refractor with a lower F ratio around 7. That way I can sort of have the best of both worlds between planetary and deep sky photography.

[@erichweber-e4n]

You make great videos glad I found your videos

[@cortjampole9391]

Great stuff for us wannabes. Always interested in it but never got around to it. That changes now. Gonna start by getting a chart, a strong pair of binoculars with a mount, locating and joining a local club and subscribing to this channel. Thank you so much.

[@Andromeda4482]

So many people in groups asking questions about their new astrophotography setup, that would otherwise been known to them had they of done astronomy. Some don't even know what an EQ mount is, and ask how to aim their setup?! Some people overcome this issue; by attaching a ballmount, defeating the point of the tracker. In other cases, I've seen people ask what the counter weight is for, disregarding it entirely. Add to this, I've seen people overloading a mount/tracker, not understanding the implications. Astrophotography, in of itself is a hobby killer. Also, wildlife/landscape photographers coming into it thinking it's similar, when it's not - infact, it's the very opposite, with some ideas being counter intuitive to what you would expect; ISO being a big one for those using their DSLR's. Great video, 8" Dobs are the way to go. I tell this to everyone unless Binos are the only viable option!

[@edting]

I got a letter recently from a beginner who said he didn't need a mount for astrophotography, because his hands are really steady...

[@Andromeda4482]

@@edting It's tragic because in the words of Carl Sagan; "astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience". - It's a shame so many people won't realise it! I personally fell in love with Astronomy, and am now learning Astrophotgraphy - it's no easy task, but it's doable when you understand the basics. I didn't even dive into the deep end. I have a 12" Dob, and a 3" refractor. But I went straight to widefield, lightweight, affordable. Would be more affordable if my hands were steady though! Haha Some people were trying to convince me that should buy the new Pentax cameras because they have a built in star tracker! A camera that starts at $1000! Will probably look to making a bigger setup when supplies are not so low in the UK. Can't even get a decent mount here, but my star tracker will do for now.

[@pityipalko]

Hi Ed, I like your videos. This one is also interesting although I actually managed to avoid all of the mistakes you just talked about. The way I did this, was that I studied physics, so I new optics pretty well. I also have been using binoculars and a spotting scope for wildlife observations. I started using my spotting scope bit by bit for astronomy. I had the tripod (a wooden Berlebach), I had a Gitzo mount in use, which was however not really suitable for the purpose of astronomy. So I went out there and searched for an all mechanical, simple and robust alt-az mount also from Berlebach, which is still in use. With time I realized, that the terrestrial spotting scope (even though a very high quality model) was not really great for astronomy, simply because it had no finder scope, so it was really difficult to find anything with it. So I started looking for an astronomical telescope. I did not want to buy a low quality one, so I went for a Takahashi FS-60 for the large field of view it offers. I checked the maths of the telescopes, I calculated the eyepiece I needed for the exit pupil of the telescope to be well matched with the low light pupil of my eye and got two additional eyepieces with shorter focal length. The exit pupil had to stay at a usable size, so I went to a max. magnification of 70x. I used the setup, to get to know the night sky, I found as many Messier objects as I could with this set-up, used a 7x42 binoculars (which I also already owned for wildlife observations) and star charts to get to know the constellations. It works great, I did not buy anything unnecessary, no Barlow, no electric mounts (which would force me to carry an additional power source). Now that I've got really familiar with the set-up and the sky, I upgraded to a Takahashi TSA-120. I use it on the same mount, just with the addition of a counterweight to the mount. It's a bit of a borderline case, the tripod is a bit small for the big scope. So I will get an old Leica wooden tripod, which my father has had for ages (he used it in his professional life for industrial measurement purposes), but he's not using it any longer. The scope also works on my present tripod, I just need to be extra careful. The one advice at the end of the video, to consult with somebody experienced really helped me a lot, the equipment would be overwhelming without the advice of somebody really experienced.

[@gladiatormaximus4913]

I’m tempted to try that diagonal with my 70 m 400m focal length telescope

[@qian868]

Thanks for your video. So helpfull

[@markboudreau1410]

@ 10:50, is that an old Unitron 4" telescope? OMG! once (1950's) the king of all refractors!

[@edting]

Yes, that's a 4" Unitron! It's a beauty....

[@jiffijoff9780]

Yes, thanks, that was helpful and on top of being that I have to say I really enjoy your subtle humor, complimented by the almost invisible grin which you seem to desperately try to keep low (in contrast to rather bursting out in loud laughter, let's say, about the fella on Craig's list...) Wonderful mix of serious information and education, served on a plate of subtle humor. Thank you 🙂👍

[@captiinahab8118]

Thanks for all of your tips and videos! I've been thinking about getting a telescope for about a year now, finally pulled the trigger on an 8" dob thanks to your advice. Can wait to get it and continue to learn about astronomy!

[@Filsterman1]

Thank you for your great information. Can you please consider doing a video on which eyepieces a newbie should have? I'm just getting started and it's very confusing. As far as I can see I may not even need to buy a whole eyepiece set. Thank you!

[@edting]

Hi, thanks. I've been thinking about this too. There are a couple of problems with doing eyepiece recommendations. First, eyepieces are highly subjective. What I like may or may not match what you like. Also, the set you buy will change a lot depending on what scope you have. Let me think more on this....

[@Filsterman1]

@@edting thank you very much. Really appreciate all you do for amateur astronomy!

[@orlandonostagiafever1964]

One time I was at Marfa Texas and it was awsome wish I had a telescope back then.

[@akariy8001]

Thank you sir, this is very helpful 😃

[@hankmann2508]

It’s important to note that planetary and DSO astrophotography are completely different. For beginners with just a dob, I would actually recommend a small cmos camera (probably the ASI120MC or ASI224MC) if they are interested in capturing the planets. My first telescope was a used Orion XT4.5” I got for $90. Once I had seen the planets and moon, I knew wanted to take photos. I ordered the 120MC and actually got some pretty good results (even though I had to manually keep the planets in the frame of the 120’s tiny sensor). I’m 100% astrophotography now but the planetary work I did actually prepared me for my current setup quite a bit.

[@sphaera3809]

Good advice, thank you! I would be the one buying too much stuff… But in a way I’ve already started this hobby when I bought a vintage (and very affordable) 500mm with 2x teleconverter Mamiya lens for my medium format camera and started shooting the moon. One day I decided to point the camera at Jupiter and was stunned to see some details… I think my big take away is to join a club and start learning from people, as far as nerds go, getting out of our solitude is always a little hard…

[@lesonyrra]

Pretty sure that when I took an equatorially-mounted scope out for the first time I didn't know I had to release the "clutches" for RA and DEC so I could move the thing around ... ;)

[@edting]

That's a good one, but...ouch!!

[@borzak101]

A fair number of younger people don't know what a "department store" is nowdays.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Wal-mart is gone?

[@ocelotMartinez]

Hi Ed, I love watching your videos, you explain things very clearly! Can you please make a video explaining what focal length means?

[@rzrman5380]

Thank you for sharing your information .

[@DavyBhoy12G]

Great video. I'm a complete beginner. Looking for information online to buy my first telescope. I'm glad I watched this. The last tip was the best for me. Join a astronomy club. I will do this before I make my decision which telescope to buy.

[@Mrcloc]

For $150 for a beginner, depending on size requirements, it's very difficult to beat a 4.5" 900mm reflector on an alt-az mount. I also say a good travel scope, like a 70mm f/5.7 refractor is excellent for a beginner. These scopes are cheap enough and useful enough to keep well after you have upgraded. I'm also going to say a dobsonian is not the ideal beginner telescope, unless you know exactly what you want. Being as big as they are, they are intimidating, and hefty, and when you don't know the sky that well, you might never feel like taking the heavy thing out after a long day, just to look at the same 3 things you did last time. Time under the sky is the most important thing in my opinion, so whatever is going to get you outside the most is the best.

[@starlingblack814]

Thanks Ed, I'm real lucky as I live in a remote area of Arizona at approximately 8,000 feet elevation. The night sky here is God Beautiful!

[@mjbaransky]

Regarding The Woodland Observatory Clear Sky Chart: Am I understanding correctly that this is specific to the location at their observatory in NH, or does it somehow give local forecasts to my own area of the county? (Pennsylvania). If it doesn't, then, I am not sure what the purpose of using that sight would be if it is not localized....

[@edting]

Go to the Clear Sky Chart web site and you'll see countless locations around the country!

[@KringusKrungus]

It would be awesome if you reviewed the Luminos eye piece.

[@edting]

Inexpensive TeleVue clones.

[@chrischarlesjax]

People at my dark site ask me for tips about getting into astrophotography all the time. I also tell them, don’t. They think I’m joking, but visual astronomy gives you all the same satisfaction with maybe 10% of the frustration.

[@DBFIU]

Wow this was amazing advice

[@Megawatt]

Now I find the opposite among experienced amateurs: fear of high magnification. Many people saying they don’t go over 150 or 200x. The truth is, high power takes more effort. Finding moments of steady seeing, having a soft touch with the focuser, choosing objects which handle the magnification well. If you like planetary nebulae, 200x just doesn’t cut it.

[@xtm123]

Great video Ed. Having made 2 of the mistakes that you talked about myself, I was able to say exactly almost word per word the out come. It actually made me chuckle a bit. Making mistakes can be a learning experience in itself.

[@teleking58]

I understand you are very passionate about astronomy and I enjoy your videos. I have to comment about discouraging people to try astrophotography though. I think you're always better to encourage people to try new things. Ask if they are a photographer of some skill. That makes a big difference, Suggest they start with a camera lens on a tripod perhaps or easy targets like the moon or milky way. Ask if they are comfortable shooting in manual and understand what compromises, like higher iso and longer shutter times, must be made. Explain that deep space objects may require hundreds of shots meshed together in stacking software and that those nebula photos they have seen require special cameras and tracking mounts. Explain that there is much to learn and many thousands must be invested to get those shots. Start small and build upon what you learn as you go along. Improve your skills as you grow your equipment. Just don't tell them not to try. Always try. Always encourage.

[@benngraham3304]

Well said and thank you.

[@MarvelousLXVII]

I have to say that my department store Tasco 60mm telescope was the first thing I saw the ring of Saturn, the clouds of Jupiter, the moons of Jupiter, the redness of Mars, the craters and mountains on the Moon, the double star in Ursa Major and the sunspots with the handy filter that screws into the back of the eyepiece lol.

[@ronstewtsaw]

Ed, why do the big (Newtonian?) sharks behind you each have two remoras? My sins are too much magnification, spending too much and starting right into astrophotography. The first (magnification) was because I was trying to get a good photo of the recent Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, and I learned pretty quickly not to repeat that. What a frustrating hour that was! I have managed some decent photos, though, of two of the easiest targets - the Orion Nebula through an 85 mm f/4 camera lens and the Andromeda Galaxy through a 102 mm diameter, 500 mm focal length beginner's reflector. I can see so much, so very much more in my photos than I can with my eye in a scope. But talk about a learning curve! I have probably watched a dozen hours of KZbin videos. There are so many approaches, and pretty much all of them require facility with computers in general and Photoshop or its competitors in general. Plus, to get your pictures ready for Photoshop, there are at least half a dozen preprocessing programs to choose from, each with its own set of strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies. And you need to become proficient in all your camera's settings - the Auto mode isn't going to work for you. BUT, I am getting results that make me happy. As far as spending too much. Um, yeah. I figured that since I have the camera and the telescope, I'd be able to take pictures of the sky for just a few dollars more. Hah! I don't want to add up what I have spent on adapters, filters, a tracker, that 85 mm manual Samyang lens, decent focuser, finder scopes, red dot sight, Bahtinov mask and more adapters. And more adapters. As for not joining a club - that's an error I should correct.

[@jeffmartin-g8r]

Great advice! I'll have to point beginners to this video. Thanks!

[@gerryberard3231]

Great advice as always.