Telescope for a 9-year old

ddlong · 01-09-2011 12:49pm #1

Hi,

I'm considering getting a telescope for my 9 year old son for Christmas, but heard someone saying on the radio that the cheap telescopes that you can buy in the larger toy shops or shops such as Argos are a waste of time and money as you can't really see anything with them. However, I would love to give my 9 year old an interest in astronomy but can't really afford to spend €100+ on a telescope, so does anyone know if telescopes less than €100 would be a complete waste of time or would they allow him to see enough to generate an interest ?

Thanks for any advice

Zubeneschamali · 01-09-2011 1:01pm

Decent binoculars are a better bet in that price range, something like these:

Nikon 10x50s

peterako · 01-09-2011 1:11pm

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Decent binoculars are a better bet in that price range, something like these:

Nikon 10x50s

+1....

with a tripod.

Even Lidl's Bresser Binoculars are great as a start...and won't break the bank.

The main thing is to get them steady, hence the tripod. You'll be amazed at the difference this makes.

Clear skies (Oh! To be 9 again.....think of how much more I could see....)

Peter

ddlong · 01-09-2011 1:11pm

Thanks for that. I just feel that a telescope would make him feel more like an astronomer than bincoulars. I saw the following telescope for half price and wondered what you think - would it be okay to start with ?

This Newtonian Telescope with 76mm lens is perfect for budding star gazers.

•Manual focus.
•Centre focusing.
•Prism lens.
•Optical zoom.
•76mm lens.
•35, 56, 175, 105, 168 x optimum magnification.
•525 x maximum magnification.
•Suitable for sky observation.
•Includes aluminium tripod, lens cloth, instruction manual.
•Weight 3.6kg.
•Size H67, W12.5, D12.5cm.

Plug · 01-09-2011 1:34pm

Hello ddlong, I currently have a 130mm scope for sale as I bought a 200mm recently. The scope is 'auto' meaning you don't manually move it but you use a hand control instead, left, right, up, down. When you find the object you are looking for i.e. Saturn you switch on the guide and it will follow Saturn through the night sky. Remember planet earth and Saturn are both moving so with a normal scope you will be only looking at it for a few seconds, This scope will keep it view much longer. Also this scope can be up graded to a 'goto' set up which basically is fully automatic and it has nearly 43000 objects in the memory. You select an object and it goes to it automatically and tracks it through the sky.

The scope comes with original boxing, instructions, 2 eye pieces, finder scope, tripod, new batteries etc. This comes with everything you need, its like new. Here is a picture(not my scope):

That hand control is wrong though this is the one that comes with it(auto):

A scope will like this will cost over €300, Im looking for €150. No less and collection only. Its €50 over your budget but its a hell of a lot better than a scope you'll get for €100. PM if your interested/

p.s sorry mods:o

dlofnep · 01-09-2011 1:37pm

I'd go for Plug's scope if I were you. That's a 5 inch aperture.. A decent start off for your kid. Anything less than 5 inches isn't worth looking at - you may aswell just get binoculars.

ddlong · 01-09-2011 1:40pm

Thanks, but I'd prefer to buy a new one as it'll be a present from Santa ! Just looking for advice on whether the one I saw would be ok.

dlofnep · 01-09-2011 1:46pm

ddlong wrote: »

Thanks, but I'd prefer to buy a new one as it'll be a present from Santa ! Just looking for advice on whether the one I saw would be ok.

No, it would be a waste of time unfortunately. Like I said, you may aswell look at a pair of binoculars. Otherwise, all you're going to do is buy something that looks nice but that will collect dust after 2 weeks.

If you get a decent scope to start off with - your kid will be able to check out jupiter with some detail, the rings of saturn, the orion nebula, the moon in good detail, etc..

Plug's comes with the original boxing. If sealed boxing is your biggest worry - then your priorities are wrong.

Plug · 01-09-2011 1:54pm

ddlong wrote: »

Thanks, but I'd prefer to buy a new one as it'll be a present from Santa ! Just looking for advice on whether the one I saw would be ok.

This is like new, its probably less than a year old. There is not way of telling it was used. The remote for it is also brand new(few days old). Since it has original boxing(brown cardboard) Santa would do his job just fine. Like i said its an absolute bargain and I don't want to sound like a car sales man.

username123 · 01-09-2011 2:03pm

Plug - if I didnt live in a tiny apartment where even my own scope is boxed and in storage Id JUMP on that scope for 150!!

OP - I thonk Plugs scope would be a brilliant Santa present, its a great price, and if it has original packaging as Plug says, then its good as new - remember that telescopes are used to look through - so they dont have wear and tear like something that gets physically handled and used would. I know its over your budget, but as others here have said, youre wasting your money on a 'cheap' scope.

Btw - I dont know Plug, Im not trying to 'plug' his sale

But I do know that its better to spend the money on something decent than waste it on something useless.

Rubecula · 01-09-2011 2:17pm

Blimey Plug, for what you are asking that looks to be a beaut.:)

If I can swim over to Ireland I 'll have it. (Swimming back with it in my arms might be a challenge too far though.):D

k.p.h · 01-09-2011 5:04pm

Just popped you a PM Plug

peterako · 01-09-2011 5:08pm

SO, what will your son want to look at?

There's a saying in Astronomy:

Buy the most aperture you can afford.

Generalisation....but true.

More aperture (bigger mirror or lens depending on scope) = more light gathering ability and therefore the ability to resolve better at higher magnifications.

If you're going for a Newtonian (which are the 'most aperture for the money') then 5" (127 - 130mm) should be the minimum size you should go for....76mm is a total waste of money.

Actually, a 5" may be ideal as larger Newtonians may be cumbersome for your child to move around/set up.

It's also good enough that he shouldn't be dissappointed with the views.

Decent refractors ('lens only' scopes) will be mulitiples of the cost of a Newtonian for equivalent aperture. (
Refractor aperture is worth approx 1.5 x Newtonian/reflector aperture.
So the equivelent to a 130mm Newtonian would be approx a 90mm Refractor.

Decent refractors tend to be heavier than reflectors/Newtonians too.

Plug's scope is a decent deal and you'll be very hard pressed to find a 'new' scope for anything aproaching the money.

Best of luck,
Peter

Plug · 01-09-2011 7:55pm

I've gotten a few PM's already so I'll give ddlong first chance to buy, if ya don't want to I can let the next person in the PM know. Cheers.

dlofnep · 01-09-2011 9:05pm

I'm sure you'll sell it mate, that's a bargain for that price.

ddlong · 06-09-2011 11:41am

Thanks for all the replies and thanks plug for the offer, but please go ahead and sell it to whoever has asked for it. I went ahead and bought the one I saw as it was less than half price so it was under €100 and I couldn't afford anything more than that, much as I'd like to. The reviews I read of it said you could see the craters on the moon with it, so I think if he can even see that much it will be a good start for him and he can progress to better ones as time goes on. Thanks again for all the informed advice

Plug · 06-09-2011 1:17pm

My telescope is also still for sale:(

Telescope for a 9-year old

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