Re: Buying a new telescope...LONG

Welcome to s.a.a.!

For years, the standard advice has been a 6" or 8" dob... and it still
makes lots of sense. There are lots of choices. Many companies make or
import dobs: Discovery, Orion, Hardin (what's left of their inventory),
Celestron, etc.. You can always add computerized object locaters later
on. You can find used telescopes at a reasonable prices on Astromart.

The Intelliscope series from Orion would give you an option for a later
easy, modestly priced, digital setting circle add-on. It would make
your scope "push-to". (Although some have reported that the DSC unit
doesn't work that well in colder climes.) Other dobs also can take
object locaters (what are called DSCs--digital setting circles), which
are pricier, but will you give a richer set of features. Go-to
telescopes tend to be pricey and don't get you as much aperture size for
your money. While many find go-tos useful and recommend them for
novices, many believe as I do that you're better off skipping them. Few
people get into this hobby knowing where things are. You learn as you
go. Then later you can add push-to DSCs and you'll value them more!

Investing in aperture (rather than go-to), a Telrad (projects rede
circles against the sky so you can easily position the scope), and some
Telrad finder charts (showing you where to find objects given the Telrad
circles) will set you up well. With books such as Turn Left at Orion or
Nightwatch, you'll also have another guided way of finding things.

You should talk more with Starlord, as having an experienced,
knowledgeable contact will help you. If there is a club near you, you
can go to a public night and see lots of scopes in action. First-hand
experience is invaluable in deciding what's best for you.

There are lots of beginner's buying guides on the net... just Google
for FAQs, beginner telescope recommendations, etc. Check out Orion's
catalog and web site for information about scopes generally (they'll
send you a copy free)... Sky & Telescope also has good introductory
material. There are small scope and beginner's forums on such astro
boards as Cloudy Nights (check out Astromart forums, too).

In hard copy, books such as The Backyard Astronomer's Guide (& StarWare
& others ) will cover the astro gamut well and teach you a lot about
type of scopes and picking a good starter one.

Don't get hung up on picking an ideal first scope. Many people in this
hobby go through several scopes before finding the one or two (or 3 or
4) that they really like and hang on to. It takes experience with a
scope to really figure out its pros and cons and what suits you best.
You probably will have to own for a while to discover that. Still, as
a first scope, you generally can't go wrong making it a 6" or 8"
Dobsonian.

Good luck and feel free to ask us more questions. And let us know down
the road what you get and how you like it!

Larry Stedman
Vestal
.

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