![]() Recently, many more telescopes are being equipped with computer “GOTO” drives that allow the scope to automatically point to many objects in the sky. I was thinking of getting an scope with the computer that will find things for me. There are accessories that will fix this but we don’t use them unless you also want to use the scope for daylight objects (bird spotting or such) where a right-side-up image matters. All astronomical telescopes (including mine) invert or reverse the image some way and it really doesn’t matter. Whoever told you that an inverted image is a problem doesn’t know much about telescopes, don’t listen to them. Is that a good reason to choose the reflector telescope? I was told that the problem with the refractor telescopes is that the image is inverted, and the reflectors not. 150-250x is ideal for most planet viewing, anything more is probably useless. I typically use between 60 and 150x for most of my observing, with higher magnification (more than 250x) being only rarely usable, no matter how good the telescope is. measured in inches or millimeters for small scopes. Aperture is diameter of the main lens or mirror. If it (the telescope) advertises power, walk away from it!!!!! Magnification is not what you look at, it is aperture that counts. How much power do I need? 200, 300, 500x? General rule, refractors are EXPENSIVE to get good ones, reflectors are less expensive and work very well, most amateur and almost all professional scopes are reflectors for this very reason. Which is better… a reflector or a refractor? These can be a very good value and provide quality instruments for less than this amount. TAAA periodically has instruments for sale which had been donated to the organization it then sells to members. A cheaper mass market scope typically causes more frustration than it is worth. Frequently Asked Questions How much should I expect to spend on my first telescope?Īn investment of $500 is typical for an adequate first telescope. There is a variety of telescope types available you can try to see which is right for you. TAAA also has loaner telescopes at its Dark Sites you can use as a member during the hosted weekends at each site. These meetings provide an opportunity to network with other amateur astronomers, learn more about telescopes, as well as the basics of astronomy. You do not need to own a telescope to come! As a TAAA member, you may also attend our Astronomy Fundamentals Special Interest Group meetings held each month. By attending a club star party, you can observe through member scopes to get an idea of what to expect. Before making an investment in your first telescope, we recommend learning a little about astronomy and getting feedback from TAAA members.
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