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Newcomers to astronomy are often faced with a dilemma when choosing their first telescope. Some go for larger instruments, while others pick up a more affordable telescope at a department store. Neither choice is necessarily the right one.
The risk with selecting a large telescope is that it can be too heavy and impractical to use. A telescope that requires time and effort to set up can end up collecting dust and taking up a sizeable corner of your living space. The cheap options, on the other hand, do not provide a good viewing experience and often put people off astronomy altogether. Even though they promise high magnification power, they do not offer good resolution and make deep sky objects appear dull and blurry.
When choosing your first telescope, it is important to select a dependable brand specializing in producing quality optics. Some of these include Celestron, SkyWatcher, Orion, and Meade. It is essential to check the size and weight of the telescope because some of the larger instruments, particularly reflectors, can be quite heavy and difficult to transport.
The most practical choice for beginners falls between a Dobsonian reflector and a small refractor. These telescopes are very easy to use, and even the smaller versions are enough to discover many of the bright objects listed in the Messier, Caldwell, and Herschel 400 catalogues.
Dobsonians come with their own mounts and, while they occasionally need to be collimated, most newer models are ready to use out of the box. Refractors do not always come with mounts. While smaller refractors can be used with sturdier camera tripods, the larger ones will be safer on telescope mounts, which are much more stable.
Most telescopes come with finder scopes (or finders), small accessories that make it possible to aim the telescopes in the direction of any given object. Telescopes show a very narrow field of view, and it would be very difficult to find an object without the wider field-of-view scope that shows the sky at lower magnification. Finders need to be attached to telescopes and accurately aligned. This can easily be done by aiming the telescope at a particularly bright object, such as a very bright star or a planet.
Dobsonian reflectors are the most affordable quality telescopes. Most of them, such as the collapsible Sky-Watcher Heritage 150 Dobsonian, are easy to carry and store and provide excellent views of the night sky. The 6-inch Dobsonian is very stable and easy to operate. It comes with a focuser that makes it easy to find any selected target.
The larger Sky Watcher Classic 200 Dobsonian with a solid tube will provide even better views, but with a weight of 26.8 pounds, it is not as easy to carry.
Dobsonian telescopes with a larger aperture provide exceptionally rewarding views of the bright nebulae, star clusters and galaxies. However, because of their size and weight, they are not likely to be used as often as their smaller counterparts.
Refractors are thinner and smaller than reflectors, but they provide better views for the same aperture. They do not require any maintenance and are generally easier to use than reflectors. However, they tend to be more expensive per inch of aperture. Mounts for these telescopes sometimes need to be purchased separately.
The Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ Refractor is a solid choice for beginners. It comes with a red dot finder, two eyepieces, and a manual altazimuth mount that allows observers to point the scope smoothly and accurately at any target.
The more affordable refractors like the AstroMaster have an achromatic lens, which optimizes focus at two wavelengths. These telescopes have a chromatic aberration because the different colours of light do not arrive at the focal point together. They are still a good choice for observing deep sky objects, but not optimal for astrophotography.
ED doublets are a step above achromatic refractors. They reduce the chromatic aberration by using extra-low dispersion glass (ED). In terms of quality and price, these telescopes are between basic achromats and apochromats. The Sky-Watcher Evolux 82ED Doublet is a popular choice for beginners.
Apochromatic refractors, or triplets, are favoured by those looking to get into astrophotography. They use a special glass and a third objective lens element that all but eliminates the chromatic aberration. The three-lens objective makes these telescopes much pricier than achromats. APO refractors are also heavier and require more robust mounts, which are an additional expense.
Computerized telescopes like the Celestron NexStar 6SE, NexStar 130SLT, or the Sky-Watcher Virtuoso GTI 130P can find deep sky objects on their own, but they need to be properly set up first and they require power. While they are designed to be user-friendly, these telescopes tend to be much more expensive than non-computerized ones. They are perhaps better suited to those who already have some stargazing under their belt and know that spending long nights outdoors is something they enjoy.
For many beginners, the choice will ultimately come down to budget and size, but ease of use should be very high on the list of criteria. A smaller telescope will always be the more convenient option than one that needs to be set up and disassembled every time.
Dobsonian reflectors and small refractors provide a good balance of quality and portability without breaking the bank. Reflectors provide more light-gathering power at a lower cost, and are ideal for observing fainter deep sky objects, while refractors offer more effective light-gathering ability and sharper views of stars and planets for the same aperture.