Links
Best Websites if you’re new (or experienced) to Amateur Astronomy:
- Astronimcal League (www.astroleague.org) – On this site, you will be able to find information on local Astronomy Clubs across the nation and in your local area. Just search by your zip code and you’ll be in touch with local astronomers who will be more than happy to invite you to star parties where you can look through their telescopes, give you advice about what to buy and how to observe, and a number of other rewarding community activities.
- Andy’s Shot Glass (www.andysshotglass.com) – This site, created by my friend Andy who also owns a Skyshed Pod Observatory, is a great resource for those new and old to astronomy. On his site, you’ll find flash video tutorials and articles to help you grasp many complicated and not so complicated astronomer topics.
- Cloudy Nights (www.cloudynights.com) – This is a forum website where you will find plenty of amateur astronomers who were once just as new to astronomy as you! Here you will enjoy advice, pretty Astrophotos, and general astronomy related discussion.
Recommended Astronomy Retailers (I own products from all of these):
- Agena Astroproducts (www.agenaastro.com) – This is a great place to find telescopes of many brands including my favorite “William Optics” brand, mounts, eyepieces, filters, binoculars, camera adapters, and many other items which are well suited and reasonably priced for increasing the enjoyment of this hobby.
- Skyshed Pod Observatories (www.skyshedpod.com) - My Skyshed Pod is my single most treasured piece of astronomy equipment. Owning a portable yet permanent observatory allows me to keep my equipment set up and ready for Astrophotography on a 24/7 basis. Without it, I would spend hours just getting everything perfectly ready to take photographs and it is certain I would have far less enjoyment from all of my other astronomy equipment without it. If you’re into astronomy, you’ll never regret the day you purchased your very own backyard observatory.
- Scopestuff (www.scopestuff.com) – Scopestuff sells machined parts and odds and ends which you just can’t find anywhere else. Anything ranging from Amateur Telescope Making parts to customer camera adapters are likely to be found at this invaluable resource.
- Orion Telescopes (www.telescope.com) – Orion Telescopes has an especially great line of introductory and advanced astrophotography cameras as well as introductory astrophotography class mounts available including the mount used at Eyegloo Observatory: “the Atlas.”
- Moonlite Focusers (www.focuser.com) – A focuser, next to the mount, is one of the most important pieces of equipment required for Astrophotography. Moonlite Focusers are among the best available to the amateur astronomer and well worth their price. Many Astrophotographers achieve great things with cheaper focusers but few non-moonlite owners experience the consistency, speed, beauty, and quality of the moonlite brand.
Recommended used Astronomy Gear Website:
- Astromart (www.astromart.com) – Unlike ebay where the cheap department store scopes sell for as much or more than “good” telescopes, Astromart is a great place to buy, sell, and trade with fellow astronomers who know what they’re doing and aren’t selling total junk. You’ll also save lots of money from buying equipment from this site as opposed to brand new.
Other Useful Astronomy Links:
- Clear Sky Clock (www.cleardarksky.com) – This site gives useful weather information anywhere in North America which is specifically tailored to the needs of Astronomers… a service your local television forecaster often does not provide.
- Spaceweather (www.spaceweather.com) – This site gives a number of interesting tidbits of information pertaining to solar activity. They also provide a unique service… to call you any time of day or night in the event some truly extraordinary celestial event is occurring in your area such as the northern lights which have on occasion, been seen as far south as Mexico!
- SOHO Telescope (http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov) – This is the homepage of Nasa’s Solar Heliospheric Observatory which displays live pictures taken from their solar telescope, currently orbiting the sun 1.5 million miles from Earth!
- Hubble Space Telescope (www.hubblesite.org) – Official Website of the famous (and expensive to repair) hubble space telescope, operated by NASA and professional Astronomical Researchers around the world.