I need help finding the right telescope?

Question

I need help finding the right telescope for me.  I am a beginner to using one but am very excited to try one out.  I am looking for one that is easy to use.  The ability to find objects in the sky easily.  I have seen some that you can program to find objects.  I would like top of the line, great quality and excellent results.  Cost does not matter.  Please help any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thomas · Answer

I'll throw in a suggestion for the Orion SkyQuest XT8i. It has the aperture for satisfying views, without being excessively large, and the Intelliscope system will point you to objects without the noisy and power-hungry motors that other "GoTo" scopes have. If you don't get on with the computers it will also work excellently using it manually. It'll set you back $630.

There are larger versions, which will give you better views, but they start to get very bulky and heavy. There are plenty of amateur scopes that you need to stand on a ladder to use - not something I'd advise for a beginner!

Bear in mind whatever scope you get, you won't see views like the pictures on the internet, because your eyes aren't cameras.

EDIT: Actually, I've got an even better suggestion. Book yourself an astro holiday. There are various b&b's and guest houses run by and for amateur astronomers, typically in dark-sky sites, with pretty impressive telescopes, and crucially people who can teach you how to use them.

? · Answer

Here are a few web pages with good information on beginner's telescopes:
http://www.gaherty.ca/tme/TME0702_Buying_a_Telescope.pdf
http://www.scopereviews.com/begin.html
http://observers.org/beginner/j.r.f.beginner.html

For more advanced information, read Phil Harrington's Star Ware, 4th edition (Wiley).

You'll get the greatest value for your money with a Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian mount, such as these:
http://www.telescope.com/Telescopes/Dobsonian-Telescopes/pc/1/12.uts
http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/swtinc/product.php?class1=1&class2=106

Buy from a store which specializes in telescopes and astronomy, either locally or online; don't buy from department stores, discount stores or eBay as mostly what they sell is junk. Find your local astronomy club and try out different telescopes at one of their star parties:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/organizations

I strongly recommend that beginners steer clear of astrophotography until they have learned their way around the sky. Astrophotography is by far the most expensive and difficult area of amateur astronomy.

Many people who buy telescopes have no idea how to find interesting things to observe. A good introduction to finding things is NightWatch by Terence Dickinson (Firefly). A more advanced book is Star Watch by Phil Harrington (Wiley).

I need help finding the right telescope?

2 Answers