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GoTo vs. Manual Telescopes: Which Should I Choose?

October 11, 2018 by Joe Leave a Comment

If you’re looking to buy a new telescope, you might be wondering whether you should invest in a computerised GoTo mount, or stick to a traditional manual mount. There are advantages and disadvantages of both types. In this guide, I want to go over a few things you need to consider for you to make a well informed choice.

To give you the quick answer: if the most important thing to you is convenience and you have a large budget, GoTo mounts are great. If you plan on doing any astrophotography, a GoTo mount can be useful but isn’t necessary. If you want to get the most bang for your buck in terms of power, or if the satisfaction of locating objects on your own sounds appealing, go for a telescope with a manual mount.

Alt-azimuth vs. Equatorial Mounts

When your deciding on which telescope mount to choose, it gets a little bit more complicated than simply choosing between GoTo and manual. Both of these types of mount can come in an alt-azimuth or equatorial style.

Alt-azimuth mounts are much simpler than equatorial mounts. They have two axis and can move left and right, and up and down. They work in the same way as a camera tripod. Alt-azimuth mounts are easy to setup and use, but they don’t track objects like equatorial mounts do.

With equatorial mounts, one of the axis is parallel to the earths rotational axis. This means that the image will always stay consistent and not rotate. The downside is that when the object you are viewing passes the meridian line, you will need to flip the mount which interrupts valuable viewing time when the object is at the optimal point. As the mount moves, it can also put the eyepiece in awkward positions, particularly if you have a reflector telescope.

Whether you choose a GoTo or manual mount, alt-azimuth mounts are generally preferred for simple viewing. Compensating for rotation won’t be that important and alt-azimuth mounts are much more convenient. However, for astrophotography, you will definitely want to consider an equatorial mount which will allow you to use longer exposure times. This is especially true for taking photos of deep space objects.

I know this doesn’t really help you decide between GoTo and manual mounts, but it is important to consider when choosing a mount.

How Do GoTo Telescopes Work?

You’re probably aware that telescopes with GoTo mounts are computerised and automatically find objects in the sky for you, but you might be wondering how they actually work. (This is a very brief explanation of how they work.)

The first thing you do is input some details into the computer. This is usually your location, time, and the date. Some mounts with built-in GPS can do this for you. Next, you point the telescope to a known star on the computers database, and center it in the eyepiece.

Now the telescope knows its orientation and you can easily have it point to thousands of objects stored on the database with the push of a button.

Manual Telescopes Will Give You More Power

The biggest advantage of a manual telescope is that they will give you much more power for the same price. Computerised telescopes don’t come cheap and the extra money spent on purchasing a GoTo telescope could be put towards a telescope with a larger aperture. A telescope with a larger aperture will be more powerful and allow you to see more objects with higher magnification and in more detail.

To give you an example, the Celestron 114LCM GoTo telescope (check price on Amazon) has a 4.5″ aperture, and is around the same price as the Orion SkyQuest XT6 (check price on Amazon) which has a 6″ aperture. The mount on the 114LCM isn’t great either.

Although you can get some great quality GoTo telescopes at the higher end, you will always be able to get a more powerful telescope for the same price if you go manual. If you want the most bang for your buck, get a manual telescope.

Are GoTo Mounts Necessary for Astrophotography?

If you plan on doing some astrophotography and you will only be taking photos of the Moon or planets, the type of mount doesn’t really matter too much because these objects are easy to find in the sky and you won’t require long exposure times.

If you want to take photographs of deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae, GoTo mounts are not necessary, but they do make things a bit easier.

For astrophotography, what’s more important is choosing an equatorial mount.

Because deep space objects are so far away, you want to use longer exposure times on your camera so you can gather more light. The problem is, these objects are moving through space and the earth is rotating which makes it difficult to keep the object still and in the same alignment. Equatorial mounts offset the earths rotation which allows you to use longer exposure times.

So if you plan on doing any astrophotography, don’t worry too much about GoTo, but do make sure you choose an equatorial mount.

Locating Objects Is Part of the Fun!

Something that often gets forgotten is that locating objects and finding your way through the night sky is part of the fun for many people. You get a great sense of satisfaction when you finally find that planet or galaxy you were looking for without the help of a computer.

Sure, many people don’t want the extra hassle and just want to hit a button and look at what they want to look at. And that’s totally fine, but it’s definitely something to consider when you’re deciding between a GoTo or manual telescope.

What Will You Be Viewing?

Another important thing to consider is what you will be using your telescope to view. If you will only be using your telescope to view the Moon, a GoTo mount is not necessary. Planets can be a little harder to locate but you still don’t really need GoTo.

However, if you’re interested in viewing more of those harder to locate deep space objects, GoTo mounts can be very convenient.

What’s the Light Pollution Like?

If you will be using your telescope in a heavily light polluted area, it can be very difficult to locate many objects. This is another time where you might want to consider a GoTo telescope.

What’s Your Budget?

Finally, you need to consider your budget. If you have a small budget of just a few hundred dollars or so, I would avoid telescopes with GoTo mounts. The quality simply isn’t there. Corners will have to be cut somewhere and you will end up with a telescope with a small aperture, bad optics, or unstable mount.

If your budget is over $500, you can start to find some good quality GoTo telescopes. But remember, they still won’t be as powerful as if you bought a manual telescope for the same price.

Conclusion

Neither GoTo or manual mounts are objectively better than the other. It all comes down to personal preference and what you will be using you telescope for. Take some time to consider the things in this guide and you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect telescope mount for your own needs.

Filed Under: Blog, Telescopes

Fast vs. Slow Telescopes: What’s the Difference?

October 10, 2018 by Joe Leave a Comment

If you’ve been researching telescope, you may have come across the terms fast and slow telescopes. In this post, I want to go through what these terms actually mean and the advantages and disadvantages of both types of telescope.

What’s the Difference?

All telescopes have an aperture and a focal length. The aperture is the diameter of the lens or mirror that gathers the light, and the focal length is the distance between the lens/mirror and the eyepiece.

If you have two telescopes with the same aperture but different focal lengths, the telescope with the short focal length would be considered fast and the telescope with the long focal length would be considered slow. These terms are borrowed from photography where a lens with a longer focal length will require a slower shutter speed to get the same level of brightness as a lens with a shorter focal length.

The relationship between the aperture and focal length is known as the focal ratio or f/ratio. You calculate the f/ratio by dividing the focal length (mm) by the aperture (mm). So a telescope with an aperture of 130mm and focal length of 650mm will have a f/ratio of f/5. An f/ratio of f/4 or f/5 would be considered fast, above f/8 would be considered slow, and anything in between would be more balanced.

If you’re looking to buy a telescope, you might be wondering whether you should buy a fast or slow telescope. Now we’re going to look at the advantages and disadvantages of both types.

Fast Telescopes

Fast telescopes have a shorter focal length. They have a wider field of view and are generally better suited for viewing deep space objects.

Pros

  • More portable
  • Wider field of view

Cons

  • Requires more powerful eyepieces for high magnification
  • Shorter eye relief assuming same magnification
  • Aberrations are more pronounced

Slow Telescopes

Slow telescopes have a longer focal length and are generally better suited for viewing planets in our solar system and the Moon.

Pros

  • Higher magnification assuming the same eyepiece
  • Longer eye relief assuming same magnification
  • Aberrations are less pronounced

Cons

  • Not as portable
  • Not capable of wider fields of view

Filed Under: Blog, Telescopes

Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 Telescope Review

October 4, 2018 by Joe Leave a Comment

If you’re looking to buy your first proper telescope, the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 is definitely one to check out. The Dobsonion mount makes it easy to use for beginners, and this telescope gives you a lot of bang for your buck so you don’t need to break the bank to get a good quality telescope.

In this review, I want to take a look at the pros and cons of the SkyQuest XT4.5, analyse it in a bit more detail, and then look at some similar telescopes you might also want to consider.

Quick Look

The Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 is a great telescopes for beginners to get started with amateur astronomy. It’s budget-friendly and has a decent sized aperture of 4.5″ which is very good for the price. Although the similarly priced Zhumell Z130 has a slightly larger aperture, the SkyQuest XT4.5 has a longer focal length which means it is particularly good for viewing the planets in out solar system and the Moon. The Dobsonion mount makes it easy for beginners to use, although it will require some maintenance due to it being a reflector telescope.

Technical Specifications

  • Type: Reflector
  • Aperture: 4.5″ (114 mm)
  • Focal length: 900mm
  • Focal ratio: f/8
  • Included eypieces: 25mm and 10mm
  • Focuser: 1.25″
  • Finderscope: 6×30
  • Mount: Altazimuth (Dobsonion)

Pros

  • Great value for money
  • Relatively long focal length
  • Easy to use – ideal for beginners
  • Fairly portable

Cons

  • Smaller aperture than similarly priced Zhumell Z130
  • Requires more maintenance than a refractor telescope
  • Awkward eyepiece height

Find the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 on Amazon

Who Should (& Shouldn’t) Buy the SkyQuest XT4.5?

The SkyQuest XT4.5 is best suited for beginners looking to buy their first telescope and will primarily be using it to view planets in our solar system and the Moon. It has a Dobsonion mount which is easy to use, and it offers excellent value for money so you can still get a fairly powerful telescope without having to break the bank.

Due to the fact that the SkyQuest XT4.5 is a reflector telescope, it will require some maintenance. This involves collimation (aligning the mirrors) and cleaning. This isn’t too hard to do, but it does take time and some getting used to. If you want a telescope that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, the Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ is a great choice for a refractor telescope at a similar price. The trade off is that the AstroMaster 90EQ has a smaller aperture, so it won’t be quite as powerful as the SkyQuest XT4.5.

Although the SkyQuest XT4.5 offers excellent value for money, if you can stretch your budget a little, you can get your hands on a more powerful telescope like the Orion SkyQuest XT6. The last thing you want to do is regret your purchase and wish you invested a bit more for a telescope with more power.

You will also want to look elsewhere if you plan on doing any astrophotography. The Dobsonion mount on the SkyQuest XT4.5 is great for simple viewing, and perfect for beginners, but it’s not so good at tracking objects. You will want a telescope with an EQ or GoTo mount for astrophotography.

How Easy is it to Use & Maintain?

The Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 has a Dobsonion mount. This is a type of altazimuth mount that is ideal for beginners because it’s pretty easy to use. The downside being that they aren’t as good as harder-to-use equatorial mounts for tracking objects through the sky. But for beginners, Dobsonion mounts are great. The video below shows how you use a Dobsonion telescope.

The Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 is a reflector telescope which means it uses mirrors to gather and focus light. Unlike refractor telescopes like the Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ which use a lens, reflector telescope do require more maintenance. Regular collimation (aligning the mirrors) and cleaning will be required. The main advantage of reflector telescopes is that they are cheaper to produce so you get more bang for your buck. You can read more about the different types of telescope in our telescope buying guide.

What Can I Expect to See with the SkyQuest XT4.5?

When you set your expectations of what you think you will see through a telescope, you need to remember that many of the photos of space you will have seen have been taken through huge telescope like the Hubble telescope. This doesn’t mean you won’t get to see some amazing views, but you do need to be realistic.

With any telescope, the viewing conditions play a big part in what you can see. Clearer skies and less light pollution will allow you to see more. The main aspect of a telescope which dictates what you can see is the aperture.

The aperture is the diameter of the lens or mirror. A wider diameter will allow more light in and you will be able to see more objects and detail. The SkyQuest XT4.5 has an aperture of 4.5″. Although this is very good for the price, it is relatively small for a Dobsonion reflector telescope.

With the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5, you should be able to see:

  • Great views of the moon and it’s craters
  • The rings of Saturn
  • The bands on Jupiter and some of it’s moons
  • Mars, Mercury, and Venus but without much detail
  • Possibly the colors of Uranus and Neptune
  • Lot’s of star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies with some detail

What’s Included & Should I Upgrade Any Parts?

One of the great things about telescopes is that many of the parts can be upgraded and you can purchase addons. First, let’s look at what is included with the SkyQuest XT4.5, and then look at any additional parts you might want to purchase.

Included with the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5:

  • Reflector telescope with 4.5″ aperture and 900mm focal length
  • Dobsonion (altazimuth) mount with eyepiece tray
  • 25mm and 10mm eyepieces
  • 6×30 finderscope

If you were to simply use the telescope out of the box, it would work great, but the one addition I would recommend is a barlow lens. A barlow lens is placed between the telescope and the eyepiece and gives you even more magnification. Usually 2x or 3x.

Although any telescope can technically achieve any magnification, a good rule of thumb for the maximum magnification you should use is around 40x the aperture in inches. So with the SkyQuest XT4.5, it will be around 180x.

The two eyepieces which come with telescope will give you 36x and and 90x. A 2x barlow lens like this Celestron Omni 2X from Amazon will mean you will also have the options for 72x and 180x magnification.

Find the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 on Amazon

Similar Telescopes to Check Out

If you’re still not sure the Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 is the right telescope for you, the telescopes below are worth checking out.

  • Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ – The Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ is similarly priced to the SkyQuest XT4.5, but it is a refractor rather than a reflector telescope. The main advantage is that it is much easier to maintain but it isn’t quite as powerful. – Find it on Amazon
  • Zhumell Z130 – The Zhumell Z130 is similarly priced to the SkyQuest XT4.5, but it is slightly more powerful with a 5″ aperture. It has a shorter focal length giving it a wider field of view which is great for viewing deep space objects. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT6 – If your budget can stretch to a SkyQuest XT6, you can get your hands on an even more powerful telescope. It’s a similar style of telescope to the SkyQuest XT4.5, but it will allow you to see more objects and detail. – Find it on Amazon

Filed Under: Telescope Reviews, Telescopes

Zhumell Z130 Telescope Review

October 4, 2018 by Joe Leave a Comment

If you’re new to amateur astronomy, it can be daunting trying to decide on the best telescope for you. You’ve probably come across the Zhumell Z130 telescope after seeing it being highly praised in reviews and on forums. Whilst it is true that it is a fantastic telescope for beginners and offers excellent value for money, there are some things to consider which might mean an alternative telescope would be a better fit for you.

In this review, I want to take a look at the pros and cons of the Zhumell Z130, analyse it in a bit more detail, and then look at some similar telescopes you might also want to consider.

Quick Look

The Zhumell Z130 is a great telescope for beginners who don’t want to spend a huge amount on their first telescope but still want something that’s fairly powerful.

The 5″ aperture on the Zhumell is really quite large for the price giving you a lot of power for a low price. The focal length is relatively short at 650mm which means it’s a good choice for viewing deep space objects. However, with a more powerful eyepiece or a barlow lens, this telescope is also great for viewing planets and the Moon. Overall, a great all-round telescope for beginners.

Technical Specifications

  • Type: Reflector
  • Aperture: 5″ (130 mm)
  • Focal length: 650mm
  • Focal ratio: f/5
  • Included eypieces: 25mm and 10mm
  • Focuser: 1.25″
  • Finderscope: Red dot finder
  • Mount: Altazimuth (Dobsonion)

Pros

  • Excellent value for money
  • Portable
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Requires maintenance
  • Requires a raised surface
  • Short focal length means you will need more powerful eyepieces

Find the Zhumell Z130 on Amazon

Who Should (& Shouldn’t) Buy the Zhumell Z130?

The Zhumell Z130 is a great telescope for beginners who are looking to get into amateur astronomy but don’t want to break the bank. It’s reasonable priced and very powerful relative to the low price, and the Dobsonion mount makes it fairly easy to setup and use.

However, you might want to look at alternatives like the Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ if you want a telescope that’s easier to maintain. Because the Zhumell Z130 is a reflector telescope, it will require regular collimation (alignment) and cleaning. The Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ is in the same price range, but it is a refractor telescope which means it won’t require as much maintenance (although it will still require some). The main trade off is that the AstroMaster isn’t as powerful as the Zhumell. There are other differences between reflector and refractor telescopes which you can read more about in our telescope buying guide.

You might also want to look at alternatives if you have a larger budget. Although the Zhumell Z130 is very powerful considering it’s price, if you can spend a hundred dollars or so more, you can invest in a more powerful telescope like the Orion SkyQuest XT6. The SkyQuest is similar to the Zhumell, but quite a bit more powerful.

If you plan on doing any astrophotography, the Zhumell Z130 isn’t the best choice. For astrophotography, you want to be able to track the planets, and an EQ mount or GoTo mount is best for that. The Dobsonion mount on the Zhumell Z130 is great for simple viewing, but not for astrophotography.

I know this section covers a lot of scenarios where you shouldn’t purchase the Zhumell Z130, but I do want to make clear that this is a fantastic telescope, as long as it fits your requirements.

How Easy is it to Use & Maintain?

If the Zhumell Z130 will be the first telescope you buy, you will probably want to know how easy it is to use and keep maintained. For the most part, it’s fairly easy to use, but it will require a bit of maintenance like all reflector telescopes.

The first thing I want to point out is that this telescope has two handles on the mount making it easy to carry. This is something many other telescopes don’t have. Due to the fairly small size of this telescope and the style of mount, you will need to use it on a raised surface like a table for comfortable viewing.

Once you have the Zhumell Z130 in place, it’s fairly easy to use. The Zhumell Z130 uses a Dobsonion mount which is a type of altazimuth mount. The advantage of these mounts is that they are easier to setup an use, but they aren’t as good at tracking objects as equatorial mounts. The video below does an excellent job of explaining how to use a Dobsonion telescope.

The Zhumell Z130 is a reflector telescope which means it uses mirrors to gather and focus light. Because of this, it will require more maintenance than a refractor telescope like the Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ. The mirrors will need aligning (known as collimation) and cleaning fairly regularly.

What Can I Expect to See with the Zhumell Z130?

What you can expect to see with any telescope depends on a few factors. The viewing conditions play a big part. The clearer the skies and the less light pollution there is, the more you will be able to see. The main factor of a telescope that will determine what you can see is the aperture.

The aperture of a telescope refers to the diameter of the lens or – as in the case of the Zhumell Z130 – the primary mirror. A larger aperture will be able to gather more light which will allow you to see more objects and more detail in those objects.

The aperture of the Zhumell Z130 is 5″ which is very good for the price. Although you can technically use any magnification with any telescope, a good rule of thumb is to go no higher than 40x the aperture in inches. So in the case of the Zhumell Z130, you wouldn’t want to go much higher than 200x magnification.

With the Zhumell Z130, you should be able to see:

  • Great views of the moon and it’s craters
  • The rings of Saturn
  • The bands on Jupiter and some of it’s moons
  • Mars, Mercury, and Venus but without much detail
  • Possibly the colors of Uranus and Neptune
  • Lot’s of star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies with some detail

What’s Included & Should I Upgrade Any Parts?

One of the great things about telescopes is that you can upgrade various parts to improve them even further. First, let’s look at what comes included with the Zhumell Z130 and then the upgrades and additional parts I would recommend purchasing.

Included with the Zhumell Z130:

  • Reflector telescope with 5″ aperture and 650mm focal length
  • Dobsonion (altazimuth) mount with eyepiece tray
  • 25mm and 10mm eyepieces
  • Red dot finderscope
  • Screwdriver

Find the Zhumell Z130 on Amazon

Out of the box, the Zhumell Z130 is a great telescope and there aren’t any upgrades that are absolutely required.

One thing to note is that the telescope doesn’t come with a case. If you will only be using the telescope from your garden or nearby, this isn’t a problem. It might be an issue if you plan on taking it further out though.

The one addition I would highly recommend is a barlow lens. With the included lenses, you have the options of 26x magnification and 65x magnification. A 2x barlow lens like this Celestron Omni 2X from Amazon will also allow you to use 52x and 130x magnification. To give yourself even more magnification options, you might want to consider another eyepiece like this 6mm Omni Plossl eyepiece from Amazon. With this eyepiece (and the barlow lens) you will also have the options for 108x and 216x magnification.

Similar Telescopes to Check Out

If you’re still not sure the Zhumell Z130 is the right telescope for you, the telescopes below are worth checking out.

  • Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ – The Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ is similarly priced to the Zhumell Z130, but it is a refractor rather than a reflector telescope. The main advantage is that it is much easier to maintain but it isn’t quite as powerful. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 – The SkyQuest XT4.5 is slighly less powerful than the Zhumell Z130, but is has a longer focal length. This means you won’t require as powerful eyepieces to achieve high magnification. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT6 – If your budget can stretch to a SkyQuest XT6, you can get your hands on an even more powerful telescope. It’s a similar style of telescope to the Zhumell Z130, but it will allow you to see more objects and detail. – Find it on Amazon

Filed Under: Telescope Reviews, Telescopes

The Best Telescopes: Complete Buying Guide for 2018

September 30, 2018 by Joe Leave a Comment

Amateur astronomy can be a fantastic hobby that anybody can enjoy. Looking into the sky on a clear night can be amazing on it’s own, but getting up close and personal with our planets, the moon, and even other galaxies is something else. The problem is, choosing your first telescope can be a very daunting task. Telescopes can get quite complicated, and there is a lot of terminology used to describe telescopes that most people who are new to astronomy don’t really understand.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this guide, I have started off by taking a look at some great telescopes for beginners to consider. Then I have answers for a couple of questions you might have relating to the cost of buying a telescope and what you can realistically expect to see. Next, there is an in-depth guide to help you understand how telescopes work and the differences between different models. Finally, I have included some information and recommendations for choosing a telescope for a specific purpose.

The Best Telescopes

If you are serious about getting into amateur astronomy, I would highly recommend reading all of this guide. Not only is it invaluable to have an understanding of telescopes when deciding on which one you should buy, but it’s also really interesting to learn about how they work and the different parts. But if you are looking for a quick answer, the telescopes below are all excellent choices.


Zhumell Z130 – Best Bang for Your Buck

The Zhumell Z130 is a great telescope for beginners who don’t want to spend a huge amount on their first telescope but still want something that’s fairly powerful.

The 5″ aperture on the Zhumell is really quite large for the price giving you a lot of power for a low price. The focal length is relatively short at 650mm which means it’s a good choice for viewing deep space objects. (The f/ratio of this telescope is f/5.) However, with a more powerful eyepiece or a barlow lens, this telescope is also great for viewing planets and the Moon. Overall, a great all-round telescope for beginners.

Find it on Amazon


Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 – Budget-Friendly, Good for the Moon & Planets

The Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 has a slightly smaller aperture than the Zhumell at 4.5″. This means it isn’t quite as powerful but isn’t far behind. However it has a longer focal length at 900mm giving it an f/ratio of f/8. The advantage of the longer focal length means you won’t need as powerful an eyepiece for higher magnification because the telescope itself will be doing a lot of the work.

This is another great telescope for beginners. The Dobsonion mounts make them easy to set up and use, and the long focal length makes them ideal for viewing planets and the Moon.

Find it on Amazon


Orion SkyQuest XT6, XT8 & XT10 – Larger Aperture = More Power

The Orion SkyQuest XT6, XT8 & XT10 telescopes are the big brothers of the XT4.5. All of these telescopes have a relatively long focal length of 1200mm. The main difference between them is the aperture which is 6″, 8″, and 10″ respectively (hence the names).

These telescopes are a good choice for beginners due to the easy-to-use Dobsonion mounts, however you should keep in mind that these telescopes – particularly the XT10 – are rather large and quite expensive.

  • Orion SkyQuest XT6 – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT8 – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT10 – Find it on Amazon

Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ – Budget Friendly & Low Maintenance

The Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ is a telescope to consider if you’re on a very tight budget and want something that’s low maintenance. Unlike the previous telescopes, this one is a refractor which means it uses a lens rather than mirrors. The advantage is that misalignment isn’t as much of a problem, and they are easier to clean and maintain.

The downside is refractor telescopes don’t give you as much bang for your buck. The 70AZ might be fairly cheap, but it has a small aperture of just 2.76″. However, this telescope has a relatively long focal length at 900mm making it a good choice for planets and the Moon.

Find it on Amazon


Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ – Low Maintenance

The Celestron AstroMaster 90EQ is another refractor telescope to consider. With a 3.54″ aperture, you’re still not getting as much bang for your buck as you would with a reflector telescope, but it isn’t bad for a refractor at this price.

Like with the AstroMaster 70AZ, this is a telescope to consider if you want low maintenance. Due to the low aperture but fairly high focal length of 1000mm, this telescope is great for viewing planets and the Moon.

Find it on Amazon


How Much Should I Spend on a Telescope?

The first thing you might be wondering is, how much should I spend on a telescope? You’ve probably seen the cheap telescopes you can pick up in toy shops for under $50, but then there are huge and incredibly powerful telescopes that can cost thousands of dollars.

Well, luckily, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to get a good quality telescope that can give you some amazing views. However, I would recommend spending at least a couple of hundred dollars if you plan on taking this hobby somewhat seriously. If you spend much less that this, you’re going to find yourself with a telescope that is underwhelming. It will likely either have poor optics so you can’t see much, or an unstable mount which will be really frustrating to use. If you have the budget, say around $500 – $600, telescopes in this price range will give you more power and the ability to see more detail and more objects in the sky.

What Can I Realistically Expect to See?

The second thing you’re probably wondering is, what can I realistically expect to see? The important thing you need to realise is that many of the photos of space you will have seen have been taken through huge, incredibly powerful telescopes like the Hubble telescope. Unfortunately, you’re not going to get this kind of quality with your own telescope.

What you can expect to see depends on three main factors:

  • Your budget – the higher your budget, you will be able to afford more powerful telescopes which will allow you to see more detail and more objects.
  • Atmospheric conditions – if you use your telescope on a clear night with no light pollution, you will be able to see a lot more.

  • What you want to see – you can see some great detail in the Moon, even with a fairly cheap telescope, but further away objects won’t look quite as impressive.

It’s important to understand the points above, but I get that you probably want to see pictures of what you can actually expect to see. The video below shows Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn through an Orion Skyquest XT8 plus. (Very similar to the Orion Skyquest XT8.)

The moon is much closer to us than the planets so you can see a lot more detail. These images are also taken through an 8″ Dobsonion telescope.

A Guide to Telescopes

There are lots of different aspects to a telescope. Different types, sizes, mounts, etc. In this guide, I have broken down how all of these differences affect the telescope.

Types of Telescope

Refractor telescopes were the first to be invented. They use a lens to gather and focus light and are what most people think of when they imagine a telescope; long and thin with the eyepiece right at the end. The main advantage of refractor telescopes is that they are easy to maintain. After the initial alignment of the lens, they won’t need realigning very often, and they are sealed from the atmosphere so don’t require regular cleaning. However, refractor telescopes suffer from chromatic abberation. This is when you get a rainbow effect around an object, similar to when you shine light through a prism. They can also get quite expensive, especially as the aperture size increases.

Reflector telescopes use mirrors to gather and focus the light. There is a large, curved mirror at the bottom of the telescope which reflects the light to a second, smaller mirror near the eyepiece. The advantages of reflector telescopes is that they don’t cause chromatic abberation like refractors do, and they are cheaper to manufacture so you can usually get more bang for your buck. The downside is they require more maintenance. It’s easy for misalignment of the mirrors to occur, and they require frequent cleaning. They are also prone to diffraction spikes which is where you get spikes of light extending from bright objects like stars. Reflector telescopes are only suitable for observing space and are not for terrestrial use.

Catadioptric telescopes use both lenses and mirrors to gather and focus light. They are essentially a hybrid of refractor and reflector telescopes. The advantage of these telescopes is that they have the optical benefits of both lenses and mirrors and cancel out the disadvantages. They are also generally very portable. The downside is that they can be very expensive. They also lose some of the light due to the secondary mirror getting in the way. Like, reflector telescopes, they are only suitable for observing space and are not for terrestrial use.

Aperture

The aperture of a telescope refers to the diameter of the lens or mirror. A larger aperture allows the telescope to gather more light which gives you a brighter and sharper image. It also means you can use higher magnification and still retain a good quality image. Technically, you can use any magnification on any telescope, but if you try to use too much magnification with a small aperture, the image quality will be poor. There’s no strict rule, but a good guide is for the magnification to be no higher than 40x the aperture in inches.

A larger aperture will always produce a better quality image, but as the aperture size increases, so does the cost and weight of the telescope. If you want to view deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae, a large aperture is important because they are so far away and you want to gather as much of their light as possible. But for brighter and closer objects, like the moon or the planets in out solar system, the aperture size isn’t quite as important and you will want to pay more attention to the focal length.

Magnification

The magnification of a telescope is determined by the focal length of the telescope and the focal length of the eyepiece.

The focal length of a telescope is the distance between the lens or mirror and the eyepiece; basically how long or short the telescope is. To work out the magnification, you divide the focal length of the telescope by the focal length of the eyepiece. For example, if a telescope has a focal length of 1250mm and you use a 10mm eyepiece, the magnification will be 125x.

Technically, you can achieve any magnification regardless of the focal length by changing the eyepiece. For example, if you have a shorter telescope, say 625mm, and you used a 5mm eyepiece, you would also get a magnification of 125x.

So, why choose a telescope with a long focal length?

The advantage of a telescope with a longer focal length is that even relatively poor quality eyepieces will still work well. To achieve the same magnification, a shorter telescope will need to use a more powerful eyepiece, and high quality, powerful eyepieces can be quite expensive. With a longer telescope, the telescope itself will be responsible for much of the magnification, so the eyepiece doesn’t need to do as much work. Longer telescopes are usually a good choice for viewing objects like the moon and the planets in our solar system.

The advantage of a telescope with a shorter focal length is that they have a wider field of view and they are more portable. If magnification isn’t as important, and you will be viewing deep space objects like galaxies and nubulae, telescopes with a shorter focal length are a better option. And you can still get higher magnification by using a more powerful eyepiece, it just isn’t as ideal as using a longer telescope.

The relationship between the aperture and focal length is called an f/ratio. The f/ratio is calculated by dividing the focal length by the aperture. I would consider a telescope with an f/ratio of f/4 or f/5 to be short, f/6 to f/10 to be mid-range, and anything over f/10 to be long.

Eyepieces

We’ve already looked at how eyepieces in conjunction with focal length determine magnification, now let’s look at how eyepieces work and the different types. Telescopes usually come included with eyepieces, but often they are not great quality, and you will probably have to purchase additional eyepieces if you’re looking for a specific magnification or field of view.

Just like telescopes have a focal length, eyepieces have their own focal length which is measured in millimetres. The smaller the focal length of the eyepiece, the higher the magnification. (Remember, to find the magnification, you divide the telescope focal length by the eyepiece focal length.)

Each eyepiece has an apparent field of view. This is the number of degrees of the sky it appears you are viewing when you look through the telescope. (Of course the actual field of view will be much smaller because you are zooming in on a small section of the sky.) Standard eyepieces usually have a 45° field of view, but you can also get wide angle eyepieces which are 60° or more. For viewing things like the moon and planets, I would stick with a standard eyepiece, but for deep space objects like galaxies and nebulae, you might prefer a wide angle eyepiece. To calculate the true field of view (the actual number of degrees of the sky you will see), you divide the apparent field of view by the magnification.

Another important aspect of eyepieces is eye relief. This is the distance from the eyepiece to the observers eye. Eyepieces with a short eye relief can be quite uncomfortable to use, especially for people who wear glasses. Generally, the more powerful the eyepiece, the shorter the eye relief.

There are two standard eyepiece sizes you can buy: 1.25″ and 2″ (there is a third size, but it is largely discontinued). Most telescopes accept 1.25″ eyepieces, and these eyepieces are usually cheaper. Some telescopes accept 2″ eyepieces and usually come with an adaptor to also accept 1.25″ eyepieces. 2″ eyepieces are generally more expensive.

Barlow Lenses

Barlow lenses can be placed between the telescope and the eyepiece to increase magnification even further; usually by two or three times. Not only do they allow you to increase magnification, but they also allow you to double your magnification options. Let’s say you have a telescope with a 1000mm focal length and two eyepieces: 10mm and 4mm. With these eyepieces, you have options for 100x and 250x magnification. If you also have a 2x barlow lens, you will also have the options of 200x and 500x magnification.

Barlow lenses can be great, but you have to remember that too much magnification can be a bad thing. If your telescope has a relatively small aperture, then using too much magnification will give you a dim and poor quality image. As I mentioned earlier, there’s no rule for how much magnification you should use for a particular aperture, and a lot of it depends on the viewing conditions and what you are looking at. But a reasonable guide is for the maximum magnification to be no more than 40x the aperture in inches. For example, if you have a 4″ aperture, you wouldn’t want to go much higher than 160x magnification.

Barlow lenses come in the same sizes as eyepieces: 1.25″ and 2″, so make sure you choose the right size of barlow lens that is compatible with your telescope.

Mounts

Mounts are very important when it comes to telescopes. Even if a telescope has really good optics, a poor and unstable mount can completely ruin your experience. Mounts are used to keep the telescope steady and track objects in the sky. There are two main types of telescope mount:

Alt-azimuth mounts are simple two axis mounts. They can be moved left and right, and up and down. They work in the same way as standard camera tripods. The advantage of these mounts is that they are very easy to setup, and the telescope eyepiece should always be in a comfortable position. The downside is that they don’t compensate for the rotation of the earth like equatorial mounts, which means they aren’t ideal for viewing deep space objects or astrophotography. However, they are fine for viewing the moon or the planets in our solar system.

Equatorial mounts are more complicated. In these mounts, one of the axis is parallel to the earths rotational axis. This means that the image will always stay consistent and not rotate. The downside is that when the object you are viewing passes the meridian line, you will need to flip the mount which interrupts valuable viewing time when the object is at the optimal point. As the mount moves, it can also put the eyepiece in awkward positions on reflector telescopes. Equatorial mounts can be a pain to setup because they need to be aligned with the earths rotation. However, despite these drawbacks, equatorial mounts are still the best option for viewing deep space objects and astrophotography.

Some mounts have comptuers built in. These are called Goto mounts and can be either alt-azimuth or equatorial. Goto mounts can save you a lot of time by quickly pointing to specific objects in the sky. Whether or not you want this feature is down to personal preference, but there are a few things to consider. Firstly, they are more expensive, and you could put the extra money towards a more powerful telescope. Secondly, for many people, locating the objects on your own is part of the fun and it can feel very satisfying when you finally find what you were searching for. However, if you just want to see specific objects as quickly as possible, or perhaps you will be using the telescope as a family and you don’t want to be spending too much time faffing around, Goto mounts can be very handy.

Finderscopes

Finderscopes are like mini telescopes that sit on top of the main telescope. When you look through a telescope, you are only looking at a tiny part of the sky and it can be very difficult to find the object you are looking for. Finderscopes have either no magnification or a small amount of magnification, and a crosshair in the middle to show where the main telescope is pointing.

Even if you have a Goto mount, finderscopes can be useful. Goto mounts need initial alignment and a finderscope will make this process much easier.

Finding the Right Telescope for You

There are lots of different telescopes out there. Different types, different mounts, different sizes. etc. In this section, I want to go through what to look for in a telescope for different situations and hopefully help you find the best telescope for you.

For each category, I have made a few recommendations. There will be some crossover because most telescopes are great for multiple purposes. There are also some excellent telescopes which aren’t mentioned, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you with too many options so I picked out some popular and highly rated models.

Best Telescopes for Beginners

If you’re buying your first telescope, there are a few key points to consider.

You will want the telescope to be nice and easy to setup and use. For this, I would recommend a telescope with a Dobsonian mount (these are a type of alt-azimuth mount). All of the telescopes in the list below are Dobsonian.

You might be tempted to go for a cheaper telescope to start with, but I would advise against this. If you do, you will most likely end up with a weak telescope and you will be let down by what you can see with it. Or you will end up with a telescope with a poor quality mount that won’t keep steady and will make for a very frustrating experience. If you develop a passion for amateur astronomy, you will very quickly want to upgrade a cheap telescope.

However, it’s also understandable that you won’t want to spend too much on your first telescope. Reflector telescopes are great because they are cheaper to manufacture than catadioptric and refractor telescopes and offer excellent bang for your buck. For a couple of hundred dollars you can get a good quality Dobsonian reflector telescope.

Great beginner telescopes to check out:

  • Zhumell Z130 (reflector) – 5″ aperture (very good for the price) and 650mm focal length. Easy to use with a Dobsonion mount. Includes a finderscope to help target objects. Great bang for your buck. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 (reflector) – 4.5″ aperture and 900mm focal length. Slightly smaller aperture than the Zhumell, but longer focal length so better for higher magnification. Great for viewing the moon and planets. Includes a finderscope. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT6 (reflector) – 6″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. The XT6 is a great beginner telescope if you’re willing to spend a bit more. The larger 6″ aperture makes this telescope more powerful than the Z130 and XT4.5. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT8 (reflector) – 8″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. The XT8 is the big brother of the XT6 and is even more powerful with an 8″ aperture. This telescope is a bit more expensive though, and not as portable. – Find it on Amazon

Best Telescopes for Viewing Planets & the Moon

For viewing the moon and the planets in our solar system, you want to look for a telescope with a longer focal length. A longer focal length will help you to get more magnification without needing powerful eyepieces. Ideally, look for a telescope with an f/ratio of f/8 or higher.

However, aperture is still important when you are viewing planets and the moon. You should try to get a telescope with as large an aperture as you can afford and is practical. A larger aperture will give you more power and the ability for higher magnification whilst keeping a good quality image.

Great telescopes for viewing planets and the Moon:

  • Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ (refractor) – 2.76” aperture and 900mm focal length. If you really don’t want to spend a lot, this telescope can be a good choice. But the small apperture really limits the detail you will see. Because it’s a refractor telescope, it doesn’t require much maintenance and is easy to use. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT4.5 (reflector) – 4.5″ aperture and 900mm focal length. Decent sized aperture, reasonable priced, and it has a long focal length which is ideal for viewing planets and the Moon. – Find it on Amazon
  • Celestron AstroMaster 90 EQ (refractor) – 3.54″ aperture and 1000mm focal length. Decent sized aperture for a refractor telescope at this price and a long focal length makes it great for planets and the Moon. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT8 (reflector) – 8″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. A fairly large aperture and long focal length gives this telescope a lot of power and magnification potential for viewing planets and the Moon. – Find it on Amazon

Best Telescopes for Galaxies & Other Deep Space Objects

If you want to view galaxies and other deep space objects, aperture is key. Because these objects are so far away, they are very faint in the sky. You want your telescope to be able to gather as much of their light as possible, so you want to go with as large an aperture as you can. I would recommend a reflector telescope because they will give you the largest aperture for your money.

A wider field of view is preferable for viewing deep space objects, so unlike if you want to view planets and the Moon, you don’t necessarily need a long telescope. The most important thing is the size of the aperture.

Great telescopes for viewing galaxies and other deep space objects:

  • Orion SkyQuest XT6 (reflector) – 6″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. Decent sized aperture for the price. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT8 (reflector) – 8″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. The XT8 is the big brother of the XT6 so a bit more power for a higher cost. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT10 (reflector) – 10″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. Even larger aperture than the XT8 which means more power. Keep in mind as the aperture size increases, telescopes become less portable. – Find it on Amazon

Best Telescopes for Kids & Families

Amateur astronomy can be a great hobby for the whole family to enjoy. However, it can be very easy for everyone to lose interest if you buy an inadequate telescope that doesn’t allow you to see much, or if you buy a telescope that’s too complicated and causes everyone to get bored as you try to work it out.

A 6″ Dobsonion reflector telescope is a great option for kids and families. Powerful enough to get some great views, but not too large and cumbersome. Dobsonion mounted telescopes are easy to setup and use so they shouldn’t cause too much down time. An 8″ Dobsonion telescope is also a great choice which will allow you to see even more, but of course it will be slightly larger and more expensive.

  • Orion SkyQuest XT6 – 6″ aperture and 1200mm focal length. – Find it on Amazon
  • Orion SkyQuest XT8 – 8″ aperture and 1200mm focal length – Find it on Amazon

Conclusion

I hope this guide has helped you! Amateur astronomy can be an extremely enjoyable hobby, but it isn’t easy picking a telescope. If you’ve got to the end of this guide, you should have a good idea of the differences between all the telescopes and who they are best suited for. The biggest thing to remember is that usually, aperture is key. The aperture is what gathers the light and the bigger it is, the more powerful the telescope, and the more you can see!

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