Newbie need opinion on telescope

kinkikids · Post by **kinkikids** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:53 pm

hi, i can say i am completely new to astronomy. I am from Selangor, Malaysia.

What i need to do now is to get a beginner class telescope(no bino..) as my mum's birthday present. (which is also a newbie, but is very interested in reading books about horoscope and astronomy..)

well.. i had read a couple of comments in the forum about telescope but i can hardly understand them... so could somebody please guide me?

Normally where's the best place to get telescope? whats the price (beginner class) normally? Can recommend a few places within Klang Valley, Malaysia area?

Whats the diff between beginner class and advance class? why a newbie is not recommended to get a advance class telescope? Please advice... thanks~~

p/s: i had seen a few telescope in http://www.lelong.com.my , is this the telescope that i shud get?

http://www.lelong.com.my/Auc/List/2006- ... 544323.htm
http://www.lelong.com.my/Auc/List/2006- ... 544324.htm

kayheem · Post by **kayheem** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:43 pm

Hi,

The 2 links you gave show the types of telescopes you should NOT get. They are the typical 'department store' type scopes to avoid. You can tell them by the way they advertise magnifications above 200X e.g. 500X or 600X. Most times, observations are done <200X, depending what you are looking at.

What is your budget? Take a look at the FAQ on the Singastro website to find out more.

Kay Heem

river · Post by **river** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:44 pm

Hi there, Welcome to Singastro.

on Equipment, better for you to join your local astro group on one of their outing before you decide what to buy. You will get better idea what to buy by trying it on the field than surfing websites. Get one that you will use the most. Bino is not that bad, try using it on a star party.

try contacting one of our member Kamayok3, he is a nice guy near your area.

Klang Valley, the first thing to look for is a safe place. Then choose a place with the darkest sky and minimum light. If you can drive out of Klang, can consider places like Morib Beach for a weekend. Kamayok3 will have better idea on where to go.

Post by **Airconvent** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:22 am

Hi Kinkikids

One thing did disturbed me somewhat is when you mentioned "horoscope" and "astronomy" in the same breath. I'm not sure if you have mistaken your mum's interest in astrology with astronomy. Both are entirely different although astrology does employ some astronomy terms. Astrology is the study of superstitious influences on your life based on your birthdate whereas astronomy is the study of the cosmos...and scientifically driven.

If you have confirmed the association is a coincidence, then like Kay Heem said, do not get dept store scopes unless you want to kill your interest instantly.

If you are looking for a Malaysian dealer, try Perseid.

http://www.perseid.com.my/

Their scopes are very decently priced and they are very friendly and helpful too in the instances I met them here in Singapore during Singastro's events.

happy astronomying!

ariefm71 · Post by **ariefm71** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 12:59 am

For only S$430 for both a 6" scope and mount, you can't get any better than this: http://www.perseid.com.my/product_list. ... =21&pid=59

chrisyeo · Post by **chrisyeo** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:37 am

Hi kinkikids,

You might just want to check to see what about astronomy that your mum is interested in. I've read a book where this guy's mum loves the stars and astrology but never really appreciated his telescope. If you want to buy her a present, maybe things like starcharts, books, and even a binocular would be good. A telescope requires some patience and interest to really appreciate; it's not really a good gift unless the person is willing to get into it.

Just my 2 cents,
Rgds,
Chris

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:12 am

It is better to get a binoculars first as it is much easier to use than a telescope and lets you see a lot of things for the start. Next time, when there is a strong interest, you can invest in a telescope.

rlow · Post by **rlow** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:06 pm

What is your budget? Major differences between a beginner's scope and advance user's scope is that it has higher optical quality, mechanical quality and built quality and of course higher price for the so-called premium telescope. A beginner may not necessarily appreciate the higher quality, and definitely cannot appreciate the higher cost.

Where's the best place to get a scope? I suggest you buy second-hand from a local astronomy club (you can also check our forum under "buy & sell"), contact a local scope dealer, or order on-line. Worst place is to get it from a local photo shop or hypermarket.

From my personal experience, I would suggest this simple, lightweight and cheap solution: 80mm (3.1 inch) refractor or 5-inch SCT or MCT, optical tube assembly (ota) only, which can easily be mounted on a standard camera tripod with a 3-way head or ball-head, does not need to be collimated or much maintenance, and does not require an astronomical type of equatorial or altazimuth mount and tripod. With a minimum of two eyepieces, a diagonal and a finderscope, this is good enough for you to observe the Moon, planets, star clusters etc. I still keep such a setup as a lightweight grab-and-go scope. A second-hand 3-5 inch ota can cost around $500-700 SGD on Singastro. As a guide, if you see the Singastro "buy & sell" section, the Vixen A80SS would be more of a beginner's scope and the William Optics 66mm APO is a premium scope. The Skywatcher 127 MCT ota is another viable option. If you enjoy carrying heavy bulky equipment,

then you can consider the 120mm and 150mm refractors.