Bumpity bump bump.
I'm thinking of getting a telescope for Christmas. I've never had one before, so I'd classify myself as being an enthusiastic beginner. I'd be interested in seeing Jupiter/Saturn and their moons, some casual stargazing etc. Was thinking of a 4-5" reflector, either table top or tripod. I'm on a good area in terms of having little light pollution.
My budget is up to £200, probably a max of 230 if it's including lenses.
Anyone got any suggestions?
I have got a suggestion.
Don't buy a telescope.
You are much, much better off with good binoculars to start with. You might just about see Jupiter as a bright object and you'll see the moons (which are amazing). Plus you might on a good day just about make out Saturns rings depending on your 'scope - but getting a telescope for those two objects isn't really worth it
(btw the Moon is a cracking object in a telescope)
What I'd suggest is to first see if you've got the mettle to be an enthusiastic beginner. It doesn't occur to you (Well it didn't to me) that to get the telescope out, you need to do some pre-planning, find a spot, get it set up before time, get it weighted down a bit (I used bricks in bin bags) if it's a bit windy. Make sure your spec is good. Make sure streetlights don't get in the way. Make sure your object is actually visible and that trees, fences, houses and the like aren't in the way. Make sure it's actually dark enough and make sure that you know how to use your scope.
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So... don't get a scope.. yet..
Get some GOOD binoculars (Image stabalising ones if you can) - I had a telescope and I had some astronomy binocs which also needed a tripod and my stargazing was limited as half the time I couldn't be arsed with the messing about.
Since then I've got some Canono 18.50 Image Stabalising Binocs which are tremendous. No tripod needed. If I want to go out and look at something then I'm out there in 2 minutes flat and can wander around.
So.. Don't get scope yet.. Start with your eyes. See if you can be arsed being outside in the cold and dark. Start with constellations and planets. Get a free/cheap app on your phone which tells you what is about and even lets you hold it up so you can move to things.
If you enjoy watching with just your eyes and you get into namign the constellations and moving around between them THEN think about getting some binoculars. Compared to your normal vision, binoculars show a wealth of stars that you just couldn't see with the naked eye.
If you spend a year with naked-eye vision and binocs and love it THEN buy a scope.
People buy a telescope often because it sounds dead interesting and exciting seeing the stars and the planets and I do enjoy it - as do many people - but boiling it down, a lot of it is being cold and looking at loads of dots. Once you start to know what those dots are and how to move around them (You'll need that for the price you're paying for a scope - more expensive ones come with computer guided mounts - but not for your price range) then it becomes a whole lot more interesting.
Sorry a bit of a rambling post there but to sum up these are the steps that might work for you
1. Get out in your garden and use your eyes. Do you enjoy looking at stars and finding out what stuff is?
2. Assuming you like being cold and looking at dots, look for a good recommended pair of binoculars (I have actually got four - very low, medium, high and very high magnifications) - the very low ones are better than you might think - you need to be getting your head around moving among them and finding them with your binoculars
3. Assuming you like looking at dots and then you find you like looking at dots through binoculars then you might be in line to think about the scope - these can bring their own challenges -some are the right way up (like binoculars) and some are upside down...