Telescope? Any Astronomers?

Athravan

My partner is a pretty experienced astronomer, but he couldn't bring his telescope over when he moved from the US because of the cost and how fragile it was (he shipped his computer and it got broken in transit so he won't risk it). He built it himself including making the lenses and everything with a local astronomy club that specialised in making their own scopes.

I'm looking to buy a telescope for his birthday in a few weeks but I know nothing about it and I want it to be a nice one.

I was talking to someone in a store and he told me that for my budget (under £200 ideally), I might as well buy a good set of binoculars because any decent telescope in the UK will be a lot more than that.... but you moneysavers, I know there's someone out there who knows I can get the best for my money!

Obviously for now any telescope is better than no telescope for him, but bearing in mind he's not a beginner and knows what he's doing he can handle a more complex telescope and I want to get the best I can.... or if nothing is worth it under the £200 mark, does anyone know how high I have to go to get a decent telescope that isn't a complete begginners piece?

Thanks a lot

albertross_2

I'd ask your partner what he wants, better to get something that he would like rather than spend 100's on something that isn't good enough.

The person in the shop is right, If you buy a cheap telescope, the optics will be poor, which is why astonomers suggest a good pair of binoculars instead.

Don't just buy the biggest magnification you can find, the diameter of the lense is more important.

http://www.uk-telescopes.co.uk/beginners_guide.htm

meade are a good brand, but they are much cheaper in the states..

thor

I second what Albertross has posted. Patrick Moore always recommends getting a pair of binoculars instead of any reflector<6 inches or refractor<3 inches. The size of the lens or mirror is vital because when you are looking at a distant star or galaxy you need to collect as much light as possible otherwise the object you are looking at will be too dim to be seen.
For 200 quid I'd say it was impossible to buy a telescope good enough for an experienced observer. It is not out of the question that you could get one second hand though. Perhaps you could check the classified ads in astronomy magazines.

happyevs

Athravan wrote:

My partner is a pretty experienced astronomer, but he couldn't bring his telescope over when he moved from the US because of the cost and how fragile it was (he shipped his computer and it got broken in transit so he won't risk it). He built it himself including making the lenses and everything with a local astronomy club that specialised in making their own scopes.

I'm looking to buy a telescope for his birthday in a few weeks but I know nothing about it and I want it to be a nice one.

I was talking to someone in a store and he told me that for my budget (under £200 ideally), I might as well buy a good set of binoculars because any decent telescope in the UK will be a lot more than that.... but you moneysavers, I know there's someone out there who knows I can get the best for my money!

Obviously for now any telescope is better than no telescope for him, but bearing in mind he's not a beginner and knows what he's doing he can handle a more complex telescope and I want to get the best I can.... or if nothing is worth it under the £200 mark, does anyone know how high I have to go to get a decent telescope that isn't a complete begginners piece?

Thanks a lot

why not ask him the friends he has in the astronomy circle and sneak there E/Mail addies and get each part shipped across as a Present if they are real friends they will pay the shipping on each part and he just needs to re-build it wont cost you anything if the friends he left behind are real friends but it will be the richest present he could probably ever recieve good luck