Deanna Schneider wrote: > While we're on the subject, can anyone recommend a good beginner > telescope for my kid? He's got an interest, and I'd like to encourage > it. But, I know nada about this stuff.
DO NOT GO CHEAP!!! A cheap telescope will ruin the experience and turn off most people. Back in my day (mid 80's) A good starter telescope could be had for $100-$150 dollars. The little 1" to 2" refractor telescopes one would get in the Sears or Wards catalogs for ~$20 would only be good for day time terrestrial observations such as bird [or people :-)] watching. For a beginner a good pair of binoculars can be a great investment. You can view most solar system objects and they are much easier to point and aim then a telescope not on a altazimuth mount. There was a great book I used to have called "Astronomy for Binoculars" that I found great even for using my small 3" telescope. If you go for a telescope one usually gets better bang for the buck with a reflector (often called Newtonian) telescope that uses mirror(s) then a refactor that uses lenses. Larger mirrors are cheaper then larger well ground lens. A 3" to 6" reflector telescope will be able to see a wide range or astronomical objects from the moon, planets, comets and nebula. Be prepared to also invest in a good, solid, sturdy tripod for the telescope if it does not come with the telescope. Having a telescope that vibrates in the slightest breeze, touch or even a breath, is a very frustrating thing when one is trying to get a clear focus on something that ain't going to be much larger then a pencil erasure, often just a large pin-prick. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;160198600;22374440;w Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:255400 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
