
An ultra-high power astrophotography setup would be useless to someone who simply wants to get a closer look at the Moon. There is no one universally perfect telescope. What to Consider While Shopping For a Telescope More Gear for Stargazers: Best Star Projectors Sky & Telescope has an extensive directory of local clubs.

That way, you can learn some of the basics from experts and try out different types of telescopes before taking the plunge on one yourself. Not only will it take the weight of your binoculars out of the question, it will allow you to lower or raise the optics so that a family member or friend can share in the view without losing your target object.Īs with many hobbies, it’s also a good idea to connect locally and join an astronomy club in your area. A standard camera tripod will work, but consider splurging on the height-adjustable and true-pointing tripod add-on known as the Paragon Plus. This makes a bigger difference in what you can see than the magnification factor, which is the first number of those two.įor the upper weight class of binoculars like the Celestron Skymaster pair, you’ll want to consider a tripod. If you’re familiar with photography at all, you’ll know that’s what determines the amount of light the lens gathers. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to playįor backyard astronomy, most experts recommend a 7 x 50 or 10 x 50 set of binoculars-or, as Ed Ting of notes, “ the largest lenses you can comfortably hold.” It’s the second number in that equation, the aperture of the lens (measured in millimeters), that’s the most important consideration. Even if your interest in astronomy wanes, you’ll still be able to use binoculars for things like birding, baseball games, and other outdoor activities. They’ll not only give you a great view of the lunar surface, but let you see things like Saturn’s oblong shape (due to its rings) and Jupiter and its moons-as well as distant galaxies and closer nebulae. In fact, what many astronomers advise is to not start out with a telescope at all, but with a good pair of binoculars. In my spare time, I also teach classes on stargazing under urban skies in the Bay Area to help share astronomy with everyone, everywhere.

By day, I work as a public affairs specialist for NASA, representing the agency at events like air shows and conventions.
#BEST BUDGET TELESCOPE FOR BEGINNERS PROFESSIONAL#
The Expert I’m a lifelong space enthusiast who delights in sharing our connection to astronomy in both my personal and professional life. Best for Astrophotography: William Optics RedCat 71 f/4.9 APO Astrograph Refractor.Wide Aperture: Apertura 10-Inch Dobsonian Telescope.Best For Beginners: Zhumell Z100 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope.Best Overall: Celestron NexStar 8 SE Computerized Telescope.
#BEST BUDGET TELESCOPE FOR BEGINNERS HOW TO#
We’ll teach you about the basics of telescopes, including how to pick one that will help you build memories and experiences that could last a lifetime.

If you are looking forward to experiencing these skies for yourself, a telescope is a phenomenal gift for a loved one (or yourself). Warm summer nights are the perfect time to try out a new telescope to see the stars, planets and galactic features of the summer night sky! After all that daytime fun, though, there are lots of great things to do on summer nights after the Sun goes down. When folks think of what they love about summer, they tend to focus on what they can do in the sun – picnics, swimming at the beach, lemonade stands.
