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4th Generation Night Vision Goggles

So just why should someone consider purchasing a pair of 4th generation night vision goggles over the other generations that are already available?
Probably the biggest reason for choosing a 4th generation pair over say a 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation pair of night vision goggles is that the technology is much improved.

Certainly in the last 10 years the industry has seen a marked improvement on how well the image intensifiers work in order to produce a much clearer image to the user. Today with 4th generation goggles, a person is able to see much better quality images no matter what the light condition is like. This is why it now makes them the best performing of all night vision goggles that a person can actually purchase today.

Sometimes these types of goggles will be referred to as Generation 3+ goggles rather than Generation 4, but they do differ in two ways from the Generation 3 goggles.

4th Gen night vision goggles have an automatic gated power supply to them which now regulates the voltage of the photocathode, which allows them to instantly change to adapt to the lighting conditions that they are being used. Secondly they have either had the ion barrier removed or it has become much thinner which means that the noise and image being produced is much less distorted.

Because they have removed or made the ion barrier much thinner in 4th generation NVG’s today as well as improving the gating system, this meant that the range of detection as well as the resolution at which the images are seen by the user is much improved. They are especially good as they can even be used when the light is extremely bad. As the ion barrier has either been removed or made thinner this results in more of the electrons being able to make their way through to the image intensifier which has resulted in all the images being produced of a much higher quality.

However, it is important to note that only a few manufacturers are actually currently producing these 4th generation night vision goggles and although they are presently being used by both military and law enforcement agencies, it may be some time before they become readily available to the general public. But even when available to the public, you can expect to pay a premium for them because of their advanced imaging capabilities.

Ricky is the owner of http://www.nightvisiongoogles.net. Visit his site today for more night vision goggles reviews such as the Ferranti night vision goggles.


By Ricky Lim

ATN PS-23 Generation 4 Night Vision Goggle with Head-Mount Assembly

ATN PS-23 Generation 4 Night Vision Goggle with Head-Mount Assembly

  • Very Rare - 4th generation, autogated/filmless tubes!!!! LIMITED Quantities Available!!
  • Built-in Infra Red illuminator lets you see even in total darkness
  • Adjustable Flip-up headmount for hands free use
  • Automatic brightness control for high-light
    protection , unit will turn off automatically if exposed to excessive light for more than 10 seconds. If the unit is move away from the bright light, it will reactivate automatically.

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By Paul Maxey

Whether you’re a beginning amateur astronomer or a seasoned veteran, if you’re not using binoculars for astronomy you’re most certainly missing out. I’ve enjoyed stargazing with binoculars for many years and, during that time, have evaluated many different types of binoculars. While being an amateur astronomer can bring with it a high cost of entry, it doesn’t have to if you approach your new hobby appropriately from the beginning.

The truth is, many phenomena in the night sky can be seen with minimal equipment and even with the naked eye. In fact, a good pair of binoculars can take you a long way before you even begin to consider buying a telescope. One of the main advantages I’ve found over the years with binocular astronomy, as opposed to the traditional telescope, is the sharpness and clarity. By viewing with both eyes simultaneously, you can see as much as 35-40% more detail than you can with a telescope.

When it comes to astronomy, binoculars can be used primarily for locating objects in the night sky, for viewing them, or both. Each application requires a different set of priorities when determining the binocular specifications. That said, here are several factors you should consider:

* 1) Mounting: Your first priority for viewing the night sky is whether you will hold them or mount them on a tripod. Binoculars that will primarily be hand held should be lighter. This generally means they will have less magnification, but they will also have a larger field of view, allowing you to view more of the sky at one time. Mounted binoculars can have a much larger objective lenses, meaning much higher magnification. But, this naturally means a smaller field of view. Another consideration is that binoculars mounted on a tripod will provide greater image detail than binoculars that are wobbly and constantly trying to maintain focus on distant objects.

* 2) Aperture: You can use virtually any binoculars for an occasional look at the night sky. But, binoculars with large objectives (50mm and larger) are much better suited for more serious astronomical purposes than their smaller and more compact relatives due to their greater light-gathering ability. Nothing quite compares to viewing celestial objects through a pair of giant astronomy binoculars. The view is much wider than that of a telescope allowing large objects, such as nebulas and entire galaxies, to fit in their field of view. Keep in mind also that the older you are, the less likely it is that your eye pupils will be able to open to larger exit pupils. Hence, 7×50 binoculars (7 mm exit pupil) may not be appropriate for you. Your best bet may be to try 10×50 (5 mm exit pupil).

* 3) Magnification: Once you begin looking at binoculars with a magnification of 10x and higher, they can get heavy very quickly, making for an incredibly shaky image. Again, consider mounting them on a tripod so you can go for a larger magnification.

* 4) Lens coatings: Lenses are coated to improve light transmission through the lenses. Binoculars that are not coated can lose as much as 50 percent of the light that enters them. Frankly, there’s no excuse for anything less than “fully multi-coated” (FMC) for astronomy. This simply means that all air-to-glass surfaces are coated multiple times. With multi-coating now featured on very low-grade binoculars it is very inexpensive.

* 5) Eye relief: If you wear eyeglasses, you’ll want to find binoculars with the proper eye relief. Many models provide long eye relief, allowing you to see the complete field of view with or without eyeglasses.

* 6) Field of view: This is how much of the sky you can see through the binoculars at any one time. Most that offer extremely wide views do so by compromising the quality of the image. A wider field of view can also be obtained with more expensive eyepieces.

As is evident from the above, not all binoculars are suitable for stargazing. As with anything, you must find the right balance of features and price for you. But knowing your options in advance will greatly aide you in finding the best pair of binoculars for you or the budding astronomer in your family to enjoy the wonders of space and science.

If you want to read more, see our quick review of binoculars for astronomy by visiting http://www.buydiscountbinoculars.com, a popular binoculars website that provides tips, advice and resources to include information on Apogee binoculars, Leupold binoculars and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Maxey
http://EzineArticles.com/?Binoculars-For-Astronomy—How-To-Purchase-Binoculars-For-Viewing-The-Night-Stars-In-All-Their-Glory&id=1117289


Zhumell 20×80 SuperGiant Astronomical Binoculars - Bestseller!

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A Beginner’s Guide to Telescopes

  • Author: admin
  • Filed under: binoculars
  • Date: Jul 1,2008

By Angelo Valenti

For a backyard astronomer you have many options on what type of telescope to use in your endeavor. With all types of pricing, you may decide to go cheap on your first telescope, which is not advised. A cheap telescope may hinder you enjoyment of star gazing. Telescopes come in a wide variety of prices, starting with the cheap knockoffs, to the professional models that may cost thousands of dollars. If you are a beginner, you may first want to do some research to find the right starter telescope that fits your needs and budget, you should be able to find a decent starter telescope for just a few hundred dollars.

The telescopes we are going to concentrate on are Reflector, Refractor, and the Schmidt-Cassegrain class. Descriptions of each follow below.

Refractor Telescopes

The first telescope a beginner may think of are reflectors. That is the style that we are most accustomed to seeing, and cheap ones can be found plentiful in department and discount stores. But with a quality refractor telescope, This is where the comparison ends. A refractor telescope is usually a long, thin tube, mounted on a tripod. Because of this design, Refractor telescopes are portable and easy to move, and are simple to use. Refractor telescope are generally used for viewing the moon, sun, and planets.

The aperture of a refractor telescope is an important consideration for optimum viewing. This is the light gathering lens diameter. Generally, you would want have an aperture of 70mm, but you may prefer a larger diameter for a larger view.

Reflector Telescopes

If you are interested in viewing far away galaxies, distant star clusters or nebula, theReflector Telescopeis the one for you. Reflectorsuse mirrors in the base of large tubes for gathering light. An addition of a mount, or Dobsonian moves up and down to adjust for altitude, and it also pivots, a very easy design to use.

6″ and 8″ are popular sizes, but larger sizes are available. Price per inch, reflector telescopes are an inexpensive option for viewing deep sky objects.

Schmidt-Cassegrain

A telescope that brings together the technologies of both reflector and refractor telescopes is called a Schmidt-Cassegraintelescope.

These are the telescopes that you would use in astrophotography. A camera can be easily mounted to the eyepiece allowing breathtaking shots of the cosmos. Use of a computer and software allows you to program objects and coordinates for easy viewing. The Schmidt-Cassegrain pricing is about midway between refractor and reflector.

Angelo Valenti

This guide is designed to help the beginner astronomer make the right decision on what type of telescope may serve there needs. We make no claims to the superiority of any brand of telescope.
For more information, telescopes and accessories, please visit http://telescopefanatic.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angelo_Valenti
http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Beginners-Guide-to-Telescopes&id=1171471

Best Beginner’s Telescope

Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope
Celestron AstroMaster 114 EQ Reflector Telescope

Top Recommended Telescope

Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope
Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

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An Explanation of the Resolving Power of Telescope

By Will Kalif

Magnification of a telescope is easy to understand. The higher the power the closer the look we get at images in the night sky (the bigger they look). Resolution is another critical component of telescopes and it is very easy to understand if you think of it like television sets. Older televisions have a certain number of lines of resolution and the new high definition sets have many more lines of resolution so you get a sharper and more detailed image. The same applies to telescopes; the higher the resolution the more lines of information we get so the better the image. And this resolution has nothing to do with magnification. If you get closer to your television does the image get sharper? No. It just gets bigger. The resolution remains the same.

The factors that affect resolution

The wavelength of the light being observed is a factor in resolution. The higher the wave length of the light the more waves a telescope sees so the more information it gets, and the better the resolution. A second factor is the size of the telescope objective. The bigger the lens or mirror the more wavelengths it will gather. And more wavelengths mean better resolution.

Formula for resolution

This relationship between the wavelength of the light and the diameter of the telescope objective gives us, along with a constant, a formula for calculating the resolution in arc seconds. Divide the diameter of the telescope objective by the wavelength of the light being observed then multiply this by 252,000 (which is our constant). This gives you the resolution in arc seconds. (Resolution = 252,000 X (wavelength) /(diameter)). You can see that the larger the telescope the smaller the resolution is in arc seconds. And the smaller the resolution in arc seconds the better. It is like smaller lines on your high definition television. Smaller lines means more lines per inch or centimeter and a crisper, sharper image.

Other Factors in Telescope Resolution

Atmospheric conditions are a big factor in resolution. A turbulent, thick, or unsteady atmosphere will distort the wavelengths coming into the telescope and distort the quality of the light and information. This will reduce the resolving power.

The quality of the telescope is another factor. High quality scopes with good optics will correctly gather good information and give you good resolution. Poor quality optics will distort the images and give you a lesser resolution.

Resolution, while lesser known than magnification is much more important. It is the factor that determines the quality and sharpness of what you see through the telescope and it is the reason why bigger telescopes are better than smaller ones.

You can read a more comprehensive explanation of telescope resolution, with drawings, on the authors website : TelescopeNerd.com

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(click image for more information)

Price as at 16 June 2008: $479.00

ATN Aries MK330 Warrior Generation 1 Night Vision Weapon Sight

The ATN Aries MK330 Warrior is an affordable high quality generation-1 weapon sight. It is the first of ATN’s new line of Night Vision weapon sights produced under the brand name of Black Lion Optics. It sports features such as a new super fast front lens system for optimal brightness easy push button operation and a reticle brightness adjustment. The Warrior also comes with a new detachable 450mw Infrared Illuminator with dedicated windage and elevation adjustments. This new ‘industry-best’ IR lets you see even in total darkness up to 150 yards away!

The controls are ergonomically designed and can be used with ease in total darkness. The scope easily mounts onto any US standard 7/8″weaver rail.

Specifications

  • Generation - 1st
  • Magnification - 3X
  • Lens system - F1:1.7 F90mm
  • FOV - 12 deg
  • Range of focus - 1m to infinity
  • Reticle - Green On Green
  • Windage & elevation adjustments - 1MOA
  • IR illuminator - Super 450mw
  • Battery life - 10-20 hours
  • Dimensions 9″ x4″ x2″
  • Detection range - 150 m
  • Recognition range - 100 m
  • Diopter adjustment +/-5
  • Operating temperature -40 °C to +40 °C
  • Weight 2.2 Lbs

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The C6-SGT 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope

(see a video review of this scope by Astronomy Magazine at the end of this post)

Celestron C6-S GT Schmidt-Cassegrain w/XLT Coatings

The C6-SGT 6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with XLT coatings is a member of Celestron’s Advanced telescope series. Celestron Advanced scopes combine state-of-the-art technology easy-to-use features and ready-to-use components to produce instruments of unparalleled quality and utility.

The C6-SGT comes mounted on the CG-5 GT computerized equatorial mount that allows access to features like automatic star alignment capability and GoTo slewing to more than 40000 objects. Equipped with high speed motors and hand controler the C6-SGT allows you to slew your telescope remotely to desired objects quickly and accurately.

No matter whether you’re a beginner an intermediate viewer or an advanced amateur astronomer this precision instrument will satisfy your needs both visually and photographically.

Precision-engineered CG-5 mount

This new German equatorial mount has precision worm gears on both axes for extremely smooth tracking motion. The new heavy-duty tripod with larger and more substantial legs offer excellent damping characteristics for more stable views. In fact the CG-5 is the most stable mount in its class. The CG-5 also has a convenient latitude scale for easier alignment and an optional polar finder scope for the ultimate in precision alignments.

XLT coatings

Celestron’s XLT coating process uses state-of-the-art thin-film vacuum-deposition technology. To ensure consistent optical coatings of the highest quality the process is tightly monitored and controlled by highly trained technicians. Prior to coating each optical element is thoroughly cleaned and inspected to ensure proper adhesion of the films during the coating process. Materials used in our reflective and anti-reflective coatings including aluminum hafnium oxide titanium dioxide silicon dioxide and magnesium fluoride are the purest available exceeding 99.99 percent. The result is image-clarity so stunning it must be seen to be believed.

Click Here To Get The Best Priced PACKAGE DEAL at Telescopes.com

Specifications

  • Proven NexStar® computer-control technology;
  • RS-232 communication port on hand controler to control the telescope via personal computer;
  • Autoguider port for long-exposure astrophotography;
  • 40000-plus-object database with 400 user-definable objects;
  • Expanded information on more than 200 objects;
  • Custom database that lists the most famous deep-sky objects by name and catalog number;
  • the most beautiful double triple and quadruple stars;
  • variable stars;
  • solar systems;
  • objects and asterisms;

Click Here To Get The Best Priced PACKAGE DEAL at Telescopes.com

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How to choose a telescope: Magnification revisited…

We’ve realized that in all of our ‘how-to-choose’ articles, we make a concerted effort to warn prospective buyers of optical instruments against magnification hype. And for good reason too. We still see people around us falling for that trick and ending up with instruments that have either poor optics or insufficient aperture or both. Hopefully our readers do not fall prey to the marketing machine anymore. Just to be sure that our newer readers are aware of this trap, we will quickly revisit it here (and expand on it a bit):

While the hyped-up power ratings often seen are not necessarily fraudulent claims (the instrument will usually go to the stated magnification), there is a limit to usable magnification. The quality of the lens, mirrors, eyepieces, etc play a huge role in how much of that power one can actually use. At high magnification, the image and also imperfections in glass are also magnified.

The same goes for movement. At high magnification, movement is also magnified and the slightest movement renders the image completely unusable, and in the end all you can see is a blur! So this is where the usable magnification is clearly determined in part by the quality of the optics and also the quality of mounts and/or tripods.

Lens diameter is a key factor in the amount of usable power and the general rule of thumb, called the sixty rule, states that the upper limit of a telescope’s power is determined by its lens diameter (in inches) multiplied by 60. For example, a 4″ telescope has a maximum usable power rating of 240X. In our experience, if you take 15% off that, you have a more reliable maximum power rating that does not depend on perfect viewing conditions. that And this upper limit pretty much is assuming you have an extraordinarily calm and clear night sky.

So, if you’re after power, then choose a scope with largest diameter lens that you can afford. Large diameter lenses capture more light too, so you are able to view much dimmer objects (Note: a 4-inch scope has four times the light gathering power of a 2-inch scope, and not double).

Optical quality and mount stability are not even a consideration - never compromise on those - its all about usable power, remember? If the image is blurry, its blurry. And that’s that - your first date with your new scope (and maybe even a new hobby) is ruined before the romance could even really get started…

Note

Often a larger diameter scope in the same series is only slightly more expensive than the one below it. These Celestron scopes are a good example. If budget allows, we always recommend higher apertures…

Price: $599.00

Celestron NexStar 4 SE Telescope

Price: $799.00

Celestron NexStar 5 SE Telescope

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We have been asked by a few of our readers why we always recommend the same vendors.

Well, the suppliers we recommend have excellent track records and reputations. That’s the most important consideration for us at the moment, since we have had (and heard of) some bad experiences with some fairly ‘big name’ vendors that trade via the Internet.

Also, telescopes.com, binoculars.com and thenightvisionstore.com consistently have the lowest prices (about 99% of the time) for the instruments we recommend. Add to that the fact that they often offer free or very low-cost shipping within continental US, and the savings to our readers are often quite dramatic. Stock availability and delivery times are also always excellent.

We also recommend the mighty Amazon.com (and Amazon.co.uk for our UK readers) because their dedication to customer satisfaction is world-famous. While they do not carry the variety of items that the abovementioned vendors do and their prices are slightly higher, our readers often save a bit of money when they purchase Amazon’s famous package deals.

So, until we can find a better deal for our readers, we are happy to endorse the vendors that we currently do.

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As mentioned in our guide to choosing a binocular, more powerful binoculars suffer from unstable images when used without a tripod. Even a slight shake of the hands will shake the image in the binocular, and with higher-magnification binoculars, the image shake becomes truly intolerable.

Canon’s Image Stabilizer very effectively minimizes image shake at high magnifications. The amount of shake is actually calculated by a microcomputer, and the shake is optimally counteracted so that the image always looks steady to the eye.

The Canon 18×50 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars is also an “ALL WEATHER” Binoculars, and is at the top of the class in our opinion.

Canon 18x50 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars ALL WEATHER

Canon 18×50 IS Image Stabilized

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Comparison: Celestron 11 Inch CPC & Meade 10 Inch LX90-ACF

Click links for specific pricing, accessories and more detailed information.

(both scopes are 5-star rated by their users)

Celestron 11 Inch CPC Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope

(Our Choice)

Meade 10 Inch LX90-ACF Advanced Coma-Free Telescope with UHTC
  • 11 inches of light-gathering aperture for the faintest space objects
  • Fully computerized, GPS-enabled, GoTo technology with SkyAlign
  • 40,000-object database with 400 user-definable objects
  • 8×50 finderscope to help accurately find objects
  • Flash-upgradeable hand controller keeps you up to date
  • NexRemote telescope control software operates your telescope via PC
  • Ideal for astronomy and astrophotography
  • Hand-figured lenses provide optimum light allowance
  • Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope design
  • AutoAlign technology provides clear and simple orientation
  • AutoStar periodic corrections fine-tune performance
  • Ideal for novices and intermediate astronomers alike
  • Rigid cast aluminum fork mount provides rock-solid base
  • Oversized primary mirror provides wider field of vision
279mm 10 Inches
2800mm 2500mm
f/10 f/10
Dual Fork Arm Alt-Azimuth Fork
Price (16 May 2008): $2,799.00

FREE Ground Shipping! (Contiguous US only)
Price (16 May 2008): $2,699.00

FREE Ground Shipping! (Contiguous US only)

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