Can I get a good quality amatuer microscope for $150 or less?

Question

My husband loves to watch all those space and ufo shows on tv and i thought it would be nice, since he has an interest in it, to get him a telescope so he can see space with his own eyes. I'm not looking to spend a ton of money and i was just wondering if any of you thought I could get something for $150 or less. I want him to at least be able to see some of the planets, and any other things out there (Haha... as you can tell, I'm not as in to it as he is) Any ideas on what type of telescope would be best for my amatuer husband? Just a sidenote - it doesn't need to be able to take pictures or anything. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me!

Answer 1

<agrees with the others, assuming you meant "telescope", lol...repeating what they said,

DON'T buy a toy from any dept store...

DO consider carefully a Dobsonian, that's a design, not a namebrand.  Meade and Criterion are two major players in telescopes, and Meade has what they call the LightBridge series of Dobsonians...lots of mirror for <$1000.

btw, telescopes are discussed in terms of the diameter of the mirror (in the case of reflectors) and diameter of the main (or "objective") lens (in the case of refractors)...in either case, the more diameter, the more light, the better, all other things being equal.  You can get a fine telescope on a wobbley tripod, and you're outta luck.  Can't see nuthin'.

Currently, the Meade (Meade.com) lightbridge 8" (that's EIGHT inch diameter mirror) goes for $400...spend some $$, get a good scope that you'll enjoy.  Disclaimer: I don't work for 'em, and don't get kickbacks...i wish.  Just like their stuff.

Go have fun.

Answer 2

Yes.  Get him a 6" mirror kit for about $100.

Answer 3

Please do NOT go to Walmart, your grocery store, etc.  You end up with an instrument that is essentially unusable.

The low end appears to be $380.  This gets you a 6 inch telescope with an object locator computer - which can really help sustain you in the hobby.

If you're into searching for things to see, then $180 will get you a 4.5 inch telescope that can be perched on a sturdy table.

But before you buy something, get him a membership in a local astronomy club.  This is dirt cheap, and you can check out what others who are into it have, and get tips on what there is to see.  I belonged to a club for five years before buying a telescope.  My club has awesome equipment.  At least two of the members don't bring their scopes to events, because it's more fun to look through scopes that others have already pointed at cool stuff.

I spent about $800 on my telescope (a ten inch reflector with a computer).  It's very nice.  It fits in my car.  Sets up in 3 minutes including alignment. But you can be a member of my club for 20 years before you spend that much money. i bought it because it's the best scope for under $2000.

Answer 4

This is the astrojunk price level...but there are two products that almost make your criterion.  It is the Orion Star Blast which sells for $175 shipped last time I checked.  (It's a bit cheaper if you don't get it from Orion, oddly).    There is also an Orion XT4.5 which would make the grade, it's $200.  These scopes will show Saturn's rings and the Messier objects; enough to get started.  The Messier catalog is a list of 110 galaxies, nebulae, open clusters, and globular clusters that are on the brighter side.

The other answer to your question is to buy used.  You have to spend $12 to get on to Astromart (this is a one time fee).  Once you are in, you are on a list of 80,000 passionate amateur astronomers.  In the NEWTONIAN section, place a WANTED ad:  "Small reflector wanted for beginner."  Placing an ad is FREE once you are a member of Astromart.  There are also many discussion groups including one designed to help beginners.

See what answers you get.  The thing is, that lots of folks who have $10 and $20k in equipment sometimes have the other stuff lying around.  It gravitates to us.  You could quite possibly score a $300 telescope for $150 or less.

Whatever you do DON'T go to a local mall science store or a toy store or department store.  Call High Point Scientific (see link) and/or join astromart.   You'll get the best deal off astromart.

Good luck,

GN

ps you want a telescope, not a microscope.  Took a while for me to notice, this being an astronomy forum.  But good microscopes aren't cheap either!

pps stay away from ebay, lots of trash products and people get burned quite a bit; craig's list is only a tad better

pps MIRROR KITS: You can get finished mirror kits or you can grind your own mirror (see link below).   Putting your own scope together is a hassle and you won't save a lot of money, if any, by going this route.  You can however end up with better mechanical accessories.  Nonetheless with the scopes under discussion here the most cost effective solution is to buy a whole scope.  Grinding your own mirror is a labor of love and has to be done two or three times before you get it right.    The major point is that people here are recommendig telescopes with mirror opitcs (Newtonians) not refractors.  These are the most bang for the buck.

Answer 5

orion star blast, assuming you really want a telesscope and not a microsscope.

anything less than that is not worth buying.