Astronomy with a Budget Telescope

Book excerpt: Sir Patrick Moore, CBE, FRS has long been the scourge of those people selling low-cost astronomical telescopes via mail-order catalogues and non-specialist stores. Ten years ago the quality was appalling and disappointment would have been almost guaranteed - but times have changed. The first part of the book provides reports on some available models along with detailed and essential hints and tips about what to look for when buying. The second part describes how best to use the telescope, which celestial objects to observe (with full-page star charts to help find them), what you can expect to see, and how to take and even computer enhance astronomical photographs. -Explains what to look for when you buy a low-cost telescope. -Lists and describes the best celestial objects to observe. -Includes a detailed full-page star chart for every object listed, showing where to find it. -Illustrates what you can expect to see. -Includes a section on how to photograph and computer-enhance astronomical images. -Full colour throughout.