Which telescope do you think is better?

Question

I am wanting to get my mother a telescope but I don't have that much money. So, I am having to get her one that is $100 or less. So, which one do you think is better?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LJMOX6?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=sz-ce-20&linkCode=asn

http://shopping.discovery.com/product-65618.html?tcp=Telescopes-featured-MeadeRB70R


Also, I thought if I didn't get it for her for Christmas then I could get her the one that is about $300. So, what do you think of this one?

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=starseeker_freeship/~pcategory=starseeker_freeship/~product_id=09741

If you know of one that is better than any of these three that are $100 or less then let me know. Or, I guess if you can find one that is a really nice one that works really great then it can be $300 or less.

Well, thank you. I really appreciate it. Again, thanks.

Answer 1

If I'm forced to pick between the 3, then I'd go with the 3rd. She'll see the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, the Andromeda galaxy will be gorgeous, and the moon will look very lovely. I know the previous poster said GO TO's require you to have knowlege about the skies, but with all due respect he is incorrect.

There are two things your cash will get you with a telescope.

1. Gadgets like Go To and other fun stuff
2. Apeture, the actual size and light gathering ability of the telescope.

Contrary to what most people think, telescopes don't make small things bigger, rather they make dim things brighter. The Andromeda galaxy takes up more of the sky than the full moon, but you can't see it because it's so dim, whereas the moon is very bright. There is a comet that is fading rapidly in the night sky, comet Holmes. It is currently the largest object in the solar system at over 1.5 million miles across, but it is getting rather dim (your mom could still see it though in the 3rd scope).

I posted some links for you to research.

The first is the Minnesota Astronomical Society, I led the beginner's group there until just recently. We have a discussion messageboard, and you are more than welcome to post and ask as many questions of us as you would like.

The second is an article from Sky and Telescope on how to buy a telescope. It is a very helpful article.

The third is another telescope, which is a tad more expensive, but very lightweight, easy to setup and take down, and will let her see even more....however the 3rd scope on your list seems like a great choice for her as well.

Good luck, and keep this last thought in mind. If you get her the first scope on the list you would be better off just giving her the cash. The second scope on the list will be fine if she has either 1. a rudimentary knowledge of how to find things in the sky or 2. can have someone help her.

I've seen quite a few telescopes simply gather dust because their owners were unable to figure out how to use them, or because the bought the cheapest scope possible and it just didn't work.

To beat dead horse, 2 or 3 are fine choices, I would lean towards 3.

-matt

Answer 2

The first scope is a classic "junk scope" and is a total waste of money. The second scope sounds OK, but $99 is too cheap for a scope of this description, so I suspect something is fishy here. The third scope is quite good, and, as the last poster said, its GoTo feature is really a help to a beginner, unlike what the earlier answer said.

However, all three scopes are refractors, and for me this means paying quite a bit of money for a very small telescope. You will do much better getting a reflector, because the most important thing in a telescope is aperture, the size of the light gathering element, whether it be a lens (refractor) or a mirror (reflector). Also, all three scopes come on rather shaky tripods, which will give an unsteady view. For me, a much better choice would be one of the first two scopes on this page:
http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=starter_scopes

These both have much larger apertures than the scopes you're considering, and come on compact and very sturdy mounts, which are very easy to use.

Answer 3

Of the first two, I would prefer the Meade over the other.

The third one is not really a beginner's telescope. A GoTo feature (the computer that points the telescope automatically) really requires the operator to have a clue of what is going on.

In all three cases, there is a risk that the field of view be so small that pointing will be a matter of luck.

Better get a telescope with a wider field of view (less magnification power) and less gizmos. That is why I would have a (slight) preference for the middle one (Meade).

Answer 4

Geoff's advice is true. Save up for the $300 and buy this.

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09804?atc=afr0601

Just saw Geoff's link. That's one of the scopes he recommends.

If you can push the budget a little further, you can get the 6-inch version:

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09182

Answer 5

The Mead RB 70 is probably a better scope

The Cellestion would take you to objects at the push of a button but you are paying for that feature.

It too, is good.

Basically they are the same except the Cellstion has the GO TO feature.

Answer 6

I have one like the third one in you list and it works good i love it