Telescope Magnification

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What kind of magnification do I need for my telescope?

Telescope Magnification

First things first, remember that as a novice, the higher the magnification of the telescope that you buy, often the harder it will be to use. Most observing is done at around 200 power magnification, and to do reasonable observing you don't need to buy a telescope that provides much more than 350 power magnification. Now, often small telescopes will advertise extreme levels of magnification. This comes primarily from the telescope's eyepiece, which can also have a magnification rating, which drives up the telescope's overall magnification rate. Remember, a small telescope will probably not be able to collect enough light to utilize these large amounts of magnification -- if you're looking for something with 500 power or above, make sure you look at larger telescopes.

   

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Tammi Reynolds