I'm interested in buying a telescope for my Mother-In-Laws 60th birthday (and I actually LIKE my Mother-In-Law). She has always expressed an interest in having a telescope, but has no experience as far as I am aware.
This thread strongly recommends a Dobsonian telescope. She won't be doing photography, but I have a few concerns...
1) How portable are these? She's very fit, but she is 60!
2) I understand that they don't have an equatorial mount, how much of an issue is 'nudging' them to stay online?
3) And this is really showing my ignorance - do you mount these? Or just sit them on the ground? Where the hell do you look through? Do you crawl under them? Oddly enough I can't find a photo on the net of anyone actually looking through a Dobsonian telescope!
Well, here is a picture of someone (not 60) looking through a Dob. Dobsonian refers to the mount, so no, you don't need anything extra to mount them. As for suitability, the best gift would be membership to an astro club so she can try out a few different scopes first.
As for suitability, the best gift would be membership to an astro club so she can try out a few different scopes first.
I think that is stretching it a bit. I cannot imagine how my mother would react if I gave her a membership to an astro club for a birthday present.
What she wants and expects from a scope is the most important thing to consider. She would almost certainly not like an equatorial mount. Not the easiest to get used to. Better a Dobsonian or and alt-az (AZ) mount. The Dobsonian's bulk might be an issue, in which case a Maksutov or refractor on an AZ mount might be a better option. The other question is: computerised (goto) or not? If you have a fixed amount of money dedicated to this, you will get a lot better scope if you spend the money on the optics and mount and observing aides instead of electronics. I'd personally buy a planisphere, a guidebook and star atlas instead of Goto.
I second the suggestion of an Alt-Az mount. It is very easy for people to understand how to use, almost second nature. However, please shop at an astronomy shop and not a department store! I wouldn't inflict that on anyone...even my own mother in law...but then again...hmmmm.
I don't know what sort of budget you are looking at though, but I would expect you would be looking at some sort of refractor. If you go for 70mm or more, you will eliminate most of the cheap junk.
Everyone asks "isn't it hard to keep up with tracking on a Dob?"
The simple reply is, if it was why are there so many?
John Dobson built the scope to be used, not stuck in a cupboard.
It's a simple Newtonian, so you look through the side at the top.
You don't need much more than a planisphere, a reasonable sky atlas, the scope and a red torch to enjoy the pleasure of astronomy, but you can also do it with a lot less (e.g. a pair of binocs & a planisphere).
A refractor might be a good option OoO, especially one of the short FL ones (600mm long), they are portable, light and quick to setup and cool down. Think carefully about longer focal length ones though hozozco. Too long and she will be down on her knees trying to look at the zenith.
If she has good flat access from house to viewing area then an 8" dob on a dob trolly or even using a "fridge" trolly will get her in and out with too much problem
say a orion express or similar on a sturdy camera tripod for quick easy setup and take down, no real collimation issues and can view in own comfort. Or a meade lightbridge, they are said to be much lighter than the gso dobs. Or go a goto like a gt4 celestron or an ETX 105, can set the gt4 up vertually anywhere and with a few simple clicks be finding heaps of stuff. Or get a nice pair of binos!
if the 200mm is too big and heavy (go and try one yourself and see what you hink) you could go for a 150mm. a short tube refractor might also be a goer
welcome aboard.
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
