I want to purchase a telescope...need help!!! (light, moon, see)

[kentuckydad95]

I know ZERO about telescopes, the types, which one is a good beginner model, etc. I don't want to go out and waste money on a piece of junk. I borrowed my mother in laws Meade and it looks and feels "cheap". I could only manage to line up the moon in the cross-hairs. HELP!!!

[John Buettner]

Whatever name brand you buy, get a reflector type with a 3 to 5 inch mirror. Refractor types are much harder to use. Of course the larger the mirror the higher the cost.
The sturdier the tripod the better ( less vibration ).

[Fuzz]

Search out Lamplight's thread on this topic here in the Science & Technology forum. Or better yet, go to the main resource for amateur (and many professional) astronomers at Cloudy Nights.

There are advantages and disadvantages of all types of telescopes (reflectors, refractors, SCTs, and other hybrids). It depends on your main objective (visual observing versus astrophotography, planetary observations or DSOs, etc.), viewing location (backyard or needing to drive to a remote location), and many other factors.

[kentuckydad95]

NEVERMIND!!!

I just read a good article and it says I would be better served with a good pair of 10X50 binoculars. Now I don't know which brands are good and bad.

[swagger]

Originally Posted by John Buettner

Whatever name brand you buy, get a reflector type with a 3 to 5 inch mirror. Refractor types are much harder to use.

I have to disagree. Reflectors require periodic collimation, which is an annoyance for even experienced amateurs. Refractors are basically zero maintenance, have a simpler design and provide sharper views. They also allow for full use of the scope's aperture, whereas a reflector has the obstruction of the secondary mirror, which can block a relatively high percentage of the incoming light.

While reflectors tend to be more compact and portable, as a first scope, particularly if it's going to be primarily used in the backyard, a refractor on an alt/az mount is the way to go, IMHO.

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

I know ZERO about telescopes, the types, which one is a good beginner model, etc. I don't want to go out and waste money on a piece of junk. I borrowed my mother in laws Meade and it looks and feels "cheap". I could only manage to line up the moon in the cross-hairs. HELP!!!

Meade's value/entry scopes definitely have a "cheap" feel to them, but don't let that fool you. The optics are great for the money. If you want something that doesn't have a cheap feel to it, you'll be spending near $1k or better.

For the most part, the optics ARE the scope. Don't worry about the fact that the tube is plastic or the mount seems flimsy - those come with the territory with a starter scope, and you won't get around them without spending some good money. Look at the brand, aperture, mount type (alt/az or gem) and whether or not you want a computerized "goto" scope.

I also can't stress enough that eyepieces are as important (if not more) than the rest of the scope. If you think about what a telescope is, it's just a bunch of lenses (and maybe a mirror or two), all lined up properly. Using cheap eyepieces (like the ones that come with virtually all starter scopes) will result in poor views and will make you think that the scope is junk. If you bought a decent brand (Meade, Celestron) and you're getting bad views, it's almost certainly the eyepieces (or collimation on a reflector). Investing a bit in eyepieces at the same time you buy the scope is a very, very wise investment. Keep in mind also that those eyepieces will work with pretty much any scope you buy, too, so it's not like you're investing in THAT scope by buying them - you're investing in your hobby from that point forward.

Now, with all that said, I did see that you'd decided on getting some binos instead. I think that's a great idea. Binos offer a great field of view and you can really see a lot with them. My only complaint with using them is the shakiness if they're hand-held.

You should pick up the book Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson. It's THE book for people that are thinking about taking up stargazing.

Have fun with your new hobby - it can be really amazing!

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

NEVERMIND!!!

I just read a good article and it says I would be better served with a good pair of 10X50 binoculars. Now I don't know which brands are good and bad.

Well then, get the best of both worlds...
http://www.thebinocularsite.com/cons...inoculars.html

I've a Meade reflector, quite good, but unfortunately don't use it enough as desire, do to either being cold, rainy, cloudy, or mosquitoes...

Some refs of interest:
OASI - Choosing First Telescope Or Binoculars (http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ipswich/Miscellaneous/Choosing_First_Telescope/Choosing.htm - broken link)
Binoculars vs. Telescopes vs. Unaided Eye Viewing
Sky View Cafe - Astronomy - Star Charts and Ephemeris

[Lamplight]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Search out Lamplight's thread on this topic here in the Science & Technology forum.

Indeed! I learned a lot just in that thread from my fellow forum members:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/scien...telescope.html

As swagger has already mentioned, it became quickly apparent that the eyepiece has as much to do with it as anything. The $15 mediocre telescope I found at a yardsale became perfectly usable after buying an affordable $30 eyepiece, and I can use the eyepiece on future scopes. Needless to say, I've more than gotten $15 worth of enjoyment out of it. But I've only begun, and there's so much more to learn!

And yes, it's amazing what you can see with just a cheap pair of binoculars. Last night I was viewing the Orion Nebula quite easily with my cheap 10x32 binoculars. They're perfect for quick, on-the-fly viewing.