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I want to buy a Telescope and have been researching but still could use some or ALOT of help. I have a small budget atleast when it comes to buying, only $200-250. I looked on ebay but people say most of the stuff on there is junk so that took out some of my options. I also read that I should look for something with atleast 5" for a refactor or atleast 80mm for a reflector, how ever alot of those are $300+. Any tips to help me find something thats is affordable and not just wasting my money.
What exactly do you want to use it for, and what do you expect for performance?
I bought a cheapie refractor telescope from Wal-Mart last year and was easily able to see Jupiter and four of its moons, the rings of Saturn, and the crescent shape of Venus. Searching for nebulae and other dim objects is beyond its easy capabilities. However it does make a great scope for watching the target in target practice.
If you have the patience, you can grind your own blank for a reflector. I never had the patience. You also need a powered equatorial mount (and a warm parka) if you plan on doing any serious stargazing.
What exactly do you want to use it for, and what do you expect for performance?
I bought a cheapie refractor telescope from Wal-Mart last year and was easily able to see Jupiter and four of its moons, the rings of Saturn, and the crescent shape of Venus. Searching for nebulae and other dim objects is beyond its easy capabilities. However it does make a great scope for watching the target in target practice.
If you have the patience, you can grind your own blank for a reflector. I never had the patience. You also need a powered equatorial mount (and a warm parka) if you plan on doing any serious stargazing.
Well I'm just starting out so I would love to have something that can give me a clear view of the planets and a little further out. I don't expect to be seeing nebula and what not for $250.
I found this one but again it's on Ebay and was told not to trust scopes on there.
Ok, here's the thing about telescopes that most people who are new to the hobby have a hard time accepting. That Celestron you linked to is, if new-in-box as advertised, a decent starter scope at a reasonable price. The problem with it is the eyepieces - the eyepieces that come with almost all scopes, especially the value scopes, are pretty much junk.
A telescope is basically a collection of lenses (and mirrors, if a reflector). The eyepiece is literally half or more of the scope. Using cheap eyepieces will guarantee a poor view and make you believe that your entire telescope is worthless.
If I were you, I'd consider that Celestron, but assume that the eyepieces are useless. Expect to spend almost as much on a few decent eyepieces as you do for that scope. You don't have to get Televues or anything super high end like that, but the design of the eyepiece makes a difference (as does the glass used), and the ones that come with those value scopes just aren't worth using (IMHO).
Celestron makes an accessory kit that contains 5 plossl eyepieces (you'll probably only be able to use three of them regularly) and is quite popular. It's a good starter kit at a decent price for what you get - lots of value in that kit. It can usually be found online for around $100-$125.
So figure $180 (shipped) for the scope, and add another $140 or so (shipped) for the kit, and you can have a respectable starter scope for around $320. I know it's more than you wanted to spend, but it's still not a bad deal for all that you get.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I can't emphasize enough how important decent eyepieces are. Many decent scopes have been relegated to the garage or attic to be destroyed by dust because the owners thought that they were junk, when all they needed to do was get a couple of different eyepieces.
BTW, that reflector will do fine with some of the brighter DSOs (Deep Space Objects). My first scope was a 114mm (slightly smaller) Meade reflector, and I could see plenty with it - after I upgraded the eyepieces, of course.
Before putting out any money for a scope, I'd recommend reading the book Nightwatch, by Terence Dickinson. It's THE book for would-be amateur astronomers to read, and I recommend reading it cover-to-cover. Your local library probably has it. If not, the bookstore will. In it, you'll find (among plenty of other valuable information) a section on telescope selection.
Good luck, and don't be shy if you have any other questions. There's a bit of a learning curve with astronomy, but it's not as daunting as it can appear. I'll be happy to answer whatever questions I can, as will others on the forum I'm sure.
Ok, here's the thing about telescopes that most people who are new to the hobby have a hard time accepting. That Celestron you linked to is, if new-in-box as advertised, a decent starter scope at a reasonable price. The problem with it is the eyepieces - the eyepieces that come with almost all scopes, especially the value scopes, are pretty much junk.
A telescope is basically a collection of lenses (and mirrors, if a reflector). The eyepiece is literally half or more of the scope. Using cheap eyepieces will guarantee a poor view and make you believe that your entire telescope is worthless.
If I were you, I'd consider that Celestron, but assume that the eyepieces are useless. Expect to spend almost as much on a few decent eyepieces as you do for that scope. You don't have to get Televues or anything super high end like that, but the design of the eyepiece makes a difference (as does the glass used), and the ones that come with those value scopes just aren't worth using (IMHO).
Celestron makes an accessory kit that contains 5 plossl eyepieces (you'll probably only be able to use three of them regularly) and is quite popular. It's a good starter kit at a decent price for what you get - lots of value in that kit. It can usually be found online for around $100-$125.
So figure $180 (shipped) for the scope, and add another $140 or so (shipped) for the kit, and you can have a respectable starter scope for around $320. I know it's more than you wanted to spend, but it's still not a bad deal for all that you get.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I can't emphasize enough how important decent eyepieces are. Many decent scopes have been relegated to the garage or attic to be destroyed by dust because the owners thought that they were junk, when all they needed to do was get a couple of different eyepieces.
BTW, that reflector will do fine with some of the brighter DSOs (Deep Space Objects). My first scope was a 114mm (slightly smaller) Meade reflector, and I could see plenty with it - after I upgraded the eyepieces, of course.
Before putting out any money for a scope, I'd recommend reading the book Nightwatch, by Terence Dickinson. It's THE book for would-be amateur astronomers to read, and I recommend reading it cover-to-cover. Your local library probably has it. If not, the bookstore will. In it, you'll find (among plenty of other valuable information) a section on telescope selection.
Good luck, and don't be shy if you have any other questions. There's a bit of a learning curve with astronomy, but it's not as daunting as it can appear. I'll be happy to answer whatever questions I can, as will others on the forum I'm sure.
Thank you. I never even thought about the eyepieces so if it costs a bit more to get a better telescope then so be it. I have also just ordered the book from amazon for pretty cheap and also got a sky map. Again, I can't thank you enough for the info.
Here is a good article on buying your first telescope by Sky and Telescope magazine.
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