Star Testing Telescope



About Star Testing Your Telescope

Are you doubtful whether your telescope is doing its job well as it ought to? If you have any misgivings you may wish to star test your telescope. There are a countless number of amateur astronomers who have serious doubts concerning the actual capability of their telescope.

The telescope manufacturer may well have confirmed accuracy to one-quarter wavelength or as diffraction-limited, but having said that the majority of observers have, at best, just a obscure notion of the ultimate way on how to validate them such statements.

It's certainly possible to verify the accuracy and reliability of individual components, but to many people they are extremely confusing, or necessitate costly reference optics and various other test apparatus.

Additionally, amateur astronomers have concerns with the performance of the complete optical train, not just the primary optical element.

So, what is really needed is a test that can be used at the observing site, to ensure that each of the issues that have an effect on a telescope's efficiency can be diagnosed. A star test is a practical strategy to use as opposed to very complex shop tests.

This test makes use of the entire telescope and is the oldest and most sensitive of the optical tests and inspection of the diffraction image itself.

Star test results apply to the complete imaging performance of the telescope. The star test is lightning-fast and requires only a good high-power eyepiece. It tests the telescope for exactly what it was designed to do. Less than ideal or inadequately aligned devices fail the star test unambiguously.

Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes

Finding a source of good information on this subject can at times be challenging, however there is a great book Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes: A Manual for Optical Evaluation and Adjustment by 'Harold Richard Suiter' that will satisy the most discerning of astronomers.

It contains plenty of practical information for anyone who is willing to persevere. For all those having a more than casual approach to their telescopes, this book will turn out to be in the widest sense, a benchmark in astronomical telescope testing literature.

If you have any lingering doubts on the capability of your telescope this is definitely one book that you should add to your library.




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