It’s been a long time coming…
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Why I made this guide
The #1 reason people dump their telescopes in the closet or garage is frustration. Frustration over buying or being gifted a telescope that you don’t know how to use, don’t know what the pieces do, don’t know how to locate objects in the sky, focus them, and keep them in view.
Sound familiar?
Over the past eight years of hosting sidewalk science and astronomy in public areas, I’ve owned more than a dozen telescopes: basic Newtonians, Dobsonians, Refractors, Equatorials, a Maksutov-Cassegrain, and four or five Schmidt-Cassegrains.
At one point while living in Florida, I personally owned 15 telescopes (and a handful of others from employees at my nonprofit, who mostly worked our private events), which I kept in storage and brought out en masse during special events taking place in the sky. On regular nights, I’d bring out two or three at a time.
For a few years, obviously due to my extensive public outreach, I worked with a representative from Celestron to sell their telescopes, using my outreach as a conduit to piquing interest and being a resource in the community, someone expertly familiar with telescopes, offering free use of my own so you know what to expect before you purchase one.
Logistically, selling telescopes directly through Celestron while living on the road isn’t as easy as it was while living in Florida, where I would deliver, assemble, and train you how to use the telescope all at once.
But questions of “What telescope should I get?” still arise to this day during nearly every session of sidewalk astronomy. Here and there, I’ve watched people buy the ones I suggest on the spot, and I’m sure a few people have gone on to make a purchase of which I’m unaware.
I’ve been living on the road nearly two years now. It’s high time I finally sit down and make this guide, using my extensive knowledge, skills from personal use and training, and seeing how different people interact with different telescopes.
What to expect in my guide
My telescope guide consists of seven telescopes that I have personally owned and put thousands of hours into learning and using myself. Plus, I have sold, assembled, and taught other people how to use every telescope on this list (and others not listed, but these are my picks for the average user).
The goal of this guide is to educate you about each telescope from real-world experience so you can select the best telescope for you, your kids, your family, your friends.
I include a picture of the telescope(s) being used by actual people, plus a link directly to the telescope’s page.
Under this, I provide several key pieces of information:
- Difficulty level
- Kid-friendly?
- Any required apps?
- Batteries? Power source?
- Weight
- Number of pieces when disassembled
Following this information, I provide the basic instructions for first-time use of the telescope, including estimated time for each step (assembly, app configuration, learning the telescope). After assembly, no telescope on this list should take more than two hours to learn; most will take under an hour, plus some refreshing each time you use it, until it comes naturally after a few days of practice.
At the end of each section, I provide a PROS / CONS list for each telescope to help set an expectation for items such as:
- What objects are best to look at
- Price comparisons vs potential benefits (and when NOT to go for the more expensive telescopes)
- Automatic vs manual tracking
- Can it point straight up?
- Does it need to be leveled before use?
- And more
Finally, I offer Telescope Training (or a combo with a stargazing tour) for each telescope, with 10% off when you provide proof of purchase through my Amazon Associates link. Like I said at the beginning: frustration is the #1 reason people abandon telescopes. I will run through every step and function, set your expectations, and guide you through the process of learning your telescope.
I’ve taught hundreds of people how to use their new (and old!) telescopes. Having a teacher changes the entire experience and reduces or eliminates frustration during the learning process.
Telescope training & stargazing sessions can be scheduled up to a year in advance, and I typically plan for them in my current city or along a future route I’m taking across the country.
Please note: while Celestron is aware of my outreach around the country, I no longer directly sell telescopes through the company, and they have not compensated me in any way to make this post or my telescope guide. I have done this all on my own time and work. The only way I may receive a commission is via Amazon if you purchase a telescope through the links provided on my Telescope Guide page.
This world is beautiful.
Alex
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