| Telescope for a beginner 11:15 - Nov 18 with 3863 views | KingsCrossBlue |
I've noticed a few threads on star gazing and astronomy on here with a few of you sounding like you definitely know what you are talking about.
On that basis, can any of you recommend a decent telescope for a beginner? Since moving out to the sticks my Mrs has become obsessed with the Night Sky app - so thinking this could be the ideal xmas present. |  | | |  |
| Telescope for a beginner on 11:25 - Aug 17 with 392 views | StokieBlue |
| Telescope for a beginner on 17:15 - Nov 18 by ArnoldMoorhen |
Keep posting the results here, please! |
Nine months on, a small update for anyone who is interested in seeing what a difference a bit more knowledge and equipment can make.
Some recent images, you can get a bigger image by clicking on them if you want.
Eastern Veil supernova remant (NGC6992):
Lobster Claw Nebula (SH2-157):
M33 - Triangulum Galaxy
SB |  |
| Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula |
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| Telescope for a beginner on 12:22 - Aug 17 with 350 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
| Telescope for a beginner on 11:25 - Aug 17 by StokieBlue |
Nine months on, a small update for anyone who is interested in seeing what a difference a bit more knowledge and equipment can make.
Some recent images, you can get a bigger image by clicking on them if you want.
Eastern Veil supernova remant (NGC6992):
Lobster Claw Nebula (SH2-157):
M33 - Triangulum Galaxy
SB |
That Eastern Veil photo is like the photos they used to show on Sky at Night not very long ago.
It is incredible how the technology has been democratised to give results that just a few years ago would have only been available to University Astrophysics departments or NASA or the ESA!
(You still had to have the knowledge, patience and skill to take it, which I am not undermining!) | | | |
| Telescope for a beginner on 15:25 - Aug 17 with 311 views | StokieBlue |
| Telescope for a beginner on 12:22 - Aug 17 by ArnoldMoorhen |
That Eastern Veil photo is like the photos they used to show on Sky at Night not very long ago.
It is incredible how the technology has been democratised to give results that just a few years ago would have only been available to University Astrophysics departments or NASA or the ESA!
(You still had to have the knowledge, patience and skill to take it, which I am not undermining!) |
You're certainly right that the technology (especially on the software side) has improved greatly in the last decade and makes a a viable hobby when one can get some very good images. Hopefully I'll have improved again in another nine months.
It makes a big difference getting to locations with dark skies, unfortunately that doesn't happen very often and those locations are becoming few and far between:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/27/light-pollution-threatens-to-mak
There does seem to be some appreciation of this issue now so hopefully very simple measures will be put in place which make a big difference.
SB | |
| Avatar - IC410 - Tadpoles Nebula |
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| Telescope for a beginner on 21:48 - Aug 17 with 274 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Telescope for a beginner on 16:18 - Nov 18 by GeoffSentence |
Here's my advice for what it's worth. The best telescope is the one you use the most.
I have two newtonian scopes and they are great for detailed looks at planets and some deep sky objects like nebulae and some galaxies, but despite that the thing I use most is a forty quid monocular. It is so easy to use, just pull it out of your pocket and gaze away. Not so much detail, for individual objects, but it has a wide field of view and is greater for looking at the stars and in particular star clusters.
The bigger the scope, the less mobile it is, they can get blinking heavy, so to begin with it might be a good idea to get a travel scope something like a 74mm newtonian.
Celestron and Skywatcher both do good ranges of beginner telescopes.
Whatever you get, I'd also advise getting a good finder scope or reflex sight to go with it. It can be surprisingly difficult to find objects in the night sky with a telescope and a good finder or reflex sight can save a lot of frustration.
[Post edited 18 Nov 2022 16:20]
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You sound like you might be interested in my colleagues work.
To cut a long story short, he has found a way to expose the light from a single star onto photographic paper.
http://www.lightofdistantstars.com |  |
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| Telescope for a beginner on 09:21 - Aug 18 with 239 views | stonojnr |
My advice for beginners has always been buy a decent set of binoculars first instead, not a telescope.
Because you will find they're more practical and you can see just as much of the night sky, and it won't end up sat in the corner of the room with you thinking why did I buy that, which a good chunk of telescopes do | | | |
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