Learn About Tasco 60mm Telescopes and Their Accessories
If you enjoy gazing at the night sky, you may want to find an instrument that can bring things more clearly into focus. Telescopes provide viewers with a more detailed look at celestial objects. There are a few companies, including Tasco Worldwide, that manufacture these devices for use by casual observers and backyard astronomers alike.
What is the difference between a reflective and refractive telescope?
These labels are used to distinguish the two major categories into which these optical tools are separated. Each category describes how the telescope collects an image that the observer views in the eyepiece. Refractive models use two glass lenses: an objective lens to gather light and an eyepiece lens to magnify the image.
A reflective telescope employs two concave mirrors instead of glass lenses. The primary mirror collects light and reflects it towards a secondary mirror. It then reflects that light toward a hole on the side of the instrument where the image can be viewed.
What does the 60mm measurement refer to?
This number refers to the optical diameter of the instrument. It is also called aperture, and it indicates the size of a telescope's objective lens or primary mirror. These numbers can be used as a general guide for observers to determine what they might expect to see when using the device. Calculations can be made that help to determine what the lowest and highest useful magnifications may be for a 60mm aperture or what magnification can be used to see the finest detail of an object in a 60mm scope.
From what types of materials are tripods made?
Manufacturers use three types of materials in tripods. All telescopes are crowned with some type of support mechanism to hold them in place while they're being used to observe objects in the night sky.
- Aluminum - with or without adjustable legs with locking joints.
- Carbon fiber - with or without adjustable legs with locking joints
- Wood - with or without foldable legs with lockable joints
What types of mounts are used on telescopes?
Each type of support provides movement for the telescope to track celestial objects.
- Altazimuth - is adjusted by vertical (altitude) and horizontal (azimuth) controls
- Dobsonian mount - is connected to a platform that sits on the ground
- Equatorial - adjusts for terrestrial-based alignment issues.
- German equatorial - uses a large counterweight for instrument balance.
- Fork mount - Used with most devices with shorter tubes
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