Is a thousand dollars enough to get a good telescope?

Question

And if so which ones would you suggest.

I might be interesting in one a little higher if it's worth the difference? What would be a good higher priced telescope.

Answer 1

Yea a Meade 16-inch would give you a lot of satisfaction.

Answer 2

Before you spend the money to have the telescope lay in a corner before too long because it isn't what you wanted, try to find an astronomy club or group or an observatory near you that offers public viewing. Spend some time with knowledgeable amateur astronomers and don't be too afraid to ask questions. Buy yourself a decent planisphere and begin learning the locations of the various constellations in the sky, and pick up a beginning book on astronomy to learn more about the sky.
You'll spend maybe $100 in all this way and then you can decide which telescope you really want. If you must magnify the stars right now, get a pair of binoculars designed for the stars. You won't regret that decision!

Answer 3

For $1,000 dollars you can certainly buy a very good telescope that can provide a lifetime of enjoyable observing. I suggest an 8 to 10-inch Dobsonian if you are a beginner. Although many people have the idea that astrophography would be fun, and it can be very fun, it requires equipment and a mounting whose price can escalate into thousands of dollars. If you're a newcomer, you'll want to learn your way around the sky first before trying to take pictures, therefore a Dob is a good way to go. An 8 or 10-inch starts showing nebulae and galaxies in large numbers from dark sites, and brighter ones show details plainly, such as dustlanes, spiral arms and starclouds. The same telescope will also show you a lot of features on the moon and planets smaller telescopes miss, and scores of double and multiple stars separate into their constituent stars too. They can be put in most cars, and are used while seated on a stool. Dobs can also be outfitted with digital setting circles and even tracking platforms. As for telescopes you may want to look into, try the Dobs offered by Discovery, Orion and Meade. You will want other accessories such as a good star atlas, Telrad finder, some better eyepieces, nebula filters, collimation tools, and a good seat or stool as well. It's worth it to buy the best equipment you can afford within reason, because it will last a lifetime with a little care and feeding. For a good source of information, reviews and feedback on all kinds of telescope, join the forums at www.cloudynights.com. You'll be glad you did, because you can also meet other people in your area who are interested in astronomy too.

Answer 4

The flag and landing equipment from all of the Apollo flights are on the bright side of the moon. The first landing site was in a large crater called "The Sea of Tranquility". It is said that the Hubble space telescope would be able to focus in on the site, however it is conveniently thought that the bright reflection of the sun on the moon's surface would damage the telescope. There is a mirror that was placed on the moon by the astronauts that scientists use to reflect light from to measure the changes in distance from the earth to the moon. I think it is highly unlikely that any of the moon shots were faked (although it is admittedly a fascinating conspiracy theory), since the amount of organization required to keep such a secret would be harder to pull off than a moon shot itself. I think the people to ask about the “Moon Hoax” would be the Russians since the Soviets watched our Apollo missions very closely; the Soviets would have been the first ones to cry foul if there was even a hint of a hoax. After all, the Apollo missions effectively made them the big losers in the Space Race. In short, a very fun conspiracy theory, but highly unlikely; NASA has effectively debunked practically all of the conspiracy theorists so-called evidence.

Answer 5

Why don't you use the internet to do your own research. After you decide what kind of telescope you want, then you can decide how much you want to spend. Start by using the links below.

If you've never owned a telescope before, then start out with a small, inexpensive one so you can learn how to use it. After your comfortable with it, then use your newly gained experience to move up in capability and price.

Answer 6

My son just bought a Telescope that you can use with a lap top. It also will go to Jupiter if you tell it to.It scans the sky until it finds what you have programmed.It finds galaxies.Celestron cpc series.It was $1,700.00 It done nothing but rained everday since he put it together.The first night I saw Jupiter,Nuebla???

Answer 7

You can get many good telescopes for that price. And you can pay more if you like. See the sources. A good first one might be like the one in the 3rd source.

Answer 8

$1000 will do you just fine. I recommend seeking advice at the forums on http://www.cloudynights.com

It is filled with friendly and knowledgeable people who like helping newbies figure out what they should get.