Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi,
I'm an entry-level amateur astronomer. I'd like to get scope suitable for seeing at least local stars with some detail. However, I'd like to get one used off eBay and wouldn't be able to try it out before use. Is this a wise way to buy?
Buy from a seller with a very high feedback score.
99.5% or higher. And, over 100 transactions.
Good sellers will work with you if there is an issue. They want positive feedback.
You have a lot of protections via eBay if the item is not exactly as described in the ad.
I have over 500 eBay purchases and have received full refunds several times.
I would go to manufacturers websites, Orion, Meade, Takehashi, and Celestron. Reads to me like you are looking for a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. They are light buckets for the cost and easy to transport. Look at a "go to" telescope. Look at the descriptions. Read customer reviews. Look at Amazon and read some more reviews and customer/frequently asked questions that have been answered. Also, look at the Astronomy Magazine website. They do a lot of telescope and related equipment reviews (www.astronomy.com) Then decide where you will purchase from. Facebook Market Place often has used scopes for sale if you know EXACTLY what you want. You will also need a tripod, a power supply, cords for such, an adapter for your cell phone if you want to take pictures, different eye pieces (different magnifications), sun and moon filters, red, green, and blue filters, and I respectfully recommend a hydrogen alpha filter. Filters allow you to take those stunning color pictures. Without filters for pictures, your photos will appear gray.
Have fun. Be patient with you. Look at the Moon, planets (Jupiter and Saturn are awesome!), comets, nearby big asteroids to start.
I would recommend a "go to" scope as well. You'd get the most light gathering power for the $ with a Dobsonian but they're a pain if you're starting out. And same goes for the traditional Newtonian/Equatorial Mount scope.
If you can end up getting one at a good price look into something like the Celestron NexStar 6. Should be "portable enough" but better than a 4". the NexStar 8 would be even better but it's out of your price range.
You need to set the appropriate expectations, especially after seeing years of great photos from Hubble.
In the meantime, I'd get a decent set of binoculars and start learning the night sky. If you want to get "big" (which usually also means heavy and tiring without a tripod mount) look at the Celestron SkyMaster 15-35x70.
Last edited by markjames68; 08-16-2020 at 08:53 PM..
Learn about telescopes before you attempt to buy one. For starters, there are several major types (reflector, refractor, Dobsonian, etc.) and each has it's plusses and minuses. Some people like the heavy kinds (Cassegrains) with all gears and electronics to locate objects. I don't like those though, as I like the simple Dobsonians. So those are two very different worlds, and just one example.
There's also the size factor. The larger the mirror (generally) the more you can see. But the larger they are, the bigger and harder they are to move. So again another factor to keep in mind.
Then there's your location, and if it is full of light pollution (like in a major city) or not. Or do you want to view from a darker area. The darker the location, again, the more you can see.
Also there's the source. Do you want something used or new? New telescopes tend to be better aligned as to the graphics. A used 'scope that has been knocked over could have out-of-alignment optics (which can be corrected, but why start off that way?)
And do you want a non-astronomical source (Ebay) or something with experience and is in the business (such as Orion.com).
Please don't rush into it. Learn as much as you can about different options, and what you can see, then taken what you've learned to make your purchase.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
