Which telescope to buy?

[@FunkyHonkyCDXX]

I'll still never forget the first time I ever saw the rings of Saturn through a telescope. Definitely one of the highlights of my life.

[@pduffy421]

I agree. I first saw Saturn in a Celestron 4 inch achromatic refractor. Amazing to actually see it for first time.

[@annodomini7887]

Kinda like the first time I saw Uranus!

[@detectiveamevirus8]

@Mason Bee i almost everday see the saturn by heritage 100p 10mm eyepice but it small need 6 mm eyepice to close it

[@UNSCPILOT]

Same here, need to get some filters to get my Camera able to capture the magnificence of the the Gas Giants and ideally Mars

[@gfaj4076]

There are so many legit , nice comments and some 5 years old laughing at Uranus. It is Uranos or Ur(a)nus correctly pronunciated.

[@Neanderthal75]

Seeing the Andromeda galaxy first ever (10yrs ago) was something that made me think about our life and what we do here. It's a whole other galaxy with its own stars and planets. It can be life changing to a point to rethink our existence.

[@robertgreen3170]

I bought my Celestron C8 back in 1980. It was the last toy I bought for myself before my son was born. It still works as well now as it did then. It's not too hard to carry around and gives great images. I never got into Astrophotography, but it would do well if I did. It was a little expensive, but its almost 40 years old now and that amount over 4 decades means my annual investment has been less than $30/year in my hobby. That's pretty cheap!!! ...and considering eventually one of my kids or grandkids or great grandkids will probably get several decades of use out of it as well means that over a hundred years, my investment will drop to as little as $10/year!!! I see no reason why this scope couldn't last at least that long...if not longer!!! It may very well be my best life investment!!! ...and it never argues with me like my wife does. I can do minimal maintenance and it just keeps working and working. Just try to expect that type of return on any other purchase you make and you'll see that there are likely very few that will serve you as well.

[@JoshFlynn101]

Please do an updated version!

[@Globss]

+Josh Flynn scopes really haven't changed

[@78tranzamman43]

+SeeWaffle9 Cost per Aperture has gone up. Goto on Dobs now is much more common. A new Star Wars movie is almost here!!

[@Stripeybaz]

+Josh Flynn Hi there, If you need more information please have a look at this telescope guide for more information: www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Choosing-Your-First-Telescope-for-Astronomy-Complete-Essentials-/10000000013136783/g.html

[@tiedupsmurf]

+78 Tranz Am Man The movie was garbage

[@78tranzamman43]

Question ? I loved it.

[@Pieceoreece]

Ahh if only England wasnt so cloudy 24/7

[@Justwantahover]

I love cloudy days, I might go to pommy land.

[@traderfx4871]

Telescope Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope Select from a database of more than 4,000 stars, galaxies, than 4,000 stars, galaxies, nebulae, and more. The telescope locates your object with pinpoint accuracy and tracks it automatically. buy now : amzn.to/2QkMry6

[@JohnSmith-yq7gu]

@Greg Moonen Yea in the 50's, until Peru out did the UK like 6 years later.

[@ziggeman]

A cheap equatorial telescope with a motordrive that follow the stars is a good choice for the amateur that wish to develop later on. Perhaps a 80 or 100mm reffractor or a 4-6 inch newtonian. Go for a motordriven scope. You can photograph the stars! :)

[@skepticalvision]

@@traderfx4871 - An overgrown toy! Hardly a serious amateur telecscope

[@coryanntopanga]

If I pay $3000 for a telescope, I better be able to see the Lord.

[@JayBolton]

Lol

[@charliec8679]

Shit's Probably Fake LOL

[@demonddenteth5355]

Shit's Probably Fake omg lol you made my night

[@nolanbooker5461]

You'll find a paid actor.

[@Starr349]

Shit's Probably Fake AMEN

[@nathsourish]

great voice , that was a soothing 7 minutes of telescope knowledge for me

[@Rottensteam]

Yeah, he should really narrate a book or a documentary or something.

[@emmagorey79]

Convinced I’m listening to David Bowie 😅⚡️

[@peterball3079]

Well put my thoughts exactly

[@UNSCPILOT]

Same, makes me wanna haul out my Nexstar 130slt tonight to try an spot some stuff

[@jamie2469]

Ermm okay

[@BlueSpades7]

5:19 Did anyone else think that the telescope was going to move to the left?

[@jungleaxe8102]

wow

[@canonA1film]

Don’t you dare put up comments like this. Just think about what you’ve done.

[@electricpaisy6045]

you mean 5:21? because at 5:19 It IS moving to the left if you mean the front end and the left side of the Video.

[@ripper9679]

the video on a whole was pretty informational and well put. I especially loved the graph of cost v. aperture and would like to see an updated and more detailed one. thank you

[@aaronsmith3484]

I'm looking to buy a Hubble space telescope, how much would that cost me? And how do I get it into space?

[@mansamusa1743]

It would cost you 2-3 Billion bucks,maybe have a guy smuggle it onboard a space shuttle and have it released once your above the Exopshere

[@kerolox7929]

+Sotiris Krol And for extra authenticity, don't forget to include a few errors in the primary mirror so that you'll have to spend more money to get this problem sorted out.

[@bighands69]

+Sotiris Krol If he waits about 25 years they will come down massively in price to about 100 million. At that point we will have massive telescopes in space and on the moon. Every country will have access to one and he can rent it out for a few thousand dollars.

[@haibtanlashari]

Jesus2ndCousin that way you can also get to space walk ;)

[@ayporos]

Superior Planet it is quite common, if not the norm, to use up most of your fuel on launch. Getting off of the earth takes a massive amount of delta-V. Once you're in orbit around the earth it takes rather little to actually land. You only need to kill your orbit and have enough delta-V to slow down and control your descent which will be entirely powered by gravity. Landing and takeoff on something like the moon takes a lot less delta-V because the moon has less gravity than earth and also you don't have to deal with pesky atmospheric resistance. tl;dr: play some Kerbal Space Program.

[@jdogb1]

"The earth's rotation is kind of a bitch" OMG I about died, I think I've said that to myself on many occasions.

[@tunascuba1]

Excellent presentation...Very valuable for us who are very very amateur...

[@TrueThanny]

Magnification is actually a big factor for faint extended objects (planets, nebulae, galaxies - anything that's not a point source like a star), but it's tied directly to aperture. Telescopes cannot make extended objects brighter than they are to your naked eye. The best they can do is match it, before subtracting light loss in the system (lens absorption, mirror scattering, etc.). This highest possible brightness (which is still dimmer than your naked eye) is when the exit pupil of the eyepiece is exactly the same size as your eye's entrance pupil. We're talking about ratios here, so that happens when the aperture divided by the magnification matches your dark-adapted pupil size (typically 7mm). So a 12" scope, with an aperture of 305mm, can magnify extended objects by up to 305mm/7mm = ~43x before it becomes dimmer. Above that, you're spreading the same amount of light over a larger area, so it's dimmer. Below that, you're failing to collect all the light (the beam of light leaving the eyepiece is too large for your eye to completely capture), so it's still no brighter than your naked eye (less, accounting for light loss in the system). The reason extended objects are better in bigger telescopes is precisely because you can magnify them more without making them dimmer, so your eye is able to spread the image over more photoreceptors. In a 4" telescope, the maximum magnification you can use before making a nebula dimmer is 101mm/7mm = ~14x, which makes for a much smaller image that your eye has more difficulty resolving into detail. So magnification does matter, but you need aperture to make it count. Oh, point sources like stars do actually get brighter as aperture goes up, because you're collecting more light and putting it in the same spot (they're so far away they have no resolvable size), so you see more stars in a bigger telescope. And that's true up to the point where you have such a larger aperture that you're able to resolve the star into an extended image, at which point more aperture would just mean a larger image before dimming again. No amateur telescope is anywhere near big enough to do that, though.

[@MartinBrada]

You just may want to keep the exit pupil smaller than the entrance pupil of the eye so that all the light still goes into the eye. But this effect occurs with the low magnifications, not high. For example, if you have a large 200 mm telescope and a very low magnification of 20, you will get an exit pupil of 10 mm (>7 mm), which means that you won't use the whole aperture of the telescope. The smaller exit pupil itself doesn't make the objects dimmer, the light still goes in the eye and is focused onto the retina. Larger telescopes simply gain more light and make objects brighter. The problem is that the surface brightness falls with the magnification. And from a specific magnification, the object is just not bright enough against the dark sky and appears ugly (and there are some other effects with high magnifications).

[@richardtaylor9117]

Th

[@Ginissi]

I fuckin love this guy. I can listen to him read the white pages of the phone book.

[@jamesrubino5710]

Now thats funny!

[@ng21644605]

A few words from one who has been using telescopes for 50 years. I've had everting from a 50 mm Trasko up to a $4500 mMead 12 inch SCT. If you just want to dip your toe in the water for a test, I'd recommend the Edmund Astroscan - Mirror slighty over 4 inches and a short focal length you can oberve f15X up to 200X with a good eypiece and on very clere nights I have viewed thousands of moon craters and shadows at 300X Whatever you decide, Figure 5X per inch of arpeture of main mirror or lense in a refractor. The Astroscan cost a bit over $300 but they are well worth it. AND they are simplicity like you won't believe. Sit in a lawn chair with a pillow in your lap and your astroscan on your pillow and take a great tour around the sky.

[@charlotteha7702]

Thanks for your recommendation.

[@squidlings]

9yrs of KZbin turned you from this amazing man to a narked out troll beater. Bring back this man. Sooooo pleasent to listen to 👌🏻

[@MnemonicHeadTrip]

Shush

[@zerocooljpn]

if you mention "youtube" they'll probably ban his video with no explanation as with his other ones lol, they have a thing for him

[@jmac6248]

I watch this video 8 years later and find that the orion skyquest xt10 is now 120$ more expensive. Sucks.

[@ThePattycake1313]

Reflectors are cheaper to buy per size than refractors, but are much harder to use, unless it is mounted on a go-to. Still they require more maintenance than a refractor. If you have to ask this question, I take it you are a beginner. So go with a refractor or mak-cassigrain. I have been doing this for years, and my favorite scope is the one I just bought, it is a Celestron SE4. It is great, and if you bought it, you would probably like it. Any questions if u get it ask.

[@gronki1]

"the best telescope is the one used more often" -- this is what I learned during my 15 years of stargazing journey.

[@nirui.o]

@@mccalljeff His glass, probably.

[@kakarot5760]

@@nirui.o lol

[@Earthling2046]

t k s

[@MrHritz]

Because of this video I recently purchased my first telescope, and roused my interest in astronomy. For the first time I was able to see things like Jupiter, and Saturn with my own eyes, something not so amazing to more experienced amateur astronomers, but amazing to myself, seeing as how I've only seen these planets through video and pictures. Thanks Thunderf00t.

[@SantoshGairola]

Fantastically explained in crisp clear way!!

[@kretieg2943]

16" Astrosky custom dobsonian in Sedona Red. Harwood birch plywood. Aurora precision cage truss clamps. Moonlight ball connectors for poles to mirror box. 2" Moonlight 2-speed focuser with 2" swing filter holder with variable polarizer installed for moon viewing. 96% coatings, 16" f/4.45 7740 annealed pyrex primary by Terry Ostahowski WITH the reference flat. 10,000 tic encoders and sky commander. Welded tailgate, 18 point flotation, cable sling and stainless hardware including collimation knobs. Also, a secondary dew heater. About $7,100 which was a bargain after watching the labor that went into that scope. The owner of Astrosky is a friend of mine and he retired after doing my son and mines scopes. What a pleasure these instruments are to use. My son has a 12" f/5 and the 16" is a completely different beast to handle and set up. It REALLY needs two people to carry and set up. His 12" is at the limit for an average fit person to handle alone repeatedly.

[@myztklk3v]

3:00 TFW the dudes view finder is the same size as my hobby scope

[@detectiveamevirus8]

Sct

[@johngoerger8996]

Major Points: You purchase a scope off the 'net & gind u have problems or not understanding it, don't expect the local astronomy store owner to spend their time helping you. I knew of a telescope store owner; help a customer, explaining different telescopes/costs; about 1-2 hrs. Customer later orders 'scope from a 'net set; "cause it is around $109-$150.00 cheaper. Gets it; doesn't work like customer expected it to (didn't understand the operation of it) Customer has the gall to take it to the telescope scope he DIDN'T buy it from but asked the owner to explain to him how to use it. Owner told him to contact the store he bought (ordered) it from and said; "goodbye". Second: Buying a REFRACTOR a total waste of a person's money. To do any photography gonna need a refractor which now will at least an additional 2-times the cost to get the adaptive lens for astro-photography. If the individual tries to sell it; no way are they going to get decent price for it. HOW DOES ONE KNOW WHAT KIND OF SCOPE TO BUY? Investigate which type of Telescopes professional observatories use/build. A Schmitz is there best bet for their money. If later they decide to sell..will fer a better "return on their scope". First things FIRST. Almost in any county there will be a Science Club/Astronomy Club. Find out when they have their monthy(?) meetings (check with your local library; many keep a list of clubs) Find out when the club sets up their personal scopes. View thru then..taking notes as the type of scope; object being viewed and (least important) magnification and of object. Get ASTRONOMY MAGAZINE, the one printed in the US, called ASTRONOMY not Sky & Tel ASTRONOMY does a great job of laying the sky out for the month, including the phase the moon is in for every day of that month, lunar sky position. INCLUDING All position of the planets/apparent magnitude & other ref Talk to various club members, not just one or two. Look in into getting a decent pair of binoculars..not Tasco.. If u and your family are out (weather permitting) at least 2-3 nights a week, even for 15 minutes after ~3 months; yep u are ready for a telescope (also during this time u have read up on determining use of eyepieces and how by changing an eyepiece chgs the "magnification" of the object you are observing. No matter the diameter of a telescope remember no telescope can go beyond a maximum magnification of 50 power per inch of a lens or a mirror.

[@skepticalmechanic]

Sooo what I got out of this is buy a good pair of binoculars and call it a night!

[@ronschlorff7089]

Yes, unless U R Sirius about this astronomical subject! :D

[@johnwriterpoet1783]

A large diameter telescope can see a lot of deep sky objects in heavily light polluted skies. My 13" dobsonian does quite well under extreme light pollution. I can barely see any stars, yet with a skyglow filter I can see M110, satellite galaxy of Andromeda Galaxy. I see stars in daylight also.

[@detectiveamevirus8]

Yup 13 inch dobsonian are pretty good

[@zgrendelz]

This might be my favorite video you have ever made. Thank you.

[@Dragonblaster1]

I have a Celestron Nexstar 8SE SCT with a StarSense aligning scope, SkyPortal Wi-Fi control, an automatic 5-colour colour-whee with burst mode stacking programs, a monochrome CMOS camera, plus a few extra bells and whistles. I use the original Alt-Az mount for planetary and bright DSO imaging (very easy to set up, with internal AA battery power). For faint DSO, I have an Advanced GT GEM mount (a nightmare to set up and I need a Power Bank), as well as an off-axis monochrome autoguider CMOS camera that I use rather than the StarSense. As we say, horses for courses. I can be ready to start imaging planets within minutes of setting up with the Alt-Az (assuming I know I'm well-collimated), whereas it can take an hour or more after dark to get the GEM-mounted scope tracking properly.

[@TheOmanJam]

Very helpful video, thanks! Also, I love the time lapse sequence following Jupiter.

[@MyName-pc7bk]

I have the skyquest and it is AMAZING! I can easily see the rings on Saturn and see the moon in COMPLETE detail....its a great buy and I plan on enjoying it for years to come.

[@ridingyourride]

From a star enthusiast and a telescope newbie, thank you. :)

[@ff621]

I personally like refractors, I started with a Newtonian and then moved up to a 10" Dob and now I own a Refractor. A refractor have many advantages, is lighter making it easier to take outside, not much maintenance to it, with a good mount it could be used for photos and it can be used for terrestrial viewing and with a $50-60 solar filter you can use it for solar viewiing allowing to observe Sunspots and Solar Eclipses.

[@IdeologieUK]

Nice to see my all time favourite warrior hater, rationalist, scientist, debunker and free-thinker doing such a great public service from all the way back in 2010 helping his subbies today choose a Christmas gift for their warrior hater, rationalist, scientist, debunking and free-thinking kids :)

[@traderfx4871]

Telescope Celestron NexStar 130SLT Computerized Telescope Select from a database of more than 4,000 stars, galaxies, than 4,000 stars, galaxies, nebulae, and more. The telescope locates your object with pinpoint accuracy and tracks it automatically. buy now : amzn.to/2QkMry6

[@Jositoooo]

Thanks for providing some actual useful info. I’ve watched so many videos of people trotting out the tired old response of “that’s like asking what kind of car you should buy, har har!” I mean…if a brand new driver who knew nothing about cars asked me what kind of car to buy…I’d tell them to consider a used Toyota Camry or Honda Accord because it will likely hold up well and give them their money’s worth until they’ve learned how to drive well and learned more about what they want out of a car. Is that so difficult? Throwing up my hands and giving a non-answer because they don’t know if they will eventually be a taxi driver or a Formula One racer is pretty unhelpful to someone starting from zero.

[@vladimirrodionov5391]

But what do you think of the amazing new EVScope?

[@detectiveamevirus8]

Reee

[@ElenarMT]

What does Reee mean?

[@detectiveamevirus8]

@@ElenarMT reeeeeee meme

[@disc4653]

please dont buy a EVscope many people say its a scam so yea

[@zerocooljpn]

when I was a kid a had a telescope with lots of little lenses and stuff to change/add I had no idea of how to use. I was never able to see anything properly. 25 years later, I bought my own telescope, full of expectations and with an instruction manual, I was finally in full control and with the best settings I could figure, I looked at Saturn and Jupiter. Basically, you can see like a super little orange dot. One has a bit of a ring, the other has even smaller dots around it (its moons). Mars just looks like a tiny red dot rofl. I mean, it's cool, but I expected something more like the Hubble I guess, not dots, but planet-like surfaces and vivid colors... I also learned that I'm super afraid of bugs, so stargazing sucks in summer.

[@DavidKnight33]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on telescopes.

[@JonBlevins]

You can turn a 12 inch into an apo refractor by cutting a small hole in a piece of cardboard and putting it over the opening where light enters, if you want a more precise image and do not mind losing brightness/magnification. Great for things like planets where you are already pushing 300x

[@subhankarroy4695]

Hi..What telescope would you recommend to me .to see stars,planets,solar system....I'm a beginner suggest me a telescope between 180-130 us dollars... as good as possible.....

[@jackbenner1013]

Subhankar Roy I use the Celestron Nexstar 130 SLT. But for a telescope that is between $180-$130 USD I recommend the Celestron Explorascope 114AZ Telescope. I do not own one, but I have a friend who does, and it is a very good telescope in my opinion for looking at planets and double stars. I hope I my reply is helpful for you.

[@patriotastronomer6780]

Jack Benner, I have a Celestron Nexstar 130SLT, and highly recommend it as a starter scope

[@rollipolioli]

Did you watch the video?

[@redbuzzardbass]

My favorite starter scope is the Meade ETX80. Absolutely fabulous instrument, cheap. I recommended this to someone who's kids were interested in astronomy, years later, they still are.

[@NewName0]

should that be my first?

[@aeroscience9834]

Celestron firstscope is now $50! Why'd they up the price?

[@jasonpressler7111]

i plan on doing my own shed observation area. This will solve a lot of the issues of setup for bigger being better. Money wise i plan on building most of it, I want to give it a shot at making my own mirrors but i will also be purchasing a set to ensure good quality..... biggest downside is i currently live in Florida, which makes good viewing fairly rare. after all it is just mirrors surrounded by cardboard and an anti-reflective inner-coating. But to contribute to the topic, spend more money on your eye pieces than you do a scope to start out. The eye piece can always be transferred to a new scope, so if you buy good quality in the beginning you wont be buying them again later on.

[@JoshDiaz87]

Thunderfoot I didnt know you were an astronomy nerd. cool :)

[@ubersteigen]

I got my wife the "2009 Cellestron first scope" (as shown in this film) for my wife's birthday last summer. It's really good quality for the price, easy to use, nothing really to set up, and we have a great time with it in our garden. This year for "Non-denominational holiday season / atheist x-mas" I bought a "Cellestron 44340 LCD Digital Microscope"!.. In my opinion Cellestron is the way to go and I'll keep coming back to them.

[@mrchangcooler]

everytime I see comic sans I giggle.

[@Simon62345]

+Mr.chang cooler lol

[@DetectiveDerpy]

+Comic Sans giggle

[@EspenSwane]

Everytime I see Comic Sans I stop taking people serious 😉

[@AK-gg5nh]

Wouldn’t be a cosmic sans...I’ll see myself out

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

COMIC SAAAANSSSS the meme of all fonts.

[@christopherpardell4418]

The very best starter scope is a 5” maksutov cassegrain on a GoTo mount. At around $500 They are at the price point where you get the best bang for your buck. Several companies sell them and they all appear to be identical in construction. The “Mak”s give the sharpest image and least aberration, and a solid long focal length for their compact size. At 5” you will only be able to see the brightest deep sky nebulae- andromeda will look like a faint blur of light. But the planets will be resolved better than any Newtonian or Schmidt-Cassegrain. If you spring for an equatorial wedge the 5” mak can net you excellent astrophotography. Any larger than 5” and telescope pricing begins to scale geometrically with the size of the mirror. If you can swing it, a 7” Mak ( the largest currently made as far as I can tell ) is sharper than an 8” Schmidt. But I recently bought a 10” Schmidt for the purpose of viewing fainter nebulae and such... however- pointing it at planets for eyeball viewing is almost useless because that super big aperture gathers so much light that the planet is too dang bright. Like looking at an LED- my 5” mak gives me a better eyeball friendly image.

[@redmosquitoo]

Hello, thanks for the informative video. Since 6 years passed from your video and there is more new models, do you still recommend 90mm Maksutov-Cassegrain, dobsonian mount (Orion Apex) for beginners that have 200 dollars budget? Thanks.

[@christopherpardell4418]

Dobsonians are for folks who want to educate themselves about astronomy and learn the Sky. For beginners, a go to is best. About the best bang for your buck will be a 5” maksutov Cassegrain reflector on a GoTo mount. Its sealed, so you never have to clean the primary mirror. It’s coma free. And it’s only $100 bucks per inch of aperture. It’s compact, but with a long focal length...easy to transport and fairly quick to set up... and, tho it has a alt-azimuth mount...the Celestron version has an available adapter to turn it into an equatorial mount in case you want to do astrophotography... so it’s a scope you can grow with affordably. For some extra dough, they have accessories that enable the scope to self orient, or control your scope remotely... oh, and with a correcting prism, it makes a great terrestrial scope for daytime use, too. Anything over 5” begins to spiral way up in cost- well over $100/inch... anything smaller, with good optics, will not be significantly less costly.

[@iwanttodie7199]

I just want to know which telescope should I buy if I want to see jupiter or venus clearly and closely?

[@issac3100]

8 inch dobsodian

[@technicalpeace]

One thing I would suggest to people interested in starting out in the hobby (if they haven't already) would be to first buy a good pair of binoculars, ideally 7x50 (50mm aperture, 7x magnification). A decent pair will cost about $100 and are really versatile and you will find that you probably will use them more than any telescope you end up buying and are a great way to get familiar with the night sky.

[@punishalltrolls]

flat-earthers still can't handel the truth

[@SARDiverDave]

Bet they can spell "handle", though.

[@fabianportilla7567]

He might be referring to the German musician. I'm not sure exactly what it would mean to Handel someone. Perhaps to inundate with water music.

[@multifayzer8130]

or the german word for trade

[@saffyblu7954]

Ninety-One Doesn't even apply here.

[@hilgahendrix7984]

unfl4tt3r3rd putting people in a box for being tired of cgi planets lol that's why I'm buying a telescope

[@anothersquid]

For casual stargazing, that is portable and easy to set up binoculars are always much more cost-effective than a telescope. I always recommend that people interested in stargazing start with a decent set of 8x50mm binoculars. They can use that to see planets and many objects in the sky that are bigger than the usual field of view of a telescope. Once they're familar with the sky, then move to a telescope. I have 3 binos (100mm largest) and a 8" scope. I still use the binos much more

[@Billy-rr7re]

so if i want to look at galaxies which one to buy?

[@detectiveamevirus8]

Dobsonian 8 inch or 12 inch goto mount are better result on no light pollution ) kindda heavy but result image are reeeeee amazing if put right eyepice like 30mm or 25 if get low magnification or binocular 15×70 ) but telescope more better collect light so i think heritage 130p better for beginers

[@detectiveamevirus8]

But how you house? And you budget is that problem

[@bluesteelbass]

If you want galaxies, the most important thing is getting to a dark site without light pollution. You can use cheap 10x magnification binoculars with a 50mm aperture, and view our closest neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy, no problem. If you are looking for a telescope though, aperture rules, and the best bang for your buck is a Newtonian reflector type telescope.

[@detectiveamevirus8]

@@bluesteelbass hahahha bincular 10×50 ? That good for birdwatching (astronomy binocular better like 15x70,12×60 22×100 and just remember telescope reflector better for deep sky object like 130mm or 250m again the 50,70,80,100mm apeture

[@bluesteelbass]

@@detectiveamevirus8 With a remark like you posted, I can easily and safely assume not only have you never tried to utilize 10x50 binoculars for astronomical viewing, but you also have never utilized larger "astronomy" binoculars. Good luck trying to get a stable image with a handheld 20x80... Unless you purchase at minimum $100+ tripod to mount those things on.

[@icisne7315]

I use a set of binoculars and a large telescope. The binoculars are very portable and the large telescope is great at looking at smaller objects and faint things when the sky is good.

[@thelongslowgoodbye]

How does he do the time-lapse photography?

[@KeithBlade]

if youre thinking of buying your first telescope, also look into astronomy binoculars first. namely at least 70mm in aperture. much easier to use, setup, and can be breathtakingly fun. I say this from having owned many telescopes big and small. my goto device is now always a good pair of bino astronomy sky eaters.

[@modelrc9500]

Godamn if I’m paying 3,000 for a telescope I should just be able to click a button and have it point immediately to the planet I want to view! Whilst also telling me all about what I’m seeing voiced by Neil degrasse Tyson who is sitting right next to me!

[@markmitchell155]

i actually laughed out loud. funny guy.

[@JabberCT]

I own a Celestron 8" CST that i bought back in '94. I used to love it. But now that im older and my back isnt as good as it used to be, lugging that thing around is more of a chore than fun. I leave it on the tripod since it attaches with actual bolts and not the hand-turn kind. In order to move it around i have to lift it, then hold it out so the tripod legs arent hitting mine. And 30 pounds now feels like 100. I need something light and easier because its become a dust collector.

[@sebimoe]

Anyone from the BUSTED video in 2019?

[@ChackYaska]

Hey there, I have a 10 in Dob, and there is one thing that I'd like to add (also, you somewhat quickly mentioned it): The amount of air above your head is quite important, being near the sea or living in the mountains makes quite a difference on the clarity of the sky. Also, weather by the sea is often cloudy (evaporation while hot, cool down at night = cloudy/misty sky). So unless you can drive for a while to set up, do not spend too much $ in a big telescope.

[@JentleSticks]

Comic sans?? What was this 2010? Oh it was... ok carry on

[@metometo7792]

Another option is finding a stargazing club and see if they have any scope building classes. That's the way I got into the hobby, made my own 4" reflector and equatorial tripod.

[@teentalex]

I'm 16 love physics, and space. Never seen through a telescope; cuz I'm broke and can't afford a good one

[@chaimaayadi8632]

does this telescope is good www.cdiscount.com/photo-numerique/materiel-observation/skywatcher-newton-130-900-sur-equatoriale-eq2/f-1124003-sky6930096600058.html?idOffre=82833995?rr_product=true&recommendationRef=&recommender=SimilarProductsApi&InteractedPlacementId=Internal_SP#faqs

[@michaeledmonds3027]

Great tutorial.... I ended up with a Celestron Evolution 6" for a compact, lightweight go-to rig. I've added a mid-range ZWO camera, EAF auto focus and ASIAIR controller for indoor tablet use. It's a long way from a Dob, but hopefully will hold my grandkids attention.

[@jameson3080]

this video kind of sucks for people new to telescope and astronomy..

[@Teeb2023]

Why?

[@jameson3080]

it is from 2010 and all it is saying is bigger is better and smaller is worse. Except for in mobility, cool down times, and ease of setup. Doesn't explain which telescope to buy at all.

[@dannylandrum7899]

Celestron used to sell a 5" (130mm) Matsukov-Cassegrain for $300 (marketed mostly as a spotting scope).... very small too - that's a good beginner reflector if you can find it. Works great for seeing your rifle targets at 400 yards. They still sell a 90mm one - tiny but good for simple stuff like the moon.

[@wayne997gbro]

its a shame you didn't do as much research is to cars lol

[@majorphysics3669]

Who cares what a person drives

[@wayne997gbro]

+Teren Essex every one cares m8 I as well as you came here to see learn about the best scopes . it's just my sense of humour bit dry I have a shit car but it works sort of

[@andrewford80]

I think the word you're looking for to describe your sense of humour is "non-existant", not "dry".

[@wayne997gbro]

+andrewford80 Andrew Ford the keyboard warrior , you probably got a shit car to

[@andrewford80]

If you consider me making a joke about your non-existant sense of humour "warrior" behaviour then I sure wouldn't want to bump in to you in a dark alley! Who knows what personal attacks you might unleash! BTW, I don't own a car! By choice :)

[@TheKittengoddess]

I got my husband a Celestron. We are pretty happy with it. Unfortunately, he can't use it right now because he is in another state but when he comes back hopefully we can go out to the desert to do some stargazing. We live in Arizona where it is prime skies for astro-hobbies!

[@kellymiller1793]

This is an excellent description of what matters, and what doesn't, when selecting the optimum telescope for your needs

[@AVDPhoenix]

Thanks for the explenation. Im looking to buy a scope just to pass time and your explanation will help me. You have a great voice tone BTW very agreeable. You sound like Jeremy Irons.

[@joeshmoe7899]

8" reflector on eq5 mount. Onstep controllers make it an inexpensive goto. Or, start off with simple dec/ra motors to track objects, and skysafari plus, to star hop. Never liked the idea of pushing a dob around.

[@splortz]

Thank you. Very well thought-out presentation and my experience of 20 plus years observing tracks your recommendations quite closely. My favorite "lookin'" scope was an 18" dob--an "Obsesssion clone". Sold that when I moved overseas. Now that I am back, I have acquired a good robotic German EQ mount. I will mount a scope of good quality to it--perhaps an Orion 8" Ritchey-Chretien, and utilize the mount's capability to conduct supernova searches. I really can't recommend amateur astronomy too highly. The experiences I've had and people I've met have changed profoundly the way I see the universe. The simple act of making a telescope mirror will teach one volumes about one's self. Which brings me to my point: One aspect of the hobby missing (understandably) from your video is ATM (Amateur Telescope Making). This aspect of the hobby can yield fantastic results in terms of getting the most aperture for the dollar (or pound, etc.)spent. The best entry into this domain is through your local astronomical society. ATM is probably one of the most interesting aspects of astronomy. Cutting edge, relatively inexpensive and very, very rich in practical experience. I've met ATM enthusiasts whose experience gained enabled them access to work on NASA projects (James Webb Space Telescope, for example) and university level observatories. A 40-inch Newtonian reflector was recently put into operation for public use about an hour's drive from my home in California. It was constructed by volunteers with an interest in Amateur Telecope Making. If you get a chance, hook up with some ATM'ers and hold on to your hat. It's a wild ride.

[@aaronmicalowe]

I once bought a £80 telescope and used it to watch Mars. The moons were easy to see and it was a sharp image, but it would zoom past so quick you'd spend more time trying to find it again than actually seeing it. Still worth it though. A magical experience because you can sense some of the vastness of the space inbetween.

[@Astronomy_Live]

Can't believe KZbin never recommended this video or this channel to me before. Thank you for this really great breakdown of all the pros and cons, I'll be recommending this video to people who always ask me what scope to buy.

[@maxnewellmz8025656]

after i watched this i bought a 6 inch dobsonian and use it frequently. im really happy with its performance.

[@GaryCameron]

I'm getting back into the hobby now, although the smoke from the forest fires and light pollution are ruining my observations. Currently rocking a 9.25" GOTO.

[@shaun365]

So true. I have an 8" SC scope and while I lived in a house, it was very easy to get out to the backyard and observe. I've been in an apartment for the last 5 years though and I haven't used my scope once. Too big and inconvenient to move too far..:(

[@MrAmisto]

6" dobsonian reflector probably the best bang for the buck, i had an 8" which was amazing but not super portable. basically though, an 8" dobs can see pretty much everything in the sky, like thunderfoot pointed out, the atmosphere is the limit factor, hence why hubble and james web are put into space where there is no atmosphere. Should be able to get a good sturdy trip pod and 6-8" dobsonian reflector around 800-1k.

[@mudcrab1317]

Searching "Thunderf00t telescope" in KZbin was my first step in buying a telescope, and I'm not disappointed. I do have a question about the "cool down time" and "outside temperature", however, as most of my observations will be during frosty Montana nights. Does the inverse apply? We have very clear skies late fall, but I'm afraid I may have to take into consideration my area might be sub-optimal if temperature variances have a significant effect; Unless colder is better, of course. I'm currently looking at a Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25, and as it's a higher budget Schmidt-Cassegrain I was wondering where it stood against a similar or lower budget apochromatic refractor telescopes.

[@bobwill]

well, I’m getting a Celestron achromatic refractor for my first telescope, since I’m going to mostly focus on stuff in the solar system (very light polluted area almost equidistant from DC and Baltimore) and only a few miles from Annapolis. So, I need to go many miles to get clear skies. Plus, I am right on the Chesapeake Bay, so lots of clouds, and lots of humidity in the air. And the Omni XLT 102 seemed to be about the cheapest way into that niche with a telescope that’s well set for entry level EQ mount that it comes with. Though, I’m already looking at getting a newtonian reflector OTA to use for other things. I was going to go with a dobsonian; but, I want to get into astrophotography as a longterm goal, so decided to start with an EQ mount.

[@beerkenstein]

Lots of practical information, smart presentation, lack of needless chitchat. Very good video indeed!

[@4eyesnb]

if you don't have amazing starry night sky in your back yard, buy the lightest top quality scope you can afford. 80mm or 105mm short tube APO is perfect size for travelling.

[@FinalLugiaGuardian]

I love looking at the stars. I still have a scope that I got about 8 years ago. Despite its age, it still does a good job.

[@bburkie55]

One accessory I would recommend would be an 8 x 50 right angle correct image finder scope. It works well with any type of telescope and saves your neck.

[@Great-Grandpa1953]

Thunderf00t, discovered your channel after that video talking about some 3000 pound telescope that can view 100x better..blah blah blah. I'm an old dude, retired, and on occasion I think I'd like to dabble a bit at looking at moon, planets, whatever, but DOUBT I'm going to get into deep space viewing (one never knows make catch "the bug"). I also want it to be able to me transport by just one old man.... So I'm looking at the possibly of buying ONE telescope that would let me view the solar system mainly and whatever else. Since I'm into photography there may be the 'want' to capture photos, but that is totally a secondary issue. (want vs need). I'm the type of person that tends to do a lot of research before I buy anything and seek as much info as my tiny brain can retain. I have watched a couple other of your videos as well as other people and you seem to provide not only the GOOD stuff but also reasons to avoid certain choices. (for example, may not like astronomy after some time). So let's say, your voice is resonating more with me than anyone else (atm). I was taking a look at the Celestron CPC 800 XLT, but after further review I'm thinking it probably a monster to move around and thus I'm considering the Celstron NexStar 8 SE which appears to be more manageable than the former. I live about 3 hours north of Chicago, Illinois in an area that does have some light pollution, but far from the light pollution of a large city of 200,000 of more. Thus I'd want to be able to put in car and transport to an area further from the city and enjoy the night skies. (Note again, that deep space atm is not a major interest) My thinking is once I understand the software involved in either of the above two, I could basically go to a location, setup up telescope, go through the orientation of setup via software, tell it to find Jupiter (for example) and enjoy. Although I've heard you say in another video to many astronomers, "the hunt" is the fun part and I get that, but maybe not my thing. So, what do you think? ok, maybe astronomy isn't my thing, but too often I see Venus for example and with I could see it better.

[@deanmoncaster]

This is exactly what I wanted and I think you've answered the question...dobsonian it is. Thanks thunder..... Again

[@garygullikson6349]

A $200 refractor, with altazimuth mount, can give a beginner small, dim views of the nearby planets and some good moon viewing. A $500 refractor with a larger objective lens and equatorial mount is better for a more serious astronomer but heavier and less portable. Reflector telescopes that are designed for astrophotography are much more expensive and heavier, but can make impressive photos of deep sky objects like the Andromeda Nebula and planets. ( Oversimplification). Practice setting up, using viewfinder, and focusing with various eyepieces and barlow lenses in daylight before trying it out in the dark. Get a good backyard astronomy book and learn how to find "what's up" on any given night in your locality.

[@KarbineKyle]

Awesome! I have a 6" Reflector, but the Tripod & Mount was a piece of crap! It broke! All I have now is the Tube! I I have no idea how to set it up without the tripod/mount. I couldn't find a tripod/mount for it at all. The only way to look at an object is if it is straight up. All the tube is doing is gathering dust! I got it for about $150, and it worked great, but now, it's history, so I cannot use it anymore. I barely got to use it. I used it all the time. It lasted me about 2-3 years.

[@jamesbarrett1614]

@Agnostics Rise I would personally recommend the Skywatcher SKYHAWK 1145p it is a Newtonian reflector with 4.5 inches aperture and can easily see Saturn and Jupiter. It comes in at about £145 so I don't know what that is in dollars. Clear skies!

[@dononteatthevegetals2941]

I got a $50 refractor with like an inch/2inch aperture from a hobby store and a $300 dollar 6 inch newtonian. Shit is awesome

[@Mrcloc]

2:57 - when the telescope comes out the boot, the car lifts up noticeably!

[@johnwriterpoet1783]

I have a 13" dobsonian on wheels in my garage. No setup, easily pushed.

[@rg0057]

I was lucky to obtain a Galileoscope during the International Year of Astronomy 2009, for about $15, I think. Now they are $50, and you have to buy the tripod (camera mount) separately. It has low chromatic aberration for a refracting telescope. You do have to aim it manually, which can mean you're chasing the object across the sky. But the whole point is to experience a little of what Galileo did. One self-assembled telescope has three magnifications: 17x, 25x, and 50x.

[@emancoy]

its good to have a telescope like that out in the wilderness where there is minimal city lights and pollution. But bring it in the City, when using it had a lot of interferance, then using it to see windows of neighbours or those who live in tall condos could be fun.

[@johnjriggsarchery2457]

Just to throw it out there, I have several telescopes, but my light bucket is an 8" Orion reflector and I'm pretty happy with it as far as bang for buck. If I was to do it over though, I would have bought the 10". The computer stopped working, but I'm fine with that because reading star charts and being able to use a finder scope to me, is important.

[@MrRodgerSr]

My first scope is the Orion 6I and its is great. Setsup quick and the "Push-to" feature is accurate and quick. Once calibrated at assembly, it is beautiful!

[@ajtrashbox]

The best video ever on youtube. Wish every body had to sense to put things that simple. Kudos that one fan u got here ;)

[@gobblegobblechew]

aperture has a big impact on light gathering no question but I would go for really good glass scope. Then use a good camera to piggy back and then post process. this will give you the best results for telescopes that need to be mobile.

[@Century25]

Very nice presentation. My scopes go from 50mm refractor up to 305mm SCT. The ES 127AR is used with the Twilight II mount and CG-4 w/motor. The 70mm and 90mm Astromaster scopes are excellent. The 90mm has motor drive and is just 10mm shy of the popular 100mm range, and the lens is fully multicoated. The 305mm sct has great capabilities, however due to the intense heat at my location, I have a big problem of cooling wait times. The observatory is impossible to cool !!!

[@dbossmx]

nice video. Im leaning towards a 10 inch dob. I think its the perfect scope for me to get started in the hobby. Right now I have a cheap department store refractor and it kinda sucks but I've enjoyed the views I've gotten with it nonetheless. My skies are fairly non-polluted and I don't mind finding and tracking on my own. For me thats part of the fun. First time I laid eyes on m31 or m42 in my cheap little scope gave me the chills. And I love observing the planets too.