Reddit mentions: The best reflector telescopes

Hello :-)

A telescope can be a great gift, but it's also a very difficult one.

Set-up, ease of use and personal preference are very subjective matters.

And then there's size & handling, portability, storage space (Size links).

Visiting a local astronomy club / stargazing party (with some possible first-hand experience) is usually the best way to ensure the choice is right.

 

All GoTo telescopes track, but there are telescopes that track but do not have GoTo (Skywatcher SupaTrak, equatorial mounts with motor but no computer hand-set).

A computerized GoTo telescope does not make everything easier, and he will need to know a few basics about the night sky anyway. With a guide such as "Turn left at Orion" finding things is not hard, and if he struggles, free Apps literally point into the right direction thanks to motion sensors in even cheaper smartphones.


And GoTo doubles the cost of the telescope (of same aperture).

I consider myself very tech-savvy, and even I struggled getting my SLT mount to track & find things accurately. The manual is more complex than your average astronomy book :-)

 

> I would like to get the most aperture and stability


For around $400, you can either get the Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT or the Zhumell z8.

The 127mm Maksutov is nice for observing planets and a few deep-sky targets. It's fairly compact, and the auto-alignment works if you have a free view of the night sky without too many buildings and trees in the way. But it won't show nearly as much as a 8" dobsonian (What to expect in different telescope apertures).

For a bit more, there's the z10, or perhaps the 6SE regarding GoTo (thouhg a bit more expensive, as much as the z12...)

 






Also, as your username is /u/SamTheCanadian, the telescope choices are very different over in Canada. For one, the 127 SLT is more expensive over there, and 700 Canadian dollars would only allow for a 8" dobsonian or a very limited. Zhumell is not available, Skywatcher dobsonians are among the best choice there.

A for GoTo and 700 Canadian dollars, there are only smaller 4" telescopes such as the 4SE or short refractors. Do not get the even smaller NG90 (small aperture) or the 1145 (aperture ratio results in some issues).

 

A 8" dobsonian plus an equatorial platform offers the best from both worlds (large aperture and simplicity, while tracking). Though if buying a platform for a 8", the Skywatcher 8" GoTo or (Orion xt8g) is pretty close to the price of that combo.

 

//edit: There is the Astromaster 130eq-md (motor drive), but the telescope has a flawed spherical mirror (contrast issues), and the motorized mount is not very sturdy (tedious, frustrating).

 



 

• What does he want to observe?
  
  
• Does he know what to realistically expect visually?
  
  
• Where will he be observing (-> Milky-way visible?)?
  
  
  If he mainly wants to observe planets, they can easily be spotted by the naked eye and thus it's very simple to point the telescope at them. Wide-angle eyepieces make it easier to track them manually even at higher magnifications. But of course automatic tracking is nice.
  
  If he is interested in deep-sky and at a dark location, a large aperture simply shows a lot more. 5" can be nice, but for example the spiral structure of many galaxies really just about becomes apparent in 8", unless very experienced and at an ideal location.
  
  Clear skies!

First of all, let me say welcome. So far the responses have been fairly good polite, but I'd like to warn you that there are occasionally some responses to a question like this that are less friendly, particularly since we have a fairly detailed sticky post to discuss first scopes.

But don't fear, we all started at the bottom and had to learn. And if you're new to telescopes, there's tons of stuff you don't even know that you don't know, ya know?

Ok, now, my first recommendation before you buy a telescope is always to join a local club or society, if there's one near you (which, odds are, there is). Judging from the link you posted, I'm guessing you're in the US. Nearly all large and medium-sized cities have at least one club nearby. If you need help locating one, let me know where you are and I can check some references. Even outside of the US, particularly in "developed" nations, you'll find them in most larger cities and communities, and even a lot of less developed and downright poor nations have them. There's something about the stars that draws us in.

Most clubs in the US, Canada, Europe, and other developed countries conduct fairly frequent star parties. A star party is an event where those who have them bring out their telescopes and everyone spends the night under the stars observing. In a lot o clubs, this is a great way for new members to learn more about telescopes before they buy. At my club's star parties, you'll find anything from small 4.5" and 80 mm scopes to a 36" Dob that takes a sizable trailer to haul around. Most amateur astronomers are more than happy to let you look and to tell you all about their equipment (some won't shut up about it - a category I sometimes fall into). This all gets you exposure to the equipment so you can better understand what meets your needs and budget. As a bonus, members of clubs often end up swapping/selling/buying equipment among each other. I've gotten several pieces of equipment that way, from eyepieces, to a couple scopes, to my main equatorial GoTo mount. You'll usually find that the equipment is well-cared for and often the price is very, very reasonable.

Next, as to this scope you are looking at... The optics themselves aren't particularly bad. Orion sells some pretty good scopes, and even their low-end stuff is usually reasonable, if not great. This scope could provide you with some fairly decent views, particularly if you're in or near a fairly dark-sky observing site.

But where this scope goes wrong is the mount. It's not the fact that it's an equatorial mount (While they are a little harder to get used to, I don't see that as a real problem for most people). The problem with this mount is that it's very unstable. It's very light, with thin legs and little mass. These EQ-1 style mounts tend to shake, jitter, and wobble really badly. Whenever you touch it to adjust position or focus, you have to wait for the wobble to settle. If it's even a little bit breezy, the mount may never settle down enough to get a decent view through. When you add that to the fact that you DO have to polar align it, it makes this mount seem a really poor idea.

The same scope is available on a simple alt-az mount (these kinds of mount are often, incorrectly, referred to as Dobsonians, but are really just simple alt-az mounts) which is a far more steady platform, as well as being much quicker to set up and use. While this variant needs a table or stool to set it on, but it's so much more steady and quick to set up as to make it totally worthwhile.

Though it's often joked about, there's a good reason the overall recommendation for a beginner is a Dobsonian. They are much easier to use and they offer the best price per inch of aperture value. With this in mind, the person who suggested the AWB OneSky is right-on. It has a larger aperture and a much more sturdy mount for the same price. The suggestion of the Orion XT6 is also a better option for a little more. Meade has been selling their Lightbridge Mini 114 for under $150 lately. It's a very similar tube tot he Starblast 4.5, but on the simple alt-az mount. But, of course, a larger scope will show you more.

Again, before you buy, I'd look into a club so you get a better understanding of what you're getting... then, armed with that knowledge, you can make an informed choice.

Good luck and clear skies.

Head over to /r/telescopes and read the stickied thread over there. Great community. You may find a particular need will lead you to a certain telescope, but for purely visual observing, it's hard to beat a dobsonian reflector. Dobs are often called "light buckets" because the primary mirror is large and can collect a lot of light, making for better views.

The cheapest dob worth buying is the $200 AWB OneSky. It's a collapsible tabletop scope with a 5" primary mirror. Another scope of the same size and price is the Zhumell Z130. Zhumell is a respected dob maker, and I haven't heard many reviews of the Z130, but it won the "best telescope value" award for 2016. It's slightly less portable, but that portability requires a little bit of setup, so the choice is kind of just about your personal situation.

With a telescope like one of those, you will be able to see all the planets (Uranus and Neptune will appear just as blueish dots), Saturn's rings and moons, and Jupiter's moons and great red spot (in good seeing conditions).

You will be able to watch the moon in great detail, and see galaxies - Andromeda will look like this, nebula - Orion will look like this, and star clusters - M13 will look like this, all depending on seeing conditions.

If you can afford an 8" dob telescope, you will be able to collect 250% as much light as with a 5" telescope, and will get better results. Again, Zhumell is a good manufacturer. The Z8 is $400 and often considered the best value for an 8" dob because of the good accessories.

If you are ok buying used, you may be able to get a lightly used 8" for the price of a new 5". I got this collapsible 8" telescope for $250 lightly used. I once saw an 8" go for $100, but the person selling didn't know what they had.

Here is a picture that I took last week. My son and I set up in the town center and invited people to look at Saturn and its rings and moons.

Good times.

The absolute best telescopes for beginners is a good 8 inch dobsonion. If you are willing to take the time to learn the night sky and don't need goto a good one is 400 or so new. For 650 you can get a push to 8 inch scope that allows you to tell it what you want to see and it will tell you how to push the scope to see it. True motorized ones are much more expensive

The reason 8 inches is the best starters is it's big enough to provide great views of everything from the moon, the major planets and all the brightest deep space objects. The dobsonion type scope is easy to setup,very stable, and light enough that it's not a big production to get it out and ready.

If you get a scope order the book "turn left at Orion" on Amazon. It is a great book that gives you easy to understand directions on where to point a scope any time of the year to see the best objects currently in the sky. Also see if there are any astronomy clubs in your area because they are normally very willing to help you get started

Astrophotography is a whole other can of worms and requires specialized telescopes mounts cameras etc

Below are some examples of Scopes and good reading:
https://www.amazon.com/SkyWatcher-S11610-Traditional-Dobsonian-8-Inch/dp/B00Z4G3PRK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=skywatcher+dobsonian+8&qid=1569033244&s=gateway&sprefix=skywatcher+dobs&sr=8-3


https://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Telescopes/Dobsonian-Telescopes/Classic-Dobsonians/Orion-Limited-Edition-SkyQuest-XT8-Classic-Dobsonian-Bundle/pc/1/c/12/sc/13/101452.uts

https://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Telescopes/Dobsonian-Telescopes/IntelliScope-Dobsonians/Orion-SkyQuest-XT8i-IntelliScope-Dobsonian-Telescope/pc/1/c/12/sc/27/102012.uts

https://www.amazon.com/Turn-Left-Orion-Hundreds-Telescope/dp/1108457568/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=turn+left+at+orion&qid=1569034887&s=gateway&sprefix=turn+left&sr=8-1

Giant wall of text incoming. Feel free to pm me for skype, irc, or hangout info and we can talk more in depth if you have questions.

The thing that always wows people the first time they look through a decent telescope is Saturn. All of the sudden its not a point of light. Its a disk with ears. Kids and adults alike are always astounded. Many people think its fake it looks so cool.

Astronomy is the study of space. Astrology is the belief that the position of the stars and planets determines or explains personality traits.

The first thing you have to decide when buying a telescope is what you want to do with it. Do you want to use it for visual astronomy or astrophotography? If you want to take hubble style deep sky images then you will need to spend in the 1000s of dollars to start. If you want to do visual observing then you can spend as little as $150 and on up to 1000s+.

Next thing to decide is if you want something computer guided or manually guided. Computer guided will cost more but you wont be relying on your brain as much. Manual guided scopes will be cheaper but you will need to invest in charts and books more.

Things to know about all telescopes:
Resolving power is dependant on the size of the apature or main mirror. This is kind of like megapixles on a camera. The bigger your opening the more light you can collect and the better resolution you'll have.

Magnification is the x rating (100x etc). It will let you know how big you can make something. These numbers are usually exaggerated. It's a mathematical function based on the focal length of the telescope divided by the focal length of the eyepiece. Useful magnification will be based on the resolving power of the scope (based on mirror/aperture size) and the sky conditions. Think of having a low res picture then blowing it up. It gets all distorted and pixelated. That is kind of what will happen if you over-magnify a small telescope with a small aperture.

Now we can discuss the pros and cons of different designs.

Refractors: This is what most people think of when they think of a telescope. They are made of lenses. Glass or plastic, depending on the cost/quality. They are generally heavier and more expensive than other types of telescopes. They are fairly low maintenance and can be some of the best or worst telescopes out there.

Reflectors: These use mirrors instead of lenses. They are generally bulkier than other types of telescopes, but dollar for dollar there is no better way to get a large aperture. They can be a little finicky, requiring collimation (A Process that makes sure a circle looks like a circle and not an oval).

Catadioptric: Combines lens and mirrors. Generally maintenance free, lighter than refractors and less bulky than reflectors. These are good all around telescopes, but aren't generally great at any one thing.

Scope choice is important based on how you plan on using it. If you dread lugging around a big scope and setting it up, you'll never use it. If you're like me, and live in a light polluted area, you will travel with your telescope a lot. You need to make sure it fits in your trunk.

All of that being said this is an excellent beginer telescope that is fairly cheap. With it, you will be able to count craters on the moon, see the rings of Saturn, see cloud bands on Jupiter, and get into some deep sky objects like some of the brighter star clusters and galaxies and nebulas.

If you're interested this is an album of some of my astrophotography.

Clear skies.

The cheapest worthwhile telescopes are the 4.5 inch tabletop Newtonians like the Meade Lightbridge 114 Mini that run around $130 new. They have a big enough aperture and a simple sturdy base that won't move.

If you can afford a little more ($200), definitely upgrade to a 5" aperture tabletop Newtonian like the AWB OneSky (aka Skywatcher Heriatge 130) or the Meade Lightbridge 130. That half inch extra aperture gets you a surprisingly big improvement in the brightness and clarity of the view.

If you can afford a little more still - 6" Dobsonian like the Orion Xt6.

If you can afford just a bit more you hit the sweet spot of best views for the money - the 8" Dobsonian... plenty of good brands of those - Orion, Zhummell, Skywatcher, Apertura... these are the most usually recommended beginners telescope, and for good reason, they're cheap, rock solid, and will show you plenty of deep sky objects.

You're probably seeing some patterns... bigger aperture = better; sturdier base = better; and reflector type over refractor type. The reason for that last one isn't because reflectors are better than refractors, it's that they're cheaper... so you can afford a much bigger aperture reflector for the same money.

My personal rule of thumb - don't buy any refractor on a tripod if you're on a budget. Things like this are basically garbage that will soon frustrate you and end up collecting dust in your basement.

Hope that helps.

Just have Takahashi custom build you one of these for ~$300,000

http://www.takahashi-europe.com/en/FET-300.php (yes, that's a 12" apochromat)

And you'll be all set :D

On a more serious note, I would take the time to save up to $350-400 dollars. That might be easier said than done, but it opens up a solid class of telescopes for you that will be more rewarding and enjoyable to use.

As others have said, an 8" dobsonian is perfect for a beginner. It's easy to use, easy to set up, and gives excellent aperture for your dollar. Great general-purpose telescope.

If you want to stay at $300, then an Orion 6" SkyQuest Classic is a solid purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-8944-SkyQuest-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B001DDW9UW

For the planets viewing from your backyard will be fine because they are very bright, but for most DSO's you will need to go to a dark spot, use this http://www.jshine.net/astronomy/dark_sky/

Id go with a 6 inch dobsonian because you have the aperature to see DSOs but is small enough that you can actually take it to a dark site where you can view them.
http://www.amazon.com/Orion-XT-6-Classic/dp/B001DDW9UW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331787043&sr=8-2

Now for eyepieces:
You take the focal length of the scope, and divide it by the focal length of the eyepiece and you get the magnification it will provide.
For example the 6" scope I linked has a focal length of 1200mm, so with a 10 mm eyepiece you will get 120x.

Tthe best views of the planets are going to to be about 180-200x when you factor in seeing conditions and having to adjust the scope for the planets moving(move faster at higher mags).
For DSOs you want to use lower magnifications because they are very faint, so you will want from 40-100 depending on what you are looking at.
The orion sirius plossl eyepieces I have give great crisp clear images so im sure you will be happy with them, and they are not very expensive at about 40-50 each.
Barlows basically double your scopes focal length, so when used with an eyepiece it doubles the magnification. They effectively double your eyepiece collection so consider them when you are picking eyepieces.
Also download http://www.stellarium.org/ it is free and will teach you the constellations and will show you how to find anything you want.

Edit: also learn to collimate whatever scope you get or else you wont see anything good.

Rule of thumb is avoid cheap refractors. With refractors you need top notch optics to get good results, and you will never find them on cheaper ones. Don't be fooled by the magnification number, 300x magnification is useless when your optics cannot produce good results to begin with. It's just a cheap trick they use to impress beginners


Your best bet, with a 200€ budget is to get a good pair of binoculars, something around 15x70 and a tripod. If you still want a telescope, what you need is a reflector. Check out the dobsonians in Amazon, they're great and pack a lot of power for what you pay for, best bang for your buck as a beginner. Example: Orion 8944 SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DDW9UW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DsWCCb75RADY1

Telescopes are one thing where price does really matter though, it is advised to spend as much as you can on one, because quality and results obtained exponentially go up the pricier they are.

My suggestion would be to get a pair of nice binoculars, and if you like what you see thru them in the night sky (completely dark, away from City lights preferably) save up for a nice telescope. I've seen quite a few deep sky objects with just these cheap Olympus 10x50 ones, in completely dark skies. Olympus Trooper 10x50 DPS I Binocular (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AKGX3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HIWCCb36S5DK2

Good luck!

Based on the very little info you provided (and my advice for most amateurs) I'd recommend a dobsonian, because you will get the most bang for your buck if you're willing to spend some time learning the sky, and in the short term you will be able to see planets and the moon very clearly. You save money with a dobsonion because the technology is very simple-  it is essentially just a long metal tube, with two mirrors mounted on a simple pressboard mount. What you save on simplicity, you can put towards aperture. The aperture does two things- it allows more light to enter your eye allowing you to see fainter objects (such as nebula, galaxies, etc), and increases the highest useful magnification of the scope, which is better for planetary viewing. Overall, bigger= better so long as the optics are decent.  
One of the advantages of the dobsonian telescopes is the simple movements- it has an Altazimuth mount. That means there are two perpendicular axes for the mount, a vertical and a horizontal. It makes pointing the thing incredibly easy. "Equatorial" mounts are much less intuitive, they are set up to follow the arc of the sky and have adjustments that move the scope in counterintuitive ways. These mounts are much better for photography, but for simple viewing they are cumbersome in my opinion.
The disadvantage to the dobsonian is the lack of a motorized mount and the lack of a goto system (unless you spend much, much more). This means you will have to learn the sky, and once your skills improve, you will never be able to use this scope to photography deep sky objects. However, since they are so handy for quick viewing, even if you move on to different equipment, the scope will still be useful. I still use mine for photographing planets even though I have upgraded to an SCT, and just last week I used it to photography the International space station.


Anyways- so you can benchmark your price for this, here's a link to the amazon page for an Orion 6" dobsonian. https://www.amazon.com/Orion-894...  It's about the least amount you can spend without being disappointed by the scope as your hobby develops. If you can swing it- spend a bit more and get an 8" or 10". There are entire reddit communities devoted to this hobby you can check out, a lot of great advice about equipment there. The first link is good for someone that's on a budget, the second is good if you're curious about astrophotography.
https://www.reddit.com/r/telesco...
https://www.reddit.com/r/astroph...

So the #1 thing I need you to keep in mind is that no earthbound telescope is going to get you a “Hubble” image.

I don’t personally have experience with the 130p but from a much smaller telescope I could still see jupiter/its bands and it’s moons, the gap between Saturn and its rings. With the dobsonian, those details will be enhanced and the magnification capabilities are much greater.

The planets are cool, but the treat with the dobsonian is the nebulae. Orion is big and bright so you can realistically see it with your naked eye if it was dark enough... but look at it with an 8 inch dobsonian and it will change your life. Other nebulae that aren’t as bright become very visible with wide aperture (the width of the tube) telescopes.

All of this being said, the 130p has 5 inches of aperture vs my first telescopes 3 ish inches - so you’d get a better view at first than I did, and brighter nebulae will still be a treat. I would also consider a 6 inch dobsonian mount. Less of an increase in price, wider aperture than the 130p, and has the full length the 8 inch you were shown has (longer tube, more magnification).

Sorry for the Amazon link but I’m at work and it’s the easiest way for me to show you what I mean;

SkyWatcher S11600 Traditional Dobsonian 6-Inch (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z4G3D22/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Vo-1Db3FP8Y00

Don't get the celestron. Their low-end range is very bad for a variety of reasons.

At that price range, I'd recommend the Sky-Watcher Heritage 130p. It has the same aperture (you'll be able to see the same objects), but on a sturdier mount, and better optical quality (the celestron has a flawed spherical mirror). It's on a very stable dobsonian-style mount, but you'll need to put it on a table to use it at eye level. It's pretty much what everyone on this sub recommends, and for good reason.

The moon will look phenomenal (it does through any telescope!) and brighter deep sky objects (Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy) should also be visible. The planets will be doable, but I recommend getting a better quality eyepiece for higher magnifications. The 6mm Gold-Line eyepiece is a good choice that won't break the bank.

Clear skies!

Holy Batman this is an amazing response!
The 4 year old has used a telescope before, he's just absolutely fascinated by space right now. If it was just him, I'd definitely be getting the £50 type scopes. Due to my interest, I really don't believe any model I get will be a waste of money.


I had the Heritage in mind, but had never looked at that Skyliner 150p, which has lead me to the 200p....I'm sure you know the feeling!

Already purchased Turn Left at Orion, definitely want a moon filter/scope as well as a planetary one.
Finder scope is essential from what I've read.

I think I'm settled on either the Heritage 130p or the Skyliner 150p. Is there any justifiable reason to even consider the 200p? I'm fairly certain I'll go in the middle for the 150p, but always welcome opinions!
Yet this Orion StarMax and this Orion SkyQuest keep appearing in my research. It will be between those 4 for sure, if you have any specific advice on those along with any accessories I need I would be eternally grateful.

Thank you for your detailed reply. :)

About the optics type issue, thanks for pointing out which of those have spherical mirrors. I'm aware of the problems spherical mirrors bring in but somehow I forgot to check that when browsing for scopes. haha It's my first telescope purchase, so I asked help for that reason. :) Also I know those mounts are not very very sturdy but for this price range I know I have to make some compromises. I guess for now it would be better to buy a scope with a parabolic mirror and ideally upgrade the mount at a later time when a bit more cash flows.
Last thing. What do you think of these if I may ask? Skywatcher Explorer 130p and [Orion 09007 SpaceProbe 130ST] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D05BKOW/ref=psdc_499154_t1_B0000XMSWK). Optics for both are stated to be parabolic. Are dobsonian still better than these? For planetary/lunar observation too?

thanks

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Ah gotcha. I wasn't sure the age of your son, but it's awesome you are looking for one for your young son and helping him to venture into the world of science. If I were you I'd just wait and find a decent scope on craigslist. If he is still interested in astronomy in a couple years then I would throw down some money on a scope. I think a smaller scope for seeing the planets and looking at the moon will be interesting for him. The Orion XT6 is pretty large, but they do sell a 4.5" model which would be a bit smaller and cheaper. Link

I wouldn't buy anything from Wal-mart or K-mart though, those scopes are kind of trashy. I used to have a Tasco when I was younger that I won in a fundraiser and I could see the moon and not too much else so it was kind of disappointing.

Best of luck.

This will be a really broad question but here goes...

What is the best starter telescope I can get? I have literally nothing right now. No camera, no mount, no scope, nothing. I want to get into the hobby, but I just want to make sure I spend my money the best way possible without spending a fortune.

Was looking at the Celestron 127EQ but from what I understand is you can't take photos with it.

Edit: I'd like to be able to see planets like mars, jupiter, and saturn with some good quality.

This is great info. It makes me realize that what I'd hoped to do is probably impossible, but makes me excited for the other possibilities that exist. Even if I just use the telescope for viewing, but can use a camera and tripod separately to recreate an image similar to the stacked M42, I would be incredibly thrilled.

Would getting a telescope like this one potentially help alleviate the focal length issue, or would it still limit me to exposures that are too short (if I were to try the same methodology of stacking): http://www.amazon.com/Orion-09007-SpaceProbe-Equatorial-Reflector/dp/B00D05BKOW ? I know it wouldn't be as good for viewing the DSOs, but if it gave me more of an opportunity to try astrophotography on them, it might be worth the trade off.

I actually went with the StarBlast. I also bought a couple of lenses and a Barlow, and a sun and moon filter (which, in total costs more than the scope itself, but should be translatable, when I decide to scale my project).

Honestly, dropping a couple of hondo on a scope doesn't mean that much to me, but I know me (I got into yoyo's, then the next thing I know I spent $2000 on freaking yoyo's), so I have to mind myself in that regard, and not go too crazy.

I hope that we'll be able to talk in the future, because I'll be wanting something more later on. I just needed something right now, as my girlfriend (who is amazing and has written over 250 papers...not on astronomy, btw) wants to go out this weekend to a hike to view with some people (thus my need).

I took Astronomy I and II in college, and loved it, so I'm stoked that she's into it. I am an engineer and have a degree in mathematics, so bring on the nerdy, baby. :)

Edit: Edited.

I don't know your budget but this is a great telescope for a 9 year old and you wont be disappointed. It's durable and a really good scope that will last a long time. Maybe get a barlow lens because it doesn't come with one but it's the best bang for the buck. You will be taking this puppy out and orion has a great customer service. Here is the link

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-SkyQuest-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/tags-on-product/B0000XMSNO

It's a very capable scope for the price, better than any refractor you could get for that money.

Edit because I'm being modded down: *at the price* it is the best telescope to buy (unless buying used). Yes, it would be better to save up and buy the Orion SkyScanner for 100 GBP (more than twice the price) or even better to get the SkyWatcher Heritage 130p u/phpdevster named for 162 GBP ... but that is almost 4 times the price. Good for OP if they have (and want to spend) that kind of money, but in the 45-50GBP price range the Firstscope *is* a good scope.

Hey, great idea introducing your cousin to astronomy! His first views through a telescope may be times he remembers for the rest of his life. :)

You may want to try Amazon's International Shipping section. It has a lot of well priced scopes!

https://www.amazon.com/International-Shipping-Direct/b/ref=as_li_ss_tl?node=230659011&linkCode=sl2&tag=amazon123405-20&linkId=b739aa289b437281a7069081d2ffef8b

Here is my pick for your budget:
https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21049-127EQ-PowerSeeker-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNKY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526851326&sr=8-3&keywords=telescope&th=1

That scope is good enough to see details on the planets (jupiter's clouds, saturn's rings) and a lot of the brighter deep space objects (nebulas, clusters, galaxies). If you go out to the country, you'll be able to see a lot of fainter objects, perhaps up to around magnitude 10.

Hope it works out!

Not entirely sure but I think i've heard her mention the Celestron NexStar 130 SLT before, which costs $400. I'm looking to get something similar, I will have about $500 saved up by june and then i'll do some more research to what type of equipment would be best to observe the moon and anywhere in between while I can hookup my camera to it.

Edit: I just checked, this appearantly was filmed with a standard camera, probably a good dslr with a nice zoom lens!

Astronomers without Borders have some amazing telescopes and least expensive
Don't go for a high end one , just pick a beginners


https://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=4&zenid=bbpmck0h912ddr7e1qifog4hc4


Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007UQNKY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1NVqzbW67QQ09

Gskyer Telescope, AZ70400 German Technology Astronomy Telescope, Travel Refractor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DBK1GIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oPVqzbHVZ19R7

Don't worry about the books for now, once you trigger interest he will do his own research on the web.

Feel free to reach me if you need any help.

All the best

That's good, as it will save you a fair whack of money.

I bought this one from the US a year ago and I've been mostly happy. It's great for looking at the moon, Jupiter, Mars and Venus. I haven't tried to get a good look at Saturn yet because I need to spend some time re-collimating it, but it should just do the job.

The bad thing about telescopes is that no matter what you buy, you'll wish you bought one with a bigger mirror 6 or 12 months down the road. Better lenses can help squeeze a bit more viewing out, but you can will quickly spend way more on lenses and other odds and ends as you spent on the scope itself.

This isn't meant as a discouragement at all, just consider your purchase really well before jumping in.

So, I've had my Zhumell Z8 (Amazon) / GSO 8" Dobs for under a week now, and I'm loving it - even with the bright moon and mediocre conditions.

But this one thing has been perplexing me - when I'm using the 30mm "wide angle" eyepiece, I can't get it to focus with the eyepiece fully inserted! I crank the focuser out to the full (for me) 2.5cm if I recall, but that's not far enough. I don't wear corrective lenses, and I don't have this issue with the little 9mm plossel. (And, I think the plossel is already a bit further out, due to the 2" -> 1.25" adapter).

Is this usual/typical/expected? Everything seems to work well when I have it set like this, but it still seems a bit odd.

All help appreciated - and "durr noob" comments tolerated. (;

I started with this one. A celestron 130slt. I know people don’t like the computerized ones but in my opinion, for an amateur, it’s really great. Amazon has a warehouse deal for $320 right now. It’s a great telescope for beginners. I even took some pictures of the moon and stars. You can see the rings separated from Saturn but you cannot tell that there are two rings if that makes sense.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007UQNNQ/

You don't need very much magnification at all, as they're visible with the naked eye. But if you want a really clear, detailed image, you want to collect a lot of light, so the diameter of the telescope is what really matters. The bigger the better. This one is a pretty good bang for your buck, especially if you also get this to go with it.

A brilliant telescope for a young child would be the Orion Funscope. I have several scopes but I have this in the boot of the car all the time just in case. It's a table-top scope which does away with complex mounting issues and the usual awful tripods that come with cheap scopes. It's got 2 decent eyepieces and a great little laser finder that other scopes like this don't have. As a very amateur astronomer for years, this is by far the best bang for buck out there in telescopes.

Yes I'm located in the U.K and cool thanks for this advice :) I've done some looking around and I was thinking about the http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0000XMSNO/ref=pd_aw_sbs_2?pi=SY115&simLd=1 Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 because I'm just not sure.. But I will definitely take what you have said into consideration and look at everything you have linked.. :) thank you reddit stranger

Hi,

I am Irish, so would be buying from either Amazon UK or one of the Euro sites.

The old telescopes I had were the kids style refactors, I dont have expectations of the telescope tracking to object being spot on, but anywhere in the ball park is fine, I can use charts for the rest.

I live in a pretty dark area and holiday in the International Dark Reserve so lucky with the lack of light pollution.

As for what I expect to see, Planets with some detail ? making out Saturn's rings or Jupiter's moons would be great of course. Some deep field objects.

I thought the pics one of the reviewers took here were class

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0007UQNNQ/ref=pe_2443651_89585181_em_ti

Haven't used that one, but it's 5.1 inch, so that's plenty big enough to see Saturn. Good eyepieces are key, though, to getting a good image. I had a cheap Meade 4 inch and it did okay. The model you link to included 1.25" eyepieces, so that's a good start. I haven't been into that stuff in years, though, so I don't know what else is available on the market.

EDIT: This one might be a better choice: http://www.amazon.com/Orion-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope-Beginner/dp/B003ZDEUS2

this was my first scope, http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-NexStar-130-Computerized-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNNQ/ref=pd_ts_zbs_p_10693141_3/188-2997468-6997211?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-5&pf_rd_r=1RKJ9NYZ56K083VFJHY2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=236989901&pf_rd_i=524138

You can see all the planets, and even the Galilean moons clearly, and the shots of the moon are awesome. Good for the Great Orion Nebulae as wel.

Hi /r/DIY!

I enjoy building stuff, and this won’t be my last telescope--I have three more planned over the next few years, plus a shipping container observatory! The last two times, I got a ton of questions (which I love to answer), but I’ll hit the most common questions that were asked on the previous telescopes:

-----------------------------------------------

How much did it cost to make?

It’s difficult to put a number on it. More than $1000, less than $2000, but there were so many small components and wasted materials it’s hard to say exactly. The optics (primary mirror, secondary mirror, spider combo) I picked up for $600 from eBay two years ago, which was a steal at twice the price. I used around $100 worth of plywood, about $80 of steel for the mirror cell, about $60 worth of plastics for the baffles and bearings, about $60 of aluminum for trusses...and I forgot how much I paid for the focuser, maybe $70? I’m also not counting wasted materials (wood, plastics, aluminum that I screwed up), which is probably in the $200-$500 range.

Also, I had to learn to weld (with help from /r/welding) in order to make the mirror cell, and bought all the welding equipment, which put me back a few hundred. However, I’ll be using that in the future, so I’m not counting that as a material cost.

If this were a professionally made dobsonian from a company like Obsession Telescopes, it would be worth around $6000.

How much does it weigh?

The entire assembly is 85 lb. The heaviest part by far is the mirror box (the thing with handles), which is a 26 lb. mirror (a 1.68” thick slab of glass), 11 lb. of steel, and 24 lb. of wood. Next time, I’m going to make the mirror cell detachable from the box so I can walk more than 30 feet before having to set it down. :P

How do you transport it?

It breaks into components (secondary cage, trusses, mirror box, rocker box, base) and can store in the back of a hatchback. It’s just a little bit too big for my Civic, but I was planning on trading up to a hatchback next month anyway because transporting lumber and raw materials is starting to put some serious nicks in the upholstery in the back seat of my Civic.

How long did it take you to build?

I began drafting the project back in January, with most of my serious design work in the spring. I welded the mirror cell in May, worked and reworked the design off and on through the summer, and did the final stretch of construction and finishing in September.

Can you take pictures with it?

Not really, at least not without another platform that I’m going to build. I have some DSLR cameras I picked up off of eBay (at an INSANE PRICE, I got a Canon D60 and Canon 20D, no lenses or batteries, for $80!!). The camera mounts right onto the scope, and I will be trying astrophotography. However, the full moon is a few tens of thousands of times brighter than the Orion Nebula, which requires around 30 second exposures to pick up anything at all. The problem is, the sky moves about a quarter of the way out of frame over 30 seconds, so all you get is a blur. It needs a tracking mount (called an “equatorial platform”) to stay fixed to a certain spot in the sky, and I’m in the process of designing and building one now.

What’s the focal length and focal ratio of the mirror?

Honestly, I don’t really know, the eBay auction is expired and I bought the optics two years ago. I think it was 2000mm, but once I used the jig to measure the optimal distance between the secondary mirror and the primary mirror, I went with that and didn’t bother going back to calculate the FL.

What should I do if I’m interested in astronomy but don’t have a huge budget?

First, subscribe to /r/astronomy!!

My advice is to get a mini-dob like this one. Some people will advise binoculars, but I disagree; a mini-dob is much easier to handle and you don’t have to deal with hand jitter. After you’ve found a bunch of Messier objects and want more, get an 8-inch classic dobsonian like this one.

---------------------------------

Past projects, in chronological order:

• 12.5” dobsonian, and while I’m proud of it as a first attempt, I later recognized a number of structural and design flaws and it’s much heavier than it needed to be.
  
  
• 12” dobsonian, as it turns out, way too flimsy and vibration-prone, I used it a few times and disassembled it. I am planning a sturdier rebuild.
  
  
• A CNC machine
  
  
• Another CNC machine after the first one died a slow, sputtering death
  
  
• This telescope.
  
  Software and math:
  
  
• An unpublished plugin for Sketchup that turns sketchup geometry into “gcode” instructions for a CNC machine (available upon request, no guarantees for functionality, I still have to tweak it every now and then)
  
  
• A math model for a spring cam that I ended up not needing.
  
  
• An unpublished balance plugin that allows me to define weight, density, and calculate center of mass of any Sketchup group or component, used to balance this 16” telescope so the center of mass was ¼” separated from the center of axis rotation. (Available upon request.)
  
  Future projects (in planned order):
  
  
• Disassembling the 12.5” scope and building a steel-frame, fork-mount astrograph (astrophotography telescope).
  
  
• Remaking the 12” scope as a single-piece, quick-unfolding scope that can assemble in two minutes. Will have a heavy steel backbone, the cage and mirror box will fold up into the backbone so the whole thing can load up into the car without disassembling.
  
  
• Building a large scale, 4’ x 8’ leaning bed CNC machine with rack and pinion bearings, a manufacturing-grade spindle, and a high-powered vacuum tube assembly. This monster will have about a 12’ x 4’ footprint, and the bed will be mostly vertical and lean at a 30 degree angle. I will probably have a used conex shipping container hauled in to house it. The shipping container will run me about $3000, the machine itself will cost $2000-$3000. In comparison, an equivalent bed professionally made CNC machine will cost upwards of $20,000.
  
  
• A conex shipping container observatory with a geodesic dome top, housing the 12.5” astrograph.
  
  --------------------------
  
  If you have more questions, fire away! I’ll be happy to answer them!
  

Leaving aside all the "read the sticky" responses, one thing I'd recommend is, if you see one that interests you on Amazon, check prices at a few other places like the manufacturer's website, other vendors, and any photography/etc stores in your neck of the woods. Prices can vary, often in breathtakingly silly ways.

Depending on your location it can be worth looking at used stuff on Kijiji as well; every now and then I'll see people local offloading one telescope or another for whatever reason at "you're kidding, right?" prices.

Past that, if you're mainly interested in lunar/planetary observation from an urban environment, you've got some pretty forgiving targets - if you had a 16" Dobsonian with high-grade eyepieces it wouldn't hurt your viewing of the moon by any stretch, but you definitely wouldn't need that kind of gear.

If you can find a local astronomy club or planetarium, they would have much better telescopes to look through. A moderate sized amateur telescope is way out of the price range you are talking about, but it's the kind of thing lots of astronomy club members have

If you decide you want one of your own, a tabletop one is better than one of those long refractors with a spindly tripod. The best optics in the world don't help you if the stand it is on wobbles around. "table-top" doesn't mean you have to use a table, anything stable and reasonably flat will work - stack of concrete blocks, tree stump, etc. To see much of anything, you need to get away from city lights, few trees to block the view, and preferably dry stable air.

A bigger telescope can overcome light pollution from a nearby city, but you won't be getting a bigger telescope with your desired budget. One on the rooftop of a planetarium or university building can be much bigger if it doesn't have to be portable.

It takes time for your eyes to fully adapt to dark conditions - be patient.

Biggest issue you are going to have is for children to have any good luck, they will need to be able to find stuff to look at. With that said, I would bundle any telescope checkout with a copy of "Turn Right at Orion" as well as a red headlamp. I would also consider having parents sign some sort of release form that if the scope comes back damage you can go after them for the cost.

You might do better with a GoTo telescope. These make it easy to find stuff to look at if you get them positioned properly. I am not sure of you budget, depending on that I would go with this

http://www.telescope.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=102026&utm_source=google&utm_medium=comparisonshopping&utm_campaign=US-googlemerchant&gclid=Cj0KEQiA1b7CBRDjmIPL4u-Zy6gBEiQAsJhTMHDaTbPhQ5-buq2SReWnyk_Mz2gYSK67XVWMkvSpdgMaAvPv8P8HAQ

I would also reach out to your local astronomical society to see if they would help. Here is a example of what the New Hampshire Astronomical society does.

http://www.nhastro.com/ltp.php

The telescope they use is this one

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-10015-StarBlast-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D12U1IK

I would actually not recommend the one you have listed. The larger scope will allow users to see more objects as well as a tripod will be harder to control shaking then a tabletop mount.

That is some awesome advice. Other people are recommending a dob as well. Do you know any thing about this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-SkyQuest-XT8-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B001DDW9V6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1369432158&sr=1-1&keywords=orion+skyquest+xt8

Also, for $30 more they have this option which to me sounds like it might be worth it?

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope-Beginner/dp/B003ZDEUS2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1369432158&sr=1-2&keywords=orion+skyquest+xt8

Or do you recommend any dobs?

I'm pretty into astronomy, but just as 99% of our communication is nonverbal, 99% of my astronomy is naked-eye, watching the constellations swim by as the year goes on. The planets are a special treat, they add a lot of spice to the night sky with their movements.

My first scope was an Orion FunScope, a 76mm Newtonian Reflector. My next scope, a year later, was a 8-inch Orion SkyView Pro, an equatorial (follows the Earth's rotation) Newt Reflector. Newtonian Reflectors are my scope of choice, easiest to use. It requires a lot of patience and knowledge of the night sky and how the Earth rotates. My biggest achievement is locating Nova Delphini with only star-hopping.

The problem with binos is that you'll never be able to hold them steady enough to study things. You'll need a tripod and mount.

Nevertheless, enjoyable viewing can be had with a good set.

Here's what I'm working.

Celestron SkyMaster 15x70 $75
https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-SkyMaster-Binoculars-Tripod-Adapter/dp/B00008Y0VN/

70-Inch Pistol Grip Tripod with Bag $55
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-70-Inch-Pistol-Grip-Tripod/dp/B01LQX0P8Q

Total Cost ~$140 shipped

This is slightly more costly than most decent starter scopes.

Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope ~$133
https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21049-127EQ-PowerSeeker-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNKY

If money is of little object, get a basic scope and the binoculars I stated earlier. You'll enjoy having both capabilities and it will help you hunt down objects. Also fun for people who come with you to have something to do while you work the scope.

I will say that binoculars get uncomfortable if you're not laying down, or sitting naturally and even then it can get tiresome on the eyes and neck. Nothing beats a telescope imho. You can learn the sky and develop good habits just the same.

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-10014-SkyQuest-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B0000XMSNO

I got this one for my kids this Christmas, Pretty reasonable price and I can clearly make out the Cloud bands on Jupiter and the 4 Galilean moons. I guess I will find out about being able to see the spot and the shadows later this month. If I knew then what I know now I would have kicked in the extra $$ for the XT6... http://www.amazon.com/Orion-8944-SkyQuest-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B001DDW9UW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1420267036&sr=1-1&keywords=XT6

This was a great resource for me in trying to sort out how to best spend my money.

http://www.rocketroberts.com/astro/firstscopes.htm

No it's definitely alright! I appreciate that you are being completely honest. I can spend up to $100. So, that SkyScanner 100 is good? I see it for $100:

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-10012-SkyScanner-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D05BIIU

http://www.rocketroberts.com/astro/firstscopes.htm
Fun Scope and First scope are table top, easy to handle, ‘scopes I’ve read about. A finder scope on the side to locate objects is important shouldn’t be overlooked. Edit: I’m partial to this one but I’ve never used it. Again, note the finder scope that helps with pointing the scope at your object. https://www.amazon.com/Orion-10033-FunScope-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00FM4A108/ref=pd_sbs_421_4/130-6793756-0166417?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00FM4A108&pd_rd_r=47425607-60fe-11e9-953e-dd131782f63a&pd_rd_w=VqyX5&pd_rd_wg=j4E2u&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=J6SKZGWA068T3AY8WFN9&psc=1&refRID=J6SKZGWA068T3AY8WFN9. Edit edit: you might want to look into a smartphone adapter. Not too much $$. This sends the image from 5he scope into,the phone camera. Bingo, big display screen foe all to view. Some an be klunky and might be best to 5he adults to set up.

This Orion has great reviews. I have a Skywatcher myself, which is slightly more expensive. Of course you can also go the second hand route, just have to take a good look at the state of the primary and secondary mirrors.

1. I don't expect you to gift me this, I'm just linking it because its the telescope that's been on my wish list. feel free to share yours after so I can compare :D
   
   
2. I'm going to guess you'll have $8.15 left over

*disclaimer I live near Atlanta so some of the pictures are hazy. There are a few planet pictures in there but my Iphone really cannot deal with that faint of light. You can do whatever you want with these pictures, I just love to share them with people.

These are all the moon pictures I managed to grab before the harvest moon and of course the harvest moon itself, I took the pictures using an Iphone 4s.

I use this telescope; however mine is a bit larger - they both look the same though.

Also an owner of the the XT8 dob. It is my first telescope and has been great fun so far. Setup and calibration was easy too. You can also get it with a beginners barlow kit.

Possible con: It weighs around 40 lbs, so if you want a really portable scope it may not be your best option.

Thanks again!

Zhumell z8: You mean below ones? I am ready to splurge more, if its worth it.
https://www.telescopesplus.com/products/zhumell-z8-deluxe-dobsonian-reflector-telescope

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002UPSPX2/

Skywatcher 6" dobsonian :
https://www.amazon.com/SkyWatcher-S11600-Traditional-Dobsonian-6-Inch/dp/B00Z4G3D22

As of now I am looking either at the
Orion 27193 XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
or Zhumell z8 if that good

Binoculars : any recommendations.

You can't have mine, but I've enjoyed my Orion Starblast. I've seen Jupiter from Bryan Park and could make out color and everything really good for the moon too. Only thing I might have done different is getting a computerized mount.

With your budget, definitely this. I started with a much larger telescope and bought the FunScope as as a grab-and-go scope and am highly impressed by it even though it is much smaller. From a dark sky spot, you'll see plenty with it although you may want to invest in better eyepieces later on.

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-8944-SkyQuest-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B001DDW9UW

Comes highly recommended as one of the best affordable stater telescopes. I can throw my own personal experience behind that.

I'll check out James Web, thanks.

Tbh that looks like a really good beginner scope. It's not meant to be an investment, it's meant to help you determine if stargazing is right for you.

You could also look at:
http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21024-FirstScope-Telescope/dp/B001UQ6E4Y
http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21049-AZ-DS-127EQ-PowerSeeker-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNKY

Portability might be a factor for you, I know it is for me...so always read the reviews carefully!

I bought a pretty decent one online on Amazon. It's a beginner telescope but still quality. Cheap for what it is I think and great for a kid. I'll update with the link ...

Some much better options:
https://www.telescopes.com/collections/telescopes/products/celestron-nexstar-114gt-computerized-telescope?view=cro-test

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-NexStar-90SLT-Mak-Computerized/dp/B0038LX8WU/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1467689401&sr=8-11&keywords=celestron+computerized+telescope

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007UQNN6/ref=twister_B016RNBU3E?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


.

The best for your budget and needs:

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-NexStar-130-Computerized-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNNQ/ref=pd_sim_sbs_421_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=419lLzhgoOL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=A04PFWRRR8GFJVYBJ2PS

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-NexStar-127SLT-Mak-Computerized/dp/B0038LX8XE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1467689401&sr=8-7&keywords=celestron+computerized+telescope

/r/Astronomy plug. I personally got this telescope, and it works phenomenally out of the box. I didn't want to go all-in on something I might not be interested in :p

As far as other ideas that fit for a more quiet person go:

• Learn an instrument
  
• Learn another language
  
• Woodworking
  
• Hobby farming (Dependent on where you live. I know a ton of people who have some chickens and a goat or two on their smaller properties. Def check bylaws though, some places don't allow this. Could tie in nicely with his love of cooking though!)
  
• Archery (Often considered to be very cathartic, again, dependent on bylaws if shooting in backyward)

I would recommend an 8-inch dobsonian. You will see the planets very nicely in them, and you'll be able to see deep sky objects at a dark sky location.

You won't be able to do much astrophotography with this though, because dobsonians can't track, you could buy a GoTo dobsonian, which are more expensive but will move to and track an object as long as it is aligned.

A new 8 inch dobsonian from Orion is currently $400 on Amazon.

But keep in mind, when viewing deep sky objects, you won't see beautiful, colorful nebula like you do in pictures. It will appear grey, and you will see less detail. The pictures you see from people's telescopes are stacked and post-processed, bringing out colors and making it look nicer.

Also, go to /r/telescopes, which is a subreddit made for the stuff you're looking for .

Ack, don't buy that telescope it's crap. I'd advise you save a bit more and get something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Orion-10015-StarBlast-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D12U1IK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374094182&sr=8-2&keywords=starblast+4.5

But if $60 is your top dollar you can do better than the Barska with these:

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21024-FirstScope-Telescope/dp/B001UQ6E4Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374093969&sr=8-3&keywords=celestron+tabletop

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-10021-FunScope-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D05BIGC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1374093969&sr=8-7&keywords=celestron+tabletop

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21036-PowerSeeker-70AZ-Telescope/dp/B003AM87PU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374094004&sr=8-1&keywords=celestron+70az

Those are nice shots.

I'm almost tempted to beg Amazon for a gift card in exchange for that telescope since I know for sure that my in-laws purchased it off their sit, however. Maybe buy this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D12U1IK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fPxnzbC9B0TSH

>I asked him if the other planets are flat. He said there aren't any other planets (!!!!). Just the moon and the sun.

You can show him the planets in the sky and also show that they change position from night to night, whereas the stars stay the same relative to each other. A phone app can help you locate ojbects in the sky.

You can also buy a cheap telescope that will allow you to view the major planets. Seeing Saturn's distinctive ringed shape or Jupiter's moons, with his own eyes, might help. (Could also take him to a local star party.)

Here's my revised advice, get this telescope and this adapter.

I'm not thrilled with the aperture value (f7.8 or something at 1000mm) but it does come with cheap German Equatorial mount. You can use the finder piece and the mount controls to manually track stars and planets. I believe the German Equatorial mount, if my memory serves me correctly, can be set to various angles so that you will only have to adjust one knob to track any body in the sky (as opposed to having to turn two knobs like an etch-a-sketch to track).

Long exposures are needed to photograph planets, stars, galaxies, etc. You'll want the tracking ability, even if it is done manually.

Awesome! I got this one for myself for Christmas. :)

Orion 09798 StarBlast 4.5 Equatorial Reflector Telescope, Metallic Green

I actually just used my cell phone camera, but with the help of an Orion XT6. I've been getting into astrophotography a bit recently, but I still need a few parts before I can start taking really nice pictures.

Telescopes can be anywhere from sub-$100 to tens of thousands of dollars, it's really all about what you want to get out of it. If you're just getting into the hobby I'd highly recommend this telescope. It's sub 100 and decent quality. You can also add a $30 filter to look at the sun with.

If you're willing to spend more money, this is a great telescope at $400 USD.

Astrophotography can be as simple as putting your phone's camera up to they eyepiece or connecting a DSLR or CCD camera to a computer-controlled telescope to get many hours of images to stack to bring out the detail. Of course, this can get really expensive.

Do note: there's a saying that the more you spend, the longer you'll have to wait to use it.

Is this a Bill Nye AMA related coincidence? Cause I've also been searching and had this very thing open in another tab as well as this Orio. Both look very tempting.

Anyway, I'd love to hear this subreddit's feedback!

So it sounds like 8" Dobsonian and a little learning is the best way to go. Thoughts on this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Watcher-8-Collapsible-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B004Q78OII/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1449087907&sr=1-1&keywords=8%22+Dobsonian&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

Well apparently I'm not the only one who wants this sweet telescope... /u/call_mecthulhu, come on down! We both totally have unrealistic wishes for items! Woo!

While it's not directly related to the telescope, if you are buying from amazon the Orion 27193 XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope and Beginner Barlow Kit isn't going to be in stock for another 3 weeks.

In my opinion you will not be missing much to get the one without the additional barlow lens+red light.

Instead I would spend that extra $20 the way u/schorhr's recommended to me by buying the book, Turn Left at Orion. It is an awesome book that teaches you a ton about all different aspects of astronomy including what you can see in a telescope, and where/when you can find it.

Celestron NexStar 90SLT Mak Computerized Telescope (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038LX8WU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Maq4AbDZSGQZP

Something like this might be a good start. I was told that Newtonian scopes are good, but you get clearer images from a Maksutov, or Schmidt-Cassegrain. I also wanted tracking, so that I can take images, or observe without constantly tending to it. I wanted the experience of finding objects the old school way, but this one has a star finding software installed, like most new scopes do now.

man i am and i think its just convoluting my decision! everything looks great lol

here are the two i'm really liking right now, any opinion between them?

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21035-70mm-Travel-Scope/dp/B001TI9Y2M/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1373176171&sr=1-4&keywords=telescope

^carrying case, kind of thick (i have a complex ok)

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21049-127EQ-PowerSeeker-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNKY/ref=sr_1_3?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1373176171&sr=1-3&keywords=telescope

badass looking as well.. but maybe not compact enough to move around?

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21037-PowerSeeker-70EQ-Telescope/dp/B001592LFC/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1373176171&sr=1-5&keywords=telescope

idk pics show it zooming into the moon a lot

I started off with a 100 dollar 4.5 inch (70mm is 3 inch i think) orion tabletop. Then I added a barlow lens and a 6mm eyepiece for about 40 dollars each. You can find cheaper pieces though.


The tabletop I had is pretty good for beginners, I could see dark objects like the andromeda galaxy and orions nebula. Planet views are good too but the eyepieces that come with the scope dont get you a lot of zoom which is why i got a 6mm and a barlow.


https://www.amazon.com/Orion-10012-SkyScanner-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D05BIIU/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=orion+4.5&qid=1562969551&s=gateway&sr=8-11

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-8920-Expanse-Telescope-Eyepiece/dp/B0000XMXXO/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=6mm+orion+eyepiece&qid=1562969593&s=gateway&sr=8-2
https://www.amazon.com/Orion-08711-Shorty-1-25-Inch-Barlow/dp/B0000XMWQW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=orion+barlow&qid=1562969613&s=gateway&sr=8-3


You can find cheaper eyepieces and barlow lens though.


The smaller the eyepiece, the more zoom you have, the barlow lens doubles your zoom.

hey! My first telescopes were refractors, don't bother with them for planets. I'd have to say the sky-watcher 8inch is a pretty good start, its the one I'm currently using myself. only 385$ usd on amazon, no shipping with prime, either!
https://www.amazon.com/SkyWatcher-S11610-Traditional-Dobsonian-8-Inch/dp/B00Z4G3PRK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500760446&sr=8-1&keywords=dobsonian

As mentioned in a previous post, most scopes in this price range on a tripod will not provide pleasing views. If you want to see things with as much clarity and detail as possible, you need to get a Dobsonian telescope and get the largest aperture (the diameter of the telescope) as you can afford. This scope will be your best bet within your budget.

Thanks for the recommendations.

I'll definitely be getting a Barlow (most likely this kit), especially if I get an Orion.

I love your astrophotography! I never knew there was equipment like the Optron Skytracker or the Vixen Polarie, it's a different equipment approach to astrophotography. I'll probably be getting a scope first, but I may explore getting telephoto lenses for this in the future.

I have an Orion 130ST with a cheap Orion drive. I mount my camera on the tripod for photography but when I mount it to the telescope, I get that ugly coma issue stuff.

I understand that a coma corrector corrects coma issues but I'm wondering if it would help on such an inexpensive scope like I have. I'm considering putting some money into a new mount and I'm wondering if I can get away with using my current scope.

I would probably need a new focuser as well. Is it worth the upgrades or do I just get a new scope?

I have the exact same scope. Mine came with a 25mm Ploessl that allowed me to see Jupiter and it's four moons and allowed me to get a decent glance at saturn and it's rings. I've had mine since February and the planets haven't exactly been in good locations for viewing (and at convenient times...), but I'm in the northern hemisphere, so it'll be different for you. I got a Orion lens kit that came with a barlow x2, 6.3mm, 7.5mm, 10mm, 17mm and 40mm lenses as well as six different lens filters. Orion 1.25" lens kit

The issue I had with planetary viewing (and in general) is that my 6.3mm and 7.5mm lenses get me to almost 200x magnification, which as was mentioned, will be about the limit for the scope, problem is, my views were VERY blurry and hard to focus, I know my scope is collimated well (Something you should double check), but planets and the moon were crappy for getting sharp views. That said, the other night, I got great close ups of the moon, so I'm thinking the issues I'm facing are atmospheric, not equipment. Would love to know what you all think about that!

Hope my info helps!

> I am looking for a really good telescope that is between 100 to 150 dollars...200 would be pushing it. Does anyone have any good recommendations?

There is no "really good" telescope within your budget. An 8" Dobsonian would be ideal but it costs $330. Stretching your budget a little you could get a 4.5" one for $230.

Close to your price range and pretty good:

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-StarBlast-Equatorial-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B0069VYPV4/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1427654078&sr=8-15&keywords=telescope

Can't go wrong taking the plunge with an 8" scope. I agree with /u/Gwaerandir that the Orion XT8 is not the best value 8" dob you can get. Cheapest is SkyWatcher 8" Traditional, and best equipped is the Apertura AD8. The Orion SkyLine 8 is the same as the Apertura AD8, but it's more expensive, so I don't ever recommend it.

Also, apparently the Zhumell Z8 (which is the same as the Apertura AD8 and Orion SkyLine 8) is back on the market: https://www.amazon.com/Zhumell-Deluxe-Dobsonian-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B002SCV6P6

In before someone else mentions the used Skywatcher 8 inch dobs that are currently on Amazon for under $300. Probably your best bet.

You can get a 6" Dobsonian for about $250. That's where I would start for visual observing. Astrophotography is a whole other kettle of fish and you'll need to stretch your budget by a factor of 5 to get started. The best way to get into astrophotography on a limited budget is to use your camera lenses and get wide field shots using a tracker like the Vixen Polarie.

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-8945-SkyQuest-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B001DDW9V6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406655799&sr=8-2&keywords=Orion+Telescope

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-9851-SpaceProbe-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B0000XMSWK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1406655799&sr=8-5&keywords=Orion+Telescope

http://www.amazon.com/Orion-10019-IntelliScope-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B000E1TNGW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1406655799&sr=8-6&keywords=Orion+Telescope

Protip: follow NASA's rule. Bigger the mirror, greater the clarity.

How do you like your dobsonian? I'm currently debating buying this Sky-Watcher 8" Dobsonian as my first telescope (hopefully of many) but I haven't been able to get a handle on whether this is a good deal or not in terms of price, brand, or whether a dobsonian is good for a "starter" telescope.

I have put some effort into research for binoculars/telescopes myself and I bought Cresta Prestige PB321 for €30

$200 budget can also buy you this telescope https://www.amazon.com/Orion-10015-StarBlast-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D12U1IK that I got recommended from some site somewhere.

I can see Jovian moons with the binoculars but I don't have them long enough to look at anything more. I also have a lot of light pollution, so I doubt I should expect much more than Jovian moons with €30 binoculars

I'm thinking of buying that telescope if I still care enough to use my binoculars when my birthday comes around. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a 3 month hobby

Thanks for the writeup.

I'm looking at a 8" Dobsonian.

I like the collapsible feature. I have a Celestron 102 now, and its footprint with tripod open is a bit much in my living room.

You dont really have to spend so much. I can see Saturn pretty well with my Telescope. The Scope is around $340 and I got a 8-24mm Zoom Lens which is around $40. That'll do. I'll add the links when I get home.

Edit: Links:-

• Celestron Nexstar 90SLT
  
  
• 8-24mm Zoom Lens

I have this one and I love it: https://www.amazon.com/Orion-10014-SkyQuest-Dobsonian-Telescope/dp/B0000XMSNO/ref=pd_sbs_421_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0000XMSNO&pd_rd_r=4PBPDVSK8CK92CENCT31&pd_rd_w=E0pXs&pd_rd_wg=Ltec5&psc=1&refRID=4PBPDVSK8CK92CENCT31

This is /r/telescopes so regardless of your ability to store it, transport it, or find DSOs with it you're going to be recommended an 8" Dobsonian, might as well go with the Zhumell Z8.

Starblast via amazon.

It's a reflector so it has mirrors instead of lenses. Portable, decent aperture, good optics. I don't think you'll do much better for 200$ unless you get lucky on craigslist or ebay.

You can also get it on an equatorial mount but it'll cost more that way.

I think you should buy this And I know it's more than $50. But, after having purchased a very similar scope within the last few weeks, I wish I had gotten it sooner. It is so much fun going out after dinner and looking at the stars, reminding me that, although I feel so small and insignificant sometimes, maybe someone, something, out there...is watching me the same way, feeling the same things. And I don't feel so alone after all. Not so mention being able to see something so vast, so spectacular...a little closer and sharper. Treat yourself. It's worth it.

Okay I went with the XT8, this is the kit you recommended. You'd recommend that one over this one?

For looking at the moon, you really don't need something crazy expensive. You could get a small dobsonian type like this for some good moon views. If you wanted to get more into looking at planets or nebulas you would want to go bigger. The one I was using to get this shot was a 10inch dobsonian which was around $600.

While nothing special https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-NexStar-130-Computerized-Telescope/dp/B0007UQNNQ has been a great learning scope for me.