Seeing. You think you know what the word means. But today, we’d like to introduce you to a new meaning. In the world of telescopes, microscopes, spotting scopes, and even cameras, “seeing” isn’t just a measure of being able to interpret the light that meets your retina (or sensor, or film, if you’re an old fart like some of us). “Seeing” is a measure of the quantity and quality of the light that gets to you. It’s a measure of not just what can be seen, but how well it can be seen. If, like me, you’ve just received your first telescope this holiday season, you’ve probably been anxiously waiting for the clouds to clear. They finally did, and you went out and looked at that one really bright star, anticipating untold wonders of the universe to be laid out before you, only to see a really bright blob, with three or four smaller bright dots in a row nearby. “Why!?” you may have cried, “Why doesn’t my telescope work?” The problem, assuming you’ve focused your scope correctly, is that you’re fighting poor seeing. Seeing can be affected by the atmosphere, the weather, your location, and even the season. Over the next few weeks, we’ll take a quick look (so to speak) at some of the factors you’ll need to take into account in order to get the best seeing, and therefore the best use out of your scope. Of course, if you don’t feel like waiting, you’re always welcome to come and see us.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Jan 2014 07:59:55 +0000