Which telescope is better for looking at the night sky? reflecting or refracting?

Question

i know both kinds are good but i would like a good quality one that isnt too pricy and one that is popular among other ametuer astronomers like myself. i know the difference between the two but i just wanted some opinions on what other people think about which one has a better overall quality.

Answer 1

Then you want a reflector on a Dobsonian mount.

http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes

Before you buy, ask at a local amateur astronomy club. You want to know what you're getting before making a big purchase like this for something in which you have little experience.

Answer 2

If you want the biggest telescope for the least amount of $$$, go for a Dobsonian mounted reflector.
An 8 or 10" is very affordable and will give you excellent views of the night sky. This size is still quite managable weight wise, and will sit across the back seat of most medium sized cars if you are taking it to a dark sky site.
But as was mentioned above, get yourself to an Astronomical Star Party and have a look at what is available.
Good luck with your purchase.

Answer 3

I recommend that you find a local Astronomical Society or Astronomy Club and go to a star party or two with them before you make a purchase. At a star party you will see a wide variety of telescopes and you will be able to look through them with your own eyes. You will find that there are reflector people and there are refractor people, and there are also Schmidt-Cassegrain people. Ther are people who like EQ mounts, Dobsonian mounts, and Alt-Az mounts. There are GoTo people and manual people. All are equally valid reasons and it all ends up with which you yourself would rather have and use. By trying them first you will see what you like best.

Know the weight of your purchase and be sure that you can easily lift and transport your scope when you get it. If you cant take it out in the field easily, and I mean easily, then it will sit in your closet and gather dust. BE PATIENT and dont expect to learn everything and do it all on the first night. I try to learn one new thing every time I go out. That way what I learn will stay with me.

Personally, I am an Orion fan and I like Refractors on manual EQ mounts.

oriontelescopes.com

Good luck with your final purchase!

Answer 4

quite some the get right of entry to-point telescopes you will discover those days are Newtonian or Dobsonian reflectors. it rather is often because of the fact, for a given aperture ( or "zoom"), reflectors are decrease priced than refractors.

Answer 5

For an amatuer astromer like you, if you can afford a little more bucks, a refracting type of telescope will be better for night viewing.

Answer 6

It depends pretty much on what kind of observing you're most interested in --

DEEP SPACE (..nebulae, galaxies, etc.,.) -- A reflector is best because they have more light-gathering power than a refractor

SOLAR SYSTEM -- A refractor would be best because they provide more detail and magnification power which isn't as important in deep space-observing

Answer 7

Reflectors are the winner because they can be made so much larger. All the large professional telescopes are reflectors.

Check out this one:

http://www.space.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?pic=h_graham_pic1lbt_02.jpg&cap=The%20LBT's%20main%20assembly,%20before%20being%20shipped%20to%20Arizona.

Answer 8

you are looking for a reflecting ... but, a refracting is better and more expensive

Answer 9

Both are fine, but reflectors are cheaper, so they are more popular.