pslewis

Whats the best Telescope to buy for about £150?

And which for about £300?

NOT for spying on the naked lady opposite!!!!

But for a present

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

What do you want it for? Astronomy or bird watching?

TopBanana

You can't get anything decent for £150. For £300 it would depend on what you want to look at.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Pete, I'll sell you my Celestron Newtonian astronomical telescope. I'm saving up for a Meade LX90 10" GPS Schmidt-Cassegrain and need all the help I can get

Jamie

Try the hobby-eberly might be for sale

dpb

Dont feed him information - hell only store it and use it later

pslewis

It's for my Dad - he has always wanted one and at 99 year old we have decided he should have one for his 100th birthday.

He wants to look at the ships and birds apparently?

The moon and stars are too far away for his old eyes to see!!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Pete's my friend aren't you Pete, we go waaaay back, he wouldn't use anything against me Anyway I only know about astronomical telescopes so I can't help you, sorry.

Are you sure he doesn't want to look at stars? My Celestron is very nice

pslewis

Of course we do, waaaaaay back when Noah was a boy

We are best of Internet buddies

She knows she is safe with me ...................................

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

Bubba po

LoL... I nearly tried to flick that off my screen.

TopBanana

Got me too!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

And me

Tam the bam

I didn't go to flick it off... honest

pslewis

So, point me in the right direction - what about a scope?

The Chief

Pete get yourself a big refractor if you can - a refractor is the one that uses lenses and is mostly maintanance free where as a reflector which uses mirrors has to have them reground every few years.

also a refractor has more 'light pull' per square inch than a reflector - so dont be fooled by a 6 inch reflector - they're are only as good as a 3 inch refractor.

downsides is a big refractor is a bulky swine - so if your carting it about everywhere its a pain in the bum.


Meade and Celestron are excellent makes.

try this place if its not too far for you.

Stockport Binocular & Telescope Centre.

The Chief

Also make sure that the tripod is extremely well built - there is nothing worse than a wobbly image 'cos the tripod is crap.

just as important as the optics

David Lock

Have you discounted a decent pair of not too heavy binoculars?

I would have thoght they would be easier for an old boy to handle.

The Chief

some more....

Stockport Binocular & Telescope Centre. Refractors

TonyG

If you get an astronomical telescope, don't forget that the image will be upside down, unless you get an appropriate lens/eyepiece.
Upside down isn't good for terrestrial use, especially if it's ships/birds that he wants to look at.

WRX_Dazza

pete, don't aldi sell them?


here:-
(scroll down one item!!!) - cheapskate

http://uk.aldi.com/newsletters/1757/index.html

Graz

Likely story

Leslie

I have tried both types and I also found that the refractor was best all round.

Les

billythekid

I have a Meade ETX-105. Very happy with it. You could go for an ETX-90, at the top of your budget but worth it.

Transvestite pslewis

Thanks chaps,

Will look into the stuff you've mentioned so far. My Dad is going to have a great 100th birthday, hopefully my revelation regarding how I prefer to dress won't spoil the day too much.

Pete

pslewis

Thanks all - my Aussie cousins can send me over a Telescope sold in Australia, as the image will be the right way up when used in the UK.

Binoculars may be an idea - I don't think he has thought it through properly Daft old duffer!!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

A decent pair of binoculars on a monopod are good idea and easy to carry around. Canon Image Stabilisers are excellent, I have the 10x30 IS on my birthday wish list. See here

The gadget show did a review on the 10x30 IS last year and they came out top as recommended by Chris Ryan

I use binos a lot for my various (nerdy) hobbies and find them much easier to lug about than my telescope

dpb

Thats 1/2 his weekly wage

Leslie

It should include a lens which converts the image to the right way up for terrestrial use.

Les

Graz

You're a chip off the old block then Like father, like son etc.