I want to buy a telescope but don't know what i need!!

[tifftifco2]

Just want to stare in to space no seriously always wanted a telescope but no idea where to start or what i need ive some binoculars 10 x 50 whatever that means but id like to see some planets can anyone advise me please dont or cant spend alot really thanks

[Blackbeard]

Just want to stare in to space no seriously always wanted a telescope but no idea where to start or what i need ive some binoculars 10 x 50 whatever that means but id like to see some planets can anyone advise me please dont or cant spend alot really thanks

 

Why not contact the Sheffield Astronomical Society, get some local knowledge and even use their equipment.

http://www.sheffieldastro.org.uk/

or try looking at the Sky and Telescope web site, it should give you some idea of the kind of equipment you may need but remember it is an American site.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/basics

[tifftifco2]

Why not contact the Sheffield Astronomical Society, get some local knowledge and even use their equipment.

http://www.sheffieldastro.org.uk/

or try looking at the Sky and Telescope web site, it should give you some idea of the kind of equipment you may need but remember it is an American site.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipment/basics

 

thanks ill take a look

[hennypenny]

This was posted on one of my home education forums last week - I don't have any knowledge of telescopes myself, so please check it out yourself.

LIDLs will be selling a refractor telescope kit with tripod (described as Prof. telescope on a durable, adjustable aluminium tripod. Includes PC astronomy software, lunar map. star compass, 1.5x erecting lens and instruction manual. Features magnification 35x - 175x; lens diameter mm:70; focal length mm: 700; 3 high quality oculars with 20, 12 and 4mm focal lengths.

 

***We have one of these Bresser telescopes/tripods and have found it much better than a celestron telescope that we paid alot more for***

 

They do get good reviews online and this telescope was recommended as excellent value for money on an astronomy course we went on last year.

They go very, very quickly so get in early on Thursday 25th Nov and grab yourself a bargain. Take to a dark place and enjoy.

[HeadingNorth]

I do recall that when I was an enthusiastic beginner, I actually found a pair of binoculars more useful than the sort of telescope you can buy in, for instance, Argos. I could never find anything in the telescope field because it was so hard to adjust it properly. A really good telescope can be adjusted a tiny fraction of an inch at a time, instead of shoving it around by hand.

 

A pair of 10*50 binoculars should be good enough to show the planets as visible discs instead of mere points of light, but I'm not sure how much detail you would find. The next time we have a clear evening, look around for the brightest star currently in the sky - it's not a star, it's the planet Jupiter - and have a look through the bins and see how good the experience is.