telescope
- Thread starter r.bartlett
- Start date
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On the contrary, they are essential, but you need a very high quality scope/mechanism.
Unfortunately way over £50.00......
You didn't expect the billions their are then..................
The main problem in this country is light pollution, which prevents you seeing very much of the night sky.
I was amazed by the view, when I once spent 2 nights in the Sahara desert.
I wonder what view astronauts get........
I was talking within the OP's budget, agreed if moneys no object then there are good tracking mounts out there but not cheap by a long chalk, the cheap ones have problems with servo gear slip and poor mapping.
On the contrary, they are essential, but you need a very high quality scope/mechanism.
Unfortunately way over £50.00......
You didn't expect the billions their are then..................
The main problem in this country is light pollution, which prevents you seeing very much of the night sky.
I was amazed by the view, when I once spent 2 nights in the Sahara desert.
I wonder what view astronauts get........
The shock came from just how densely populated the sky is, you don't get any idea just looking up with the naked eye all you normally see are the brighter stars. True you'll get a much better view in a field out in the middle of nowhere away from all the lights of the built up areas.
Unfortunately you will need to travel much further afield to see the night sky at its best.
Notice how all of great britain is affected, best places would be the North and South poles.
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Better get me thermals on thenUnfortunately you will need to travel much further afield to see the night sky at its best.
Notice how all of great britain is affected, best places would be the North and South poles.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...s/the-ten-best-telescopes-875498.html[/QUOTE]
You've been warned, buy him a decent one ya doorhinge.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...s/the-ten-best-telescopes-875498.html[/QUOTE]
You've been warned, buy him a decent one ya doorhinge.
Sexist pig-
It's a her, besides like most 6 yr olds it'll be 'over' by Boxing day
Cheers
Richard
Anyway, seeing as we're talking about a little girl, buy her some marigolds and tell her she can see the stars out of the kitchen window while she's washing the dishes.
Mind you that particular scope doesnt look too bad for the money, I'd check out some reviews first though.
B
breezer
go with my option then.
When she looks through it, stand closer.
she may even find it funny, and as you said
The first thing you have to do is get away from the popular misconception that magnification is everything. It isn't. Magnification matters if you're using a scope for terrestrial observation and, up to a point, for looking at planets but, with one exception, stars will appear as pin points of light no matter how many times you try to magnify them.
The most important aspect of an astronomical telescope is the aperture size. In other words, how much light can it collect. It is this which will enable her to see faint stars and, less obviously, to focus them better. No matter how good your optics are you can't get around the problem of diffraction. The bigger your object lens (or mirror) the better your angular resolution.
For a six year old, I would go for a refractor telescope because they're more robust than reflectors. Look for an object lens size of at least 70mm. Read the reviews and get a good one. The magnification is determined by the eyepiece. These vary a lot in quality and price but they have the advantage of being interchangeable. You can start with a basic one of around X30 and upgrade later if she's really keen. A right-angle adapter (can't remember the proper name for these) is worth having. Not only will it let her look upwards without getting a stiff neck; it will also turn terrestrial objects the right way up.
And finally --
A keen astronomer once told me that the most important piece of equipment is a decent star atlas. He recommended Norton's Star Atlas which isn't cheap but it's good. There are alternatives these days that won't cost you anything. Have a look around the internet.
PS: About ten years ago, I managed to get a reasonably good telescope for £50, reduced from £90 in a sale. It had, I think, a 70mm object lens, X28 and X70 eye pieces and the right-angle thing. The star atlas cost £28!
The most important aspect of an astronomical telescope is the aperture size. In other words, how much light can it collect. It is this which will enable her to see faint stars and, less obviously, to focus them better. No matter how good your optics are you can't get around the problem of diffraction. The bigger your object lens (or mirror) the better your angular resolution.
For a six year old, I would go for a refractor telescope because they're more robust than reflectors. Look for an object lens size of at least 70mm. Read the reviews and get a good one. The magnification is determined by the eyepiece. These vary a lot in quality and price but they have the advantage of being interchangeable. You can start with a basic one of around X30 and upgrade later if she's really keen. A right-angle adapter (can't remember the proper name for these) is worth having. Not only will it let her look upwards without getting a stiff neck; it will also turn terrestrial objects the right way up.
And finally --
A keen astronomer once told me that the most important piece of equipment is a decent star atlas. He recommended Norton's Star Atlas which isn't cheap but it's good. There are alternatives these days that won't cost you anything. Have a look around the internet.
PS: About ten years ago, I managed to get a reasonably good telescope for £50, reduced from £90 in a sale. It had, I think, a 70mm object lens, X28 and X70 eye pieces and the right-angle thing.
The star atlas cost £28! The first thing you have to do is get away from the popular misconception that magnification is everything. It isn't. Magnification matters if you're using a scope for terrestrial observation and, up to a point, for looking at planets but, with one exception, stars will appear as pin points of light no matter how many times you try to magnify them.
The most important aspect of an astronomical telescope is the aperture size. In other words, how much light can it collect. It is this which will enable her to see faint stars and, less obviously, to focus them better. No matter how good your optics are you can't get around the problem of diffraction. The bigger your object lens (or mirror) the better your angular resolution.
For a six year old, I would go for a refractor telescope because they're more robust than reflectors. Look for an object lens size of at least 70mm. Read the reviews and get a good one. The magnification is determined by the eyepiece. These vary a lot in quality and price but they have the advantage of being interchangeable. You can start with a basic one of around X30 and upgrade later if she's really keen. A right-angle adapter (can't remember the proper name for these) is worth having. Not only will it let her look upwards without getting a stiff neck; it will also turn terrestrial objects the right way up.
And finally --
A keen astronomer once told me that the most important piece of equipment is a decent star atlas. He recommended Norton's Star Atlas which isn't cheap but it's good. There are alternatives these days that won't cost you anything. Have a look around the internet.
PS: About ten years ago, I managed to get a reasonably good telescope for £50, reduced from £90 in a sale. It had, I think, a 70mm object lens, X28 and X70 eye pieces and the right-angle thing.
Good advice from spacecat, as he says, anything less than 70mm objective lens is virtually useless, go for the largest lens you can afford, a second hand reflector (mirror) if you can find a big enough one can be a good buy. And bear in mind the more magnification you use on the eyepieces the more light you will lose on your image so as said before, magnification isn't everything.
If all else fails invest in a good pair of binoculars.
Many thanks for the good advice.
Cheers
Richard
Cheers
Richard
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