I have wanted to get my SO a telescope for years. This is the year I'm going to do it.

I know nothing about them.

He loves going out in our back yard and looking for planets and comets and whatnot. He uses his binoculars but I know those are very limited.

TIA for any assistance!

Do you want to do (a) casual stargazing like looking at the Moon, Mars and the other planets, or (b) would you like to get into something more serious like digital astrophotography of nebulae, galaxies, etc?

You don't need a (relatively) expensive telescope to do A, but you need a very expensive telescope and a digital camera (i.e. $$$, like thousands) to do B.

Also, where you live is important.

If you live in the city, you'll have to drive far away to get away from all of the light pollution. Some states actually have parks in areas with dark skies that are set aside for astronomy. Out west it's a bit easier, but back east a lot more difficult. Cherry Springs in north central PA is one of the few places in the east with really dark skies. You need a place preferably on a hill or mountain or in a clear area with no trees, and good clear weather with no clouds.

If you have to drive out to get to a spot, you'll probably want a portable telescope like a Meade or Celestron. A Newtonian has a long tube with a parabolic mirror in the back and doesn't cost too much. Schmidt-Cassegrains, Muskatov, etc are more compact but much more expensive. Nowadays they all have drive computers, but if you really want to learn, don't use that. All you need is a clock drive to keep it on track. Just get the telescope and a star chart or a star chart app on a tablet (printed star charts and a red flashlight are really all you need at first).


Learn the constellations and then learn how to find double stars, the Orion Nebula (M42), the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), etc visually *before* using the telescope. Then learn how to set it up and align it to the north (or south) celestial pole so you'll get the most out of it.


North America Night Sky Light Pollution Map
https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html#4/39.00/-98.00


https://www.skiesunlimited.com/meade-8-inch-lx200-acf-f-10-telescope.html

https://www.adorama.com/mdlx858r.html



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2020 06:59PM by anybody.

Wow..that is a lot of information! We are in the south part of Salt Lake County. Is it even practical to think that looking at the sky from our back yard is worth the price of a telescope?Maybe I over estimating what he could see from there.

"Maybe I over estimating what he could see from there."

Like anybody said, the moon, planets and a few bright objects. It would be good to get something portable to easily put in the car and drive to a darker sky.

Here is a possibility:

Can't beat a good mount. This one isn't too heavy, is very portable and can also be used for DSLR wide field deep sky photography tracking.


Sky Watcher EQM-35 Equatorial Go To Mount
https://agenaastro.com/sky-watcher-eqm-35-mount-s30500.html
22 lb capacity, includes polar scope


Consider getting two telescopes, one that is better for the moon, planets and daytime wildlife viewing.

Orion Apex 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
https://www.telescope.com/Orion/Orion-Apex-127mm-Maksutov-Cassegrain-Telescope/rc/2160/p/9825.uts

And a second one that is better for lower magnification, wide views of larger galaxies, nebula, etc. to take along when you drive to darker skies.

Orion CT80 80mm Compact Refractor Telescope Optical Tube $99.99
https://www.telescope.com/Orion/Orion-CT80-80mm-Compact-Refractor-Telescope-Optical-Tube/rc/2160/p/118189.uts


And consider just a couple of additional eyepieces and a 90 degree diagonal.


7.5mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece
https://www.telescope.com/75mm-Orion-Sirius-Plossl-Telescope-Eyepiece/p/8738.uts?ensembleId=51

12.5mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece
https://www.telescope.com/125mm-Orion-Sirius-Plossl-Telescope-Eyepiece/p/8726.uts?ensembleId=51

90 degree diagonal
https://www.telescope.com/Orion/Orion-125-Prism-Star-Telescope-Diagonal/rc/2160/p/8763.uts?keyword=diagonal

Yeah, this post puts you vertiginously high on Nerd Mountain The only other hiker visible from there is BoJ with his pocket protector and slide rule.

Hey, you're third or fourth on that list so be careful!

Careful, there. My slide rule is registered as a lethal weapon. Getting log logged can really hurt.

Yeah, but when you carry your slide rule in your pocket protector like that, your eyes are in much greater danger than anyone else.

I just hope that tape holding your glasses together is super-heavy duty. . .

Does your SO have a digital SLR camera? Might look into getting something that will allow use of a digital camera and a tracking motor mount. By taking a lot of digital images and some calibration images one can run the images through "stacking" programs that will filter signal from the noise of the lights, etc. Its amazing what people have been able to do in places like the Chicago suburbs.

That said, you are a short drive from dark skies to your west, so you might consider whether your SO (and you) are willing to drive a bit, and maybe spend the night in the desert or whether you all will only be trying to work in light-polluted backyard (no help when the smog comes to the valley in December!).

There are also Dobsonian telescopes. They are reflector type, can be quite large, but for their power they are relatively inexpensive considering the size of the mirror.

I own a Celestron C90, a Maksutov-Cassegrain reflector. I have three eyepieces which are the "power" of the telescope. I also have a camera adapter for it which makes it an 1100 mm lens albeit very slow f-stop. The reason I like this one is that it is small yet powerful. I can use it for more than celestrial stuff and terrestial stuff. (I had to make relate to the website somehow...)

What celestial objects can you see with that scope? I'd like to buy a telescope at some point.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2020 11:52AM by summer.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1436553-REG/meade_204011_lightbridge_plus_304mm_f_5.html/overview

Sporting an updated focusing system from the original series, the Meade Instruments LightBridge Plus 12" f/5 Truss-Tube Dobsonian AZ Telescope represents the mid-size in the series to give you excellent light-gathering while being easier to set up and break down versus the larger 16" model. This Dobsonian offers you outstanding near- and deep-sky observing capabilities at a reasonable price. Its large primary parabolic mirror draws in copious amounts of light to reveal awe-inspiring details on the Moon and planets, and deep-sky objects like dim galaxies and wispy nebulae.

Its updated 10:1 dual-speed rack-and-pinion focuser can handle heavy eyepieces and imaging systems without flexing, making this an ideal choice for viewing and imaging deep-sky objects. The fast focal ratio enables devices to capture images in less time than slower scopes with a significant reduction in the noise that can decrease resolution on imaging sensors. The focusing mechanism employed gives it the ability to achieve tack-sharp focusing with minimal backlash; and with its focus lock the focuser performs with the high precision required for viewing and imaging deep-space objects. This 2" focuser will accept larger eyepieces so users can enjoy a truly immersive visual experience and will ensure larger imaging sensors are completely covered.

The floor mount provides a rock-steady observational platform with very low vibration. This rocker mount features Teflon-coated roller azimuth bearings and large-diameter aluminum altitude bearings that allow the optical tube to move smoothly with limited vibrations. Finally, the tension control handle allows users to adjust the settings, allowing them to move the mount easily and smoothly by hand with minimal vibrations and maintaining its position when released.

https://youtu.be/kU_EwVKBNmY

$1K isn't bad for a telescope like this.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2020 07:41PM by anybody.

Google is your friend.

two paper towel rolls ~


taped together will work well ~



to view uranus ~

ziller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> two paper towel rolls ~
>
> > taped together will work well ~
>
> >
> to view uranus ~


Or maybe just a mirror will do?

ziller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> two paper towel rolls ~ taped together will work well ~ to view uranus ~

Wow, I didn't know it was that close!

~in b4

no pics of Uranus pls, ziller

I hate "Google is your friend" and "Let me Google that for you."

Sometimes it's nice to have an online conversation with meat people rather than read a bunch of reviews or whatever.

>:/

We are the meat people!

Hey Gemini,

Check out your local astronomical society. Lots of geeks there that can guide you.

https://slas.us/

University of Utah hosts star parties every clear night Wednesday.

https://www.utahagenda.com/free-public-star-party/

Take SO along and take a look, ask questions.

Educate yourself on the difference between reflector and refractor telescopes. There are also apparently catadioptric telescopes which I know nothing about.

As a kid, I got an inexpensive refractor telescope, and got bored with it quickly. I would have been better off with some high-quality binoculars, but I didn't know it at the time. I wished I had gotten a reflector telescope, which IMO would have given me more bang for the buck, and had put more money into it. Things may have changed since then, so I would do your research with an open mind.

This website looks interesting. If you scroll down and look to the right, there are telescope reviews by price range. But as I said, don't bother going for the cheaper end. Maybe you can ask your husband if he has ever thought about getting a telescope, and get him talking about it.

https://astronimus.com/top-20-telescopes-for-astronomy/

I've been a backyard astronomer for years. The best advice I can give is skip over the telescopes and get a set of binoculars. You want large aperture ones for viewing the night sky. This means that the lenses that face the sky are large in diameter.

Celestron - SkyMaster Giant 15x70

I found this one on amazon for less than $100. I'm sure they are not perfect but they should gather plenty of light.

Binoculars are great because they are easy to use, focus, and aim.

You you can't name the 10 brightest objects in the night sky you might not be ready for a telescope. You may just spend a bunch of money and look at the moon a couple of times and then the whole thing goes into the closet and is forgotten.

That said, Go on ebay or craigslist and see what kind of deals you can find from other people doing just what I said.

If you live in a city, or in a dense suburb like I do, you might want to consider a good pair of binoculars. There's far too much light pollution in my neighborhood for a telescope. It throws glare over the lens. Binoculars of eight or ten power are fine for viewing the moon.

If you live in the country, the sky's the limit, and you should indulge in a telescope. Lens quality is primary, so forget about comparing the power of one scope to another. Read reviews. 100X power is all you need to see the giant planets and their moons in detail. Galaxies will be visible.

What did you get him?

Haven't bought anything yet as it will be a Christmas present.

Another great book for people dabbling into backyard astronomy is

The Stars: A New Way to See Them Paperback – Illustrated
by H. A. Ray

He is the author of the "Curious George" series of children's books. This book helps explain the night sky simply but wonderfully. I can't recommend this book enough.

Happy Holidays!

"You can see every planet in our solar system this week" (even though this post is from last month).

Friday, November, the 13th, 2020

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/11/13/us/planets-visible-week-2020-scn-trnd/index.html

I need a telescope too
That's far out