For a beginner, what is the best telescope in 2007.?

Question

I'm intrested in exploring the stars, but I have no knowledge of telescopes. Since is my first time, I'm trying to buy something below $400 and easy to use. Can anybody help?

Answer 1

If you're just starting, a small refractor telescope IS the way to go.

My first telescope was a 60mm refractor. I had never used a telescope before, but I had always wanted one. I was amazed at what I was able to see even with a small telescope. Jupiter, Saturn, the Orion Nebula, globular clusters (like M15), Albireo (which is a really neat blue and gold double star), and a lot of other objects. Some people will tell you to just rush out and buy a big reflector telescope, but this won't do you any good if you don't know how to use it and will just become a source of frustration (and wasted money). Also, reflector telescopes tend to need more care and maintenance. You have to align the mirrors periodically, and they also take longer to cool and adjust to the air temperature.

A 60mm telescope really is too small though. The most important factor for a telescope is light gathering. The larger the aperture, the more light it will gather. The image will have better resolution, and so you will be able to use higher magnification. For your price range, I would suggest an 80mm or 90mm refractor telescope. Although I have a 70mm Orion refractor telescope right now, and I love it.

I would also recommend that you learn how to read star charts. It's not that hard, just takes a little bit of practice and patience. Start with the easy constellations, like Pegasus. It has a big square, you can't miss it! The "Summer Triangle" is really easy to see too, even in a light-polluted city or suburban area. And you can use it to easily find Albireo. What I like about the easy constellations is that you can use them like landmarks and guides to help you find objects to observe, like the Andromeda Galaxy.

The point is, you don't need a big, expensive telescope to have fun with astronomy. What other people recommended about binoculars is a good idea too. The same thing applies with binoculars...you want a big aperture for more light gathering. The bigger the aperture, the brighter and sharper objects will appear. Of course, large binoculars can get heavy and hard to hold steady, so you might need a tripod. Some objects actually look better in binoculars than in a telescope. The Andromeda Galaxy looks awesome in binoculars, and this is a great time of year to see it. The Pelaides, a star cluster that looks like a bright fuzzy patch to the naked eye, also looks excellent in binoculars.

Have fun and good luck!

Answer 2

I absolutely agree with Maryn. Binocs are great, super-great. You'll always use them, even when you get a great telescope later. Just be sure to get the largest binocs you can afford and a good tripod. I also have a tripod arm which swings up, down and in every direction. The cool thing is that when you find a cool object, just lower (or raise) the arm for a shorter (or taller) person to see and the binocs will stay on target! My arm is made by Universal Astronomics. It is pricey (maybe $500) but worth every penny. My binocs are 20x80. I love them so much that I have two complete sets of binocs and arms! Also have an 8" and an 11" scopes.

Answer 3

The best way to learn about telescopes is to use them. If there's an astronomy club in your area, go to some of their star parties. You'll be able to look through various telescopes and talk to people about what's a good choice for you.

The best starting telescope for many people is a small dobsonian. This one at Orion Telescopes & Binoculars is a good value http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=238462&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=4&iSubCat=9&iProductID=238462. You'll also want to pick up their Beginning Stargazer's Toolkit or something like it.

Answer 4

There's some good advice here, like joining a club to check out other people's telescopes, and getting a decent binocular (10x50 is my favourite size for astronomy).

The best buy in telescopes for a beginner is a Dobsonian reflector, such as these:
http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=9
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=1&class2=106

Answer 5

A 60 MM refractor telescope is a good start. Easy to use.

Answer 6

s7even, a friend who worked for a planetarium used to say that unless you had $1000 to spend, you'd do better with a good pair of binoculars and a tripod than with any telescope you could buy.

This was a few years back (he died in 2000), so up the money amount for inflation.