Chaotic Astronomy

i have a digital camera of 500 mm lense . I want the telescope under 500 Us dollers so that i can attach the camera to telescope and take pictures. I wana know what are best amature Telescopes are and is there any attachment thing so that i dont have to invest again in camera.

Depends on what type of camera you have. Most digital cameras have a lower limit of 30 seconds for taking an exposers. DSLR’s such as Canon and Nikon have a port which you can add a piece of hardware that will override that limit. This lets you go for hours.

Another problem is that most cameras (such as the "point and shoot" type) have no direct way of attaching themselves to a telescope. DSLR’s (the ones that have removable lenses), you can purchase an adapter ring that allows for a direct connection to the telescope.

As for a telescope, You need something with excellent tracking, focusing and sturdy. A $500 budget will just barely buy you a decent mount.

However, one thing you can try is wide field photography. This is where you use a wide angle lens (28mm or better, non-zoom), mount the camera on a good tripod and shoot the sky. Your not tracking the sky, so you’ll need to use short exposer times, but its a great way to get started in astrophotgraphy while you save up for a good mount and telescope

Judging by the names, my guess would be:

Astrophysics: Study of the physics and structure of the sky and what it contains (planets, etc).

Astronomy: General study of the sky, planets, etc and general behaviour of it without going too deeply into the physical make-up of it.

astronomy:The scientific study of the universe and the objects in it, including stars, planets, nebulae, and galaxies. Astronomy deals with the position, size, motion, composition, energy, and evolution of celestial objects. Astronomers analyze not only visible light but also radio waves, x-rays, and other ranges of radiation that come from sources outside the Earth’s atmosphere

astrophyscis:
The branch of Astronomy that deals with the physical and chemical processes that occur in stars, galaxies, and interstellar space. Astrophysics deals with the structure and evolution of stars, the properties of interstellar space and its interactions with systems of stars, and with the structure and dynamics of clusters of stars such as galaxies.

http://www.ted.com Science educator Roy Gould and Microsoft’s Curtis Wong give an astonishing sneak preview of Microsoft’s new WorldWide Telescope — a technology that combines feeds from satellites and Telescopes all over the world and the heavens, and weaves them together holistically to build a comprehensive view of our universe. (Yes, it’s the technology that made Robert Scoble cry.)

Duration : 0:7:22

Read more »

Saturn’s many moons have shaped its beautiful rings. And now we have an amazing collection of close up photos courtesy of the Cassini Spacecraft.

Duration : 0:3:28

Read more »

Marketing description is not available.

Read more »

Create an out-of-this-world playroom or bedroom with this unique solar system set. Each colorful planet inflates easily, turning any room into an intergalactic experience.

Read more »

What are the major Telescopes scientists use today to study the universe?
What are the names of a few of the major telescopes that scientists use to study the universe?

NASA Space Telescopes:

HST (Hubble)
Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Spitzer Space Telescope

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was deorbited on the Summer of 2000

Coming Soon:
Kepler Mission
James Webb Space Telescope

Other nations have launched space telescopes as well, such as Canada’s MOST (often called the "humble" space telescope as it is the size of a suitcase.)

What practical value did Astronomy offer to ancient civilizations?

It allowed them to predict eclipses with great accuracy.

It helped them understand our cosmic origins.

It helped them find uses for ancient structures like Stonehenge.

It helped them keep track of time and seasons, and it was used by some cultures for navigation.

Much more important, it predicted growing seasons.

In 2003, the Hubble Space Telescope took the image of a millenium, an image that shows our place in the universe. Anyone who understands what this image represents, is forever changed by it.

Duration : 0:6:38

Read more »

Highlights from the early days of Hubble, from Bad Astronomer Phil Plait.

Duration : 0:5:7

Read more »