Tips for buying a telescope from an astronomer with experience

Telescopes are popular gifts for Christmas, birthdays or other occasions … but the buyer beware!

Many people live to regret their decisions to buy a telescope, either because they bought a cheap telescope underperforms, or because they paid too much a telescope that is rarely used.

But armed with the right advice, smart shoppers can buy a good quality telescope for a few hundred dollars.

First, whatever you do, do not buy a telescope from a department store or pharmacy! Telescopes you’ll find there, while cheaper, are often of very poor quality.

They are suitable for a child in grade school: If the child is broken, you’re out only a modest amount of money. But if you are shopping for a teenager or adult, shop at a store that specializes in telescopes, or buy online. Good brands include Antares telescope, Orion, Celestron, and Meade.

While there are several types of telescopes, most beginners would do well to buy what is called a “Dobsonian” telescope. Dobsonian Telescopes (O “Dobs”) are relatively inexpensive, yet high quality telescopes. In general terms, have no high-tech computer gadgets in them. However, the optics are as good as the vast majority of computerized telescopes that cost thousands of dollars.

Once you gain some experience in using a Dob – and if you finally decide to make astronomy a serious hobby – you might one day buy a more expensive, “Schmidt-Cassegrain” or “apochromatic refractor telescope.” But start with a Dob!

Astronomers compare telescopes mainly by the diameter of the main (primary) mirrors. This is known as the “opening” of the telescope. You want to get a Dob with an opening of 6 inches (150 mm), 8 inches (203 mm) or 10 inches (254 mm).

If you can afford it, buy either a version of 8 or 10 inches: The larger the diameter of the mirror, the easier it is for you can see faint objects (like galaxies and nebulae) in the night sky. Prices range from approximately $ 230 USD for 6-inch openings at $ 500 USD for openings 10 inches.

The telescope should come with two or three eye: If not, shop elsewhere. We will use the eye to control the increase of the telescope. For example, with an eye in the telescope, you can see the entire surface of the moon. However, with the other eye, you can zoom in on a crater.

Also, consider purchasing of the following accessories:

• Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe – A really good book introduction by the author Terence Dickinson;
• A subscription to Astronomy magazine – a monthly publication with beautiful photos, a guide to the night sky, product reviews and the latest news in astronomy;
• Some astronomy software – as the name of a star LiveVirtual Planetarium software;
• A world map – Use this simple, lightweight, handheld device to identify the constellations and the main stars in the night sky;
• A cheap pair of binoculars – These are good to help you navigate through the sky of the night as the search of a galaxy, nebula, or star observed through his telescope, and
• A Telrad – Most telescopes come with a tiny telescope, called the search “,” mounted on the top of the main telescope. As its name implies, a search engine helps you find the astronomical object you are looking through your main telescope. But most astronomers prefer to use a Telrad – operated battery-device that projects a red target in the night sky. It is much easier to point a telescope with a Telrad that a search engine.

These tools will help you learn the constellations, and otherwise help you get started in astronomy. Also, consider joining a local astronomy club where can gain experience with different types of telescopes, and get help learning the night sky.

Happy stargazing!

How to Buy a Telescope : Binoculars for Astronomy

Terra Star 60mm Refracting Telescope with Carry Bag $45.99 “The Meade NG-60 60mm refracting telescope is an excellent first telescope for the beginning astronomer or the casual observer of land or sky. Supplied complete with two eyepieces, a fine achromatic objective lens, a fully adjustable aluminum tripod, and the modern, highly functional Meade NG-series altazimuth mounting, the NG-60 easily surpasses commonly available, lower-quality introductory tele…

Meade USB to RS 232 (Serial) Adapter $39.00 This adapter allows you to connect your Meade ETX/LX90/LX200 telescope to your PC through a high speed USB port, rather than through a slower serial port. This is particularly useful with the laptop computers most astronomers use to control their scopes in the field, as these portable computers now rarely include a DB-9 or DB-25 serial port. The USB adapter includes a short cable with a DB-9 conne…

Meade 15′ 2.0 USB Cable $24.49 Designed for use with Meade’s new Deep Sky Imager (DSI) and Lunar Planetary Imager (LPI). The requests we received from consumers was for a longer USB cord so they could image while indoors….

Meade Green Laser Pointer – MEAD305 Point out the universe with a Meade Green Laser PointerWhen observing the night sky with friends it’s easy to get lost in a myriad of stars. Using Meade’s new Green Laser Pointer it’s easy to point out objects for all to see. The 5mW laser pointer shines a tight green beam of light that pinpoints the stars overhead. Trace the constellations point out bright stars and spot planets with ease. This i…

Starry Night Pro Plus 5.0 Astronomy Software Win/Mac [DVD] $249.99 If you’re looking for a complete desktop planetarium solution, look no further than Starry Night Pro Plus 5.0. With this powerful software you can see how the sky over your house looks right now, or use it to see how the sky will look tonight, tomorrow or far into the past or future. You can even change your position and see how the heavens appear from the other side of the earth, or from other p…

Starry Night AstroPhoto Suite – Windows Share your passion for astronomy with others by capturing beautiful astrophotographs. Starry Night AstroPhoto Suite will help you every step of the way, from identifying objects to controlling your computerized telescope and imaging equipment to capturing and processing images. The AstroPhoto Suite combines essential features of Starry Night Pro astronomy software with MaxIm DL Lite digital imagin…

50 Lessions on ETX * The parts that make up the ETX telescope. * The optical path, from the Maksutov corrective lens to the primary and flip mirrors. * How to carry out basic and advanced set-up procedures. * How to regulate motors and correct periodic errors. * How to manage and update the AutoStar hand controller. * How to acquire expertise utilizing the virtual model and learn how to find all of its function…

Celestron 21024 FirstScope Telescope $35.54 In 1609, world-renowned Italian scientist, Galileo Galilei, introduced an elementary telescope to the growing astronomy community, which sparked interest into the mysterious night sky for centuries to come. Four centuries later, in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, Celestron offers the portable FirstScope Telescope. The FirstScope pays tribute to Galileo Galilei and many of …

Nikon 7216 Action 8x40mm Binoculars $59.99 New Nikon 7216 8X40 Action Birding Binoculars W/Case.Includes deluxe case, strap, instructions, and box..Aspherical eyepiece lenses with multi-coated prisms Quick central focus system 420-foot field of view at 1,000 yards Magnification: 8x Objective lens: 40mmLike the Actions with 50mm objective lenses, the 8×40 and 7×35 models in this ever-popular series have been updated with enhanced and ergono…

Celestron 93625 Universal 1.25-inch Camera T-Adapter $20.95 Fits (drop in style) any type of telescope that uses a 1.25″ focuser or visual back. Allows you to attach your 35mm SLR camera to the prime focus of your telescope or spotting scope. Both a T-Adapter and T-Ring are required to mount a 35mm SLR camera to your instrument….