High Point Scientific Team
Nearly all amateur astronomers will agree that a sturdy and reliable mount plays a major role in the enjoyment of this hobby. Mounts typically come in two different styles: equatorial and altitude-azimuth. The type of mount you choose is highly dependent...
Autoguiding is one of the most effective ways to increase your sub-exposure time. By using a guide camera and a guiding software such as PHD2, one can send commands to their equatorial mount to help produce consistently round stars and sharp details...
Learn how to choose telescope and camera gear, matched to your usual seeing conditions, that will produce sharp, high resolution astro-images. A well-sampled astrophotography set up will do just that, by creating results that are neither too pixelated...
An equatorial mount or tracking mount is a crucial component of your astrophotography setup. The mount alone allows photographers to take long exposures of deep sky objects by tracking the movement of the night sky. With a standard equatorial mount and...
The features that a mount offers are another important factor in the decision making process, so we have color coated the chart in a way that displays how feature rich a mount may be. Based on a quick glance, you can see that the higher the weight capacity...
A common enemy of every amateur astronomer is light pollution! The light emitted from buildings, street lights, headlights, stop lights, porch lights, and even your phone can be detrimental to your views through your telescope. Light pollution is the...
Astronomers and amateur astronomers alike are likely familiar with the term “seeing conditions”. This term typically refers to the atmospheric conditions or level of atmospheric turbulence in the local area. You have almost certainly heard the song “Tw...
A catadioptric telescope is an optical system that is optimized for producing images of objects at an infinite distance, and which incorporates both refractive type optics (lenses) and reflective optics (mirrors). The use of both mirror and lens optics...
Choosing the best deep sky camera can be difficult. No one camera is best, or pairs best with a single scope! You want to be sure to correctly pair your scope’s focal length with your camera's pixel size. Your seeing conditions play a major role in i...
Here you'll find information on different types of telescope filters and what they are best used for. There is a telescope filter for every application, whether you want to enhance views through the eyepiece for observations of the planets and nebulae...
We know that nearly every kid loves to look up into the night sky and ponder. Whether it be the craters on the Moon, the rings around Saturn, or the moons of Jupiter, kids love astronomy! Our experts have taken the time to put together a list of telescopes...
We are pleased to announce the best telescopes for 2021! Each telescope was evaluated for its performance and value relative to its peers. The list we compiled contains some brand names we are all familiar with and others that you might not have heard...
The best planetary camera for you is one that works well with the telescope equipment you already have, while also considering the seeing conditions you experience at your observing site or sites. Choosing the Best Planetary Camera helps you define what...
Stargazers and amateur astronomers who live in urban areas own telescopes and spend countless hours observing and photographing our night sky, even with light pollution! The trick is to find the right telescope for you and then accessorize it correctly...
The LX65 catadioptric telescope launched late last year and marked Meade’s entry into the popular, mid-range, single-arm, alt/azimuth computerized telescope category. Today, we’re reviewing the 8” ACF version, which is the largest optical tube available in th...