Telescopes can be used for a range of purposes, although astronomy and star gazing are probably the most popular use of the equipment. While much of the professional equipment used these days is computer controlled, most telescopes used by amateurs are manually operated. However it is now possible to purchase computerized telescopes and there are a few manufacturers that produce this style of equipment.
For those that are interested in astronomy and observing the night sky, a telescope is a useful piece of equipment. While many objects in the sky can be seen with the naked eye, a telescope will greatly increase the celestial bodies which can be observed and make astronomy a more enjoyable hobby. While manual telescopes are the most common style of equipment used, in recent times computerized telescopes have become more readily available at a price which makes it an affordable opportunity for many.
Rather than being solely manipulated by hand, a computerized telescope has technology which enables an internal computer to operate the machine. Typically the equipment has a controller attached which can be used to key in instructions and this enables a motorized system to move the telescope such that it can accurately find objects in the night sky. This is an obvious advantage and can make it much easier to find and track the planets and stars you are interested in.
There are a few manufacturers that produce computerized telescopes with Celestron being one of the best known of these. They produce a range of telescopes controlled by an internal computer system and can be a good company to look to for this style of equipment. Their computer controlled telescopes typically include a database of information which enables the equipment to locate around 4,000 separate celestial bodies and the attached keypad on their models enables the user to program the telescope to find the object they are interested in.
The cost of Celestron computerized telescopes typically ranges from around $200 to in excess of $1,500. An example of their equipment is the NexStar 130 SLT Computer Controlled Telescope. This is available for around $350 and incorporates Celestron’s SkyAlign Technology. This enables the telescope to be aligned by pointing it at three bright stars. Once aligned the telescope has the capabilities of finding and tracking a number of objects in the night sky, with a simple keypad used to operate the telescope.
Another manufacturer to consider for computerized telescopes is iOptron, which also have a range of models available. The cost for their equipment typically ranges from around $300 to $500. An example of an iOptron computerized model is the SmartStar-E-R80 8502B Computer Controlled Telescope. This costs $300 and is operated through a GoToNova hand controller. It includes a database which enables the telescope to find 5,000 different objects in the night sky.
While a manually operated telescope can be a useful piece of equipment, computerized telescopes can provide advantages in terms of making it easier to find and identify celestial bodies. The cost of this style of equipment is not excessive these days and when looking to purchasing a telescope it is therefore an option to consider.
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