Suggesting a beginners telescope

  • Context: Stargazing 
  • Thread starter Thread starter physixlover
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Beginners Telescope
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around recommendations for beginner telescopes, specifically evaluating the Skywatcher Heritage 76 mm model. Participants share their opinions on suitable telescope types, sizes, and budget considerations, focusing on both theoretical and practical aspects of astronomy equipment.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express skepticism about the Skywatcher Heritage 76 mm, suggesting it may not provide a satisfactory experience for beginners.
  • Several contributors recommend considering a 6" to 8" Dobsonian reflector as a better option for beginners, citing improved performance and value.
  • There is a suggestion that binoculars could be a more budget-friendly alternative for initial stargazing.
  • Participants discuss the advantages of reflectors over refractors, noting that reflectors typically offer more aperture for the price.
  • One participant shares a personal experience of disappointment with a small refractor, advocating for a reflector instead.
  • Some contributors mention the importance of budget, with a consensus that spending less than a certain amount may lead to a subpar experience.
  • There are differing opinions on the utility of Barlow lenses, with some advocating for their use while others caution against them.
  • One participant highlights the possibility of finding pre-owned telescopes as a viable option for beginners.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion features multiple competing views regarding the suitability of the Skywatcher Heritage 76 mm and the best type of telescope for beginners. There is no clear consensus on the ideal budget or the effectiveness of Barlow lenses.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying assumptions about the quality and performance of different telescope types, as well as the impact of budget constraints on purchasing decisions. Some statements rely on personal experiences that may not be universally applicable.

physixlover
Messages
86
Reaction score
0
Can you recommend me the telescope for beginners
Is Skywatcher Heritage 76 mm is good for beginners

thank you
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
physixlover said:
Can you recommend me the telescope for beginners
Is Skywatcher Heritage 76 mm is good for beginners

thank you


Only a personal opinion.

But to sum up in one word...no.

If you are on a limited budget (as most of us are) look at a set of binoculars or even put a few more dollars in and look for a good used 6 or 8 inch Newtonian.

If you are interested in Astronomy don't have a first bad experience and turn yourself off.
The 76mm will do very little to spark your interest.
 
Waveform is right. Get yourself a good astronomy magazine and look in the small ads. You can pick up a decent 6" to 8" (150 mm to 200 mm) Dobsonian for little money, probably less than a new 76 mm you mention. (Dobsonian is the type of 'swivel-based' mounting a Newtonian can come with).
The smallest reflector you can get that would be useful is a 6" DON'T GET anything smaller.
 
Agreed, you will become quickly disappointed with anything less than about 6". Second hand scopes in this size range are available at very reasonable prices with a little patience. A good set of binoculars is a price point effective investment. As a plus, you can use the eyepieces with your scope for a very nice wide field view. A good deal considering wide field eyepieces generally cost about as much as a good binocular.
 
thanks for the posts ,Do you recommend me to take a reflector or a refractor telescope
 
Reflectors are cheaper.
 
Yes, count me in here also.

Reflectors are cheaper and also you usually get more aperture for a given amount of money.

In essence the old cliche; 'more bang for your buck'.
 
I started with a little refractor and was pretty disappointed with it until I scrounged together a couple of hundred bucks and got a reflector. Much better.

Rule 1 of telescope shopping:
Magnification is nothing; diameter is everything.
 
  • #10
russ_watters said:
FYI, guys, that scope the OP asked about is a very inexpensive 3" tabletop dobsonian. It's not bad for the money and if $75 is your budget, it is a good buy. http://telescopereviewsuk.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/sky-watcher-heritage-76/

You'll want a 2x or 3x Barlow to go with it, though.

I'd say the general consensus is that the budget for a scope starts at well over that. Below that, any scope is worse than useless. Better to do without until your budget grows than be disappointed in your skygazing experience and give it up.

As for Barlows, my experience is: forget it. More heartache and disappointment.
 
  • #11
My 2x barlow plus a 12.5mm EP works excellent for any star and planet viewing.

Of course I have a 4.5in mirror. I will be upgrading shortly to a larger aperture because I want to be able to collect more light though.
 
  • #12
DaveC426913 said:
I'd say the general consensus is that the budget for a scope starts at well over that. Below that, any scope is worse than useless. Better to do without until your budget grows than be disappointed in your skygazing experience and give it up.

As for Barlows, my experience is: forget it. More heartache and disappointment.
I disagree with both points.

About the Barlow - often a longer focal length eyepiece with a barlow works better than a shorter focal length eyepiece: wider field of view and better eye relief. I often use one with a 15mm eyepiece instead of a 9mm eyepiece alone for planetary viewing.

Regarding the size, an awful lot of people (including myself) start off with an awful 60mm refractor. This scope has substantially better optics at half the price of what I started with.

Just my opinion.
 
  • #13
russ_watters said:
This scope has substantially better optics at half the price of what I started with.

Oh. I didn't realize that you knew it had high-quality optics.
 
  • #14
You can buy a nice preowned reflector [~6"] for a couple hundred, or less, with a little patience. That is a enough scope to give you a good idea if, or what direction to go if you get more serious.
 

Similar threads

Stargazing Is the INTEY Ultra-Clear Telescope a Good Choice for Beginner Astronomers?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
5K
Stargazing What are some good beginner telescopes for under £100?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
5K
Undergrad Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?
  • · Replies 46 ·
2
Replies
46
Views
3K
Stargazing Looking for a beginner's telescope....
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
Stargazing Documenting the setup of my new telescope
  • · Replies 54 ·
2
Replies
54
Views
8K
Graduate Did scientists just find that the Universe has finite angular momentum?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K
Stargazing Calculating the Resolving power of a Telescope
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Stargazing 60-80 mm refracting telescope for beginners
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
High School Are the telescopes at Mauna Kea available for anyone to use?
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
2K
Stargazing The Pleiades: an underrated glory of the night sky
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K