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The leaves and prices are falling this autumn!
You can find our colorful selection of special offers here in the shop. Get them now!
The offer is valid from September 23rd to November 28th, 2024 and only while supplies last!
Build your own OpenAstroTech mount!
June 11 2021, Stefan Taube
A photo mount allows you to track the rotation of the night sky on a camera equipped with a photo lens or a small telescope. This allows for long exposure shots of large areas of the night sky.
The manufacturer OpenAstroTech now offers a very functional, yet particularly inexpensive variant of a photo mount. The OpenAstroTracker is a mount you can build yourself!
The OpenAstroTracker with camera and optional autoguider
Building the mount yourself is not only fun and educational, you also get a powerful GoTo mount at an extremely low price thanks to the DIY approach!
Some of the features:
- GoTo: The mount comes with full, computer-control functionality. The electronics are compatible with commonly used astronomy software.
- Suitable for DSLR cameras with a maximum total length of 35cm (camera body with lens). The maximum recommended focal length without autoguider is 200mm.
- High-precision stepper motors: GoTo positioning accuracy of approx. 1 arcmin, tracking accuracy of 25 arcsec, guided accuracy of approx. 1 arcsec.
What you will need: A USB power bank able to deliver at least 5V 1A
The OpenAstroTracker is available in different latitude setting versions. We will supply you with a set that allows you to set up the mount for a latitude of either 35° to 45° or 45° to 55°.
The OpenAstroTracker kit
No need to worry: The electronic components are all designed for easy use. No soldering is necessary.
A matching DIY autoguider is also available as an option: OpenAstroGuider V2
Astro-highlights – Summer 2021
June 4 2021, Marcus Schenk
A solar eclipse after six years, the large planets in opposition and the August meteor shower is visible without any moonlight.
If you’re not looking at the stars this summer, you’re missing something. The sky chart “Astro-highlights – Summer 2021” shows you all the significant celestial events at a glance so that you don’t miss anything. Additional information about these events can be found below the graphic.
We wish you lots of observing pleasure!
June
10/6 Partial solar eclipse
The last partial solar eclipse in Europe was visible on 20 March 2015. The Moon covered up to 80% of the Sun’s disk then. The next solar eclipse occurs on 10 June. It is an annular solar eclipse visible in Greenland and Northern Canada, and partially visible in Central Europe. It is relatively unspectacular, only covering a few percent of the Sun. The further north you are, the higher the degree of the eclipse. In Munich, only 6.3% of the lunar limb touches the Sun, whereas in Hamburg it is 17.3%. The eclipse begins at 11:35a.m. and ends at 13:22 (depending on the exact location). Caution: Only observe the Sun with a suitable solar filter, which you can purchase from our online shop.
Degree of coverage at our Astroshop sites:
Landsberg, Germany: 6.56%
Marseille, France: 2.7%
Malaga, Spain: 1.3%
Warsaw, Poland: 9.9%
Hasselt/Genk, Belgium: 14.9%
Aveiro, Portugal: 9%
Palermo, Italy: 0%
12/6 The Moon meets Venus
The faint waxing crescent Moon and brilliant Venus appear low to the west shortly after sunset. To the upper left, you will discover Mars. If you are observing with binoculars, a short diagonal sweep to the upper left will bring you to the Beehive Cluster M44.
13/6 The Moon meets Mars
Today the Moon rises higher and joins the planet Mars, which it passes at a distance of 1.8 degrees. Both make a beautiful view through binoculars.
27/6 June Bootids
The June Bootids meteor shower originates in the Boötes constellation. The number of falling stars is small but variable. There have been years in which no meteors were sighted at all, but there have also been occurrences of 100 per hour. This meteor shower is exciting and worth taking a closer look at.
27/6 The Moon meets Saturn
Those who want to see the big gas giants will have to wait until midnight in June. Saturn is currently in the constellation of Capricorn, the horned mountain goat that climbs the meridian at the peak of the sky before dawn. The Moon passes Saturn today at a distance of about 9 degrees.
29/6 The Moon meets Jupiter
On its way along the ecliptic this morning, the Moon passes about 5 degrees below Jupiter. The large differences in brightness between the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and the brightest stars are interesting to observe.
July
8/7 The Moon meets Mercury
Mercury hovers low over the horizon in the morning sky for the next few days. We can observe it with a perfect horizon view well after 4a.m., close above a flat landscape. The crescent Moon joins it 2.5 degrees above. The new Moon is in two days’ time.
12/7 The Moon meets Venus and Mars
As dusk falls, the Moon and the two planets Venus and Mars make for a delightful sight. The pouncing Leo seemingly about to snap at the three objects. You can admire both celestial bodies through binoculars in one field of view. It’s also a great opportunity to take a photo at dusk.
18/7 Pluto in opposition
Pluto is a dwarf planet that is not easily visible and a challenge for larger telescopes. Once the 9th planet, it was stripped of its planetary dignity in 2006, but of course our enthusiasm for the solar system’s outpost remains undiminished. If you want to set your sights on it, the best time to do so is during its opposition. Use your GoTo mount’s controller and a star chart to distinguish it from the background stars.
Coordinates for GoTo controller (23:59 CEST): RA: 19h49m59s, Dec: -22°38′
19/7 Golden Handle
The Golden Handle of the Moon? It does exist, but only during a certain lunar phase. Appearing like a handle of light, it is an effect caused by light on the lunar surface, along the terminator line. We are gazing at the Mare Imbrium in the Sinus Iridum crater region and the Montes Jura. Here, the sun rises at the day-night boundary. While the crater is still in darkness, the peaks of Montes Jura catch the sunlight at their summits. A golden ring in the darkness. Best seen between 18:00 and 21:30 CEST.
20/7 The Moon meets Antares
This evening, the Moon remains to the east of the star Antares. It is a red supergiant and shines bright with a reddish hue in the night sky. Its diameter is 700 times greater than that of our Sun and it would swallow some planets, including our Earth, if it were to take the place of our own celestial body.
21/7 Venus meets Regulus
With a good view of the horizon, you will discover Venus at the foot of the constellation Leo after sunset. In the immediate vicinity you will find the star Alpha Leonis, better known as Regulus. The name means “little King” or “prince”. If you’re thinking of little Simba and the Lion King, you’re probably right.
24/7 The Moon meets Saturn
Shortly before midnight, the constellation of Capricorn appears above the horizon. It is easily recognised by its bowl-like shape. The Moon passes below Saturn at a distance of 4.6 degrees on this night. If you focus on Saturn with binoculars, you will notice a magnitude 5.8 star on your left.
25/7 The Moon meets Jupiter
One day after its encounter with Saturn, the Moon meets Jupiter in the constellation of Aquarius. On this night, the two celestial bodies are separated by 5.5 degrees. Next month, the two gas giants will be in opposition to the Sun.
28/7 Delta Aquariids
The Delta Aquariids are a meteoroid stream that appear to originate in Aquarius. With around 25 meteors per hour, however, it trails far behind the August meteor shower in terms of prominence. Because the Moon phase is very high, the only suitable time for observation is before moonrise.
August
1/8 Jupiter’s moon Ganymede covers Europa
If you take a look through a telescope after Jupiter rises, you will notice the two moons of Jupiter, Europa and Ganymede. Like double stars, they appear close to each other. At 0:00 CEST, Ganymede partially obscures the somewhat smaller Europa, and at around 2:00 CEST, the two moons go their separate ways again.
2/8 Saturn in opposition
Due to the low position of the ecliptic plane, Saturn has remained low above the horizon in recent years. In 2019, it reached a height of about 20 degrees. During its opposition this year, we can observe it at an altitude of 24 degrees. Over the next few years, Saturn will continue to climb higher. The higher its position, the less we have to contend with atmospheric air turbulence.
On 2 August it reaches its opposition and shines brightly in the sky with a magnitude of 0.1. In doing so, it competes with the brightest stars. We recognise it by its yellowish colour and calm glow. Its ring opening is 18 degrees and if we look at the ring system from the north, we can easily identify the Cassini division.
11/8 The Moon meets Venus
A gaze into the evening twilight is well worth it, Venus shines brightly low in the west with the narrow crescent Moon just above it.
12/8 Perseids
Enjoy the most beautiful shooting stars of the year. The Perseids can be seen at their best this year, there will be a new Moon and dark skies all night while we observe them. The meteor shower is most intense during the morning hours of 12 August. At this time, up to 100 shooting stars fall through our atmosphere each hour at a speed of approximately 216,000 km/h. The best observation time is between 22:00 and 4:00 CEST.
18/8 Mars meets Mercury
An extremely close encounter for seasoned observers. At dusk on 18 August, Mars and Mercury meet only about 3 degrees above the horizon. The sun is barely below the horizon at this time.
20/8 Jupiter in opposition
You can already see Jupiter rising flat in the east at twilight, at magnitude -2.8, a bright object that is hard to miss. But the evening sky has even more to offer in terms of conspicuous objects; the moon and Saturn in close proximity and radiant Venus close above the western horizon.
Today, Jupiter draws all the attention – it is in opposition to the Sun and can be admired all night long. It is now separated from Earth by 600 million kilometres and the light takes just over half an hour to reach us. Its apparent diameter is 49″, it reaches its meridian passage and thus its best visibility and highest position at 1:14 CEST.
Declare war on viruses and bacteria!
January 12 2021, Patric Leibig
During the colder seasons, we spend more and more time in enclosed spaces, therefore increasing our risk of contracting viruses.
It only takes a short amount of time for us to lose our ability to assess air quality as we adapt to smells. This increases the importance of counteracting this.
Significantly reduce the risk of infection due to SARS-CoV-2 / Covid19 (Coronaviruses) and other viruses by using ambient air filters with Hepa H13 filter systems and CO2 monitors.
Seben HT-2008 CO2 Monitor
Air filters reduce aerosols in the ambient air.
SARS-CoV-2 / Covid19 and other lower respiratory illnesses are transmitted via aerosols/water droplets, amongst other things. Air purifiers with class H13 HEPA filters can filter these minute particles out of the ambient air and therefore significantly reduce the risk of infection. A combination of regular ventilation and air purifiers with class H13 “High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters” HEPA filters is the best way to reduce the risk of infection in enclosed spaces. H13 HEPA filters remove minute aerosols (<5µm) from the air and improve air quality. CO2 monitors can also be used to support ventilation.
According to estimates, the risk of a person in a room becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 / Covid19 (coronaviruses) due to the presence of a superspreader is reduced sixfold by using air filters with H13 HEPA filter technology.
Monitor and improve the air quality in your office, your flat, the classroom, etc, using the following measures:
- Proper and regular ventilation / cross ventilation
- CO2 monitors which support your ventilation
- Air purifiers / air filters with H13 or H14 “High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter” HEPA filters
Calculating the filter output for your room:
The ambient air filter should be able to filter the entire volume of air in the room at least 2x per hour in order to considerably reduce the concentration of aerosols and particulates. It is easy to work out the filter output you require:
To calculate the volume of your room, and therefore the volume of air, multiple the room’s length x breadth x height. Multiply this result by 2 and you have calculated the filter output in m³/h for your room.
Example:
Length: 5m, width: 4m, height: 2.5m
5m x 4m x 2.5m = 50m³
50m³ x 2 (per h) = 100m³/h
For classrooms / schools or other spaces where groups of people gather, we recommend calculating the air purifier’s output at 5 to 6 times the volume of the room.
Example:
For a room with a volume of 50m³, the air purifier used should have a minimum output of 300m³/h.
New in stock: CO2 monitors
November 6 2020, Patric Leibig
These air monitors display the carbon dioxide content in the air.
What is the ideal maximum indoor CO2 level?
According to the German Federal Environment Agency, indoor air quality is categorised as follows:
- Good ambient air quality: < 800ppm
- Average ambient air quality: 800 to 1,000ppm
- Moderate ambient air quality: 1,000 to 1,400ppm
- Poor ambient air quality: > 1,400ppm
Omegon 1200P CO2 Monitor
Regular and proper ventilation…
The German Federal Centre for Health Education and the Robert Koch Institute advise regular ventilation of offices, schools, flats… Indoor spaces in general. Aerosols provide a possible transmission path for Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. They build up very quickly and disperse themselves in closed indoor spaces. Proper ventilation is important to prevent risk of infection and improve the indoor climate.
Omegon HT-2008 CO2 Monitor
CO2 monitors help you to monitor ambient air quality and support your regular ventilation. Most devices warn you using a traffic light system or alarm sounds as soon as pre-programmed values are exceeded. This is important as people are generally very good at assessing a room’s air quality upon entry but they quickly lose this assessment ability as they adapt to smells, meaning that any deterioration is no longer noticed. We also tend to close windows too quickly when the temperature falls starkly and it gets colder.
The CO2 monitors use sensors to measure the air’s CO2 concentration and show the current carbon dioxide content range using the traffic light display.
These devices use sensors to measure the ambient air’s CO2 content, the temperature and usually also the humidity and therefore help you to learn how to ventilate properly in order to contain viruses.
You can find a large selection of CO2 monitors here in our shop.
Astronomy highlights in summer 2020
May 27 2020, Marcus Schenk
Bright comets, fantastic meteors in August and multiple planets at opposition mean that the night sky in summer 2020 is full of astronomical treats.
As early as June, there will be two interesting comets to be seen, namely C/2020 F8 SWAN and C/2017 T2 PanSTARRS. The former is gradually moving from the southern night sky to the northern sky and the latter is maintaining its altitude as a circumpolar object. T2 PanSTARRS is great for telescope viewing – and you can even find it in a great position, right next to a well-known star. More on this later.
We wish you many exciting hours of viewing.
June
1 June SWAN comet
Spring 2020 was rich in comets, one of the most attractive and brightest of these being the comet C/2020 F8 SWAN. It remained in the southern sky in spring, climbed above the horizon at the end of May and can now be found in the northern sky.
4 June Mercury at greatest eastern elongation
Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation which, in this configuration, is 23 degrees. It can be seen in the evening sky just above the north-western horizon. When viewed through a telescope, you can see the planet almost half-illuminated.
5 June Penumbral lunar eclipse
This evening, as much as around 50% of the Moon plunges into the Earth’s penumbral shadow. The resulting penumbral eclipse is interesting astronomically but not spectacular visually, as the Moon is only obscured minimally.
We are unable to track the beginning at 19:45 CEST (17:45 UT) because the Moon is still below the horizon. At 21:24 CEST, at the time of its maximum eclipse, it is visible just above the south-eastern horizon. From now on, we can track its further progression until the Moon leaves the penumbral shadow at 23:04 CEST.
5 June PanStarrs comet
Another interesting comet which certainly warrants a quality photo is C/2017 T2 PanSTARRS. It was discovered on 01/10/2017 and has since been travelling around the Sun on a parabolic trajectory.
It is currently at magnitude 8 and is also visible with small telescopes and large binoculars. On 5 June, it will be visible at a distance of 1 degree from the bright star Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris) in the Plough. It will therefore be very easy to find using any telescope and a wide-angle eyepiece or using a large telescope.
9 June Conjunction between Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon
There is rarely a more beautiful sight than this. At the start of the second half of the night, the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn are rising together over the south-eastern horizon. There are only 3 and 4 degrees between both planets and our satellite and together they make an attractive trio. To the right of this we find the constellation Sagittarius with its summer deep sky objects and, to the left, Capricorn.
13 June Conjunction between the Moon and Mars
From around 3:00 CEST (1:00 UT) we experience a conjunction between Mars and the Moon at an altitude of only 10 degrees above the horizon. A stunning sight, but who is this mysterious visitor? Almost invisible, Neptune joins them and can be found no more than 1.5 degrees above Mars with the help of binoculars.
19 June The Moon occults Venus
It is a rare event when the Moon slips in front of Venus today and occults it. However, this event is taking place during the day. But does this mean that you cannot somehow observe it? You can, but this event is more for experienced observers. At 9:55 CEST the Moon, with its narrow crescent shape, slips in front of Venus. Caution: The Sun is around 20 degrees to the east! Never look directly at the Sun with your eyes or using an optical instrument.
27 June June Bootids
The June Bootids meteor shower originates from the constellation Bootes. The number of falling meteors is small but variable. There have been years in which no meteors have been seen, however rates of 100 per hour have been seen on occasion. Because these meteors cause excitement, it is worth taking a closer look.
July
5 July Conjunction between Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon
Once night has fallen, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn rise, drawing everyone’s gaze towards them at magnitudes of -2.7 and 0.1. Tonight the fully-illuminated Moon joins them, as the Moon was full only yesterday.
8 July Venus at greatest magnitude
Venus is currently located in the constellation Taurus or in the Hyades star cluster. Although it is only 30% illuminated, it is shining at magnitudre -4.4, the brightest magnitude achieved so far this year.
12 July Conjunction between Mars and the Moon
With 2.5 degrees between them, there is a conjunction between Mars and the Moon today. Both are in the constellation Cetus on the border of Pisces and rise after midnight. At sunrise they are 30 degrees above the horizon, they do not reach the meridian as the Sun will have already long risen by then.
12 Conjunction between Venus and Aldebaran
It is a special occurrence when a bright planet passes by a bright star. Events like these are very eye-catching and appealing to observe. On 12 July, Venus passes by the bright star Aldebaran at a distance of only 0.5 degrees. It is to be the closest encounter of any planet with Aldebaran in this century.
14 July Jupiter at opposition
Jupiter rises in the south-east as early as twilight and can be seen as a very bright object. Today it is at opposition to the Sun and can be admired throughout the entire night. A mere 619 million kilometres separate it from Earth and the light requires a little more than half an hour to reach us. Its visible diameter is 47 arc seconds and it crosses the meridian, and therefore achieves its best visibility, at 1:25 CEST (23:25 UT).
16 July Pluto at opposition
The former planet and current dwarf planet is at opposition and is shining at a magnitude of 14.2. Finding it with a telescope which only works with one accurate star chart is a challenge. Pluto is located between Saturn and Jupiter on these days, from which it is only 2 degrees to the west (on the left of the central Telrad ring).
17 July Conjunction between Venus and the Moon
A delightful sight in the morning sky in the form of today’s conjunction between Venus and the very narrow and almost 26-day-old crescent Moon in the constellation Taurus, close to the star Aldebaran.
21 July Saturn at opposition
July is the month of oppositions and today’s offering is Saturn. At magnitude 0.1, it will be shining much more faintly than its prominent colleague, Jupiter. However, Saturn is able to make up for this with its attractive rings, which we are able to see fully exposed in our view.
22 July Mercury at greatest western elongation
Whilst Mercury was at its greatest eastern elongation in June, it is now at its greatest western elongation. This means that it has now become an object in the morning sky, as it now rises before the Sun. From 4:30 CEST (2:30 UT), you should be able to see it at around 3 degrees above the horizon. At this time, the Sun is 8 degrees below the horizon.
28 July Delta Aquariids
The last event this month is the Delta Aquariids. These are shooting stars which appear to come from region containing the constellation Aquarius, at a maximum frequency of 25 per hour. The period after midnight, when the Moon has already gone down, is best suited for their observation.
August
1 August Conjunction between Jupiter and the Moon
Today there is a conjunction between the 12-day-old and almost full Moon and Jupiter.
9 August Conjunction between the Moon and Mars
This morning the Moon is approaching the planet Mars until it is around 2.75 degrees away. While Mars is in Pisces, the Moon crosses the border from Cetus to Pisces in the morning.
12 August Perseids
The absolute highlight of every August is the Perseids meteor shower. We are able to see up to 100 meteors per hour tonight. Admittedly, this is only because the Moon is not interfering. This year, we are able to view them during the first half of the night without it interfering. At 0:30 CEST (22:30 UT) the Moon rises above the horizon, the sky gets brighter and the faint Perseids are drowned out by Moonlight.
13 August Venus at greatest western elongation
Venus is the morning star and is currently at its greatest western elongation at a distance of 45 degrees between it and the Sun. When you view Venus through the telescope, it appears half-illuminated.
13 August Conjunction between the Moon and the Hyades
The Moon is in the constellation Taurus, close to the Hyades star cluster.
15 August Conjunction between Venus and the Moon
Anyone looking up at the sky in the early hours of the morning can see Venus close to the narrow crescent Moon. Both are in the constellation Gemini.
28 Conjunction between Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon
This evening there is a conjunction between the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation Sagittarius. The trio is on the left, close to the well-known Teapot asterism. If deep-sky observation is not possible today, how about a tour of the lunar craters, culminating in a glimpse of both rulers of the solar system?
The SkyGuider Pro camera mount from iOptron is now available with an electronic polar finder
January 8 2020, Stefan Taube
The SkyGuider Pro is a very light mount on which you can set up a camera with interchangeable lenses or a small telescope. This approach allows longer exposure times and so you can create fascinating wide-angle shots of the night sky.
iOptron Mount SkyGuider Pro iPolar Set
The SkyGuider Pro is now also available as a set together with the iPolar electronic polar finder, which has been built into the mount. With this accessory, you can easily and very precisely polar-align your mount.
The electronic finder has a built-in camera. This shows the position of the northern celestial pole and the location that the polar axis of the mount is pointing at, on your laptop. Simply bring the two points together by turning the adjustment screws for the azimuth and altitude axes of the mount – and you’re done!
SkyGuider Pro with iPolar
The location of the celestial north pole differs somewhat from the location of the Pole Star. The electronics calculate the exact position using the date and time. Thanks to the sensitivity of the camera and the large field of view, this so-called polar alignment is successful even when the mount has been only roughly positioned. This also works in the southern hemisphere and even takes into account atmospheric refraction at low latitudes!
If want to do without iPolar, you can of course still purchase the SkyGuider Pro mount without the electronic polar finder here.
Omegon MiniTrack LX3: get ready for liftoff with heavenly photos of the starry sky
November 15 2019, Marcus Schenk
A photo of the starry sky that looks exactly how it would look on a clear night in the mountains or in the desert: this is a dream you can now fulfil with the new MiniTrack LX3. The new mini-mount ensures you are well-prepared and is now even more powerful than its predecessor, the MiniTrack LX2.
The new MiniTrack LX3 mount
It is much easier than you think to take a fantastic photo of the starry sky. You don’t even have to be an experienced astrophotographer. In a dark location, align the mount to the north celestial pole, attach your camera, wind up the mechanism and start your recording. With the MiniTrack LX3, anyone can conjure up a beautiful photo of the starry sky – almost as easy as boiling an egg
Until now you’ve almost certainly been aware of the MiniTrack LX2: a fully mechanical small mount that you can attach to any commercially available camera tripod and which is so compact that it fits into any luggage. The new version, the MiniTrack LX3, has been revised yet again and is now better than ever. Sky&Telescope magazine awarded the MiniTrack the “Hot Product Award” and the users of the MiniTrack are also certain: you can not only take beautiful photos. With the MiniTrack LX3, the starry sky presents itself as if it were on the catwalk.
What has changed?
- More load-bearing capacity: now you can attach a camera up to 3kg in weight.
- New Teflon bush for even smoother movement.
- Adjustable suspension system: you can slow down or speed up tracking, making it more precise and the stars rounder.
- CNC body: more stable and even more finely finished.
- An optical polar finder is already included. This allows more precise polar alignment of the MiniTrack LX3 – and you can expose your photo for longer.
Let yourself be inspired by the Omegon MiniTrack LX3 and learn more about the compact travel mount here.
New Smartphone Mount by Celestron: NexYZ
August 28 2018, Stefan Taube
The trend of using smartphone cameras for photography with optical instruments has remained steady. This is, of course, an obvious choice because everyone has this camera with them, ready to send pictures; and these cameras are always improving. The large range of smartphone mounts has been extended by Celestron, adding a very interesting model.
The Celestron NexYZ is not only particularly robust; it can be adjusted in all three axes using a rotary knob. This means you’ll be able to set the perfect distance between the eyepiece and the adapter. This feature, in combination with the ease, with which the smartphone can be changed, is interesting for public shots at observatories, because all visitors want to take their personal moon photo home with them.
The clamp of the NexYZ adapter is also wonderfully suited for use on spotting scopes.
With the NexYZ adapter, we are offering you a smartphone holder with the usual clever design by Celestron.
Observe the night sky with Celestron SkyMaster binoculars!
June 4 2018, Stefan Taube
For many observers is not a telescope, but rather a pair of binoculars that is used as the main optical instrument for exploring the night sky. That is, after all, only logical as real nature lovers are already equipped with binoculars.
Observing the night sky with the binoculars is more than just a compromise – binoculars, with their wide field of view and using both eyes, do have certain advantages over a telescope. And as binoculars are always close at hand in the truest sense of the expression, they follow the golden rule of observing the night sky – the best optical instruments are the ones that are used the most.
The SkyMaster series from the American brand Celestron are extremely popular binoculars often chosen for astronomical observing. These astronautically optimized binoculars offer a generous aperture at a great price.
For successfully getting started observing the night sky with binoculars we recommend the SkyMaster 15×70 SkySurfer set. You get it for the very affordable set price of only 133 Euros!
In addition to the binoculars, you also receive a SkySurfer III red-dot finder from Baader, which will help you to orientate yourself in the night sky. The red dot finder projects a red dot onto a transparent window. This lets you see which part of the night sky the binoculars are pointing at and lets you orient yourself using a star chart.
The set also includes is the particularly sturdy Stronghold-Bino tripod adapter from Baader. Unlike the usual adapters made of plastic or aluminium this adapter is made of steel, ensuring that your binoculars are held really firmly and safely on the tripod.
This offer is valid until August 31, 2018. And if you buy the Celestron SkyMaster 15×70 SkySurfer Binoculars set before 27.07.2018, you will be able to observe the lunar eclipse on this date. So make sure you grab yours in time!
Solarquest, the new mount by Skywatcher for observing the sun
April 19 2018, Marcus Schenk
Adjusting your telescope while observing the sun is not as easy as you might at first think. The telescope should, of course, already be oriented towards the sun using a sun filter before setting up. When attempting to orient the telescope towards the sun, you can quickly become careless and peer without eye protection through the telescope at the blazing sun. Help is at hand here with the solar finder or the new Solarquest mount by Skywatcher.
The Solarquest mount has GPS, an automatic level and an electronic solar finder, Heliofind®. You only have to fit the mount. After a short initialisation, the mount moves by itself to the sun. But, of course, the Solarquest can do more than that: The mount guides the telescope as the sun moves across the sky, so that it is always in line with the eyepiece or camera sensor. This precise tracking can also be done via the built-in Heliofind® finder.
Of course, you can also correct the orientation of the mount by hand, for example, if you are working with greater magnification, and would like to move to a specific place on the solar disc. To do this, there is a slider button on the mount so you can guide the movement yourself.
The azimuthal single arm mount, Solarquest, can hold small optics weighing up to four kilos, making it especially light and quiet. The Solarquest, in combination with a small sun telescope, forms an easy-to-transport system that is quick to set up – that is both particularly comfortable on your balcony at home and ideal for travel or for training purposes.
You can also place a small refractor on the Solarquest and fit a sun filter to it. In combination with a QUARK by DayStar, it is even possible to observe in H-alpha or Calcium-H light. You can even use it for night astronomy without a sun filter using the Solarquest mount. The Solarquest mount becomes a part of your versatile system for night observation.