Astronomy for Beginners
New to astronomy? Not sure how to get started in stargazing or which telescope to buy?
Here’s where you’ll find observing guides, how-to articles and great astronomy hints and tips. Don’t forget to check out our comprehensive astronomy dictionary.
General Guides
'How To' Guides
Astronomy Dictionary
Mantle
The area in-between the Earth’s crust and its core (roughly 3,000km thick) that consists of hot solid rock and magma (molten rock).
Dark matter halo
A giant halo of dark matter found around a galaxy. These have been detected by the effect their gravity has on the rotation of spiral galaxies.
Convection cells
These are huge ‘bubbles’ (some the size of Jupiter) under the surface of the Sun, caused by the rising and sinking of super-hot gas in the Sun’s interior. Smaller convection cells cause ‘granules’ on the surface. These can be observed with a specially filtered H-alpha telescope.
