I live by the seaside so have lots of sky to look at. On a clear?

Question

night the sky looks lush. If I wanted a closer look at the night sky, what kind of telescope should I have? Not got a lot of money so suggestions would be appreciated thanks.

Answer 1

The lowest you can probably get away with is this 70mm Celestron from Amazon.co.uk @ £109
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000051TMZ/ref=nosim/203-9338484-3266364?tag=jdcouk-astro-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8430

Or this 114mm jobbie from the same spot for £119
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000051TN3/ref=nosim/203-9338484-3266364?tag=jdcouk-astro-21&linkCode=sb1&camp=2378&creative=8430

However, I usually have an absolute bugger of a job aiming mine at everything except the object I want to look at...... and so you MAY be better off with these 12x50 Pentax Binoculars for £70.99

And this software (STARRY NIGHT) is GREAT for learning just what exactly you're looking at: http://astore.amazon.co.uk/jdcouk-astro-21/detail/B000MFPA6C/203-9338484-3266364

For further advice, there's an extremely good load of articles on buying Telescopes & Binoculars on the Sky&Telescope magazine website:
http://skytonight.com/equipment/basics

Answer 2

To just enjoy the lushness of the night sky, something like the astroscan (http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3002001&sid=google&cm_mmc=google-_-cpc-_-edmu-_-astroscan&bhcd2=1173976485 ) is a lot of fun. If you want to learn to hunt down specific objects for higher-power views, a small dobsonian reflector is a good place to start. The least expensive telescope option is a small refractor. Orion Telescopes (http://www.telescope.com ) is a good source for inexpensive telescopes, and their quality will be much better than what you'll find at Walmart or eBay.

Another option to consider is binoculars. For general hand-held use, get 7 to 10 power, and 40 or 50mm objectives. Binoculars are specified as power x objective size, so 8x40 is 8 power with 40mm objectives. You'll be amazed at how much more you can see with these. The binoculars are also a great general-purpose optic for ship-spotting, bird-watching, neighbor-spying, etc. Don't get ruby coated, those are no good for stargazing.

A planisphere (http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=14&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=planisphere ) would be a good accessory, whatever you get for optics. This you can probably pick up from a local bookstore or science store. Also, the more you know about the sky, the more you'll enjoy it. Browse online or in the astronomy section of a bookstore for what appeals to you.

Answer 3

Unless you're prepared to spend more than a couple of hundred pounds/dollars on a telescope, it's probably better to get a good pair of binoculars. They're also easier to use and can also be used for looking places in the day to (such as landscapes and bird watching)

Warning: Never look directly at the sun through either binoculars or a telescope as yo could cause permenant eye damage or blindness.

Answer 4

Start with a pair of binoculars, something like 10 X 80 if possible, The nearer you get to the magnification dividing in to the size of the object lens by 8 the closer you get to normal eyesight light gathering ie. a pair of 20 X 50 binoculars would not gather as much light as 7 X 50. (If you try a pair of binoculars with zoom you will notice, as you zoom in the "picture" gets darker). Use a tripod to rest them on. The more you magnify an object the more you magnify your own shaking.There is a device on the market which you rest the binoculars in, where you look down into a mirror, (much better on the neck).

Answer 5

Honestly, you might want to think about a cheaper pair of binoculars. Any decent telescope is going to cost $300-$400 minimum. That said, you could buy one of the cheap import refractors for $100-$150 (brands like Tasco) but you will probably get frustrated trying to use it and wishing you had something better. Still, that's the kind of "starter scope" I had as a teenager and I did enjoy using it. Probably the worst thing about them is unsteady mounts...making them wobbly and difficult to get lined up on what you want to look at. They're good for looking at the moon and you can see the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and bright open star clusters. Things you couldn't really use it for are galaxies, globular clusters, most nebula (except the brightest ones), and any planets I didn't mention above. You won't see the bands on Jupiter with such a scope either.

The good thing about binoculars is that they are good for getting a closer look at the sky and can also be used during the day for normal stuff. Still, you won't get any great views of Saturn or the moon through binoculars...though I swear that they are the best thing for looking at the Andromeda Galaxy and for large star clusters like the Pleides or the Beehive Cluster in Cancer.

Answer 6

it depends on what you want to look at. a small cheap telescope might be enough for you. with a small one i've seen very cool details on the moon, the rings of saturn and the moons of jupiter. but the scope is also very wobbly. if you save up and get a big dobsonian reflector you'll be able to see more galaxies.

in general a bigger and higher quality scope is worth the extra money. you can get a good size dob, for not too much, just remember to not fall for mass magnification, usually you won't go above 100x. you want a stable mount and a good sized objective (lens or mirror). a bunch of eyepieces and eyepiece holders and other stuff like that is usually useless..

binoculars work nicely to. as do your own unaided eyes

Answer 7

A good set of binoculars, a guide book and a solid tripod for the binocs will be a great start! You can use a chair, or sit on the sand (if you have a sandy beach and nice weather).

I envy your location. You have the opportunity to see an event few people pay attention to but is one of the most fabulous sights: The Green Flash. If you read this page carefully:

http://www.mtwilson.edu/vir/parkinglot/greenflash/

you will get a good explanation of the event. Here is a fabulous picture of it, too.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/35/93424074_df2630d69b_o.jpg

It takes patience to see it, and, of course, you only get *one* chance on any given evening.

Get the binoculars and a good guide book and enjoy yourself.

Oh, and never, ever, ever, ever (get it?) use the binoculars to look at the sun, even for the Green Flash!

HTH

Charles

Answer 8

To observe the night sky a 'Four inch reflector' is best to start.
Do NOT buy a Refractor telescope.
The bigger the Reflector the better the results. The next size is usually a 'Six Inch Reflector'.

Answer 9

Dobsonian Reflector Telescope
$499.00- 950.00

Answer 10

Whatever you use, it needs to be on a tripod or similar for stability because as the magnification get bigger so does the 'wobble' factor.