i searched and found nothing. i'm thinking about getting a telescope. something pretty basic. i want to look at planets and whatnot. i know nothing about them so i'm not sure where to start. a long time ago we had one that you could program w/ your lat. & long. and it'd take you on a tour of different stars and planets, but we never programed it and my dad gave it to a friend. that kind of thing would be cool too, but i'm sure it's expensive.

any ideas?

5/21/2007 10:56:53 AM

meade 3400 (i think)

only like 150 bucks. they usually come with a pre-programmed star finder.

[Edited on May 21, 2007 at 11:29 AM. Reason : sdfg]

5/21/2007 11:28:16 AM

thanks, i'll look it up.

to clarify, i searched tww. i looked on google some but i wanted more specific recommendations for makes/models for people who know nothing about telescopes. and by nothing, i mean nothing. i know they're used to look at objects far far away, that's all.

oh and i don't want to look at things on the ground, just in the sky. we've already got some big ass binoculars for that.

[Edited on May 21, 2007 at 11:57 AM. Reason : ]

5/21/2007 11:49:40 AM

well i can be more specific, but honestly i am to lazy right now ( i actually had to work this morning at work ) to think about it and type. i will however after lunch give more details ok

[Edited on May 21, 2007 at 11:53 AM. Reason : sdfg]

5/21/2007 11:53:17 AM

no problem, that comment wasn't so much directed at you as it was other ppl reading. thank you (:

5/21/2007 11:55:41 AM

go here
http://www.astronomics.com/main/category.asp/catalog_name/Astronomics/category_name/How%20to%20pick%20a%20telescope/Page/1

that website has links at the top that tell about different types of telescopes. you can also use the links on the left to check out scopes in your price range. i suggest the meade brand. You don't need that nice of a scope to pick out planets and other features. You'd be surprised what you can see with a mid-range scope. Also, try to choose one with the "autostar" feature..that will guide the scope to what you want to look at automatically, it is awesome.
I have a SCT (Schmidt-Cassegrain) Meade LX90 and absolutely love it. Granted it is pretty steep in price, it was well worth the money. I have pictures of it in my photo gallery.

5/21/2007 10:04:26 PM

RC Optical Systems 20" Ritchey-Chrétien Cassegrain reflecting telescope
http://www.rcopticalsystems.com/20inchtruss.html
$54,300
Doesn't include anything but the telescope--no computer tracking, nothing. Although, it does let you see things like this...

M83


NGC5866


Helix Nebula

5/22/2007 12:30:06 AM

the most important thing is the diameter of the telescope. the larger the diameter, the more light that is coming in and the brighter your images will be.

5/22/2007 6:17:35 PM

It also depends on the kind of telescope--refracting vs. reflecting.

5/22/2007 6:24:22 PM

there is a telescope store in the shopping center off of duraleigh near glenwood.

might want to check them out.

5/22/2007 11:25:08 PM

i don't live in raleigh, but thanks.

my dad dug this out of his closet at the beach house:
http://www.shoptics.com/bu-ts-789570.html
i'm pretty sure it's just a dept store scope, but it's mine now and i didn't have to pay for it. i'm not sure how long he's had it (under 10 years for sure) and it's been used maybe 5 times total. i can look at the moon and get pretty good detail. i would rather have one with a larger aperture though.

should i stick with this for a while, or go ahead & sell it on ebay and get a nicer one? i haven't tried it at my house yet, only at the beach.

he also has these (he loves gadgets):
http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/productdetails/sku__AR001
and i can see stars that are not visible otherwise with them. they're mounted on a crappy tripod, but they're very easy to use. what should i expect to be able to see with something like that?

[Edited on May 28, 2007 at 10:06 PM. Reason : ]

5/28/2007 10:02:49 PM

at 140x i would think it would be really hard to keep the binoculars from moving, even with a tripod. is that a problem when you use them?

5/28/2007 11:07:25 PM

yeah. you HAVE to use them on a tripod and don't dare touch them after you get something in focus. it is possible though. we hardly ever zoom all the way in on something, the most maybe about 75%. there's just not enough light.

5/29/2007 10:05:49 AM

Get a dobsonian. A good basic one starts at $400 but they are more bang/buck than those galilieos.

[Edited on May 29, 2007 at 1:16 PM. Reason : ]

5/29/2007 1:10:43 PM

What's a good budget telescope for a novice 18 years later?

10/15/2025 7:10:12 PM

message_topic.aspx?topic=654861

10/18/2025 4:32:40 PM

^ Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 80AZ

Quote :

"If you’re prioritizing simplicity now, and want a scope that you can reasonably upgrade over time, I’d recommend choosing something that hits a balance between easy setup/use and future-proofing. Based on what I found, here’s what to look for — plus my top pick among scopes in your ~$300 budget. ? ? What “simplicity + upgrade-friendly” means These are the features that make a telescope easy to use at first, yet give you room to grow: • A mount/tripod that’s stable and intuitive (so you actually use it, rather than get frustrated). As one guide says: “the mount is critical”. ? • A decent aperture (so you get satisfying views) and a standard eyepiece size so you can upgrade eyepieces, lenses, filters later — e.g., a 1.25? eyepiece barrel is almost a standard upgrade path. ? • A simple optical design (refractor or Newtonian) that doesn’t require constant tweaking for a beginner. One guide says refractors are easier for your first telescope. ? • A brand/model that has good support/accessories so you can upgrade bits (eyepieces, filters, maybe even mount or tube) rather than be locked into a “toy” scope that you’ll outgrow and discard. In short: get something you’ll actually use now, that doesn’t feel like a chore, and won’t immediately feel dead-end when you get more ambitious. ? ?? My top pick for you From the options I found, this one strikes the best balance of simplicity + room to grow: Celestron?StarSense?Explorer?LT?80AZ • 80 mm aperture refractor—good size for beginners. • Alt-azimuth mount (simple up/down & left/right) — easier to use than equatorial mount for starting out. • Has smartphone-guided “StarSense” dock to help you locate objects in the sky (makes finding things easier). ? • Within your budget (listed ~$249) — leaves buffer for accessories or upgrades. • Good brand, decent optics, good beginner reviews. Why this is my recommendation: • Because it offers strong ease of use: the guided locating feature and refractor design make it approachable. • Because you’ll actually enjoy using it rather than fighting with setup or tracking. • It leaves you upgrade paths: you can add better eyepieces, filters, maybe a better mount later. While an 80 mm aperture is modest for deep-sky, it’s plenty for Moon, planets, star clusters, and will keep you busy for a while. • If your interest deepens, you can later upgrade the tube or move to a larger aperture scope — but you’re not stuck buying a toy that you’ll immediately outgrow. Drawbacks / things to consider: • The 80 mm aperture is decent but not huge — if your skies are very dark and you want faint galaxies, you’ll eventually want more aperture. • The alt-az mount is easy but less suited for astrophotography or advanced tracking (not a big deal if you’re focused on visual use). • Even with a good beginner scope, you’ll eventually benefit from better accessories (good eyepieces, maybe a Barlow lens, filters) if you upgrade. ? ? ?? Tips for getting the most out of it (and future proofing) • Make sure the telescope uses 1.25? eyepieces (most do) so that future upgrade eyepieces fit. • Budget part of your setup for accessories (better eyepieces, maybe a Barlow lens, filters) — often these yield big improvement. • Join a local astronomy club or star-party if possible — you’ll see other telescopes in action and learn what you like. ? • Practice with the scope on the Moon and bright planets early on — mastering pointing and focusing will make it much more fun. • If you do find your interest growing, consider making the next “upgrade” the mount/tripod (for stability) or the aperture (a larger tube) rather than buying another small beginner scope."

[Edited on October 19, 2025 at 10:01 PM. Reason : Sorry for the ?. How it comes when pasting chatgpt]

10/19/2025 10:00:01 PM