Telescopes (NFR)

SpeyrodGB

SpeyrodGB

Life of the Party
I have recently been thinking about getting a telescope. Nothing overly expensive and definitely not computer operated. With the last few nights being very clear, the Big Dipper and Orion's belt have been on full display. Just wondering if anyone has experience, good and/or bad, purchasing or using telescope. Thanks.
 
@Canuck from Kansas this guy has the ultimate set up, more than your looking for but I'm sure he could steer you in the right direction.
 
I have some 10x50 binoculars that I can put on a tripod I can see the rings of Saturn and the Galilean moons. They’re great for birdwatching too.
 
krusty said:
Got an Orion Astroview 90 EQ. Very pleased, but for convenience my Canon binos with image stabilization requires a lot less fussing about.
Click to expand...

I bought a Celestron telescope with all the goodies for introducing the galaxies to our kids. It does take a lot of fussing to get it setup. Cool down of the telescope to ambiant temp, getting it pointed correctly, and by the time it was ready, the earth's rotation affected what was in view. On top of that, only used in the summer. But by then, it was past the kiddo's bedtime. No bueno...

Binoculars sound much better when there is low/casual usage or used with quick setup and portability taken into account. You can always upgrade later if the need becomes a reality...

Edited to add: If taking pics, telescope is the way to go as far as I know, which is not a lot...
 
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It really depends on whether you want wide-field or high magnification.
Lot's of used telescopes on the various marketplaces.
Try something like this one and see if astronomy is something you want to pursue:

www.facebook.com

Celestron Astromaster 114 telescope

I have used this telescope about 5 times, only had opportunities to view the moon and haven’t used it as much as I thought I would. I have two lenses that will come with the telescope, 100x and 50x....
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
 
Having owned both telescope and binoculars the telescope just seems like too much trouble for the casual observer. RCF kind of nailed it with his description of the downside. On the other hand, binoculars are much more convenient to use and seeing out of both eyes is a real advantage when it comes to viewing.

There are some really nice astronomical binocs on the market at fairly reasonable prices. All need to be on a tripod because they are so heavy but I leave my 15 x 70's on a tripod most of the time where I can just pick them up and run outside when the opportunity presents itself. No setup required which in itself means that they will be used a lot more often. On YouTube there are numerous videos on the pros and cons of telescopes vs binoculars and I would urge you to view a lot of them before you actually spend your money.
 
Another binocular fan. Binocs, a monopod and a gravity chair are a pretty easy set-up. Oberwerk makes some nice binoculars that are reasonably priced, good optics.
 
Really depends what you want to do, if just occasional casual viewing, then yes, binos are by far the best choice. If you want to do astrophotography and want it as a hobby, then you do need a good mirrorless camera with a very good telephoto (very expensive) or a dedicated telescope with a cooled camera (can get setups from the upper mid hundreds too many thousands) and a tripod with a mount/tacking system (do not scrimp on this). There are very good "beginner" packages available from several good vendors.

Much like fly fishing, it also depends on what you are targeting, nebulas and galaxies, solar, planets, etc. (think 3 wt to 10 wt). Also like fly fishing, if not careful things can get out of hand (many scopes/ several mounts and cameras). Also different types of scopes to consider (reflector, refractor, etc).

Before making a decision, would encourage you to think hard about what you want to accomplish and do your research. I really enjoy astrophotography (https://pnwflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/stuff-in-the-sky.247/), but unfortunately, here in the Poconos I have very little viewing sky due to the surrounding forest (need to find a spot for the mobile observatory).

Also encourage you to check out these guys (very good, very knowledgeable, very good service)

Telescopes | Eyepieces & Telescope Accessories | High Point Scientific

High Point Scientific is a leading retailer of quality telescopes and accessories for beginner, intermediate, and advanced astronomers alike. Celestron, Meade, and Tele Vue are a few of the industry leading brands High Point carries.
www.highpointscientific.com www.highpointscientific.com

or

milehighastro.com

Mile High Astronomy - Denver, Colorado Telescope Store

Telescopes, Binoculars, Mounts, and fun and inspiring astronomy resources for Denver, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountains. Shop our online store for the best telescopes, astrophotography equipment, and more.
milehighastro.com milehighastro.com

Feel free to PM if you want/need more info.

Cheers

From the folks at the Canuck Observatory
 
Jim F. said:
Another binocular fan. Binocs, a monopod and a gravity chair are a pretty easy set-up. Oberwerk makes some nice binoculars that are reasonably priced, good optics.
Click to expand...
Oberwerk is a huge success story having risen from it's origins to become the best selling high powered binocular in the world in just 25 years. They are innovation and quality driven and among the world's best at this point. The factory only makes Oberwerk, not other branded models.

Mine came in a solidly built reinforced locking case with a thick foam lining. Each pair is precisely collimated at the distribution center in Ohio before shipment assuring flawless viewing upon receipt. As Jim stated, they are nice units at a reasonable price, probably the best bang for the buck in optics right now.
 
Canuck from Kansas said:
Really depends what you want to do, if just occasional casual viewing, then yes, binos are by far the best choice. If you want to do astrophotography and want it as a hobby, then you do need a good mirrorless camera with a very good telephoto (very expensive) or a dedicated telescope with a cooled camera (can get setups from the upper mid hundreds too many thousands) and a tripod with a mount/tacking system (do not scrimp on this). There are very good "beginner" packages available from several good vendors.

Much like fly fishing, it also depends on what you are targeting, nebulas and galaxies, solar, planets, etc. (think 3 wt to 10 wt). Also like fly fishing, if not careful things can get out of hand (many scopes/ several mounts and cameras). Also different types of scopes to consider (reflector, refractor, etc).

Before making a decision, would encourage you to think hard about what you want to accomplish and do your research. I really enjoy astrophotography (https://pnwflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?threads/stuff-in-the-sky.247/), but unfortunately, here in the Poconos I have very little viewing sky due to the surrounding forest (need to find a spot for the mobile observatory).

Also encourage you to check out these guys (very good, very knowledgeable, very good service)

Telescopes | Eyepieces & Telescope Accessories | High Point Scientific

High Point Scientific is a leading retailer of quality telescopes and accessories for beginner, intermediate, and advanced astronomers alike. Celestron, Meade, and Tele Vue are a few of the industry leading brands High Point carries.
www.highpointscientific.com www.highpointscientific.com

or

milehighastro.com

Mile High Astronomy - Denver, Colorado Telescope Store

Telescopes, Binoculars, Mounts, and fun and inspiring astronomy resources for Denver, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountains. Shop our online store for the best telescopes, astrophotography equipment, and more.
milehighastro.com milehighastro.com

Feel free to PM if you want/need more info.

Cheers

From the folks at the Canuck Observatory
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I've also been told by a friend who has been deeply into astrophotography that it's best preceded by years of conventional astronomy...he had thousands of dollars invested in gear before he knew what he was doing and produced satisfactory photos.

I have thousands invested in flyfishing and still don't know what I'm doing.
 
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They are very similar to treadmills. They could use a few times and then you start hanging clothes off of them.
 
SpeyrodGB said:
I have recently been thinking about getting a telescope. Nothing overly expensive and definitely not computer operated. With the last few nights being very clear, the Big Dipper and Orion's belt have been on full display. Just wondering if anyone has experience, good and/or bad, purchasing or using telescope. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Some great responses here. One other thing you might try before spending hundreds to thousands on optics is see if there is a local club. The local Astronomical Society here has awesome outreaches with free public nights presentations starting with lectures and viewing afterwards, youth programs, star parties for members... Members really enjoy giving advice to noobs and showing their off their gear.

Maybe one of these is in your neck of the woods

Astronomy Clubs in MT | 2024 List | GO ASTRONOMY

Find astronomy clubs near you in MT that feature feature meetings, viewing nights, star parties, and astronomy programs.
www.go-astronomy.com
 
kmudgn said:
It depends on how far away your neighbor's windows are
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Isn't that what stepladders are for?

Funny story....when my wife and her sisters were teenagers there was a neighborhood problem with a peeping-tom. One night one of them heard a noise, saw a face looking in the bathroom window and screamed. Their old man had a baseball bat immediately at hand for such an occasion and headed out to clobber the perv...who was fleet of foot but left his stepladder...a nice Werner that they used for many years.
 
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Jim F. said:
Another binocular fan. Binocs, a monopod and a gravity chair are a pretty easy set-up. Oberwerk makes some nice binoculars that are reasonably priced, good optics.
Click to expand...
And I can't say enough for the comfort and utility of gravity chairs. We have folding versions for outside use on the decks, and liked them enough to get two Lazy Boy versions for the television room. Incredibly comfortable.
 
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