You don't need to travel to L.A...
..to see where the stars live. Tasco has everything the aspiring astronomer needs to bring the most
spectacular celestial images right to your home. Our powerful line of
telescopes can take you away to other worlds, to distant galaxies, to the
most stirring depths of the universe. With Tasco, you can travel light-years
into space and be back in time for dinner. We’re not saying Hollywood
doesn't still have its place, but why settle for special effects when you
can have the real thing?.
Spacestation
Telescopes
Put on your pressure suit and
commence docking procedures, because we have a Spacestation powerful enough
to take you to the moon and way, way beyond. See the stars like you've never
seen before with a view from an all-new Tasco Spacestation telescope
featuring a cosmically inspired new design. Its variable LED electronic Red
Dot Finderscope takes you to visit your favourite constellation in a flash
by quickly finding any object in the sky. Partially pre-assembled and
super-sturdy, these Spacestations come ready for blast off, so let the
countdown begin.
These powerful refractor and
reflector telescopes make lunar details crystal clear as you gaze into the
depths of space.
Slow motion controls work with either an alt-azimuth or an equatorial
mount to make the Luminova an even better observing experience. And the
1.25" eyepieces deliver sharper images and a wider field of view along with
better eye relief. Lightweight and portable, Luminova puts the universe
within easy reach.
The Galaxsee
and Luminova models also include the Tasco SkyWatch
CD Rom, which has a database of over 10,000 celestial objects, and software
that lets you recreate astronomical wonders such as an eclipse.
The Novice line brings Jupiter,
the rings of Saturn, even bright objects in deep space into view with
maximum magnifications of 312X or 402X.
Reliable 50 and 60mm refractor telescopes are easy to operate, with
high-quality glass optics for sharp, clear images. Rack and pinion focusing
and alt-azimuth mounts make this the ideal starter telescope line for
budding astronomers of all ages. Easy portability and rugged construction
make Novice an excellent travelling companion to the stars.
Specialty
An affordable collection of refractor telescopes perfect for children,
beginner astronomers, and for gift giving - and also a classic, hand-held
telescope/spyglass with a gleaming brass finish and leatherette trim.
Who says it has to cost the earth to see the universe?
TELESCOPE TERMINOLOGY
Types of telescopes
Refractor An optical
system that utilizes a series of glass lenses to refract or bend the light
from a distant object such that it can be focused to a point and magnified
by an eyepiece. Popularized by Galileo in the 17th Century, it is
sometimes referred to as a Galilean refractor. Refractors are less
affected by atmospheric instabilities making them perfect for observing
the Moon and planets. Perfect for first-time and novice astronomers, small
refractors are lightweight, portable and require very little maintenance.
And, if you're interested in viewing both land and celestial objects,
refractors are equipped for both uses.
Reflector The optical
system in a reflector uses a primary mirror to reflect the light from a
distant object such that it can be focused to a point and magnified by an
eyepiece. Popularized by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th Century, it is
sometimes referred to as a Newtonian reflector. Reflectors feature larger
apertures for a wide range of viewing at an affordable price. Designed
with the eyepiece located at the top of the tube, reflectors are more
comfortable to use for viewing night-sky objects such as nebulae, the
Moon, planets and galaxies. Reflectors tend to be heavier and larger than
refractors.
Eyepieces
Lower power eyepieces provide a
wider field of view and a brighter image making them ideal for viewing the
full Moon and planets, star clusters, nebulae and the constellations. To
focus in on the finer details of the Moon and planets such as mountains,
ridges and craters, use an eyepiece with higher magnification.
Barlow Lens
An auxiliary lens that increases
the power by a factor. For example, a 2x barlow doubles the magnification of
the telescope.
Erecting Lens
Lens used with a refractor
telescope when viewing land-based objects to correct the normally upside
down image provided by an astronomical telescope.
Finderscope
On most astronomical telescopes a
lower powered finderscope with a wider field of view lets the user quickly
locate the object to be viewed by the high-magnification main telescope.
There are two types of finderscopes, optical and red dot.
Focal Length
The measured light path of the
optical system (tube length), typically measured in millimeters.
Focusing knob
Controls the rack and pinion
focusing system. Permits smooth movement of eyepiece for precise, sharp
images.
Magnification (Power)
Telescopes are often referred to
by two numbers separated by an "x". For example: 100x4.5". The first number
is the power or magnification of the telescope. With a 100x4.5" telescope,
the object being viewed appears to be 100 times closer than you would see it
with the unaided eye.
The magnification of a telescope
is determined by dividing its focal length by the focal length of the
eyepiece being used. For example, a 500mm telescope with a 5mm eyepiece
would magnify objects 100x. Thus, a telescope can provide nearly any
magnification required depending on the focal length of the eyepiece used.
Since most objects in the sky are
rather large, high magnification isn't necessary. Rather, a telescope that
gathers lots of light is needed to make dim objects appear brighter and
sharper. The power or magnification contributes to the overall size and bulk
of the telescope. This is because as the power increases, so must the
physical size of the objective lens.
Objective Lens Size (or
Aperture)
The second number in the formula
(100x4.5") is the diameter of the objective lens or mirror. The aperture
relates directly to how bright images will appear and how much detail is
revealed. The larger the objective lens, the better.
The size of the telescope's
objective lens, or aperture, limits the amount of power that can be used
effectively. As the magnification of an object increases, the brightness of
the image decreases. This is because the light gathered by the telescope is
being spread over a larger area.
Aperture also limits the clarity
of an image at increased magnification. When magnified beyond an aperture's
recommended power, the image dims and becomes fuzzy.
Resolution
Resolution, or definition, is the
ability of a telescope to distinguish fine detail and retain clarity.
Types of telescope mounts
The mount secures the telescope
to the tripod. It allows you to move your telescope horizontally and
vertically. There are two primary types of telescope mounts,
altitude-azimuth (or altaz) and equatorial. Altaz mounts move up-down and
left-right. Equatorial mounts are tilted to align with the rotational
(polar) axis of the Earth.
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