Using a Telescope: 30X Power for Planets & Moons

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the suitability and performance of a specific telescope, the Tasco 30X Power Telescope, for observing planets and moons. Participants share their experiences and opinions regarding its capabilities, limitations, and alternatives for astronomical viewing.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the observable celestial bodies using the Tasco telescope.
  • Another participant advises caution before purchasing the telescope, citing instability and poor image quality based on personal experience.
  • A different viewpoint suggests that the price of the telescope is appropriate, implying it may be a reasonable purchase.
  • One participant corrects their earlier misreading of the price, indicating that for a very low cost, the telescope might be worth buying.
  • Another participant argues that low-quality optics are generally disappointing and recommends using binoculars instead for a better viewing experience.
  • A participant notes that small telescopes often lead to disappointment when compared to images taken with much larger, professional telescopes.
  • One participant expresses concern about the small aperture of the telescope, suggesting it limits light intake and affects viewing quality.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the diameter of the objective lens is more crucial for astronomical viewing than magnification alone.
  • There is a discussion about using various eyepieces to achieve different magnifications, highlighting the importance of aperture size.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the quality and value of the Tasco telescope, with some suggesting it is not worth purchasing while others see potential value at a low price. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall effectiveness of the telescope for astronomical observations.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention limitations related to the telescope's stability, aperture size, and the expectations set by professional astronomical images. There is an acknowledgment of the subjective nature of viewing experiences.

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Before you pay for that Tasco telescoope, may I suggest you read the "Important. Planning to buy first telescope?" in this subforum. (Look just above your post) This is a great place to get consumer reports on telescopes.

I have used that same Tasco you linked to. It was so unstable that looking at a star cluster was out of the question. The moon's details were blurred, and, in the daytime, even a nearby bird was hard to see. My personal opinion is "don't buy that one".

Also, check out this link:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/basics
 
That telescope is about right for the price, which is less than $10 if I'm reading the page correctly. Remember the phrase, "You get what you pay for".
 
OOPS! I misread the price at the website and mis-took Rupees for dollars! Excuse me, please! For that price of less than TEN DOLLARS I would then say: Yes, buy that telescope!
 
Buying optics like this one is guaranteed to be disappointing at any price. A nice 8 x 50 binocular will be much more pleasurable, and you will probably keep it for years. The milky way viewed through these can be breathtaking.
 
The problem with owning a small telescope is so many photographs of astronomical objects are published taken with 10 meter telescopes with adaptive optics on mountain tops that one tends to be dissapointed that ones own views are nothing like as good so don't expect too much !
 
thanks for the replies... i think the magnification factor isn't that bad but objective lens aperture is too small to allow much of light to enter.. :(
 
m~ray said:
thanks for the replies... i think the magnification factor isn't that bad but objective lens aperture is too small to allow much of light to enter.. :(

That plus it's not big enough to even allow for a decent zoom. The larger the aperture the further you can zoom in before you hit the diffraction limit. Once you hit the limit further magnification does nothing but make a bigger blurry image.
 
I think every one should understand that for astronomical use, diameter of objective lens or mirror is far more important that magnification. Indeed, typically, one uses a variety of eyepieces with different focal lengths that give different magnifications.
 

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