Re: Scope or binoculars for 12-year-old boy?


"Bob G." <rg327_remove_@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:m6hvh25hit7hould618lrl253ipt3ftsuv@xxxxxxxxxx

I'd go with the Orion dob in a 4.5" or 5", something easy to handle and
quick to set up. Reasons?
1. He may have ADD but owning and using a telescope may help him
overcome it. This would be a proactive step on your part.
2. These are serious scopes that won't frustrate him and end up staring
at the inside of the garage roof.

for a 12 year old I also would recommend a 4 1/2 or 6 inch DOB....
Just the plain one without electronics etc... small enough that he
can use it by himself, large enough to see plenty of interesting
things, and may require just a little care (collimation every now and
then ..which a 12 year old should be able to do also by himself..

I am into my 60's...and I do own 3-4 pair of binocs...but looking back
to when I was 12 .. and waking up on Christmas morning a with a
Telescope under the tree would make me much happier...LOL

BTW... I also own a 40 dollar little Meade AT-70 refractor with a
table top mount that I purchased not too long ago at (of all places)
Radio Shack... Lots of plastic, but it works quite well sitting on the
patio table or a window sill ! For the price (not on sale) this
"old" guy could not pass it up... carry all the time behnd the seat of
my pickup...!
I really have to second this. There are two seperate 'issues' here, both
what you can see, and the psychology. If working with a limited budget,
binoculars are the best value tool around, and are so damn portable,
_but_, if a child has set their heart on a 'scope', binoculars could
result in a massive feeling of 'let down'. In terms of what you can see
for the money, and 'useability', a small Dob, would have to be the
'choice' scope.
Unfortunately, neither will guarantee that the excitement will continue
very far....
You might want to find out if there is any sot of local astronomy club,
and even better if there is any sort of 'junior' section. One near me,
runs such a section, with some 'themed' evenings, and a small newsletter,
which is designed to try to help a little in keeping the interest.

Best Wishes


.

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