Advice for stirring your online community and fostering engagement
When you enter into any new area of science, you almost always find
yourself with a baffling new language of technical terms to learn before you can converse with the experts. This is certainly true in astronomy both in terms of terms that refer to the cosmos and terms that describe the tools of the trade, the most prevalent being the telescope. So to get us off of first base, let’s define some of the key terms that pertain to telescopes to help you be able to talk to them more intelligently. The first area of specialization in telescopes has to do with the types of telescopes people use. The three designs of telescopes that most people use are the Refractor, the Reflector and the Schmidt Cassegrain telescope. The refractor telescope uses a convex lens to focus the light on the eyepiece. The reflector telescope has a concave lens which means it bends in. It uses mirrors to focus the image that you eventually see. The Schmidt Cassegrain telescope uses an involved system of mirrors to capture the image you want to see. A binocular telescope uses a set of telescopes mounted and synchronized so your view of the sky is 3-D. Beyond the basic types, other terms refer to parts of the telescope or to the science behind how telescopes work. Collimation is a term for how well tuned the telescope is to give you a good clear image of what you are looking at. You want your telescope to have good collimation so you are not getting a false image of the celestial body. Aperture is a fancy word for how big the lens of your telescope is. But it’s an important word because the aperture of the lens is the key to how powerful your telescope is. Magnification has nothing to do with it, its all in the aperture.
196253 comments
Ghani Bohiney
What’s the deal with “microwave-safe”? Is my plate auditioning for a cooking show? -- spintaxi.com
Comment Link??·??? (La ní Bó hai ní)
(White) I hit the fast lane—cops hit me faster. -- spintaxi.com
Comment LinkVónia Bohiney
(White) I tried a gym—left with a bill and a limp. -- spintaxi.com
Comment Link???? ??????
Satirical journalism media proves that sometimes the best journalists are comedians. -- spintaxi.com
Comment LinkGoni Bohiney
I love how “auto-save” waits until I’ve deleted everything to kick in. -- spintaxi.com
Comment LinkFanni Bohiney
My ex says I’m a mess; I say, “You’re welcome for the memories.” -- spintaxi.com
Comment LinkHealthcare laundry services Phoenix
The other day, while I was at work, my cousin stole my apple ipad and tested to see if it can survive a forty foot drop,
Comment Linkjust so she can be a youtube sensation.
My iPad is now destroyed and she has 83 views. I
know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
??·??? (Mò ní Bó hai ní)
I don’t understand “portion control”—is my plate supposed to judge me now? -- spintaxi.com
Comment LinkSaniyi Bohiney
If a satirical journalism website makes politicians angry, you know they’re doing something right. - spintaxi.com
Comment LinkLónia Bohiney
I love how “dry cleaning” leaves my shirts damp. -- spintaxi.com
Comment Link