what is the best telescope to view the sky at night?

Question

I want to see things like planets, nebulas, and comets, things like that. but im a little short on cash so whats the good kind of telescope to view these things but thats its also cheap. I've heard that it has to be a certain kind of of millimeter size of lenses, is this true?, thanks

Answer 1

The telescopes which give the best value for the money are Newtonian reflectors on Dobsonian mounts, such as these:

http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=9

Get one with as large a mirror as you can afford, at least 6 inches in diameter. You can get telescopes cheaper, but they are mostly junk, will be hard to use, and will give you poor views.

Buy your telescope from a telescope store, either locally or online, not from Wal-Mart or eBay...also pure junk. Expect to pay $300 to $500 new, about what a decent TV would cost you.

Answer 2

A quality, brand new telescope starts at around $300. However, for the cash strapped and desperate, there are a few other options.

You can resort to the economy line of junky department store telescopes. A halfway decent one of these can be had for around $170. The good news is, if you get at least a 4.5" reflector, which can accept real telescope eyepieces, you will be able to see the planets, some nebula, and a few galaxies fairly well.

You can also buy the telescope used. This is actually an excellent way to get a great telescope on a budget, seeing as used telescopes can be up to half the price of new ones.

As for size...

One of the most important aspects of a telescope is it's aperture. This is the diameter of the telescope's primary mirror if it's a reflector, or lens if it's a refractor. The more aperture the telescope has, the more light it can collect, an the more you can see. That being said, 4.5" is the absolute smallest aperture you'd want to get, and I really advise that you get a larger one if you can.

You can go here to learn more about telescopes:
http://members.aol.com/siriusbc/telescopes.htm

You can go here to get a new telescope:
http://www.telescopes.com
http://www.oriontelescopes.com

You can go here to get used telescopes:
http://www.astromart.com
http://www.cloudynights.com

Answer 3

There are two different "sizes" to consider. First is the size of the "primary" objective lens (refractor) or mirror (reflector). The rule of thumb is "the larger the primary the greater the light gathering power." This is a huge factor when choosing a telescope.
A great first scope would be a 6" Bosnian telescope. It is a great scope for observing nearly all types of objects, lunar, planetary, nebula, galaxy, clusters, etc. Some of them now come with hand-held computers to help locate different objects (several hundred to several thousand objects in its database from the Messier catalog, NGC, Hubble, etc)
Another consideration is your location. The farther away from city lights you are the more you will be able to see. Remember, the light gathering power applies to light pollution as well.
The second "size" is the ocular or eyepiece. The lower the number on the eyepiece the greater the power and the narrower the field of view. You will want higher numbers such as 25mm, 40mm, etc. for deep sky objects such as galaxies, nebulae, etc. The smaller numbers like 4mm, 6mm, 12.5mm would be used for crater studies of the Moon or viewing the atmospheres of the planets. You cannot use these eyepieces for the deep sky objects.
Try to stay away from the 4 1/2" reflectors. If you prefer a refractor buy a minimum of a 60mm high quality scope. I have encountered hundreds of people who have purchased cheap Wal-Mart or Home Shopping telescopes and have been so dissappointed that they have never come back to the hobby of Astronomy. I have watch a certain company hocking telescopes on the Home Shopping channels making claims that cannot be fulfilled with the scope they are selling. They have compared pictures taken through their scope "the night before" with photos from the HST. They offer this "great" software package with the scope. Don't be lured into these purchases, you will only be out the money. Look to reputable companies such as Orion Telescopes, Celestron, Mead brands for your first purchase. Orion has a 6" Dobsonian for under $200. For an additional charge you can buy the computer for it. Do your research.

Answer 4

A 4.5" in telescope (that's the size of the primary mirror) would get you planets, comets, and nebula. If you want to see galaxies as well, that will get you a few, a 8" will get you more. If you're strapped for cash, look for a reburbished one. I think they sell some on the Meade and Celestron pages, or at least tell you who does - those are the best amateur astronomy telescope makers. You'll want a reflecting telescope.

Lenses do come in millimeter focal lengths, and you'll probably want the ones with a 1.25" diameter. Remember, the smaller the focal length, the larger the magnification. A good starter lens is a 25 mm; that's a good in-between size. If you want a larger field of view (for star clusters, say), a 40 mm is also a good choice. If you want more magnification, say for a small nebula or planet, try a 12 mm at the smallest. Anything smaller than that will be a huge pain to keep focused on a small, unstable telescope that will be effected by the wind and anyone walking by.

Have fun!

Answer 5

If you can find four high rise warehouses that shut of all lights at night and they form the four corners of a square set up your telescope right in the middle of the square, your view of the sky will be limited but this is your best bet.

Answer 6

I bought a 4 in for my Grand Daughter and was disappointed as they live in the edge of a large city and the city lights blind u.

Answer 7

At least 125mm in mirror diameter. Go to www.telescopes.com they have the best prices out there and they are very helpful and will not try to oversell you.

Answer 8

hublle i think