Steve Richards
Astronomer and author
Steve Richards is a DIY astronomy expert and author of Making Every Photon Count: A Beginner’s Guide to Deep Sky Astrophotography.
Recent articles by Steve Richards
Astronomy FAQs | How can I easily move my heavy telescope?
BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Scope Doctor Steve Richards solves your practical astronomy ailments.
Astronomy FAQs | What do the numbers on binoculars mean?
BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Scope Doctor solves your practical astronomy ailments.
Seeing in astronomy
What the term 'seeing' means in astronomy and how it affects your view of the night sky.
Celestron Inspire 100AZ refractor telescope
The Celestron Inspire 100AZ is a beginner’s scope with an ingenious adaptor for astrophotography.
Astronomy FAQs | What is telescope collimation?
BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Scope Doctor Steve Richards solves your practical astronomy ailments.
Astronomy FAQs | What are diffraction spikes?
What causes the spikes seen around stars in images of space?
7 key ways to improve your astrophotography and take your night-sky imaging to the next level
Astronomy FAQs | What's the best way of helping my telescope cool down?
BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Scope Doctor Steve Richards solves your practical astronomy ailments.
Best telescopes for viewing double stars
Discover the best telescopes for splitting tight doubles and resolving stellar pairs.
Vaonis Vespera II smart telescope review
This enjoyable, beginner-friendly option now has a bigger sensor for better images.
Astronomy FAQs | Why do I need to polar align my equatorial mount?
BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Scope Doctor Steve Richards solves your astronomy ailments.
How to diagnose and fix telescope optical aberrations
Learn how to identify the errors that can occur in your telescope’s optics.
Don't fog up! How to remove moisture from your astrophotography camera sealed sensor
How to recharge the sealed sensor chamber inside your astro camera.
Bresser ISA Space Exploration NASA 70/700 AZ telescope
Does this affordable, beginners' refractor really cut the mustard?
Image processing | Use PixInsight to enhance a galaxy's brightness
Separate stars from deep-sky objects in your astrophotos using the PixInsight software.
11 spectacular winter astronomy targets
Our pick of the best deep-sky objects and naked-eye sights to see during winter months.
Airy disks explained
What is an airy disk, and how are they used to identify problems with a telescope?
Astronomy FAQs | What is eyepiece projection and how do I do it?
BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Scope Doctor Steve Richards solves your practical astronomy ailments.
How to calculate and alter a telescope's magnification
A quick guide to magnification and how to alter it by changing your eyepiece.
Eye relief explained
What is the eye relief of an optical instrument like a telescope?
Erecting prisms for telescopes explained
What is an erecting prism and what are they used for in practical astronomy?
What are RGB filters used for?
Why red, green and blue filters are used in photography.
Focal length explained
Confused by telescope focal lengths? Find out what focal length means and the difference between long and short.
Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P Virtuoso GTi Wi-Fi Dobsonian review
Fun to use. Beginners and youngsters will appreciate its compact size, easy set-up and smartphone control.