What kind of telescope?

Question

I am really interested about buying a telescope. What type is better to start with. Reflector or refractor. What brand/model. I live in Montana and I would like to know what would be the best time of year for observing. (I dont want to stand in a field in 3 feet of snow and minus -10 temperature to look at Uranus.

Answer 1

I feel there's a joke in here somewhere... but I won't do it.

For a beginning telescope, get a refractor type. They're less-expensive and easier to operate. Later, if you really enjoy the hobby you can get a reflector style or go hog-wild and get a more-powerful refractor.
Any time of the year is good for viewing, but my personal preference is the winter. The air is clearer (but colder) and you don't have to fight foilage on the trees for a view.
Here's a website link to help the bug biting you a little more.

Answer 2

I'll contradict the first poster and recommend a reflector. A small dobsonian telescope will give you the most telescope for your money. A dobsonian is a Newtonian reflector on a simple alt-azimuth (tilt & swivel) mount. It does require a bit more care than a refractor, but for most people the improvement in views is worth it.

Note that reflectors aren't inherently better, just cheaper and more portable for a given aperture. Most people can handle a 12" dob, but a 6" refractor costs more and is about as big a refractor as most would want to set up without help.

Aperture is the most important specification for a telescope. That's the diameter of the primary mirror or lens, and it determines how much light the telescope can gather. More aperture gives you brighter and sharper views, and in general lets you see more.

Best time to observe is when the moon isn't out, unless that's your target. Sounds like winter is not your season in Montana though. Snow can be shoveled out of the way, but that minus10° would be a problem for me too. However, any time you want to go out, there are things to see. Planetary observing is getting poor just now; Jupiter is setting early, Mars is heading for the far side of its orbit, and Saturn is just starting to reappear in the pre-dawn sky.

Answer 3

Buy a used telescope. Look to people selling from your local club or on the internet like Ebay. Spend money on the best eyepieces you can.

Refractors are much more expensive than an equal size reflector. I have owned two Meade dobsonian reflectors; first a ten inch then a twelve and a half inch(mirror.)

The first telescope I got from a relative of the man who discovered Pluto. He gave it to me for a little under $400.00 back in 1984. I then bought a twelve and a half inch 13 years later for $900.00.

Just as important as the telescope type is the type and quality of eyepieces. Get Nagler or Meade Ultrawides. And Meade Series 5000 Plossles are good.

About viewing, get away from the light pollution of the cities. That is your best bet. Start in the spring/summer if you don't wish to weather the cold.

Look first at the moon when it is mostly dark. The details pop out more along the line dividing the dark side from the light. The shadows show the details. Its fantastic.

Look forward to being amazed. I know I was.

Answer 4

Most first time telescopes end up in the closet after a few futile attempts to view anything other than the moon.

Join and astronomy club and look through the eyepieces of avid amateur astromoner's telescopes first. Then you can get a good idea of the type of observing that interests you most, planetary or deep sky. You might also get a good deal on used equipment.

Also get a few issues of "Sky and Telescope" or "Astronomy" magazine. You can do quite a bit of interesting observing with just your eyes and a good star chart. Move up to 10x50 binoculars and you can see Jupiter's moons and the Orion Nebula. If you still have the bug, finally buy a decent scope.

Answer 5

To start, I'd recommend a refractor-type telescope. Less money, easier to operate, and very good for planet viewing.

Once you get bored with viewing Jupiter's moons, step up to a reflector-type telescope for deep-space viewing. You'll go from viewing at distances of billions of miles out to viewing objects light years away! Start out with at least a 6-inch reflector (that's the size of the main mirror of the 'scope)

Meade Instruments and Celestron, Inc make and sell the best American-made telescopes.

Answer 6

Don't get a telescope at all unless you are keen enough to stick with it. Otherwise it will stand in your room gathering dust.

Trust me on this. It's a cold, uncomfortable hobby, but extremely rewarding if you have the desire to get really into it. telescopes are not easy to use unless you really stick with it.

With anything less than $10,000 15 inch scope, you won't see much of the planets. Most people who look at planets through a 6 inch scope, go "oh, is that all you can see". We are all used to those fantastic Hubble shots and pictures from planetary space probes. Not in your wildest dreams are you going to see anything like that from your backyard.

If you are really keen, but don't know your way around the sky yet, get some binoculars and learn for a year. Then if you are just as keen, buy your telescope.

Or join a club.

Answer 7

i kike to observe in the fall when bugs are dying and the air is cool, with Orion and Scorpio filling the sky with tons of cool stuff to see before the snow flies ,but I have done some observing in winter in Iowa snow-

sounds like any decent scope would suit you as a four in refractor (lenses seldom need adjusting and dont wear out) ---
or a 6-8 inc newtonion reflector (mirrors need adjustment frequently and recoated after a few years).
get three good eyepieces- like a 35mm, a 15mm, and a 10mm
Planets require higher power and deep sky fuzzies and clusters require lower power and wider fields.
check out Orion telescopes Catalog or Orion online....