"National Geographic" telecopes?

Question

Hello everyone,

I saw a flyer in a recent discount store for telescopes (National Geographic 565x magnification), and I'm wondering whether or not I should make the purchase for $50.00 CAD. I know it wouldn't be showing me much, but would this be a step in the right or wrong direction? How much magnification is 565x, in terms of what I'll be able to see?

Thank you,

Av

Answer 1

Don't waste your money. It's a piece of junk and you'd be lucky to see the moon with it. If you ever see any telescope that has a magnification on the box or in the ad, you can be assured that it's something you don't want to waste money on. To get even a marginal scope, you'd have to talk $250 or so.

Answer 2

565x is too much magnification, and you won't see much of anything. Cheap telescopes often offer unusably high magnification to lure the unwary. If the telescope has lower powers available you might be able to see the rings of Saturn, craters on the moon, and some bright deep space objects.

However, I wouldn't expect much of a $50 telescope. Generally, for around $100 you can get a decent though small scope on a wobbly mount. At the $50 price point you may get something nearly useless.

Answer 3

If you're interested in buying a telescope look for information on aperture, not magnification. The magnification you can get is dependant on the eyepiece you use and the condition of the sky.
The magnification that is practical is usually said to be 50x for each inch of aperture. So a 3" telescope could reach around 150x comfortably.

Answer 4

Do not believe it, your actual operating magnification will only be in the normal range of say 300x, sure you can crank it up, but you will only see blurred images. Heck I use a 14 inch in diameter Cassegrain, but my workable magnification under normal conditions is still only in the neighborhood of 300x. So beware of advertisements that offer you the stars but only deliver the moon. save your money and buy a good reflector telescope from a reputable manufacturer such as say "Orion" there you can purchase a good 10inch in diameter reflector for around 500 dollars, that will take you anywhere you want to go, and provide you with years of enjoyment, and not wind up in the closest, never to see the light of another star again. Think about it!