so im thinking of getting a telescope...

been wanting a telescope for while now, not for anything too fancy, just looking at the moon in good detail that kind of thing.

I've had a look around and this seems to be ok for my needs and is just within my budget, would be grateful if you guys could take a look at it and tell me if its suitable as i dont know very much about them www.scopesnskies.com...

reply to post by ShaithisFerenczy


I assume you're in the UK? I think this one would be superior, those long focal length small aperture refractors are frequently a recipe for frustration:
www.amazon.co.uk...

my 2 cents, I was told this but didn't listen. "Don't skimp, or you're just wasting your money". My advice, If you're going to skimp, go find one at a yard sale or the like, or borrow one from a friend.

My experience, You don't really need a telescope to just view the moon, and with a cheap one, that's all you'll see, just bigger a bit more relief, not much though, no rings of saturn, no red mars, no green venus, stars will be a bit bigger and shaky and after about 5-10 times will be the end of your telescoping. I'll be selling my cheapy in the next yard sale.

if you're into it, cheapy ones are good if you live on a beach or have a hot neighbor that doesn't close the blinds.

reply to post by ShaithisFerenczy


I'd also recommend something like what ngc linked. Only a bit more, better aperture, and you'll definitely see more with that one.

The one you are looking at is good for the moon, but you will get frustrated tracking it manually. It's also good for terrestrial viewing. Not much else.

www.meade.com...

Have a look through some telescope buying guides. Here's one: www.astronomytoday.com...

The one in that Amazon link is a lot superior to the one you linked.

reply to post by ShaithisFerenczy


my experience would say . altazimuth mount.. instead of an equatorial,mount...because with an equatorial mount you will have to align with north star and go through a whole process before you can view the stars and such..
..HOPE THIS HELPS..i would chose a refracting telescope because you can also view terrestrial objects as well as astronomical ones...www.ebay.com... you only want to look at the sky..a relector telescope is a great alternative and you get the most bang for your buck with these www.ebay.com... /itm/New-Orion-SkyQuest-XT8-Classic-Dobsonian-Telescope-/150874142907?pt=US_Telescopes&hash=item2320ccb8bb .
....i have ended up with a meade etx..and am disappointed with it..i much rather would like to have my refracting telescope back

ps.. you are going to need some decent eyepieces also which also are not cheap..a quality eyepiece can and will make or break a telescope......peace

reply to post by ShaithisFerenczy


If you're just looking to view the Moon, some of the more visible planets, and the occasional comet you can do a whole lot with a decent set of binoculars and a mount. It could save you some money and there is a whole lot less to set up and move around.

If you're set on buying a telescope, get a Meade or Celestron. Both make excellent beginner telescopes and have very reliable optics. I prefer the Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes for their smaller size and ease of use. It takes a bit more to set up, but purchase an equatorial mount and learn to set it up properly.

The best time to view the Moon is when it's waxing or waning. If you look along the terminator (where the light and dark meet) you can get a lot of definition and make out more details. Viewing a magnified full Moon washes out your eyes, and can at times be almost painful.

For dimmer objects, such as galaxies and globular clusters you should avert your vision by looking above/below or left/right the object. The cones in your retina pick up the low light much better than the rods. (I might have the cones and rods backwards.)

Lots of times people will suggest getting the scopes that will align themselves and do all the work for you, but it just isn't the same. You really don't learn as much and it isn't as rewarding, in my opinion. I also suggest buying physical star maps versus a computer. Computer batteries run out, and then you're left without knowing how to find things. On top of that the light can be pretty distracting, even if the software does have a night or red-light mode. One of my favorite books is the Universe Guide to Stars and Planets. Once you really get into it I would suggest buying the three volumes of Burnham's Celestial Handbook.

Also, don't expect to see images like what the Hubble or other observatories can produce. A lot of times people will expect to see that sort of vividness with their smaller scopes and eyes and it leads to buyer's remorse. If you want to see some awesome things, you can always get into astrophotography, You can modify a webcam and get some pretty stunning results for low cost.

I hope that helps! Good luck and happy viewing!

EDIT TO ADD: Find a local astronomy club or observatory. Lots of times they host "star parties" and you can ask loads of questions and get to use a wide variety of scopes. That way you can get a feel for what you're most comfortable with.