I agree - good binoculars have the same magnifying power as lower-end telescopes and provide much more comfortable viewing.
There are some models (although most are crappy) that even integrate a digital camera so you can snap images of what you're looking at. Just a thought, but you may want to check with a local military surplus shop. You may be able to pick up a great, military quality pair for a decent price. Somewhat between your two options is a mounted binocular scope (longer and heavier than binoculars, but much more powerful yet smaller than most telescopes and featuring binocular use). My grandfather has a beautiful (if somewhat beaten) one that he brought back from Germany after the war (its original use was a tank's range and targeting scope). It's easily powerful enough to read license plates from several hundred yards. Aside from the swastika it'd make a great gift. ;^) But honestly - military surplus stores make for great shopping. Jim Davis -----Original Message----- From: Ian Skinner [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, November 15, 2004 1:13 PM To: CF-Community Subject: RE: Telescopes and Laptops Actually you do want a good quality set of binoculars. Aiming, and keeping on target, a telescope at a moving terrestrial object would not be an exercise that I would want to engage in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:136046 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
