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  • 08-08-2004 06:34PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 520 ✭✭✭


    Can anyone recommend a cheap telescope to a newbie(me).I have one that let's me see the moon(belonged to my granddad).

    I have about 200euro to spend at the moment.Any tip's as to what to buy or where would be appreciated.

    G


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5 stepryan


    global wrote:
    Can anyone recommend a cheap telescope to a newbie(me).I have one that let's me see the moon(belonged to my granddad).

    I have about 200euro to spend at the moment.Any tip's as to what to buy or where would be appreciated.

    G


    for 200 euro you will not get much. you could get a decent pair of binoculars which can be used for more than astronomy and can always be used even if you don't develop a serious interest in observing. you could try the follow companies:-
    http://www.mccreaa.freeserve.co.uk/ north down telescopes or
    http://www.andromedaoptics.com/ andromeda optics both of these are run by amateurs so they should be able to help you decide. i would try to stay away from astronomy ireland as you can get better deal for your money elsewhere, they appear to a bit overpriced. the best advice though would to be to join a society in your area. have a look at:-http://www.irishastronomy.org to find one in your area as you can get advice from people who own telescopes and also on observing nights a chance to look through some of them. you can then maybe leave a telescope till later when you have a better idea and saved more money.
    stephen.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,006 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    Start with a good set of binoculars and get a good star atlas and then get to know the skies a bit. You can see an awful lot with a pair of binoculars. Very portable and good for sweeping across the sky quickly, which you can't do with a telescope. It is more for stationary observing, looking at a particular point for a bit longer. So get those binoculars and in the meantime you can be saving to get yourself a good telescope.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 267 ✭✭C Fodder


    Were the telescopes that Lidl /Aldi had last year any good. From the very little I know one of them seemed to have a scope that was high spec and if so expect it again this year was around €60 / €70 afaik. leaves a nice few quid for a half decent binoculars and a copy of Redshift


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 520 ✭✭✭Xcom2


    Thank's for the advice :D

    I guess it is binoculars for now then,sorry but where would I get a star atlas?

    G


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 395 ✭✭albertw


    Hi,
    C Fodder wrote:
    Were the telescopes that Lidl /Aldi had last year any good. From the very little I know one of them seemed to have a scope that was high spec and if so expect it again this year was around €60 / €70 afaik. leaves a nice few quid for a half decent binoculars and a copy of Redshift

    I got one from Lidl and it was fine. The eyepieces are fairly crap, but using decent eyepieces they make a decent small scope.

    Cheers,
    ~Al


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,006 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    Any good bookshop will sell good star atlases. Find something physically small enough to carry around. They will also give you a lot of other information on astronomy, maybe even advice on telescopes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 589 ✭✭✭Is1ldur


    I saw binoculars in that camera shop in Blanchardstown, cannot remember the make, but they were 16*50, and were not too expensive, about 130 or 150 IIRC. Would these be any use whatsoever. I have a pair 10*30 at home, and you really cannot see very much, even of the moon, would 10-50 allow me to see much more detail, or would 16*50 be better.


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