What type of Telescope should I buy?
There are a number of “nevers” in Telescope Purchasing if you want to be a smart consumer in your approach to this purchase :
1. Never buy from a department store! You will almost always purchase a low quality instrument.
2. Never purchase a scope where the advertising says "560x power " - you will always be sorry you paid attention to this misleading hype.
3. Never buy a telescope without seeking advice from your local Astronomy Club or at least reading about what qualifies as a good telescope.
Now for the good news - almost anyone can be a smart shopper for a telescope if they pay attention to a few smart shopping tips :
1. The most important part - what is your budget? If it is around $150 to $200, the best advice is to get a good set of binoculars which are actually twin telescopes!!! This will serve your interest well because it will test out your skills in finding night sky objects and you can always use it to help aim any telescope which you may purchase in the future. Binoculars are also great for daytime viewing too!
2. The next step is to be honest and ask " What are my viewing habits?" If you like to look at objects on the spur of the moment, light is right! A portable, lightweight telescope is perfect for you. The next question that is helpful to ask is "What do I want to use the telescope for?" If the answer is look at the moon, a few of the planets and then check out the birds in my backyard or the sailboat in front of my camp, the answer will be a whole lot different than someone who is totally interested in deep sky objects like galaxies or nebulas. It may seem too simple but the best advice here is to buy a scope that you will use!
3. Once you determine that you really want a telescope, you should set aside about $500 for a reasonable quality one. Here is a list of what to look for in a good telescope :
- Aperture is the key word here - the larger the lens or mirror of your telescope, the more you will be able to see with your telescope. Be sure it is a glass lens in a refractor or Pyrex mirror in a reflector! A good starting refractor should have a lens with an aperture above 70mm or a Newtonian telescope using a Pyrex mirror with an aperture of 4 _ inches.
- You need a telescope with a good, sturdy mount with easy to use controls and a finder to point at the objects you want to look at. Avoid cheap tripod mounts that shake and squirm with the slightest touch - you are trying to point an instrument at objects that take up an area in the night sky which is equivalent of a grain of sand held at arms length. No wobbles allowed here!!!
- Purchase a telescope with 1 _ inch eyepieces, ask for a good Plossl eyepiece - these are good beginners eyepieces and offer you a comfortable view. Insist on an eyepiece of from 20 mm to 26 mm for your first eyepiece - most of your viewing will be done at low magnification anyway! Magnification can be changed simply by changing eyepiece focal lengths - magnification can be easily determined by dividing your eyepiece focal length into the focal length of your telescope. For example, if you use a 26mm eyepiece on a telescope with a 650mm focal length, you will be viewing at 25x.
- Clear instructions on how to operate your new telescope. Here it is wise to supplement the usual instruction book with a purchased book that can guide you in what to see in the night sky. This is the equivalent of asking for a road map when driving to another state - you need to know where things are before the journey can begin!! A list of recommended books is included at the end of this handout.
- Consider joining your local Astronomy Club - they will support your interest and help you enjoy this great new adventure in viewing your local universe through your telescope!
A good scope for a child and even adults - Edmund's Astroscan - look at magazines for fair and honest appraisals of all scopes. Both Sky and Telescope and Astronomy Magazine are sold by subscription or can be found on most newsstands or library magazine racks. Odyssey Magazine by Cobblestone Publishing Inc. in Peterboro, N. H. is highly recommended for kids.
Recommended Reading Materials for new Amateurs :
H.A. Rey The Stars A New Way to See Them " Great book which takes the beginner through an easy way to recognize and find the constellations. Basic sky lore and sky orienting is nicely provided. Highly recommended! ( Yes - this is the very same H.A.,Rey that created Curious George! )
H.A. Rey Find the Constellations " More elementary version of the above book aimed at children.
Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion The Monthly Sky Guide " Basic Guide to finding your way in the night sky throughout the year. Great maps and tips for getting started.
Terence Dickinson Summer Stargazing A Practical Guide for Recreational Astronomers " A lavishly illustrated book with lots of color and great real images of the night sky focused on the summer constellations. Good information on purchasing telescopes and binoculars and all the accessories that you add to enhance your viewing pleasure.
Patrick Moore The Starry Sky A great book for young children up to 8 years old - a lot of exciting and basic ideas are covered in this color packed book with plenty of stunning images and diagrams to help make learning fun!
Chet Raymo 365 Starry Nights An Introduction to Astronomy for Every Night of the Year " Plenty of stories for those of use who love to know what is happening in the night sky on every day of the year. Black and White illustrations showing constellations with mythological and historical lore from the past. A Great book to get after you purchase that first guide for finding your way around the night sky - this approach is magic for those who love to learn about the human imagination when sighting the stars in the night sky!
Mike Artell Starry Skies Questions, Facts, & Riddles About the Universe A Great book for younger budding astronomers from Addison-Wesley Good Year Books!
Advanced SkyWatching Nature Company Guides The BackYard Astronomer's Guide to starhopping and exploring the Universe by Robert Burnham, Alan Dyer, Robert A. Garfinkle, Martin George , Jeff Kanipe , David Levy - a delightful, inexpensive book covering basic astronomy topics and questions.
Tales of the Shimmering Sky Ten Global Folktales with activities retold by Susan Milford Myths and stories told that draw children and adults into the sky as seen through the eyes of many cultures!
Purchasing Binoculars : What to look for!
Here are the basics for purchasing a good set of binoculars :
- Expect to spend between $100 and $180 for this "last a lifetime" purchase.
- Look for BAK 4 prisms, multi-coatings on all lens surfaces, 8 to 10x wide field eyepieces with an eye relief of 18 mm and get an aperture of at least 40 mm. ( 50 mm or larger is even better for night viewing but does add more weight to the binoculars ) Never buy zoom binoculars!
- Purchase from a reputable dealer who knows binoculars, not a department store!
- An 8x wide field eyepiece will allow you to view the craters, seas and mountains on the moon, see great views of Jupiter and its moons near the planet and even see great views of comets, the Pleideis, clusters and brighter galaxies that you can find with your sky guide. It can also be used to view wild life such as birds, deer and those pesky squirrels that always seem to raid your bird feeder!
- Ask for a tripod adapter for your binoculars - good binoculars can be mounted on a tripod for steadier viewing pleasures when you simply can't hand hold them steady enough which is especially true for magnifications of 10x and above.
Good Dealers for Binoculars and Telescopes
1. Sky Publishing Corp. 1-800-253-0245 Great books, maps, posters, CD-ROMS and handouts - One of the oldest and best Magazines for Amateurs. They work very closely with many local clubs all over the nation.
2. Adorama - New York, N.Y. 1-800-223-2500 - for orders & 212-647-9800 orders & information! http://www.adorama.com - Sells a variety of Astronomy gear at a discount.
3. Hunt's Photo and Video - 617- 662-6685 ( Must know what you want but great prices! )
4. Orion Telescopes and Binoculars - Best Catalog Around with tons of helpful tips for beginners! 1-800-447-1001
5. Rivers Camera Shop - great deals on telescopes and binoculars and very honest - they stick by their sales with great support after the sale! 1- 800-245-7963 Located in Dover, New Hampshire web address : http://www.riverscamera.com
