How to Choose a Small Telescope on a Tight Budget

[@petekellermann9424]

I am an amatuer astronomer with over 45 years experience myself . I picked up the 50mm Explorer One telescope last years for my anual Christmas Telescope reiew, the telescopes kids will most likely recieve for Christmas. I was so inpress with this scope that I kelp it for myself. Since that time I have viewed most of the Messier objects throught this telescope. Pete Kellermann

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

Thanks Pete, I use my 1970-era 40mm small table-top refractor because I am also curious about what you really can see with small aperture. I think it brings me closer to Galileo's own experience of the sky, and it challenges me to hone my observing skills. Like you I have also observed many Messier objects with these small telescopes, and I love showing my friends who think that you can't observe deep sky objects with anything less than a 60mm or 70mm telescope. I recently wrote a blog entry where I compare what you can see in the Orion Nebula through telescopes ranging from 50mm on up that might interest you: explorescientificusa.com/blogs/explorescientific/how-to-choose-a-good-first-telescope

[@dgroovy7]

I’m here trying to research the best inexpensive telescope for my 8yr old. He’s developed curiosity for the galaxy and I want to support him. Unfortunately due to the pandemic money is indeed a bit tight. Unfortunately I wasn’t one of the lucky unemployed getting that extra $600 but fortunate to still have my job. This video is very helpful. Thank you 🙏🏽

[@brianreynolds1098]

Always a subject worth covering, Scott. Thanks very much for giving everyone a breakdown of what they should be looking for in a scope, without even trying to sell your brand. Nicely done!

[@jimsinnovations2737]

OHHHHHH, so the finder is basically like a scope for my rifle, and the scope itself is like the barrel. now i get it Thank you

[@claudetteoddo7088]

Thank you so much for this very interesting and informative vídeo. I'm looking for a beginners telescope for my grandson and this is exactally what I needed!!

[@SheltonDCruz]

thanks alot for a very detailed review!

[@GrnXnham]

I've been an amateur astronomer for many years. In my experience, you can't tell a newbie to "start with binoculars." They just don't get it. In their minds, binos are for watching wildlife and sporting events and telescopes are for looking at the heavens. To them, it's like telling them to use a hammer to saw a log. It's also just more COOL to use a telescope, right? I mean everybody has a pair of binos but not everyone has a telescope! Most other astronomers I've known did not realize the value of binos until they were more experienced astronomers. Most of us start with a telescope and then slowly incorporate different binoculars into our viewing also. I don't know what to tell someone who has a budget of $50. You simply can not get a telescope that for that price that you aren't going to find frustrating to use. It's just like anything else. You can only go so cheap before the thing you are buying becomes nearly worthless.

[@MarkMphonoman]

GrnXnham you are so right about binoculars. And, buying a cheap, plastic, big box store telescope will only turn people off to amateur astronomy forever. Instead, I suggest they join a local astronomy club and spend time viewing through a real telescope.

[@ExploreScientificOfficial]

I think beginners who are very focused on getting a telescope should go ahead and get one, even a used one. But they should also add as every astronomer should a 40mm or larger pair of binoculars. They are two very different instruments, binos are great for wide field deep-sky viewing, and the small telescope is good for the planets, craters on the moon, etc. Together these instruments can give a good start in observational astronomy.

[@freeman10000]

@@MarkMphonoman I am not a big fan of Astronomy clubs and they are not particularly welcoming places for the younger beginner. My advice if you want to get into astronomy and don't have much money. Buy a telescope, the best one you can afford. If you have real passion for this hobby starting with a crappy scope won't put out the fire.

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

Thanks Bob, the under $100 or under $50 budget problem for a telescope can be solved by hitting some garage sales, or by joining an astronomy club that may have a telescope lending library. Some public libraries also have telescopes that you can check out with your library card. In my experience, many astronomy clubs often turn away telescope donations that are not at least 6-inches or larger aperture, but remember, Galileo's original telescope had a 37mm aperture lens (with nowhere near the optical quality that is routinely available today), and he changed the world with his.

[@donaldkasper8346]

Get a used Dobsonian Newtonian, put it on a good equatorial mount. 6 to 8 inches aperture. 8 inches holds up fine on a CG-4. Forget the tiny aperture junk.

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

A used Dobsonian is a great idea, and you might be able to find one for less than $100. But a good equatorial mount is going to set you back...

[@shaileshkakde5135]

Thank you sir giving to information

[@jimsinnovations2737]

@13:14 you talk about the color beinging black, my scope is like that but instead of black the back piece is chrome is that any good its a 60d 700f

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

Hello Jim, Have you put it to the test on the sky? I would say that any telescope that works is better than no telescope at all.

[@jimsinnovations2737]

@@scottinspaceofficialchanne839 yea i have finally , got some parts i needed it works , trying to figure out how to use it better lol i cant find anything

[@book3100]

10x binos and a $20 camera tripod can get you going pretty well imo. I got going with a 15x70 and a $70 heavy duty tripod.

[@ExploreScientificOfficial]

Every astronomer should have binoculars. Their wide field of view and large exit pupil allow you to get stunning low power views. But at only 10 or 20 power they will not show enough image scale to give a satisfying view of Saturn's Rings for example. So, binoculars and an inexpensive telescope can take you a long way.

[@book3100]

@@ExploreScientificOfficial agree. That's my current set. Recently got a 120mm refractor, but I've got to save a bit and start getting a few eyepieces. Been drooling over that 52° set you have.

[@goggleuserunderduress9927]

how would I go about using a large zoom lens for a spotting scope without using a camera, is there some kind of adapter or something?

[@ExploreScientificOfficial]

Hello, you would have to make an adapter that would hold an eyepiece. Decades ago I saw such an adapter offered for camera lenses, but for whatever reason it did not sell well.

[@piterquestionador4718]

how much magnitude it captures in the city ?

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

Hello Piter, that is a difficult question to answer as how faint you can see is a variable of light pollution, sky conditions, and your visual acuity. Under dark conditions a 50mm aperture telescope can hit about 10.5 stellar magnitude, but if you are a skilled observer you can see fainter

[@drde4010]

Nice work Scott

[@malvinacarabas5768]

Nice video. Thanks!

[@ExploreScientificOfficial]

Thanks Malvina!

[@camilobmxtravel]

I came here, but you dont teach how to chose, you explain the 2 models you show.

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

This video is focused on how to choose a telescope that you can buy new for under $100. There are many angles to start from on choosing a first or next telescope. If you are focused on visual astronomy, then perhaps this blog that I put together will help more: explorescientificusa.com/blogs/explorescientific/how-to-choose-a-good-first-telescope

[@paganphil100]

The best thing to do is to do nothing....wait and save up until you can afford a better scope because small ones are useless for astronomy. Don't buy one with an aperture of less than 3 inches / 76mm.

[@ushalama9390]

I love but i don't have

[@johnstevendeasis8257]

I dont have any telescope

[@dedskinprodcerdj4273]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4GzZZimnNOrrZo there is no Paralax , 2 ppl with 2 scopes will see same Moon , its just aiming , much like most thing man says , its not exactly correct

[@onlineteachingwithsandeep3820]

Good noon sir. Can u send me afordable telescope in india...

[@portablepc]

He won’t send you free stuff

[@CaliforniaCapitalRefuse]

@@portablepc think he meant link

[@portablepc]

@@CaliforniaCapitalRefuse oh, bruh

[@anansabag9549]

Give me one please

[@tuttermuus6576]

Anan Sabag hahaha

[@anansabag9549]

Please mann My dream is aspace

[@portablepc]

Sorry bro he won’t give you free stuff

[@mohmmedmansuri9369]

INDIA STATE ( MADHYAA PRADESH ) CITY ALIRAAJPUR

[@stardarkroomequipment9495]

Still crap

[@MarkMphonoman]

You have got to be kidding. Recommending or even giving the impression these telescopes are worthwhile is a disservice to amateur astronomy. All you will do is turn off children and interested parties to the hobby. 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

[@pivottech8881]

I agree, if you don't have the money for a good amateur telescope don't buy one at all until you've saved a decent bit of cash to.

[@freeman10000]

My first telescope was a crappy 30x40 piece of plastic back in 1979. It is 2021 and I am still going strong in this hobby. If you are truely interested in astronomy you have that spark long before you get a scope. And if you have the passion a crappy first scope won't quench that particular fire.

[@scottinspaceofficialchanne839]

This is not my experience. I have many friends who are now very involved in astronomy, some of them are planetary scientists, and they fondly remember their first small telescope as a child, and feel that it helped fuel their lifelong interest to explore. I have my 1970-era 40mm table-top refractor purchased from K-Mart (price in 1970 was $17.50) on my desk as a reminder of where it all started for me, I loved that small telescope then, and I still do. But everyone is different: while some are thrilled by what a small aperture telescope can reveal, others need more aperture until they are fulfilled. Today my company offers telescopes from 50mm to a massive 65-inch Folded Newtonian, and if you find that you have purchased a telescope from us and it didn't have enough aperture, we offer trade-ins. To learn more: explorescientificusa.com/collections/optiques-fullum-folded-newtonians