Try out your new astronomy gear or buy a set?
Although comet Leonard is visible in binoculars and telescopes, we can't say for sure as comet brightness is always unpredictable.
Good views should be able to be had from comet Leonard's path through space. The comet will be bright thanks to Leonard's orbital plane, which will allow the Earth to pass through.
We talked to the All About Space content director, who knows all the best gear for beginners to get started, and she gave us some recommendations.
There are some good videos for you. It was created with a sketch.
If you need a telescope of binoculars to see planets in the sky, you can check out our guide for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals available right now. The best cameras andlenses for Astrophotography can help you spot the comet.
We offer some tips on how to get the most out of your new astronomy gear, as well as a recommended product list to catch comet Leonard this weekend.
There are pictures of comet views from Earth and space.
There are telescopes and binoculars.
What will Leonard look like?
When you first look at the comet, don't expect to see the same view as the Hubble Space Telescope or other large observatories, which often use tools such as time-lapse photography and have light-gathering capabilities out of reach of the amateur community.
"It's very easy to think that you'll see a comet as they appear in magazines, books and in images online, with a bright coma and two, solid tails," said Lavender.
"Comets can appear as white-grey blobs with little-to-no tail, and there are a few notable exceptions, such as the comet Hale-Bopp in 1997 and the comet NeowISE in 2011."
She said that the human eye is different from a camera. You'll often see comets that are green or blue in photographs with cameras.
How do you find a comet in the night sky?
The sky map shows the path of a comet. The image is from Starry Night.
The night sky may feel like a lot of places to go, making it hard for a beginner to focus. It's worth it to learn your way around the sky if you use go-to technology in telescopes.
To find your way around, lavender recommends using astronomy software such as Starry Night or Star Walk 2. Print-out sky maps are useful if you can keep them dry. She says to make sure to protect your vision.
If you're using a night sky map or a night sky app, you should use a red flashlight to preserve your vision.
Space.com's guide to comet Leonard will show you where to look in the sky. It's easier to use binoculars to find a comet than to use a telescope, according to Lavender.
If you have a camera, lavender has a trick for you. She says to take a quick 10-second exposure of the sky with a camera to find Leonard's location.
Buying a ticket to see a show.
Now that you know what to expect from comet observing, how do you choose what to buy? lavender has some helpful tips to help you find quality products from the rest of the items
A tripod is a good platform for observations, as it is large in size. Telescopes are less portable and more expensive than binoculars, but the largest sizes will come in telescopes. "Aperture size is important for comet viewing, the bigger the, the more light your instrument is able to collect and the better the views," says Lavender.
A good telescope should carry multi-coated optics for optimum light transmission, while I recommend BAK4 prisms or Barium Crown glass for high-quality binoculars.
If you have a limited budget and don't want to spend a lot of money on a telescope, binoculars are a good choice." You can get good views of comets from sweeping the sky with a set of 10x50s. Increasing your budget a bit more opens up more opportunities for you to see what you can see.
If you want to spend more on a larger telescope, you should buy one that is 76mm or less, as smaller ones are not better than binoculars. She says that comets that take up a larger area of sky are best viewed in a wide-angle setting. "They will show more detail to the smaller, fainter comets."
lavender said to avoid plastic toy telescopes that you can find in department stores. They often boast huge magnifications that aren't feasible with low-quality optics. If you want to make the right choice, you should speak to a retailer or check out our best telescope and binocular guides.
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