Help me choose a telescope?

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  • Carlos_dfcCarlos_dfc Posts: 8,262
    Forum Member
    mred2000 wrote: »
    I'm intrigued to try out the Revelations, now! :D
    I'm very pleased with them.

    I sketched comet 'PanSTARRS' a few times in the spring.
    This one was done with the Revelations, from my back garden, with typical suburban light-pollution.
    http://s13.postimg.org/i593z9ufb/panstarrssketch.jpg
    and inverted for a 'natural' view.
    http://s2.postimg.org/aoju58zmh/panstarrsinv.jpg
  • TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,405
    Forum Member
    JOHNOR wrote: »
    thank you all for your help.

    decided not to bother with a telescope, but am getting him some binoculars. can ayone recommend a good set please?

    also, any books that would accompany said bincoculars?
    JOHNOR wrote: »
    Thanks guys,

    Yes i'd like to buy him a stand. Any suggestions that would go well with the binoculars mentioned?

    7x50 (7=magnification, 50=main lens diameter in mm) or 10x50 binoculars are portable and can be hand held.
    http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/binoculars.htm

    If you're getting binoculars that are larger than 10x magnification then I'd suggest getting a tripod/stand from the same suppliers as the larger binoculars that recommended by mred2000, Carlos_dfc and others above.
  • Carlos_dfcCarlos_dfc Posts: 8,262
    Forum Member
    7x50 (7=magnification, 50=main lens diameter in mm) or 10x50 binoculars are portable and can be hand held.
    I like 10x50s as a kind of 'bridging' point bewteen charts and telescope - and they're a great 'all-rounder' for daylight use, as well as for astronomy.

    I've found that the stars plotted in a good sky-chart - such as 'SkyAtlas 2000' are a pretty good match for the stars that can be seen when hand-holding a pair of 10x50s.
    So when searching for something dim and elusive, I'll get my bearings by going from chart to 10x50s - then after I've eyeballed the place where the dim object is, I'll then switch to the telescope.
    Also have a pair of 10x50s that live permanently in my car, plus another 3 pairs I use for loaning out at star-parties etc..

    7x50s though.... I never got on with them.
    It's a personal thing, but I don't like narrow apparant fields of view, and I'm yet to find a pair of 7x50s at an affordable price, that have an AFOV wide enough for my likng.
    Similarly most 8x56 and 9x63 - very narrow AFOV unless you're prepared to spend big money on a premium pair.
  • Carlos_dfcCarlos_dfc Posts: 8,262
    Forum Member
    Also - one thing I must add - when buying binoculars for astronomy....

    AVOID ZOOMS - like the plague.

    I've tried several in the past, and have owned a couple - they're all awful for astronomy.
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