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Message
Need telescope advise
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:25 pm
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:25 pm
Christmas gift for my 5y old daughter. Just want something to look at the moon at night and animals during the day. Did some searching and the biggest thing is I want it to be "useable". Easy to focus.
Any advise appreciated.
Any advise appreciated.
15
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:28 pm to uppereast
Costco had one a while back. It may be more than you need but it looked like good quality but not too much.
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:28 pm to uppereast
Telescopes would be a tedious device for a 5 year old, IMO.
Perhaps, I'd vote for a nice pair of binoculars
Perhaps, I'd vote for a nice pair of binoculars
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:30 pm to uppereast
Maybe a good (or merely decent) set of binoculars? For the limited use that you specify, these will be far more portable and easy to use.
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:45 pm to East Coast Band
Agree with your point of view but night viewing would be "quality time" and day viewing would be more playing pirates and/or teaching her to see if a more expensive one would be a future idea.
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:47 pm to East Coast Band
quote:
Telescopes would be a tedious device for a 5 year old,
A 5 year old?
shite, I'm 34 and can't seem to get a good view of the damn moon. Much less my hot neighbor.
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:51 pm to uppereast
Get her a Dobsonian type telescope.
Posted on 12/11/20 at 10:52 pm to East Coast Band
quote:We are all in the gutter, but some of us are gazing at the stars
Telescopes would be a tedious device for a 5 year old, IMO
Posted on 12/11/20 at 11:00 pm to uppereast
I don't have anything helpful to add, other than the fact that I got a telescope for Christmas around her age and it was really cool.
I hope you find one to suit her and you two have fun with it!
I hope you find one to suit her and you two have fun with it!
Posted on 12/11/20 at 11:03 pm to uppereast
Refractors were the most affordable last time I purchased one. Also very easy to use. Have had it for 15 years. I have two daughters. At five, Not capable of using it to look at a star or really the moon. Had a lot of luck bringing them to the highland road observatory though.
I suggest you get one you like and you can use. Let them peek but don’t expect them to be super excited. It’s fricking hot outside usually, full of bugs and just not cozy. Your heart is in a great place dad. Merry Christmas
I suggest you get one you like and you can use. Let them peek but don’t expect them to be super excited. It’s fricking hot outside usually, full of bugs and just not cozy. Your heart is in a great place dad. Merry Christmas
Posted on 12/11/20 at 11:04 pm to uppereast
Why not try a spotting telescope with tripod? It's sort of a compromise between a telescope and binoculars. You can set it on a particular target and lock it and it won't break the bank.
We have one at the lake and we can watch animals and birds around the water and also check out the moon pretty well.
We have one at the lake and we can watch animals and birds around the water and also check out the moon pretty well.
This post was edited on 12/11/20 at 11:09 pm
Posted on 12/11/20 at 11:21 pm to BeerMoney
quote:
Your heart is in a great place dad. Merry Christmas
Thanks! And Merry Christmas to you and all that replied.
Posted on 12/12/20 at 12:40 am to uppereast
I had a little Meade refracting telescope in grade school with a single focus knob. Couldn’t have been too expensive.
Posted on 12/12/20 at 6:25 am to uppereast
She'll grow into it.
Posted on 12/12/20 at 6:29 am to tonydtigr
quote:. They had some at Harbor Freight for about 25 bucks. I don’t know how good they are but you can try one. If you don’t like it,return it.
Why not try a spotting telescope with tripod?
Posted on 12/12/20 at 6:54 am to uppereast
Repost your question here https://www.cloudynights.com/
This post was edited on 12/12/20 at 6:55 am
Posted on 12/12/20 at 7:02 am to uppereast
Posted on 12/12/20 at 7:16 am to uppereast
Get a spotting scope with a 45 degree angled eyepiece.
1.She wont be able to easily use a telescope at that age.
2. You dont need much to look at the moon.
3. A lot of telescopes flip the image upside down, so it wont work for looking at animals during the day.
4. You can buy a good rugged spotting scope that will work great, easier for her to use, perfect for animals, and be something you'll probably continue to use in the future.
Telescopes get pretty boring unless you start spending lots of money.
ETA: also, good telescopes for "somewhat" easy use require a motorized tracking device since the planets and stars move pretty quickly when zoomed in enough to see any detail. I have a mead 90 etx. It's impossible for kids that age to set up. And most kids have trouble looking through it to begin with cause if you touch it at all while looking through it it will shake and the image will go everywhere and out if focus.
1.She wont be able to easily use a telescope at that age.
2. You dont need much to look at the moon.
3. A lot of telescopes flip the image upside down, so it wont work for looking at animals during the day.
4. You can buy a good rugged spotting scope that will work great, easier for her to use, perfect for animals, and be something you'll probably continue to use in the future.
Telescopes get pretty boring unless you start spending lots of money.
ETA: also, good telescopes for "somewhat" easy use require a motorized tracking device since the planets and stars move pretty quickly when zoomed in enough to see any detail. I have a mead 90 etx. It's impossible for kids that age to set up. And most kids have trouble looking through it to begin with cause if you touch it at all while looking through it it will shake and the image will go everywhere and out if focus.
This post was edited on 12/12/20 at 8:02 am
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