Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffW1
I agree,
It would have the potential to put him off with the need for collimation, which was the reason I decided to try a refractor next. And I'm far from young 
Cheers |
My son could collimate a 10" Newtonian very proficiently at 9 years of age. He could also align and use the Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer very proficiently at the same 9 years of age. The only reason he couldn't do either of these things at 8 years of age was that I didn't show him until he was 9.
Why recommend someone a telescope which will provide dim disappointing detail less views compared to an 8" Newtonian.
If the only telescope I was allowed to have was a 4" refractor, to be honest I would probably find something else to spend my time on, other than astronomy, because I would find the views very uninteresting and boring. Where do you see the queues at Star parties, behind 4" refractors or 18" dobs?
If it's for imaging then it's a whole new ball game.
An 8" dob isn't too big for him to handle and he's growing bigger not smaller. Collimation isn't very difficult and takes about 2 minutes at the start of a session. The views in the 8" dob will be vastly superior in every respect to those provided by a small refractor, or as I call them, "a toy telescope".
Cheers,
John B