Why you Must Take a Telescope Travelling
The universe is a marvellous and mysterious thing, a sprawling arc of nothingness with planets and stars and other celestial objects in permanent suspension. It’s been studied by astronomers and scientists for many centuries, and yet we know very little about what is out there. At school, we were taught the basics, but many a schoolboy or schoolgirl became fascinated by the stars and planets above. A telescope was – and remains – a popular Christmas or birthday present, and I am among those who spent many an hour scanning the night sky for more marvels of space.
Before we go on, a little history lesson: as far as we know, the first ever telescope was invented in the Netherlands, in the early part of the 1600’s. Indeed, that part of the world was a hotbed of scientific progress around that time, and many significant optical instruments stem from that period. The basic form of telescope that was developed back then is still fundamentally that we use today, with – of course – improvements across the years. There are now many different types of telescope, but the ones we are talking about here are designed to be portable.
Finding a Great Spot
So, why are we eager to talk about portable travel telescopes? One of the biggest problems with watching the skies is light pollution. Unless you live in a very remote place, light from streetlamps, businesses, homes, advertising hoardings and more will emit light that makes scanning the heavens less efficient. For the best results, you need to find somewhere with little or no light pollution, as this will allow you to see the stars and planets more clearly.
Across the UK, and indeed the world, there are designated ‘Dark Sky Areas’; these are places where light pollution is minimal, and they are the perfect places to go if you want to observe the skies in detail. That’s why we advise you get yourself a travel telescope, so you can pitch up wherever you want, in a remote spot, and see things as you have never seen them before. The best Dark Sky spots in the UK are found in the likes of Northumberland, the Pennines, the Shropshire Hills – all areas of uninhabited expanses – and there are websites telling you where you can find the most impressive sites.
Buying a Travel Telescope
So, are you interested in a travel telescope? These wonderful devices are surprisingly compact, and are designed to fit into your backpack. They usually come with a tripod stand for added stability. We found a great website – bestreviewer.co.uk – with excellent travel telescope reviews of the top ten models. They give you a run-down of the specifications, the magnification power, plus pros and cons and recommendations, and they also advise you on how much you might expect to pay.
Check out the website now for the best travel telescopes around, and get hold of one of these excellent devices so you can view the stars and celestial objects wherever you may be.
