UK TELESCOPES

Our aim is to provide you with the right telescope for sale at the right prices, whilst offering a good range of accessories and combination packages at competitive rates. Here we present telescopes for beginners, easy to use telescopes for kids and for more advanced users we have instruments capable of looking deep into space. We also recommend the best telescope using our about buying a telescope page to help you choose one of our Telescopes for either a beginner, intermediate or advanced astronomer using a Reflector Newtonian, or Refractor Telescope.
We believe our KONUS telescopes represent high levels of manufacturing specification from well-established sources and all incorporate features we believe will, used with a best practice, genuinely enhance your viewing experience; this means, for example, no promises of exaggerated high magnification that cannot easily sustain a reasonable image. Our online shop offers telescopes for sale and the opportunity to choose from carefully selected telescopes designed and manufactured by industry leaders to bring you into closer contact with the night sky.

USING A TELESCOPE

Using a telescope for Astronomy has a double appeal: its study reveals the grandeur and design of the Universe and gives the attentive observer the opportunity to take part in work that can be of scientific value. At the same time, one must remember that a large area of science can be explored only by professionals, with the backing of sophisticated apparatus and public funds. On the other hand, there are areas in which the amateur observer can do observational work of real value.
It is to these people, who are willing to work diligently, enduring the sometimes cold winter nights, sacrificing social pleasures, and spending their own money on telescopes and equipment, that I offer my admiration and support. It is for the benefit of such heroic souls that this article has been written in the hope that one man’s experience might not only encourage them but be of practical help.
Firstly, I would offer some suggestions on the practical matter of keeping warm in the night air: wear loose clothing and shoes. Pressure on the body restricts the flow of blood and cold ensues. Wear mittens that leave the fingertips free to handle papers, etc., and not gloves, which impede the fingers. Felt slippers help to keep the feet warm, especially if the soles are thick. Secondly, I would suggest that there are many fields of observation open to the telescope user: the Moon, the planets, comets, stars, and nebulae.

CHOICE OF INSTRUMENT

Since telescopes vary, not only in type but from one specimen to another, it is difficult to lay down exact recommendations or instructions for any particular instrument. However, the reader will be able to apply the general principles outlined in the following pages to his particular instrument. Wide-angle views at low magnification are often required, and binoculars supply this need, but for the serious planetary or lunar observer, they are of very limited use. Binoculars provide an extension of naked-eye viewing but do not satisfy the need for high magnification, for which a telescope is a necessity. Among small instruments, the Refractor (ideal telescope for kids) used to hold pride of place being superior to the small Reflector of, say, less than 6in (150mm) diameter. However, Newtonian design telescope technology has significantly improved in recent years and performs equally as well as a similar priced Refractor. As for size increases, the Reflector overtakes the refractor, until in large instruments the Reflector is supreme, mainly because of loss of light in passage through the relatively thick objective lens of the Refractor. Under poor conditions, the small Refractor can supply steadier images than the Reflector of similar power. The advantages and disadvantages of the two types are set out below.
REFLECTORS

Disadvantages:
Temperature changes affect adjustment
More maintenance may be necessary if not looked after
Scatter of light by a spider support of secondary mirror can be detrimental to the image
REFRACTORS

Disadvantages
Colour effects can be annoying
Cost is higher in relation to size
Longer tube can be a nuisance
Mounting must be high for observation near the zenith
(All the disadvantages increase rapidly with size)

The matter of size is governed by the type of observation to be undertaken. The table below illustrates this-
Diameter of objective lens or mirror Limiting magnitude Limit of resolution (seconds of arc)
3in (76mm) 9.9 1.8
6in (I52mm) 11.6 0.9
8in (203mm) 12.3 0.6
I0in (254mm) 12.8 0.5
15in (380mm) 13.8 0.3

These figures presume the mirror of a reflector is in good condition.
Now if you know the limiting magnitude you wish to reach, say for observation of variable stars or other faint objects, and the resolution required for lunar or planetary work, you will be able to choose a suitable size of the instrument.
After purchasing a telescope, you must check its performance on a star. To view terrestrial objects, such as a church clock some miles away, is not enough. Rack out the eyepiece until the image of the star is out of focus and check the shape of the diffraction rings produced by the light of the star under high magnification. These should be circular. Any distortion may be due to pinching of the objective lens or mirror in its cell, or to an optical effect. Astigmatism may sometimes be cured by rotating the lens or mirror in its cell. The distorting effect can also be produced by undue pressure on the flat in its mounting on a Newtonian or similar type of Reflector.
Colour should be minimal in a good Refractor but will still be present even in the best of telescopes. If the image shows a red halo around the star when in focus, the lens is under-corrected. Over-corrected lenses produce a blue halo, but this is better than a red one as the eye does not pick up the blue so well as the red. In any case, if the color is not pronounced, you probably have a good lens, especially if the color of the halo is bluish. With all this in mind, decide on the size of the instrument you intend to choose and its type, bearing in mind that your telescope is a precision instrument and will require proper mounting. Furthermore, if it is too large to be easily portable, it will require weatherproof housing.

THE BEST TELESCOPES ONLINE?

Welcome to the number one online platform for UK Telescopes.
We offer a large display of high-quality telescopes. We have all kinds of telescopes on offer, from the best telescope for beginners to the first telescope for kids and the more advanced astronomical telescopes. If there were ever a perfect time to invest in a telescope, now would be that time! Why not add some fun to your nights and explore the universe?

Finding the correct telescope to suit you can be a challenge, and with a large variety to choose from, it can be hard to set your eyes on the perfect telescope. Telescopes come in all shapes and sizes, and one may suit you better than the other, but that is where we can help. Below we will look at some of our UK telescope categories and their purposes for all skill levels.

The perfect telescope for kids

Telescopes are a brilliant way for children to develop their mystic curiosity and explore the faraway galaxies and mysteries that live above us. We know there are tons of choices for choosing a telescope for kids, which is why we have handpicked some of the best telescopes for sale that are easy to use, control, and give your children a guaranteed high-quality, simple to use viewing experience. Telescopes are a fun and educational choice for children, and they will be healthily obsessed with their new toy.

The perfect telescope for beginners

The wonders of the galaxies are for each and everyone, and we provide bespoke telescopes that can cater to the more advanced to the very beginners. We all have to start somewhere, and we can offer telescopes fit for beginners. If you want to take up stargazing and are a beginner, take a look through our site and take your pick from the best UK Telescopes for beginners. The beginners telescopes offered by us are good all-rounders and can achieve high power performances with simplicity.

The perfect telescope for the Pros

If you are a more advanced astronomer and have patience and knowledge, we offer a more advanced astronomical telescope for sale.
If you know your rings of Saturn to the Orion nebula and are more of a professional when it comes to stargazing, we have the perfect selection of telescopes for you to invest in. The more advanced telescopes are aesthetically pleasing and offer high-quality and powerful performances perfect for high-rated professionals.

We can provide you with the best telescope no matter your interests. Astrophotography, The moon and planets, nature observation, nebulae, and galaxies, or exploring the sun, the perfect telescope is here for you. Each astronomical telescope will vary in focal length, weight, aperture, material, and price and can also make the perfect present for someone you know.

We will provide a cost-effective telescope catered to your needs, skills, and requirements and make your shopping experience a fun and straightforward adventure to help you on your journey of exploring the mystic wonders of the universe.

What are Stars?

In many ways, each of the billions and billions of stars in our universe is a distinct individual. However, like people, stars have certain similarities. Every star within our galaxy, and more distant galaxies scattered across the universe, initially emerged from one of the dusty “galactic nurseries.”

Viewed through a telescope, particularly a beginner’s telescope a star is seen as bright twinkling light, a star contracts for millions of years until temperatures and pressures near the core are high enough to sustain thermonuclear fusion. Then, the star begins to shine as a stable hydrogen burner, converting hydrogen into helium and energy near its core.

Our Sun which can be seen through a telescope (although we do not recommend this with a beginner’s telescope) has been a stable hydrogen burner for almost 5 billion years. It has enough hydrogen fuel to remain in this stage for another 5 billion years or so. Stable, hydrogen-burning stars are also called main-sequence stars. In the far future, when the Sun exhausts much of its hydrogen fuel, it will become unstable. The Sun will then expand and cool to become a giant star. Mercury, Venus, and possibly the Earth will vanish into the expanding Sun.

After another 50-100 million years, the giant Sun will have exhausted its remaining fusion fuel and will begin again to contract. After passing through an unstable phase of explosive pulsations, the Sun will end its existence as a white dwarf. As a white dwarf, the Sun will become hotter and bluer and shine dimly for perhaps a trillion years. At this far-future stage of its development, its physical size will be comparable with that of the Earth. This compact Sun will shine by friction as outer layers collapse gradually toward the core.

All stars go through a similar evolutionary process, but every star does not evolve as calmly as our Sun. Hotter, more luminous stars are heavier and bluer than Sunlike stars. These hot, blue stars evolve more rapidly than their cooler cousins. The duration of the stable, hydrogen-burning stage for some of these massive stars may be only a few million years. After the hydrogen-burning and giant phases, these hot stars undergo a fiery evolution. Instead of pulsating and shrinking gradually toward the white dwarf phase, many of these hot, blue stars become supernova–an enormous in a particular constellation and quickly locate a sky object of interest.

So, what is the best telescope for viewing the sun? Looking at the sun with any telescope can be dangerous if not carried correctly. Specialist astronomical telescopes and filters are available for this type of observation. Please look at our Reflector or Refractor telescope for more information and which type is the best telescope for sale.