Do You Own a Telescope?

[InTheWoods]

My husband and I used to have a cottage at the lake and I had purchased a telescope to view the stars. I liked it for awhile, but it was more complicated than what I needed, so once we left the lake I sold it. Does anyone have a simple-to-use telescope that they could recommend? It would be fun to view the moon and stars with dark all around in the wilderness.

[KeikoOka]

We got one for Christmas, but I don't know if I can recommend it because we have not gotten it out yet. It has been to cold to go out and fidget with it. I am going to take it out soon and will let you know.

[Jobiwan]

Originally Posted by InTheWoods

Does anyone have a simple-to-use telescope that they could recommend? It would be fun to view the moon and stars with dark all around in the wilderness.

I have a Meade Polaris that works great. One downfall is that it is manual. It has a 114mm primary mirror(roughly 4.5 inches in diameter) and is a reflecting scope.

I would recommend Meade scopes to anyone and 114mm to me is a perfect size. With this size mirror, objects such as the rings of Saturn or the Moons of Jupiter are easily seen. Some nebulae can be easily seen too such as Orions nebula. To look at the Moon is amazing. You can look inside the craters. One neat thing about the moon is that if you look long enough you will see little camera flash like flashes every now & then. These are meteorites that hit the Moons surface. Here is a link to easy to use scopes by Meade:

Meade Instruments - Starter Telescopes, Beginner Telescopes for the New Astronomer

KeikoOka: I would recommend braving the cold. The winter sky is the best time to gaze. The skies are clearer and more unique constellations such as Orion and Taurus come into view.

[InTheWoods]

Thanks for the information Jobiwan, I like the size mirror you mentioned. The telescope I had was also manual, which is what made it difficult trying to set the right ascension so I could be sure to catch the constellations I was looking for. I was hoping there was something out there kind of like a digital setting that would automatically set the scope.

[Bob]

I have toyed with the idea off and on of having a telescope. I'm getting old though, so now when it's dark I tend to opt for my beauty rest (which I need a LOT of, as you can imagine!)

[freedommachine]

A telescope would be one of the coolest items for camping. I do not but it is on my list. I use a pair of binos, they work pretty good but I would love to have a telescope. A good way to pass the time during spring and fall when the sun is not up as long.

[Sophia]

Originally Posted by freedommachine

A telescope would be one of the coolest items for camping. I do not but it is on my list. I use a pair of binos, they work pretty good but I would love to have a telescope. A good way to pass the time during spring and fall when the sun is not up as long.

That's true - and I don't know why we've never thought of it, either. Out in the darkness with lots of stars to look it, that would be pretty cool!

[mi77915]

I have had (3) different telescopes over the past 13 years. I have owned a 6" refractor (looks like a "spy glass"), and (2) reflector (8" & 12" mirror). The reflector styles are much easier to navigate with (in my opinion).

[Refrigerator]

Nope but I sure have been thinking about getting one. I just do not know what direction I need to go. What brand or type. Can you get a good one under a thousand bucks?

[freedommachine]

Say for the average family how do you pick a good telescope out. I see them in kids sections at walmart for like 60 bucks or at other places for like 600 buck with electronics and more junk than I could remember. If a average person was going to just view stars with it a few times a year and through it into a trunk in a car how do you pick a good one out?