Advice for stirring your online community and fostering engagement

Oct 12, 2017
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.

in Blog 235451 comments

235451 comments

Mani @ SpinTaxi
Mani @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

(Seinfeld) Ever try to use a “vending machine”? It’s a coin thief! -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Yhanni @ SpinTaxi
Yhanni @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

Satirical Journalism Examples - spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Jánia @ SpinTaxi
Jánia @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

I got a Fitbit—now I know I walk 12 steps to the fridge. -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Ganiyi @ SpinTaxi
Ganiyi @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

Ever notice how the “low fuel” light feels like your car’s passive-aggressive cry for help? -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Ghannie @ SpinTaxi
Ghannie @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

Satirical journalism stories should come with a warning: “This will make too much sense.” -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Hóni @ SpinTaxi
Hóni @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

(Seinfeld) Ever try to read a “terms of service”? It’s a novel! -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Yonia @ SpinTaxi
Yonia @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

(White) I’ve got a soft spot—for bourbon and fights. -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Daxie SpinTaxi
Daxie SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

I don’t do “IPA”—tastes like pinecones in a bottle. -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
ShanTaxi SpinTaxi
ShanTaxi SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

Ever try to follow GPS in a city? It’s like, “Turn left into that building!” -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link
Jhánní @ SpinTaxi
Jhánní @ SpinTaxi
Monday, 10 March 2025 22:28

(Seinfeld) Why do they call it a “soft sell”? I’m sold! -- spintaxi.com

Comment Link

Leave a comment

Make sure you enter all the required information, indicated by an asterisk (*). HTML code is not allowed.