How Much Should You Spend on Your First Telescope?
How much should you spend on your very first telescope? Get ready because I’m not going to say something predictable like, ‘well the answer is different depending on many factors like budget, interest level, and experience, blah, blah, blah…’.
No, my answer to this question is always the same: between $500.00 - $600.00. That’s right, if you’ve never used a telescope before, I don’t care if you’re Bill Gates rich, don’t spend more than that, and definitely don’t spend any less.
The two most important factors in any beginner’s telescope are quality optics and ease of use. You want quality optics in order to get good views through the eyepiece; you want it to be easy to use so you don’t get frustrated and never use it again.
The most tragic thing I’ve seen happen to beginners is that they buy a telescope that they use only once and then never take it out again. The reason usually has something to do with the fact that the telescope failed to meet their expectations.
Remember that when you first start out, you’re learning two things at once: the night sky and how to use the telescope. Neither of these things is trivial. They aren’t hard or beyond anyone’s honest attempts to learn them, but they do require concentration and effort.
You shouldn’t make it harder on yourself by buying an expensive, complicated and delicate piece of equipment right off the bat.
This is the first in a series of blog posts that will help you understand what you can expect from a telescope and some of the factors to keep in mind when you set out to purchase one. My goal in writing these is to get you excited about going outside and learning the sky with your new toy. I want you to start out right so I’m going to write these posts with the expectation that the reader has no experience with telescopes, couldn’t find the Big Dipper if their lives depended on it, and doesn’t know an eyepiece from an objective lens.
In my opinion, a telescope is the most important purchase you can make. It will be your gateway, your viewport to the stars and over time, you’ll start to develop a really scary, almost creepy bond to the damn thing.
If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself naming your telescope, talking to it when you’re gazing at objects through it’s eyepiece, you’ll even stroke it gently as your put it away, ‘There, there my lovely, thanks for that great view of Mars. Goodnight…’
Ahem, yes, well….
Anyway, I want you to buy a telescope that’s right for you, but when you’re a beginner, it turns out that the choices aren’t as wide-ranging and confusing as you might think. As with a great many things I try to do in my life, keeping it simple is usually the best approach.
So, stay tuned. All this week, I’m going to post about what to consider when buying your very first inanimate friend. I’ll even offer up some good names for them.
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