Author: Richard Bartlett

As you begin your astronomical adventure, there are a number of terms and phrases you’ll frequently hear – and the words “transparency” and “seeing” are just two of them. Both transparency and seeing refer to the condition of the atmosphere, which, in turn, affect the quality of the image through your telescope. The two terms…

Astronomy has a lot of technical terms you need to learn. Of course, you can always simply step outside on a clear night and look up at the stars, but it always helps to have a deeper understanding of your hobby. Understanding the more technical aspects won’t detract from your enjoyment of the night sky,…

Not long after you begin your amateur astronomer journey, you will no doubt discover “Messier objects.” They are some of the most well-known deep sky objects but what exactly are they and why are they so special? In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about Messier objects and give you…

When you think of star clusters, the chances are you think of a scattering of stars, like the Pleiades or the Beehive. However, there’s another common type that’s popular with amateur astronomers everywhere: the globular star cluster. While not as numerous as their open star cluster cousins, nearly two hundred are currently known to exist,…

There have been hundreds of deep sky catalogues compiled over the millennia, with a handful remaining popular with both professional and amateur astronomers alike. One of these is the New General Catalogue* (NGC), and it’s fair to say there probably isn’t a serious astronomer alive who hasn’t observed objects listed in it. That said, if…