Buying a first telescope?

Question

I'm really into astronomy and I'm looking to buying my first telescope. There are so many different types out there, it's sort of overwhelming looking at all of them. I'd like to see stars (obviously), clusters, most definitely planets if possible. I know I won't be able to see nebulae or deep space objects without a real expensive one, but does anyone have any suggestions?

Also, I'd like it to be as portable as possible, but nice quality.

Answer 1

Hi flower -

You will be surprised at what you can see. Even with decent binoculars you can see many nebulae and a few galaxies (the Andromeda Galaxy looks better through binoculars than in most scopes).

Anyway - I'm glad you asked. It is sort of overwhelming, and the first thing to remember is - not to rush into this purchase. Amateur astronomy is a hobby that requires patience, and now is the time to start. It would be a very good idea for you to spend a few open observing sessions with a local astronomy club. They can easily be found on line. You will receive a warm welcome and an opportunity to look at and through several scopes that are set up on different objects. You will be able to see what you can expect at the eyepiece, and get a feel for what to expect at the cash register. You will at least learn what to look for in a scope and what appeals to you in terms of features and cost.

You should not buy a telescope until you know why you want the one you are buying. I think your choice of portable, with nice quality represents an excellent set of criteria. I would add to that sufficient aperture to find and observe the types of objects you are interested in.

You mentioned deep space objects. With an 8 inch aperture Dobsonian, you would be able to see all the planets as well as hundreds of deep space objects - clusters, nebulae, galaxies, etc. They will not look like the pictures in the books - which is why you need to try before you buy and see what to expect - but you can see them. Such a telescope is also easily portable and not terribly expensive. Good scopes of this type can be found at the following reliable web sites:

http://www.telescope.com/control/categor...

http://www.meade.com/

I would not buy computer GoTo / finder features. As a beginner, you will learn the sky better without them, and you can then spend that money on optics and aperture instead of electronics.  

I would absolutely buy from a reputable local dealer if one is available. This is another reason to go see your local astronomy club. Do not buy from a department store or from a site like Ebay. Take your time - enjoy the decision process. Then you will be happy with your purchase.

Good Luck and Clear Skies to you.

Answer 2

I always tell people to start out with a good pair of binoculars and a reclining lawn chair!  Get to know the stars by buying a red flashlight (red keeps the pupils of the eyes open while you look at your star chart) and a good star chart.

OK, so you gots to have a scope...I like the Dobsonians ..look at Meade.com for their 'LightBridge' series...<$400 for a nice 8" scope , wow!  (No i'm not on their payroll) ...also the other big player in the field is Celestron.

The key to telescopes is (1) don't waste $$ on a toy from Target or X Mart; (2) buy as much diameter as you can and (3) get a really really good tripod.   "Diameter" means the bigger the lens or mirror, the more light you're gonna get.  And the tripod thing means, if you spend $20,000 on a telescope and it wobbles, what good is it?

Answer 3

try looking on ebay.

Answer 4

Hi there, a lot depends on where you'll be doing your viewing from and your budget as refractors for example tend to perform better in light polluted areas near cities but are more expensive due to the way they are made (more glass involved).

Check out http://telescopechoice.com/how-to-choose... for some ideas and a good explanation of this.

Answer 5

While many say stay away from the less expensive models I really like them. Not the TOY stuff but the small easily portable, easy to set up and use scopes.  Do stay away from the computerized scopes. Too much of your bucks go for a cheezy drive and you don't get much for your money (unless you're lookng at a LX200 or a CPC).  Don't get a used scope from e-bay. Most of these are junk, or they would have listed them on astro-mart.  Nothing like a scope that won't work right for a first time user, it will kill your experience.  BUT for a cheap start and a really good scope for cheap, something like Mead's 70mm land and sky is a good first scope. Yes it's only alt./az and the mount is shakey, but it really does give good views. I picked up one at Walmart last Feb. for $25, definatly worth it.  If you can't find a new one cheap move up to something like a Celestron 80mm on a GEM. I still use my little scope even though I now have 2 8" SCT's and a 16" dobson. (a 90mm, a 102mm, and a 127mm too)  I carry a nice little 4" Galileo Mak on a GEM with me when I travel. It give great views of the planets, moon and Orion Nebula. If you want a good computer (go-to) scope with good optics and want to splurge a little, the Mead ETX which is a 127mm Mak, will be a good enough scope you won't be looking for a new too soon. Woodland Hills Camera & Telescope still has some left at $695.  These normally go for almost a grand! Both Maks and long focal length refracters make good solarsystem scopes.  SCT's (Schmidt Cassegrain Telescopes) are good alround scopes, but skip getting one in 5" and get at least a 6", as they have more lens obstruction than Maks do.  Dobsins rule for DSO's, they are affordable because the mount is so cheap. Bigger is alwaybetter. The Celestron C6-S is a great scope on a good GEM, or can be had on a computerized Go-To mount. On the GEM it costs less than the ETX127 and gives much better views. I haven't tried it's Go-To mount, but at this range they ususally work well.  Try opticsplanet.com for this scope. It's hard to find on their web site but it is there and is a GREAT scope. Like the ETX it mat be all the scope you ever need. AND by the way the ETX and the C6-S will give you views of some of the briter DSO's great views of the planets, and you can spend years just observing the moon.  If you can't get the discount price on the ETX and really want a Go-To scope, go for the C6 with the Go-To option, about the same price as the ETX but a much better scope.

Answer 6

You have several choices that meet your requirements, but the one that will give you the most bang for your dollar is a Dobsonian. Aperture is everything for galaxies and nebulae, and put simply a 6-inch leaves a 4 inch eating dust. These are Newtonian reflecting telescopes mounted on alt-azimuth mountings made of plywood, or fiberboard. Despite their low-tech design, they are sturdy, and in the 6 and 8-inch aperture range nicely compact. You can buy them with an object locator or add digital setting circles later at any time. It is possible to make them track the stars like any other equatorially mounted telescope, without the weight and bulk. You can use these telescope while seated on a stool no matter where they're pointed. An 6-inch f/8 or an 8-inch F/6 Dob is 4 feet high and weighs 40 pounds or less. They will fit in just about any car for trips to dark site. Setting up is as easy as putting the base where you want it, putting the tube onto the base, and inserting an eyepiece before slewing over to your first object of the night. A good 6-inch can show stars as faint as 14th magnitude, and an 8-inch can go to nearly 15th magnitude from a dark site. All of the Messier objects are easy objects for a 6-inch at a good site. There are lots of NGC and IC objects for you to find from a dark site, or even a fairly bad site. The same telescope are powerful performers on the moon, planets and double stars. When a decently bright comet comes along, you can follow it for months if the orbital geometry is favorable and the comet active enough. Best of all, all of this can be had for 300 to 500 bucks. You will need a star atlas, a low, medium and high power eyepiece, a red filtered flashlight, and a stool to get started. Once you get started, you will want a collimation tool and a narrow band nebula filter, not to mention a case to keep your accessories dust and damage free when not in use. A couple of shower caps and a 35mm film canister will keep dirt and junk out of your telescope. You will of course need to collimate the optics occasionally and the mirrors will need washing every couple of years. However, before you buy anything, find a local astronomy club and test drive every telescope you can. Ask lots of questions, try them on as many different objects as you can, and have fun while you're doing it. A local club can also get you access to dark sites you might otherwise not be able to use as well. By trying telescopes in person, you will determine what kind of telescope best fits your needs and your budget. A 6-inch Dob can serve you for a long, long time. Even if you buy a larger or more advanced telescope later, it will still be a useful quick to set up second telescope. Below is a link to my homepage where there's drawings of nebulae, galaxies and star clusters I made with a 4.25, 6 and 10-inch Dobsonians.