Characteristics of a Good Beginner’s Telescope
[I wrote this a while back but wanted to bring this to the top of the blog for those who may be looking for a scope for Christmas. Back when I wrote this, I think I had about three readers.]
If you’re looking to buy a new telescope and you know absolutely nothing about the night sky or telescopes, then you’re facing a double challenge.
On the one hand, you’re learning about where things are in the heavens. On the other, you’re trying to figure out how to use your telescope and find things with it.
Both of these tasks taken individually are hard enough, but together, they can really frustrate new stargazers. That’s why my advice to people just starting out and wanting to buy a telescope is to buy the simplest telescope. Your first telescope should be so simple to use that you know how it works just by looking at it.
A good example is the Dobsonian telescope or the Edmund Astroscan. One look at those telescopes and you know how they work. Starting out with scopes like these allow you to learn the night sky without having to fumble around in the dark with electrical cords, computers, polar alignment, or goto pointing. Simply set the telescope on the ground or table (if it’s the Astroscan) and start looking for stuff.
In my opinion, the best beginner’s telescopes have the following:
- Good optics
- Solid mount
- Easy as hell to use
We’ve already covered that last one, so I’ll say a few words about the first two items on the above list.
Technorati Tags: buying a telescope, night sky, observing, telescopes
In my last post, I set the price range of beginner’s telescopes between $500-$600. The reason is that you need good optics. For the simple telescopes I’m recommending to start out with, all of that money is going into the optical elements that make up the optical assembly. This is a good thing, I want you to have the brightest and sharpest view possible, all telescopes in this price range will provide that.
The diameter of the objective lens will be the determining factor in how bright things appear in the eyepiece. The overall quality and alignment of the optics will provide the sharpness and clarity. The general goal is to buy the largest diameter telescope you can afford in order to collect the most photons available.
Another critical component of a good telescope is the mount the optics are riding on. In my opinion, you can’t have a mount that is TOO sturdy. The beefier the mount, the more stable the telescope will be and the more pleased you’ll be with the scope overall.
There’s nothing worse that trying to look at Saturn at 100 power only to have the view buffeting around inside the eyepiece like you’re trying to use the telescope in a hurricane. When you’re using a telescope at higher magnifications, EVERYTHING gets magnified including the vibrations. People walking on the ground around the telescope can seem like an earthquake when the telescope is poorly mounted (or under-mounted).
So, to recap: if you’re just starting out in amateur astronomy and you want to buy a telescope, simpler is better. This allows you to focus more on learning the night sky than trying to figure out your new telescope. At this stage, you should be concentrating on where the Crab nebula is in the sky and what it looks like in an eyepiece than how to polar align your scope.
You should also spend most of your money on quality optics and not on other things like goto computer-controlled drives and GPS systems. The more complicated stuff you add to your telescope, the more likely you’ll end up being very frustrated. Keep it simple.
Good mounts make for happy observers. A solid, sturdy mount is every bit as important as the optics. Here too, simpler is better. I’ll discuss more about what kind of mounts to consider, but for cost and simplicity, I’m going to start pushing the Dobsonian.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: telescopes
8 opinions for Characteristics of a Good Beginner’s Telescope
Astroprof
Mar 27, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I often tell people to start with a good pair of binoculars first, and then move on to a simple telescope. As you say, a small Dobsonian or an Astroscan is a good starter scope. Often, people will try to get to big of a telescope or too complex of one before they know what they are doing, and that discourages them.
Tony
Mar 28, 2007 at 9:25 am
Yes, buying a pair of binoculars is excellent advice and I often tell people the same thing. I plan on writing some posts about how to choose a pair of binoculars along with what you can expect to see with them.
Still, I’ve found people are quite anxious to buy a telescope, often the biggest and most complicated they can afford. I want to steer first time observers toward an easy to use model that allows them to concentrate on learning the sky.
I also want to align people’s expectations of what they will see with the type of scope they bought.
Thanks so much for your comment!
Samuel Forbes
Nov 28, 2007 at 3:20 am
Certainly my first telescope is going to be a 10″ Dobsonian. I wonder whether some of the disappointment comes from seeing so many clear colour pictures from Nasa and in astronomy magazines that when people look through a telescope, they expect to see the same. I really can’t wait to see the red shade of Mars or Venus or some other planet with enough clarity that it is more than just a pin prick in the night sky. I get very emotional about this sort of stuff as it puts my life into perspective, puts humanity into perspective. I feel small but utterly in awe and overwhelmed.
Tony
Nov 30, 2007 at 12:02 am
Hi Samuel,
Yes, the NASA images certainly raise people’s expectations, but I think that’s ok. The first time someone finds Saturn all by themselves with their very own telescope, that image in the eyepiece is way better than any NASA photo.
You’ve got the heart of an astronomer Samuel, I hope you get your first scope real soon…
G in INdiana
Dec 1, 2007 at 11:51 am
Eagle Optics has some very nice binos for very decent prices. I have a pair of their mid grade smaller binos and love them just as much as my very expensive Nikon top of the line. They are lighter, easier to use, and about as good to my aging eyes…
Stepen
Dec 20, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I tell people to visit a local astronomy club first. Go to their open house. Five years ago, when i had $1000 to buy a telescope, i first studied the problem, searched the web, and settled on a 13″ Dob. It would have been a good choice, except that it wouldn’t have fit into my car. Fortunately, i went to an open house first, and saw a 10″ Dob. What a shock. Another rule: don’t buy anything you haven’t used first. Breaking this rule often gets you burned. I have a $15 Moon filter. It’s useless for the Moon, though OK for Venus. If i’d used one before buying one, i’d have gotten a variable polarizing moon filter for $25.
There are 3 P’s to buying a telescope. In order of importance, Portability, Price, Performance. The first two can be deal breakers. Within those constraints, optimize the performance. I wanted a scope for visual work, car portable, with a computer locator.
You may have heard that you have to spend $350 on a telescope. Hogwash. My club has a 22″ Dob. $350 will get you more than 10 years of membership. Then go out to the observatory whenever you want. While there, check out the 12.5″ Cass, the 10″ SCT, the 8″ SCT, the 10″ Dob, the 8″ Dob, either of the refractors. Some of the guys never bother to bring their own scopes anymore.
I’m very happy with my Orion xt10i. If you want to get me clear dark skies for Christmas, I won’t complain.
Rafael Cantu
Apr 19, 2008 at 3:26 pm
orchidotherapy unencouraged upfold akazga thermosiphon coffeeleaf bander placoides
CryoCare Foundation - Cryonics Services
http://www.wheretofishinireland.com/
sistas beavers lesbian
Sep 3, 2008 at 12:14 pm
beavers nude lesbian lesbian beavers sex
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: