| Buying a first telescope for you or for someone | | | | with him or her and discussing needs and wants. |
| else as a gift can be a bit tricky if you don't know | | | | Telescopes vary widely in price, style, type and |
| a lot about telescopes. This article will guide you | | | | ability and an amateur astronomer probably has |
| through making the right choice based on price, | | | | some definite wants and goals. But as a rule of |
| performance, and what your astronomical goals | | | | thumb for a person that already is interested in |
| are. | | | | astronomy they probably are looking for a |
| A telescope is a scientific optical instrument. It has | | | | reflector or catadioptric telescope because these |
| lenses or mirrors in it that have to be carefully | | | | types of telescopes give significantly more light |
| made to exacting specifications if it is to perform | | | | gathering power than the refractor when you |
| adequately as an astronomical instrument. This | | | | weigh the price. A five-inch refractor telescope will |
| can cause problems when it comes to buying a | | | | cost you anywhere between three and four |
| lower priced and subsequently lower quality | | | | thousand dollars! Yet you can get a reflector or |
| telescope because these telescopes can | | | | catadioptric with a massive eight or ten inch |
| underperform or even not perform at all. In order | | | | mirror for a few hundred dollars. This massive |
| to be guaranteed you will get high performing | | | | increase in size gives the amateur astronomer a |
| optics that give you good value for your money | | | | significant improvement in what he or she can see |
| you should stick with one of the better known | | | | in the night sky. |
| manufacturers of telescopes. I recommend you | | | | If you are looking to purchase something in a |
| buy from Orion, Celestron, Meade, or Edmund | | | | moderate price range (500-1,000 dollars) you |
| Scientifics. There are many makers of telescopes | | | | should consider getting a catadioptric telescope in |
| that make outstanding telescopes but I have first | | | | the Schmidt Cassegrain style. This type of |
| hand knowledge of these and can vouch for their | | | | telescope gives you superior performance, |
| quality. | | | | maximum light gathering power, and quality of |
| Most of these makers of telescopes sell them but | | | | instrument that will last you a lifetime. This kind of |
| you don't need to buy directly from them. You | | | | telescope now often comes with a motorized |
| can find telescopes from these makers on sale at | | | | computer with a database of thousands of |
| many online sites or retail outlets. So you can | | | | celestial object that allows you to find things at |
| stick with your favorite big retailer. | | | | the touch of a button. It is also a folded optics |
| If you are buying a first telescope for a high | | | | telescope so it is compact and reasonably easy to |
| school student or child your best choice is to buy | | | | tote around. They are suitcase sized and many of |
| a 60mm refractor telescope. This kind of | | | | the leading manufacturers often make the |
| telescope is sturdy, easy to use, easy to set, up | | | | suitcase to go with it. |
| and gives great performance in the hundred-dollar | | | | In summary if you are buying for a child, teen, or |
| price range. This type of telescope is also very | | | | first time telescope owner you should get a |
| useful for terrestrial observations, which makes it | | | | 60mm refractor because it is easy to use, easy |
| versatile. I would vary from this rule of thumb if | | | | to set up, durable and entry level priced around |
| you are getting a telescope for someone that | | | | one hundred dollars. If you are buying a telescope |
| spends a lot of time hiking and camping and they | | | | for someone that is seriously interested in |
| are looking for something easily toted along. A | | | | astronomy you should consider a reflector in the |
| 60mm refractor can be a bit impractical for | | | | six-inch to ten-inch range. This will give you |
| camping and hiking because of its size. In this case | | | | maximum light gathering power for your dollar in |
| I recommend you get either an astroscan from | | | | the range of three hundred to five hundred. If |
| edmund scientifics or the backpack observatory | | | | you are looking to buy something of heirloom |
| from the Meade Corporation. Both these | | | | quality that will give you a lifetime of superb |
| telescopes are a bit more expensive but much | | | | quality you should consider an eight-inch |
| more compact and easy to tote around. | | | | catadioptric Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope which |
| If you are buying a telescope for someone that | | | | will cost between five-hundred and a thousand |
| knows a bit about astronomy or maybe already | | | | dollars. |
| has a telescope you might consider sitting down | | | | |