OT: backyard telescopes

[slowgoing]

Any stargazers out there who can recommend a good backyard telescope? Good brands, models, etc. would be appreciated.

Celestron.

[97CSI]

What's your budget? Do you want a reflector, refractor, SC or SM?

And, plenty of good ones (except Meade - they are sort of like Shimano - trying to crush the competiton thru marketing).

[rnhood]

I have a Televue Pronto and its a fairly nice scope assuming you're not going into deep space. Comes in a nice carrying case with all accessories and, is compact. For deeper looking the larger Celestrons and even the Televue 4" models fit the bill nicely. There are many other good scopes too.

[pbbob]

I have celestron and meade 8" schmidt. I'm not sure what your reasons for buying a telescope, but do consider the use of a good pair of binoculars especially if the person using them is new to astronomy or young. It's a relatively low cost investment and a lot of fun. what is more simple than going outside to your favorite lawnchair, sitting down, and starting to observe?
there is a lot of info available in past issues of astronomy or sky&telescope that addresses first telescopes.

bob, who got an honorable mention in the 8th grade science fair for his astronomy related project.

[csm]

Leupold mounted on a barrets .50 cal.

[jburt]

Depends where you live, but a Dobsonian reflector was what I chose as best bang for the buck. It has a simple but very stable mount, but at high magnification, you need to constantly nudge it to keep the object in the viewfinder. I have an Orion (good web site), and the optics are very good. I went with the 8 inch. There has been a lot of development where I live, so it is almost too big due to light pollution. In dark skies, though, it is great. Many books say that a 6" dobsonian is the best "serious beginner scope".

[Kevan]

but this little guy, the Astroscan Telescope, works great for the casual enthusiast. Stores easy too:

http://www.scientificsonline.com/pro...Q_pn_E_3002001

[H.Frank Beshear]

We have a 6" Celestron, it's cool to see the rings of Saturn. A nice place to shop and some genuine good guys can be found here It's a lot of fun for the kids even the 40 something ones Frank

[FierteTi52]

Slowgoing,
I can help you out. Your best bet is to find your local club and attend one of their public nights. Astronomy day is coming up, so they may have an event planned you could attend.
First few questions:
1. Price range?
2. Do you want to use the scope for terrestrial viewing and or birding?
3. Do you have access to dark skies?
4. Will children be invloved during you observing sessions?
Feel free to PM me.
Jeff
PS. It's great to see other forumites have an interest in Astronomy. I plan on having a scope with me for the Fingerlakes ramble.

[Larry8]

I second Fierte, Find the local club and go to one of their star parties. Our local observatory has a free telescope making class where they teach you to grind your own primary mirror. I made a 6in mirror there for the fun of it years and years ago. John Dobson himself used to also have telescope making classes with the Sidewalk Astronomers in San Francisco.

http://www.e-scopes.cc/ You can build your own Dobsonian from one of the Coulter Optical kits.

Orion Telescopes are pretty well respected and not too expensive.

Truthfully, I use astronomical 10X70 Binoculars from Orion more than my telescope.

Cool hobby, good luck

Larry

[slowgoing]

Originally Posted by FierteTi52

Slowgoing,
I can help you out. Your best bet is to find your local club and attend one of their public nights. Astronomy day is coming up, so they may have an event planned you could attend.
First few questions:
1. Price range?
2. Do you want to use the scope for terrestrial viewing and or birding?
3. Do you have access to dark skies?
4. Will children be invloved during you observing sessions?
Feel free to PM me.
Jeff
PS. It's great to see other forumites have an interest in Astronomy. I plan on having a scope with me for the Fingerlakes ramble.

Thanks to everyone for such great responses. Fierte, here's the profile:

1. price range is open depending upon what the additional $ buys.
2. skies only. I don't watch birds, I eat them.
3. not too many dark skies in the LA area, but we go to the mountains and desert a lot and could use it there.
4. This is intended to be a father/son activity. It's introduction to astronomy for both of us.

[97CSI]

Check here. http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?it...Type=HOME_PAGE Excellent range of good quality 'scopes.

If you want portable, go for the SC or MC model. For planets, refractors are generally considered the best and for deep sky, the larger reflectors. Of course, additional money in each category greatly modifies this statement. You might start by purchasing a beginners book on viewing and telescopes and reading about advantages and disadvantages of each. Then attend your local clubs starparty and talk with folks and look through their 'scopes. As a general rule, larger is better (gathers more light) and more money gets you better optics and a better mount.

If you go for binoculars, then I suggest you get a good mount for same. There are mounts that allow you to recline in your backyard lounger and view with good binoculars. Really not that much less expensive when compared to a decent 5-6 inch reflector or 80-100mm reflector.

If you want something larger, my brother is selling his 5" Meade refractor with a GE mount after purchasing the 100mm ED Apo from Orion. The 80mm ED Apo from Orion is a very nice and quite protable refractor, as well. Sells for about a grand with a decent mount. There is a "Learning Center" in the above catalog which has some info worth reading.

[slowgoing]

Thanks. This will give me something to do while I self impose a week-long forum ban for having suggested that 93legendti has an insecurity complex in the Red Meat thread. DOH! I just did it again! Ok, two weeks!

[Tom]

Grind your own mirror. When he was in high school he wanted to be an astronomer so he made his own 8" reflector telescope from scratch. He did everything except plate the mirror. Casting the aluminum fork was fun! I watched that part.

He's a worm doc now.