Beginners Guide to Astronomy
Choosing a Telescope
By Shawn Grant
Someone once told me that if there were a perfect telescope everybody would own it. There isn't a one perfect telescope there several different types of telescopes and each is suited for different things. I am not going to compare name brands or say which telescope is the best but will try to explain what types maybe best suited for your observing interest, budget and portability.
The first thing to do before buying a telescope is to determine what you are going to use it for. Are you interested in observing the Sun, Moon and planets? Maybe you want to explore the riches of deep sky objects. Do you plan on doing photography or CCD imaging?
A six-inch long focal length Newtonian has always showed remarkable views of our neighborhood. The best views of the planets that I have seen have come from six-inch Newtonians. The aperture for planetary is between ten-inches to six-inches. In good seeing the larger aperture is better for resolution. In bad seeing the smaller aperture is better, bad seeing doesn't have as much effect on the smaller size. Any long focal length telescope has great views of the solar system. For planetary viewing it is best to have a clock drive. This will keep the planet in the eyepiece and at high power will make observing much easier. For deep sky observing aperture is the key. In general get the largest telescope you can afford and easily handle and transport. Dobsonians are the best way to get the aperture at the lowest price. This style is the most common for deep sky use. For astrophotography and CCD imaging a telescope with a clock drive is a must. I don't know what telescope is the best for this use but the SCT is very popular. Newtonians on an equatorial mount with a clock drive are also popular; however, they are not as portable as an SCT but are nice in an observatory. Maybe you don't want to just observe just one type of objects you want variety. An SCT gives this variety. It has great views of planetary objects and it is large enough for deep sky objects. They have a clock drive for photography and CCD use. They are also very portable. It isn't the best for planetary or deep sky but it is a nice balance between both worlds. The price may seem high at first compared to other telescopes but if this is what you want it is well worth the money. An eight-inch dobson or Newtonians on an equatorial mount are very versatile too.
There are other things to consider your budget and portability. Look at your storage capabilities and your vehicle. You don't want a telescope you can't haul around or store. Also consider how heavy the telescope is. If the telescope is to heavy and a pain in the rear you won't use it. A four-inch that is used is far better then the sixteen-inch in storage. Consider ease of set up, you want a telescope that sets up fairly easy. Now for the hard part your budget. You want a telescope of good quality, one with a good mirror and good components. If you can't afford a quality telescope now wait and save your money. It is much more pleasurable to have a well made telescope then a substandard one. While you are saving your money you can read, explore the sky with naked eye and binoculars. By doing this you will be much more knowledgeable and it will make it much easier to learn how to use a telescope.
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