Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts @ SMAS

Here is your chance to have all of your questions answered about anything relating to astronomy.  How to set up your scope, how to find a star, how to figure out what eye piece to use, how to figure out your focal point, how to get started in astronomy, and many more questions.   We have many members with several dozen years of experience who would be able to  answer your beginner questions.   It’s easy, just click on the link for Ask the Experts and email us your questions.  Within a day or two you will receive an answer.  Need to meet with us to learn how to set up your scope or align it or collimate it?  That’s easy, too!  Just send us an email and we’ll help you with your problems.  We’ll post some of our questions and answers here on this page, read below to see if your question is already answered.

Have a question about SMAS, contact our current president, Lynn Powers: L.powers at smasweb.org

Email us with your questions to  AsktheExperts at SMASweb.org

Answers to previous questions:

What magnification can I get from a telescope PDF

f Ratio PDF

Field of View PDF

Some web resources for beginners:

Images by Robert Gendler, Amateur Astronomer

Galaxy Photos -Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, NGC Catalogs

Hubble Website (images for the kids)

Pronunciation of Astronomy terms

Pronunciation Guide – More astronomy terms

Full Moon Atlas Lunar Navigator Map of the Moon

Consolidated Lunar Atlas

Moon – Far side and all the way around

Near side of the Moon – high resolution

Map of Mars

Google Map of Mars

Hubble Tonight’s Sky video

Complete Sun and Moon Data for One Day

Star Date Online Moon phase calculator

Sun or Moon Rise Set table for the year

How to build a Newtonian telescope (mirror)

How to build a Refractor telescope (lens)

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia of vast astronomical resources

Views of the Solar System

Photo Journal – NASA’s Image Access Home Page