Godlike Productions - Discussion Forum
Users Online Now: 1,774 (Who's On?)Visitors Today: 49,816
Pageviews Today: 97,365Threads Today: 45Posts Today: 744
01:20 AM


Rate this Thread

Absolute BS Crap Reasonable Nice Amazing
 

What is the best entry level telescope

 
Exmortius
Offer Upgrade

User ID: 76613628
United States
11/13/2019 11:31 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
What is the best entry level telescope
Would like the get my Son a telescope. but there are so many, what is a good one to start with?
Doc
User ID: 78145024
United States
11/13/2019 02:09 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
Would like the get my Son a telescope. but there are so many, what is a good one to start with?
 Quoting: Exmortius


I sold lots of 8 inch reflectors at my science store. Mine is an 8 inch reflector. Good for Moons around outer planets, moon watching, and with correct filters sun shows.

This one is ok for a first scope

[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]

An article explaining what you need to look for:

[link to theplanets.org (secure)]

Most refractors wind up being used to spy on the neighbors.
7 x 50 binoculars work better that most refractors.

I had a missing pair of zoom sports binoculars that worked great for meteor showers.
NoStarPanelTruthSeeke​r
User ID: 76669404
United States
11/13/2019 08:46 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
Would like the get my Son a telescope. but there are so many, what is a good one to start with?
 Quoting: Exmortius




Meade ETX90 or ETX125 Schmidt Cassegrain


[link to meade.factoryoutletstore.com (secure)]


NSPTS
da kat

User ID: 77308374
United States
11/14/2019 08:39 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
Look up Astroshill & ask him.
Swiftfalcon

User ID: 77495024
United States
11/14/2019 09:14 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
Would like the get my Son a telescope. but there are so many, what is a good one to start with?
 Quoting: Exmortius


A Dobson mount reflector is the most visual bang for the buck. A good one is as cheap as much of the low end refractors out there. They do require some tinkering aligning the mirrors and setting it up but that’s half the fun. Department stores usually cary the toys and junk.
Exmortius  (OP)

User ID: 76613628
United States
11/14/2019 09:23 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
Thanks for the Info.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 77525973
United States
11/14/2019 09:57 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
May not be entry level, but I have an older model Questar 3.5 that i'd make a hell of a deal on.

Recently upgraded to a newer model.

They are regarded as the finest personal telescopes available, to the point that even Wernher Von Braun used a telescope manufactured by the company.

Give em' a look!
[link to www.questarcorporation.com]
Swiftfalcon

User ID: 77495024
United States
11/14/2019 11:57 AM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
[link to www.cloudynights.com (secure)]

This is a great website for learning , buying , selling .
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 44406330
United Kingdom
11/14/2019 12:10 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
as a beginner i would recommend a 8 inch dobsonian reflector
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 2226485
United States
11/14/2019 12:27 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
budget...

This fall I used a spotting scope to witness my first viewing
of Jupiter's moons and the rings of Saturn.

[link to www.bhphotovideo.com (secure)]

Get a garage sale camera tripod for non-table use.

Best? No way but decent views for < $100
Fist McKraken

User ID: 1795029
United States
11/14/2019 12:43 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
Would like the get my Son a telescope. but there are so many, what is a good one to start with?
 Quoting: Exmortius


A Dobson mount reflector is the most visual bang for the buck. A good one is as cheap as much of the low end refractors out there. They do require some tinkering aligning the mirrors and setting it up but that’s half the fun. Department stores usually cary the toys and junk.
 Quoting: Swiftfalcon


as a beginner i would recommend a 8 inch dobsonian reflector
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 44406330


Good advice. A dobsonion light bucket is the way to go. The eyepiece magnification power is more important than the scope. Inexpensive eyepieces will give poor viewing even in an expensive scope. Expensive eyepieces in an inexpensive scope will give good viewing.
sean
User ID: 78175630
United Kingdom
11/17/2019 06:25 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
The problem with any "mount" for a Telescope is whether it can keep up with the rotation of the Earth and thus keep whatever you are looking at in view. That usually means some sort of power-drive to turn the Telescope at the right speed. A "Dobsonian" mount may not be much good for this, though it's some years since I bothered to look at any telescopes.

The problem with ordinary reflecting telescopes is "collimation" between the the big objective mirror and the secondary mirror (which reflects the image from the big mirror to the eyepiece). This can be quite tricky to achieve and may not be suitable for a youngster.

The problem with eyepieces is the "Exit pupil", which, to keep things simple, you need to be as large as possible to make looking throught he eyepiece as easy as possible.

The problem with magnification, is if it's too small yuo won;t see much but if it's too big the image quality will bo too low and what you see won't be as sharp as you'd like. A Famous British Astronomy and writer used to say that, for good image quality the maximum magnification used should be the equal of the diameter of the objective lens or mirror in millimetres, so that a telescope with a 4ins objective should be used with a maximum magnification of x100 as 4ins = 100mm.

The problem with the atmosphere, weather conditions and light pollution is they affect the "Seeing", which is the quality of image you can get on any night.

The problem with astronomical Telescopes is that they usually give an image that is upside down, this is the case with all reflectors and astronomical Refractors (as they use fewer lens elements to allow as much light transmission as possible. This can be overcome by use of an "Erecting Eyepiece".

I would not suggest an Dobsonian. I would tend to go for Cassegrains, Schmidt-Cassegrains etc. Here's a link to give you a basic idea of the differences:

[link to starizona.com (secure)]
sean
User ID: 78175630
United Kingdom
11/17/2019 06:30 PM
Report Abusive Post
Report Copyright Violation
Re: What is the best entry level telescope
By

"ordinary reflecting telescopes"


I meant Newtonian telescopes.

"Dobsonian really only means a telescope on a very simple mount like this:

[link to www.tringastro.co.uk (secure)]

In this case the telescope is a Newtonian reflector.





GLP