question for stargazers?

Question

I'd like to find a reasonably priced telescope for my husband.
I want to wow him with a new toy, basicly . He needs something that offers the most celestial viewability and I have no idea (other than a reflector type) on what to get a beginner.
Which brands have more bang for the buck and which should I avoid?

Answer 1

I would stay with orion or celestron brand, I also would avoid any from a place like walmart or those types and stay away from tasco, Most of the low cost scopes are just plain cheap and dont work all that well,

edit;
i also would look at some that are already set up and check to see how much movement there is by simply touching it lightly, You want to be sure that it dont move around because that is a stargazers nightmare, just be sure it sits tight on its mount,

Answer 2

Good morning tulip -

Well that's a tough one. Does he have any experience at all in amateur astronomy? If not, and if he really is interested in it, then the best bet is a good set of binoculars. If, as I sense, you are springing this on him, then he might be better off with a small reflector on a tripod. A dobsonian is a great choice, but it might be a little clunkier than what you are anticipating. I recommend that you look at three sources:

oriontelescopes.com
celestron.com
meade.com

Remember that an astronomical telescope is normally not used for looking at things on earth, so if you are looking at distant cars, boats, neighbors etc, they will appear inverted unless you buy a spotting scope or an erecting prism.

Also remember that this cannot be set up to look at objects in the sky through a window - you will see fuzzy / double images.

You may want to go see a reputable dealer at a store that specializes in such matters.
.

Answer 3

First of all, although it will spoil the surprise, I'd strongly recommend involving your husband in the decision-making process. A telescope is a very personal thing, and besides, choosing a telescope is a lot of fun!

The best value in telescopes today is a Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian mount, popularly called a "Dob." While these don't look like traditional telescopes, they in fact perform much better because they have simple solid mounts and large mirrors to gather lots of light. Here are some excellent examples; you can't go wrong with any of these. Buy the largest aperture (size of mirror) you can afford:
http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=dobsonians/~pcategory=telescopes/~VIEW_INDEX=0/~VIEW_SIZE=1000000
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=1&class2=106

Buy from a telescope store, locally (Yellow Pages) or online. They stand behind their products and will give you good advice. The scopes in WalMart etc. are worthless junk.

Also consider a good book, like NightWatch by Terence Dickinson (Firefly) and a membership in your local astronomy club...best money I ever spent!

Answer 4

One with a clock drive would be nice. Reflectors are usually the best magnification and clarity for the money. There are many brand names that are great quality. I would lean toward the ones that mass produce precision optics.

Answer 5

The best deals are used telescopes. Good ones are not cheap.

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=534683

If he has never done amateur astronomy before, get him a pair of "astronomical binoculars" and a tripod.

Answer 6

Read the information at the following link as a starting point before your first purchase:
http://home.inreach.com/starlord/