| People who buy telescopes often have a vague | | | | Uranus and Neptune can be seen with an 8" |
| idea that they would like to spend some time | | | | telescope. Pluto, though now not considered a |
| exploring the heavens and looking at planets and | | | | planet, can also be spotted as a small disc in the |
| stars. You may not know exactly what you can | | | | sky. |
| see with your telescope until you do some | | | | One type of heavenly bodies people most want |
| research and experimentation. There are many | | | | to see with their telescopes is stars. There are |
| objects in the sky you might be able to enjoy | | | | many stars to see. You can look at individual stars |
| seeing. | | | | in an open star cluster. These may be difficult to |
| The moon has probably been an object for | | | | distinguish from the background stars. Globular |
| contemplation since the beginning of humankind. It | | | | star clusters are different. They are millions of |
| goes through its phases, and for many, many | | | | stars packed in a tight group. You can see these |
| years that was the only way people had to | | | | clusters from a great distance. |
| gauge time beyond the day. | | | | If you want to learn a little more about the night |
| However, with a telescope, you can see much | | | | sky, you can find out about nebulae. These |
| more of the moon's surface. You can focus on | | | | glowing clouds of gas can be seen through a |
| the dry river-like contours or the mountain ranges | | | | telescope under certain conditions. Some are small |
| on the surface of the moon. You can gaze at the | | | | and shaped like a ball. Others are much larger, and |
| craters more closely. You can take a look at the | | | | they are irregularly shaped. |
| terminator line where the dark and light sides of | | | | You may even be able to see the outlines of |
| the moon meet. | | | | other galaxies. The Milky Way Galaxy that you |
| You might think that the Sun is difficult to | | | | live in is just one of uncountable galaxies in the |
| observe. You cannot look at it directly without | | | | universe. It is exciting if you can get a glimpse of |
| damaging your retinas, after all. The trick is to use | | | | something beyond your known world. |
| the proper solar filter to protect your eyes. It can | | | | Comets, of course, are popular astronomical |
| be fun to keep track of and chart the sunspot | | | | sights for many people. You can get a listing of |
| activity. | | | | comets that are due to come around by visiting |
| The planets of the solar system are fascinating to | | | | websites such as the NASA site. You have a |
| view. Jupiter is easily spotted, with its great red | | | | limited time to view them, but this also means |
| spot which changes hourly. You can also watch | | | | that you know when the best time for viewing is. |
| the clouds and the moons that surround it. Saturn | | | | Depending upon your particular telescope, you |
| is a delight to watch with its glorious rings. Mars is | | | | may or may not be able to see all these things. |
| interesting when you look for the polar cap to | | | | With some experience, you will come to |
| change or watch the surface of the planet. Even | | | | understand just what your telescope can do. |