| So… | You want to Buy a Telescope One of the best purchases you will ever make! |
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| But… | It is not exactly easy to work out which one Researching which telescope to buy can drive you nuts |
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| It is easy to get terminology overload and analysis paralysis. The truth is if you stick to a respected brand from a trusted store then there are only a few crucial things you really need to know when it comes to buying a telescope… Questions to ask yourself really. Take a look at our Telescope Buying Guide (this website) and then take some action. | ||
| 1. Ask Yourself | ||
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What do I want to look at? The Moon and nearby planets, deep space or both. Where do I want to look at it from? Your home (light pollution) or out and about (portability) How much can I afford to pay? Including all essential and must have accessories |
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| To know why you need to answer these questions take a look at our quick guide to Choosing a Telescope | ||
| 2. Choose a Type of Telescope | ||||||||
| Refractor |  |
Reflector |  |
Catadioptric |  |
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| Best Observing:
Planetary |
Best Observing:
Deep Space |
Best Observing:
Good for Both |
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-Ease of use -Little to no maintenance |
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-Mirrors cheaper than lenses -Good night time viewing |
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-Good All Rounder -Easy to use and portable |
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-Heavy and bulky -Lens cost limits size |
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-Can be fragile & sensitive -Will need to clean & align |
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-Looks little like a ‘telescope’ -Cost more than reflectors |
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| Take a look at our quick guide to the Types of Telescopes | ||||||||
| 3. Fix Your Budget |  |
| An Astronomical Telescope can be astronomically expensive and so you want to make sure that you are going to get the best bang for your buck. Some of your stargazing dreams may need to take a reality check at this point but don’t worry as there are some excellent beginner scopes to get your astronomical experience underway. Take a look at our quick guide to how much you should pay for a Telescope. |
| 4. Know Which Accessories are Essential |  |
| It is important to note that there are some accessories that are essential – if your favoured scope doesn’t come with a tripod or mount you will not have happy viewing and so you are going to have to buy them. With the essentials out of the way there are some extremely useful tools that you are quickly going to want to get for your astronomical arsenal. And once you have those, well, the sky is not the limit, it’s just the start of it! Take a look at our quick guide to Telescope Accessories. |
| 5. Find a Good Supplier |
| I have said it before and I will say it again, when it comes to buying a telescope – Buy a Trusted Brand from a Trusted Supplier You are looking for somewhere with knowledgeable staff and a good level of after sales support. Good Telescope are not Toys! Take a quick look at our quick guide on Where to Buy a Telescope |
This site has been designed as a telescope buying guide of sorts to help you answer the above the questions. When you know what sort of telescope you want to buy and how much you have to spend check out our product recommendations for what we believe to be some of the best beginner and intermediate telescopes on the market right now
| Last but not least…. |
| BUY A TELESCOPE! |
| Every night spent researching which telescope to buy Is another missed opportunity to Stargaze |
