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terence_fdes, nice post how about a guide, I was following this thread with interest and even I had that question of what next after looking at the moon
You have posed the most fundamental question. Trust me, it's very difficult for me to answer. And the factor's are too many - right from "budget" to the optical capabilities/limitations of the scope that you buy; urban skies and the pollution (which makes most viewing impossible). If however, you do have a vehicle and frequently make trips outside the city - then invest in the best scope that you can afford and discover first-hand what lies in the skies. Trust me - the very first view even of the Moons Craters live is a huge
WOW.
Years ago (more than 35
), I had used a Celestron that was gifted to me (I do not remember the model number). Star charts were very limited then (I used a simple rotational disc sky map by Nehru Planetarium, Mumbai) to just identifying our sky as seen across the Mumbai Horizon, thus I got familiar with the planets, zodiacal constellations, alpha centauri, the pole star, ursa minor & major & the milky way. And how as the seasons changed and the earths rotational movement around the sun so did the views. Mumbai was not so polluted then. I used to yearn for the nights when there was a total "black-out" across the city due to some major power tripping .... because suddenly you could see a 100 times more stars across the blackened sky. I made a few trips on the outskirts of Mumbai towards rural countryside - and the experience was unforgettable. One can even spot satellites, meteors, comets and "shooting stars"
with the naked eye .... so through a telescope it was more fascinating. I used to teach, train and explain all these marvels to as many folks as I could - and especially children. Apart from viewing these celestial marvels - we also need to think "what lies beyond-the-beyond" and is the Earth the most unique planet in the cosmos ? Then there were times, I used to read and study observations made from professional observatories around the world - terrestrial & space based. Somehow, I realised that I had by then outlived the capabilities of my Celestron and it was time for me to pass it on to another person/generation.
Of course, I must mention, that even for terrestrial purposes (viewing anything across one's line of sight during the day was amazing ...... you can peek through people's lives - 'bedrooms' miles away
).
Today, I feel the urge again to start all over and get my own telescope. The tools that are available today are mind-boggling - android apps to track skies/stars/planets/constellations. GPS tracking. Computerised tracking. Just feed in the co-ordinates and the scope will automatically track itself. My limitations are that I live in Mumbai (which has gotten more polluted), no balcony or even a niche through my windows wherein I can squeeze the scope (all windows are grilled)
... So I would have to tug my scope each time onto the terrace & hope for the best. I am also living in a 3 storied building (not in some mega tower 30-50 stories high), so all the neighborhood lights will interfere. Still, I am keeping my options open and want to share this with my daughter.
The "Amateur Astronomer Groups" that exist in so many cities and towns across India are truly fascinating - find one in your own area and expand the scope of your knowledge & experience. Observing & studying the skies as a team/in a group makes it all the more exciting and speeds up the process.
To conclude - for any beginner, your first scope has to be a
Refractor - so that you can also use it for day-time terrestrial viewing (reflector & other scopes will give you an upside-down view).
This is what I have found to be the best (and also price wise at snapdeal)
http://www.snapdeal.com/product/celestron-powerseeker-70eq-telescope/1178661/?pos=0;0;429 - EQ - equatorial mount ~ Rs 8999 (with an extra 2% discount)
and the same
http://www.snapdeal.com/product/celestron-powerseeker-70az-telescope/1178675 - Altazimuth mount ~ Rs 5199 (with an extra 2% discount)
Further details about the scope -
http://www.telescopes.com/telescopes/refracting-telescopes/celestronpowerseeker70eqtelescope.cfm |
http://www.opticsplanet.com/celestron-firstscope-70-eq-refractor-telescope.html |
https://www.astronomics.com/celestron-powerseeker-70-eq-2-75-inch-refractor-telescope_p16516.aspx |
Customer Reviews -
http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-210...iewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
and lastly
Equatorials vs Altazimuths -
http://www.astronomytoday.com/astronomy/tbfaq_7.html |
http://www.marcthescopeguy.com/altazvseq.html |
http://www.howstuffworks.com/telescope5.htm
I repeat do you own homework & I will try my best to answer (if possible).
Ciao
Terry
EDIT - 20130611
Found a better option for the first-timer
Have a look at this one -
Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ Telescope ~ 7949/- This is a more rugged alternative than the "powerseeker-70az" -which has a lot of plastic parts, including the finder scope and the 3X barlow. The astromaster comes with better eyepieces and includes a sturdier alt-az mount with a 'pan-tilt' handle - this ensures a smoother and more accurate tracking (this is absent in the powerseeker & skywatcher model too - where tracking is done by holding onto the main barrel). It's slightly more expensive but worth it.
http://www.celestron.com/astronomy/celestron-astromaster-70az.html
customer reviews on amazon
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