Choose the telescope best suited to your needs

1.2 meter Ritchey-Chrétien- maybe not the best choice

First Things First (Aperture Now, Accessories Later)

Anyone who has begun the process of research toward the purchase of a telescope knows by now that no one scope can do it all. In fact, the more one reads, the more difficult a final selection can seem. Nearly every scope you encounter seems great at first. Then you read the next review and discover the way or ways in which the previous scope falls slightly short by comparison.

One thing to keep in mind is that a great many of these articles are written with less objectivity than you might prefer, by people who spent thousands of their own dollars on a particular type of telescope. That type of subjectivity could go either way, of course, depending on how well their telescope performed. Come to think of it, that sort of subjectivity could even go a third way. For some bloggers it might be be difficult to admit, even to themselves, that they spent thousands on a high-end telescope that didn't quite meet their expectations.

You may have noticed that there are a multitude of accesories available to amateur astronomers. The advertising copy usually makes these devices sound indespensible, but in most cases they really aren't. They may make life easier, but they're not at all necessary. The problem is that there are a few (a very few) items that are so helpful that they are nearly necessary. Even so, you can hold off for a while.

Of most importance to the amateur astronomer is the telescope itself. The one possible exception would be in the case of serious astrophotographers, in which case the size and accuracy of a telescope mount is at least as important as the scope itself. For everyone else it is the telescope, particularly the size of the mirror or lens, which is of most importance.

It is this writer's opinion that every spare dollar should go toward the telescope. The accessories can come later. I've talked to many newbies to this hobby who spent a great deal of money on accessories swith ther first telescope purchase, only to regret the descision a couple of months down the road when they realize that they could have afforded a bigger or better quality scope, adding the extras a little at a time over the course of the first year or two with their telescope.

1. What is your budget? Will you spend uder 500.00? Between 500.00 and 1000.00? Over 1000.00? In the Best Buys section are listed several telescopes from each catagory.

 

Alhough the old adage about getting what you pay for holds true in the world of telescopes, it is not absolutely necessary to spend a lot. Good quality can be found for as little as two or three hundred dollars. In fact, for that amount it's now possible to have go-to capability. But it's worth taking note that the less you spend, the more careful you will need to be. There are a lot of inexpensive telescopes out there whose distributers are less than honest about their products. Even worse, there are some inexpensive scopes so poorly constructed that their sale could be considered tantamount to theft.

 

2. Primary purpose. Regarding celestial targets, do you have a specific preference? Are you interested in observing deep space objects, such as nebulae, star clusters or galaxies? Or is the observation and possible photography of the planets and moon more important? Both, maybe?

   If you are intrigued by the thought of deep space, of intersellar gas clouds far larger than our solar system hanging motionless in the most remote corners of our galaxy, or if you want to see for yourself the faint glow of galaxies that exist millions of light years from us, then you will want the largest telescope that you can afford or physically manage. This means a dobsonian mounted reflector, preferably with a "push-to" or go-to location system. Many of them are manageable and reasonably priced.

   The dimmest, most distant objects can be difficult to find, even under the best conditions. Some people enjoy the hunt. I'm not one of them. I live in a fairly light polluted suburb, and if I only have two hours in which to observe on a week night, I don't want to spent half of that time scanning the skies for a target that could have been reached in a matter of seconds.Several companies are selling such scopes with decent Chinese optics and accurate location systems for reasonable prices. Twelve and fourteen inch models are no longer uncommon.

   It should be noted that for taking in wide expanses of space or large open star fields, a smaller reflector or refractor would be preferable. In fact, in this area it would be hard to imagine a more suitable telescope than an apochromatic 4-inch refractor. In recent years the price of these scopes has dropped significantly. A good 4-inch apo with Ed glass can be had for less than a thousand dolars, roughly a quarter of their price ten years ago..

   If you are more interested in planetary or lunar observation, an electronically driven mount may be as important as the optics. Planetary observation requires concentration and keeping and keeping an eye on the target for extended periods of time, in order to take advantage of fleeting moments when atmospheric conditions stablelize and image clarity improves. This is difficult without a motor driven mount. The observer is forced to nudge the telescope carefully every twenty seconds or so, to keep the target within the field of view.

   Some will undoubtedly say that refractors are ideal for planetary observation. This may be true of telescopes up to six inches, if one is willing to spend between five and eight thousand dollars. But aside from the cost, there is no substitute for size when it comes to resolving detail at higher levels of magnification.

    

3. Location for most observation. Will it be used more often at home or taken to dark site locations? If used at home, how will it be stored and how difficult will it be to move if kept on the mount and ready to use?

 

Most people in North America and Europe live in light polluted cities or suburbs.

 

4. Astrophotography? Do you think that at some point you may want to try your hand at planetary, lunar or deep space imaging?