Once I have made a post called "Things you'll learn when you want to buy a good pair of binoculars," I felt compelled to do something similar about telescopes.
But before I begin, I would say that if you want to get into astronomy and still not have an observation instrument, forget this post and go see about binoculars. Because telescopes are excellent instruments, but for the learning of astronomy binoculars are much better.
The first thing you will learn about telescopes, at least when searching on your new one, is that: In any Brazilian shopping there are any electronics stores or gift stores with telescopes in their windows, usually 50 to 70mm refractors and reflectors of 76 to 114mm and always brands that are considered by experienced amateur astronomers as of questionable quality. These telescopes have always been a little ad on the side that says they increase 300, 400 or even 675 times, and we are led to think that the one that increases the image 675 times is the best among all. Well, if you go looking at a few sites about Astronomy you will discover that it does not exist. Never buy a telescope for the announced increase, and why? Why the rise of a telescope is completely defined by eyepieces or Barlows you put into it. Buynew eyepieces and Barlows you will change the power of a telescope.
But before I begin, I would say that if you want to get into astronomy and still not have an observation instrument, forget this post and go see about binoculars. Because telescopes are excellent instruments, but for the learning of astronomy binoculars are much better.
The first thing you will learn about telescopes, at least when searching on your new one, is that: In any Brazilian shopping there are any electronics stores or gift stores with telescopes in their windows, usually 50 to 70mm refractors and reflectors of 76 to 114mm and always brands that are considered by experienced amateur astronomers as of questionable quality. These telescopes have always been a little ad on the side that says they increase 300, 400 or even 675 times, and we are led to think that the one that increases the image 675 times is the best among all. Well, if you go looking at a few sites about Astronomy you will discover that it does not exist. Never buy a telescope for the announced increase, and why? Why the rise of a telescope is completely defined by eyepieces or Barlows you put into it. Buynew eyepieces and Barlows you will change the power of a telescope.
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| The tipical telescope from a store ina mall |
It is clear that the telescope advertised as capable of 675 times will increase with an eyepiece and a barlow that will be able to achieve an increase of 675. So I'm talking nonsense? No, because you will get this increase, but what you will see in the eyepiece when looking at Jupiter, for example, will be just a blur not even round. This will be a miracle if you manage to keep the planet in the visual field with the tripod that come with these telescopes. In 675x, even when using Earth observations will be impossible to distinguish what you are seeing, so bad the image will be.
What makes the difference for real in a telescope is called "Opening". It is the size of the primary lens (in the case of a refractor) or the primary mirror (in the case of a reflector). To be clear, this is the thickness of the telescope. The thicker a telescope is, the greater is its opening. The opening is important because the larger the lens or the primary mirror is, the greater the ability to absorb light of a telescope. Opening is so important that it almost always part of the name of a good telescope and not its increasing.
What makes the difference for real in a telescope is called "Opening". It is the size of the primary lens (in the case of a refractor) or the primary mirror (in the case of a reflector). To be clear, this is the thickness of the telescope. The thicker a telescope is, the greater is its opening. The opening is important because the larger the lens or the primary mirror is, the greater the ability to absorb light of a telescope. Opening is so important that it almost always part of the name of a good telescope and not its increasing.
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| To the right of a 60mm refractor telescope aperture and left a 150mm aperture refractor. |
Another bad feature in these telescopes sold in malls is that their accessories are not standardized. Eye of good telescopes for example (the small lenses where you put your eye), tend to be standardized at 1.25 or 2 inches, it fits well in almost all models, but eyepieces of telescopes sold in malls usually have a different size pattern.
But even worse is the quality of these equipment. Parts are usually made of plastic bum. I've had a telescope shopping. Yes, I have to confess, even to show that I really saw how they are. It was a Tasco 50mm refractor. I remember when he looked at Jupiter, it was sometimes difficult to stop the planet before swinging out of my field of vision. When I bought an Orion 90mm refractor, the first difference I noticed was the strength of the assembly. The flickering images definitely were no longer a problem for me.
But there is still a worse thing than buying these telescopes 60mm in malls, which is to buy a telescope in a toy store. If you enter a Toy Store and ask a salesperson if they have a telescope, why your son wants one. You can rest assured, you will be able to make him give up astronomy for a long time. One may say - No! With such a telescope you will arouse the curiosity of the boy. "But I can tell you from experience, I gained such a telescope as a boy, and the only thing you can do with them is some features on the moon, and over! Pointing to the moon will be the starting and the end of the astronomical career of your child. You can put the toy back in the box.
But even worse is the quality of these equipment. Parts are usually made of plastic bum. I've had a telescope shopping. Yes, I have to confess, even to show that I really saw how they are. It was a Tasco 50mm refractor. I remember when he looked at Jupiter, it was sometimes difficult to stop the planet before swinging out of my field of vision. When I bought an Orion 90mm refractor, the first difference I noticed was the strength of the assembly. The flickering images definitely were no longer a problem for me.
But there is still a worse thing than buying these telescopes 60mm in malls, which is to buy a telescope in a toy store. If you enter a Toy Store and ask a salesperson if they have a telescope, why your son wants one. You can rest assured, you will be able to make him give up astronomy for a long time. One may say - No! With such a telescope you will arouse the curiosity of the boy. "But I can tell you from experience, I gained such a telescope as a boy, and the only thing you can do with them is some features on the moon, and over! Pointing to the moon will be the starting and the end of the astronomical career of your child. You can put the toy back in the box.
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| A Toy Telescope |
As with binoculars, you have to accept that there is a price to pay for a telescope at least reasonable. If you plan on taking pictures of galaxies and nebulas with your telescope, do not think you'll get acceptable results without spending too much, and believe. This much can be much more than you're imagining.
I'm telling you that if you do not want to spend, then give up? Of course not. You do not need any money to practice astronomy. There are countless books on the subject that will be a thousand times more useful than a toy telescope, or even a 60mm refractor made of plastic. If your child wants to start astronomy and you do not want to spend 800 reais (400 dollars) with a good telescope, or even 200 reais (100 dollars) with a good pair of binoculars, how about giving a good book of Astronomy for him. There are some excellent. Why not bring it to a library and find books with him.
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