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Telescopes.
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I'm looking to buy a telescope. I'm new to the whole thing, I've used telescopes before, but not extensively and never owned one (except alittle plastic toy one that didn't do shit.)
I've read a few things about telescopes, but basically I'm lost as to what to get. I have around $200 or so to spend (though I could go a bit higher.)
What do I need to go with it? I'm guessing I'll need something to clean it, and maybe some filters? What brands should I look for? Basically what should I look for since I'm a beginner? I'm generally interested in Astronomy.
Thanks.
I've read a few things about telescopes, but basically I'm lost as to what to get. I have around $200 or so to spend (though I could go a bit higher.)
What do I need to go with it? I'm guessing I'll need something to clean it, and maybe some filters? What brands should I look for? Basically what should I look for since I'm a beginner? I'm generally interested in Astronomy.
Thanks.
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If astronomy is your goal (as opposed to land viewing) I recommend using a sky guide such as Heavens-Above.com. I also use Stellarium, my favorite virtual planetarium. I use those two resources in combination with a pair of binoculars for all my astro needs.
photography is pretty sweet as well, my dad hooked up a wire running from his telescope in the backyard to his office, and he can take pictures inside, instead of being in freezing cold
*edit* I found my high school astronomy powerpoint, detailing a $3500 set-up that includes a D70 for taking pictures. if you're interested, i can pm you the powerpoint to give you a VERY rough idea at what you'd be looking at if you wanted to get into photography as well. when i did my project, i settled on the Celestron Advanced C11-SGT.
again, i highly, HIGHLY, suggest you go to some star gazing nights before you spend a lot of money. it isn't a cheap hobby, but if you buy the right equipment, it'll last you for a lifetime.
I'm a little confused, but let me clarify here, are you saying everything below $1000 is essentially crap? I wouldn't be asking if I really had a good grip on the situation but this seems like an over exaggeration to me.
$200 will give you a hint of Jupiter's colors, and you'll just barely be able to make out the bluish green in Venus, but not much beyond that. I grabbed a $20 telescope from a thrift store (originally $200) and it can't see much, even on a clear night. Great for bird watching, but not much else.
It's not an exaggeration at all. If you're strapped for cash, just spend some time at any space imagery site.
See if you have any local astronomy clubs so you can test out all the different types of telescopes, and to see if it will be worth the investment. Also, using binoculars for a good while will provide great training in spotting M type bodies, planets, etc as you will not have any mounts (computerized too).
I've been interested in astronomy for awhile now. I've gotten a chance to use various telescopes, and I'm really sure this is something I want to invest in. Clubs are kind of out of the question, as I live in the middle of nowhere, and I can't drive. $200 was kind of me being a bit hopeful and ignorant, but I can invest about $500 max if that will get me anything really worth my time.
MKR - Yeah, I've poked around with Stellarium and frequent NASA's photo of the day site (or was it JPL? whatever.)
Also:
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/
http://nix.nasa.gov/
For that money, the most bang for you buck telescope wise are the dobs (dobsonian). You'll get the largest diameter of lens for the money. (An 8 in Dob will run you $300-$400 while a Cassegrain of the same size will run $1800-$2000) Now there are other things to consider besides diameter. One is are you planning on any type of astrophotography? For that, you will definitely need some sort of motorized mount, so that you can track objects for longer exposure times.
That's all I got for now
MKR - Thanks for that link. I'm reading through it now.
Grinding mirrors takes a good amount of skill and practice; its an on-again off-again hobby my dad has, and there's a lot to it. At the point the OP is at, buying one (but I agree, drop a little more than 200) will be easier and cheaper. Second emphasis on the money: it'd be better to get a good pair of binoculars for less than 200 then getting a so-so telescope for 2-300. Look around, and even though there aren't clubs near you, you should still get in touch with some amateur astronomers online or something, and they'll help you from there. But a crappy telescope isn't very fun; its zoomed in enough that you can see a fuzzy, but usually not close enough for definition; I prefer binocs at that level.