A brief synopsis of the conventional wisdom:
- Make sure you really want a telescope. Many beginning astronomers would be better served by a good quality binocular (7×50 or 10×50 are the types most often recommended).
- Visit or join your local astronomy club to try out different telescope types and get advice from owners.
- Avoid department store telescopes, or any telescope advertised as providing unreasonably high magnifications (e.g., a 675x, 60 mm refractor). 50x per inch of aperture is a good, rule-of-thumb, maximum useable magnification.
- Aperture rules–light gathering capability is far more important than magnification.
- A steady mount is as important as any other part of the telescope.
- Don’t buy a telescope that is so difficult to move or set up that you will seldom use it.
- Make sure you have enough money left over to get a few good quality eyepieces or a good barlow lens.
- You get what you pay for.
For all the information you could ever need, visit the following websites:(
= highly recommended)
Astronomical League, Astro Note D3: Considerations when Buying a Telescope: Covers all the bases.- Astronomy.com Telescope Buying Guide: Detailed overview from the publishers of Astronomy magazine. Organized by perceived skill level.
- Astronomy Ratings: Reviews and ratings of hundreds of telescopes, binoculars, and eyepieces. Brief reviews are submitted by the amateur astronomy community. Most items have multiple reviews from different users.
- Astrophotography: Buying A Telescope: General advice as well as things to think about when buying a telescope for a child
- Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews: Detailed reviews of many different types of equipment, submitted by dedicated amateur astronomers./li>
- Guide to Telescopes for the Beginner: Good, brief introduction
- Lymax’s Telescope Buying Tips: Brief list of caveats.
- Midlands(SC) Astronomy Club: Buying a Telescope: Brief. Some links included.
- Mortfield’s Telescope Buying Tips: Basic information, quick read. More detail is available on other pages.
- Ott Planetarium: Buying a Telescope: Basic information and advice. Several pages.
- Perkins Observatory Telescope FAQ: Very detailed: designed for folks who are just getting started.
- Phil Harrington’s Star Ware Home Page: Web site by the author of a popular guide to astronomical equipment.
- Planetarium.Net Telescope Buying Guide: Basic information; includes brief description of mounts and eyepieces.
- Purchasing Amateur Telescopes FAQ: Compiled from Usenet posts by many people. Some reviews of retailers. Last updated in 1994, but still useful.
- Recreational Astronomer: Buying a Telescope: Detailed article with good information for beginners. Several links embedded in text.
- Sky and Telescope — Buying the best telescope: In-depth discussion of what to consider when buying a telescope, from a well-respected amateur astronomy magazine.
- Stargazers Astronomy Shop: Buying a Telescope: Fairly detailed overview.
- Stellafane – Buying a Telescope for the Holidays: Important information to consider BEFORE you decide to buy.
- A Telescope for Under $500.00: Very thorough treatment, with lots of links
- Ting’s www.scopereviews.com: Telescope buying advice as well as in-depth reviews of many specific scopes.
- Todd Gross’ Weather and Astronomy Site: Lots of reviews of telescopes and other equipment. Click on the “Astro-Product Reviews” tab in the quick links frame.
- Used Telescope Buying Points: How to go about finding a good used telescope.
- WHYY: Buying a telescope: Brief description of what to look for. Quick to read.
- Wil Milan: Buying your first telescope: General advice organized by price range.
Author: Michael Mills
