The newbie of all newbies need help

[Sendong Schumacher]

Hi,

I've been thinking about this "hobby" for a long time now, just don't have enough time and funds to do it. I just wanna ask, what's the best equipment out there best suited for an astronomical moron like me? My budget is maybe around 500sgd.... I've been reading the posts lately and some technical terms seems like a hieroglyphs to me.... I wanted to see for myself some planets and other celestial things.
Thanks.

[Gary]

Hi Schumacher,

Welcome to the forum.

Before you buy a telescope, join a few public astronomy sessions at Singapore Science Centre, Galaxy Community Club and singastro sidewalks to have a feel of how different objects look like through different scopes. Dave and friends will be having one tonight at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park near McDonald's and myself outside Toa Payoh Library.

If you have time to read, try to get hold of of this book Backyard Astronomer's Guide:
http://www.backyardastronomy.com/Backya ... Guide.html

There are also many good stargazing/telescope/astronomy books in the public libraries, e.g. Star Ware. Please don't call yourself an astronomical m****. Nobody knows everything about everything in this world. If you encounter any technical terms you dont't understand, just ask them here. After all this is what this forum is about.

$500 can be a decent budget for a tabletop dobsonian with some decent eyepieces. But important thing is to attend a few stargazing sessions, read up and manage your expectations first before committing to buying one.

As for not having enough time, no worries. Even one short observation session a month can be rewarding. This is a hobby. Take as much time off it as you wish. Most of us here did one time or another and still stay in this wonderful hobby.
Good luck!

[Mariner]

http://www.astrobargains.com/Used_Products.htm

The first entry might interest you although I would advise you to join one of the sidewalk sessions as Gary suggested and pick up some tips before plunging your money into equipment that you end up regretting getting.

Another option is to pick up good second hand scopes here in the buy and sell section.

[Sendong Schumacher]

Thanks guys.... I really appreciated your replies.... Im looking to buy myself an easy-to-setup telescope, and easy to carry, a portable one. Im researching a lot about them (differences between cassegrain and refracted/reflected) and their prices. Gotta find myself a decent entry-level telescope because im looking forward to stargaze with my daughter in the future so this might be a good investment. I might consider buying 2nd hand first.
Thanks. You guys rock!

[Gary]

Try reading this if you haven't done so by now:

How to Choose a Telescope - S&T's Guide to Telescope-Buying by Adrian R. Ashford:
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/equipmen ... wAll=y&c=y

Best Beginner Telescopes (Under USD$1000)
http://www.backyardastronomy.com/Backya ... copes.html

[cloud_cover]

Hello and a warm welcome!
I think the others have already said what's to be said, but the most important step in choosing a telescope is to actually look through one, much like trying a set of clothes or shoes. And the only way you can do that in Singapore is to go to a sidewalk session.
Its very important because while you can definitely see a lot of objects in Singapore, the heavy light pollution does affect things to a great degree so by joining these sessions, you will get a good feel of what you can or cannot see through a particular scope, hence you will know how to spend those hundreds or thousands of hard-earned dollars
Regarding the various types of scopes, most decent quality scopes of the same size will produce fairly similar images so don't fret too much about their type unless you intend to do astro-pohotography.
Generally a refractor is the best all-rounder but comes at the cost of steepest price per aperture size.
A Cassegrain/SCT is compact, in the middle as far as pricing is concerned but sacrifices some optical quality compared to refractors (there's a lot of technical debate here, but I'll leave that for the technicians Suffice to say that unless you're quite discerning, you'll probably not really notice, or not notice enough to mind). Having said that, the cheaper cost per size of aperture allows you to buy, for the same price, a bigger Cassegrain compared to Refractor, and that bigger scope will usually show a better image.
A true reflector, such as a Newtonian or Dobsonian is the cheapest per size of aperture but will require some skills in collimating and maintaining collimation. Not as hard as it sounds but it will require a bit of work and extra knowledge as you set up.
Buying 2nd hand is a great idea as it means that should you upgrade or sell out, your loss will be much less as compared to first hand.