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The decision on which telescope to buy is difficult to make if you have not used a telescope before. Here is what I have learned.
Choosing a Telescope
For a good explanation of telescope basics go to Celestron International
Always choose the brand with the best optics. A cheap telescope is not going to have good optics.
First of all you need to know what and who it is intended to be used for.
Is it for use by a child <14 years old? A young child will not understand how to setup and maintain a complicated telescope. It is best to buy them a small telescope. A 60mm refractor is ideal.
Is it for use by an adult who is only occasionally going to look at the sky and perhaps terrestial objects?. For casual observing of the night sky and terrestrial objects, a 60mm to 90mm refractor or 60mm to 90mm Maksutov are ideal.
Is it for use by an adult who wants to seriously observe the night sky and perhaps join an astronomy club. For more advanced use, a 150mm to 200mm reflector or 100mm refractor is the ideal choice. If it is not going to be used for astrophotography, a Dobsonian Mounted Newtonian is ideal. Otherwise, get a equatorial mount with 100mm refractor or 150mm to 200mm reflector, such as a Schmidt-Cassegrain or Newtonian.
Is it for use by an adult who has advanced knowledge of amateur astronomy and who wants to do astrophotography? Well, in this case, the larger the telescope, the better the image. The smallest telescope worth considering is a 200mm reflector or 100mm refractor. The telescope requires an equatorial mount with dual axis drives for astrophotography. A Newtonian Telescope is the lowest cost and has the least light obstruction and gives the brightest images but requires a very solid equatorial mount, which becomes impractical in the larger sizes. For portability and excellent optics, a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope is an excellent option. A 100mm or larger apo-refractor requires very little maintenance and is also quite portable.
|
Pros and Cons of the Various Telescopes |
||
|---|---|---|
| Pros | Cons | |
| Refractor | Low Maintenance, Portable | Limited to Small Apertures |
| Newtonian | Low Cost, Large Apertures | High Maintenance, Not Very Portable |
| SCT | Portable, Wide Angle Views, Long Focal Lengths, Large Apertures, Low Maintenance, High Resolution | High Cost |
Accessories
In addition to the main telescope assembly, you will require the following accessories:
10mm and 25mm
plossl eyepieces
2x shorty barlow
Collimating eyepiece for reflectors
Red light torch
Software or sky charts for locating objects in the sky
Scope cover
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