Telescope question

[IrishEyes]

<p>Hello guys. Newbie here. To this site and pretty much to astromony as well.&nbsp;</p><p>I became electrified and facinated with science and space when I watched Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" about five years ago. I was a senior in college at the time and I had a friend that was in charge of the university planaterium. He lent me the "Cosmos" series and I was hooked.&nbsp;</p><p>I am looking to buy a telescope in the next month and have no idea what to look for or what is the best way to go about it.&nbsp;</p><p>I want to spend between $500 - $1000. Could I get a decent one for this price? </p><p>Could someone tell me what to look for when purchasing one as far as specs and such. Also, is it better to buy online?&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Thanks in advance.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Edit to add: Sorry if I started this thread in the wrong forum. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-sealed.gif" border="0" alt="Sealed" title="Sealed" /> </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[brandbll]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hello guys. Newbie here. To this site and pretty much to astromony as well.&nbsp;I became electrified and facinated with science and space when I watched Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" about five years ago. I was a senior in college at the time and I had a friend that was in charge of the university planaterium. He lent me the "Cosmos" series and I was hooked.&nbsp;I am looking to buy a telescope in the next month and have no idea what to look for or what is the best way to go about it.&nbsp;I want to spend between $500 - $1000. Could I get a decent one for this price? Could someone tell me what to look for when purchasing one as far as specs and such. Also, is it better to buy online?&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks in advance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Edit to add: Sorry if I started this thread in the wrong forum. <br />Posted by IrishEyes</DIV><br /><br />Yep, check out the "Ask the Astronomer Forum" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="3">You wanna talk some jive? I'll talk some jive. I'll talk some jive like you've never heard!</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hello guys. Newbie here. To this site and pretty much to astromony as well.&nbsp;I became electrified and facinated with science and space when I watched Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" about five years ago. I was a senior in college at the time and I had a friend that was in charge of the university planaterium. He lent me the "Cosmos" series and I was hooked.&nbsp;I am looking to buy a telescope in the next month and have no idea what to look for or what is the best way to go about it.&nbsp;I want to spend between $500 - $1000. Could I get a decent one for this price? Could someone tell me what to look for when purchasing one as far as specs and such. Also, is it better to buy online?&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks in advance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Edit to add: Sorry if I started this thread in the wrong forum. <br />Posted by IrishEyes</DIV></p><p>Welcome to Space.com!<br /><br />What do you want to look at? &nbsp;Planets, galaxies, clusters? Different scopes have different strengths. How light polluted are your skies? How much do you know or are willing to learn about finding your way around the sky? Would you rather get a smaller scope (allowing you to see less) that will point at objects for you, or would you rather get a bigger scope (allowing you to see more) that you will have to drive yourself, hence learn a lot about the sky first?</p><p>$500 to $1000 is enough for a good scope.</p><p>The advice I ALWAYS give, is to try and find a nearby astronomy club so you can see different kinds of scopes in action&nbsp;to&nbsp;get a feel for&nbsp;what they can do, and what you are comfortable with.</p><p>I am not the scope expert here, I'm the meteor guy, so this is just general advice. If you answer the questions, when the scope folks come along, they will have the information tneeded to give you some good advice.</p><p>Also, read through the "Looking to Buy Your First Telecope" thread pinned at the top of this forum.</p><p>Wayne</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>