| Since you’re reading this, I’m guessing you have made an exciting decision: You want a telescope. Specifically, you want a telescope for looking at the sky, a telescope that will open the depths of space to your gaze and allow you to visit the Moon, the planets, and all the strange and distant wonders of our magnificent universe. And you are not looking for just any telescope, either, but for a Schmidt Cassegrain telescope (SCT), whose full-color advertisements fill the pages of astronomy magazines.
In our consumer culture, most of us have become wary of high-pressure ads from manufacturers who promise the Moon and deliver little. Luckily, that is not the case when it comes to SCTs. Sometimes, the advertising does contain hyperbole, but Schmidt Cassegrains really can deliver the Moon—and the stars, too.
SCTs, like anything else, are not perfect, but when all is said and done, the Schmidt Cassegrain may be the most versatile, technologically advanced, and easy-to-use telescope ever sold to amateur astronomers. Since SCTs were first offered at prices the average person could afford way back in 1970, they have dominated the amateur astronomy telescope market. Don’t believe that? Take a stroll around the observing field of a local astronomy club during the next star party. Chances are a majority of the telescopes there will be SCTs. Fancy advertisements alone simply could not account for the enduring popularity of Schmidt Cassegrains. Something good is going on. |
