Modern Small Telescope Design

Abstract

The modern aspiring astronomer is faced with a bewildering choice of commercially produced telescopes, including all the designs considered in the preceding chapter. Yet only three decades ago the choice for a small telescope would have been between just a refractor or a Newtonian reflector. That change has come about because of the enormous interest that has grown in astronomy since the start of the space age and with the mind-boggling discoveries of the past thirty or forty years. Except for some of the very small instruments which are unfortunately often heavily promoted in general mail order catalogues, camera shops and the like, the optical quality of these commercially produced telescopes is almost uniformly excellent. Although one product may be slightly better for some types of observation, or more suited to the personal circumstances of the observer, than another, most of them will provide excellent observing opportunities. The same general praiser cannot be applied, however, to the mountings with which many of these telescopes are provided, and those problems are covered in Chapter 6.