After spending a night star gazing with my brother, i'm hooked!!

All i need to get is a good telescope that enables me to see at least something. I know very little about what goes on up there but it truly is amazing to look at. Once i know what i'm doing i want to be able to hook up a camera and take some shots. I am serious, i want this to be a serious hobby. I have very little else in my life that i'm interested in apart from MOST HAUNTED!! I know sado!!!

I want to be able to talk more with my brother and have more in common with him and maybe one day wow him with some information i have learned... that will be the day.

Any body have any ideas on a not too expensive set up to buy??

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Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by ignorance or stupidity.
Isaac Asimov

Hi laura-mae:

1) Read this, it's got advice that is critical for newbies to read: http://scopereviews.com/begin.html

2) Find out if there is an astronomical society in your area and plan on attending a star party or two to get a feel for what kind of equipment that seems to suit you best.

3) Get a star chart and go outside with just your naked eyes and learn to spot the constellations.

4) Binoculars make an excellent first 'scope', do consider investing in a pair of binocs if you don't already have a pair.

5) Under no circumstances should you even consider buying a cheapo dept. store scope that advertises: "675 power scope!", with a bunch of pretty pictures on it.

6) Forget about astrophotography for now, you'll have your hands full learning the sky and your scope. You can re-evaluate your astrophoto aspirations once you're familiar with your equipment. You may find you want a dedicated astrophoto setup apart from your visual setup, but learn about visual astronomy first.

7) For starter scopes, a 6" or 8" dobsonian makes for a very good one, and may be all the scope you'll ever need. They are inexpensive, easy to use, very stable, and will show you a lot. However, it's probably a good idea to consider steps 1 - 5 first.

Here is an example of a great 8" dob: http://www.telescope.com/control/pro...oduct_id=09707

First of all, you should tell us about your location, light pollution, budget, etc.

Before you get a telescope you should probably consider a pair of 10x50 or larger binoculars. They will get you started on the night sky.

There are many different types of telescopes, so no one type is best and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Nobody starts off knowing exactly what they want, but you should learn first. Many will over and over suggest the same thing: Buy a pair of 10x50 binoculars, then an Orion XT Dobsonian, forget about astrophotography. I disagree. Everyone has their own interests and technical inclination, as well as budget.

Things to remember:
Don't buy a telescope from a department store.
Don't buy a telescope off of eBay.
Don't buy a telescope that advertises magnification as the selling point. Telescopes are advertised by aperture, which determines resolution and light gathering ability. The magnification is (usually) limited to twice the aperture in milimeters. Magnification depends on the focal length of the telescope divided by the focal length of the eyepiece. Not the telescope itself.
Don't buy a telescope without consulting a knowledgeable amateur astronomer first.
Locate and talk to your local astronomy club!

__________________
You can't really tell the difference between drunken rambling and sober blogging.

You should plan on spending around $400 for a good first telescope for visual use and related accessories. As redshifter mentioned, an 8" f/6 Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian mount is an excellent choice for a great many beginning observers.

If you don't already own a binocular, purchase one. A binocular is a very valuable asset. See my sticky post for information on binocular observing.

Here are some other web sites that have useful information on choosing a first telescope.

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=ss&id=9

http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/sco...icle_241_1.asp

http://www.company7.com/library/begin.html

http://stupendous.rit.edu/richmond/a...telescope.html

http://www.r-clarke.org.uk/starting_astro.htm

http://www.floridastars.org/telescop.html

http://www.celestron.com/c2/esupport..._j=subcat&_i=4

http://www.astronomics.com/main/cate...lescope/Page/1

Astrophotography/imaging, other than simple afocal "snapshots" (pictures taken with a camera held close to the telescope eyepiece) of bright objects like the Moon, is going to require a rather large expenditure. It is also a rather complicated undertaking and is probably not a good idea for the majority of beginners despite, as well as because of, the innovations that digital cameras have engendered.

An 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with an appropriately beefy mount, which is more important than the telescope itself when it comes to imaging, is something to consider if you're really serious about it. Expect to spend at least three or four times (or more) the $400 visual telescope figure for a suitable rig.

You should consult these sites to get a feel for what astrophotography is all about:

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaver...29/primer.html

http://www.eclipsechaser.com/eclink/...c/aphotsmt.htm

http://www.astronomyforbeginners.com/astrophotography/

http://www.geologynet.com/astronomy/...hotography.htm

http://www.fvastro.org/articles/digital/

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/TOC_AP.HTM

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/...300Dastro.html

Michael Covington's book Astrophotography for the Amateur is very highly recommended.

Dave Mitsky

__________________
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

I should add that portability is also a factor. Do you need to go far to observe?

What you want to see is also important. Do you want to spend more time looking at planets and star clusters, or deep sky objects like nebulae?

__________________
You can't really tell the difference between drunken rambling and sober blogging.

look sis i told ya to get some binocs and start there then move up when i say you are ready

thank you all for your advice..I'm going to buy some binocs.... charlie chalk you can help me choose... and them we can gaze together x

happy star gazing everyone!!

I didn't start out with binoculars when I first became interested in astronomy. I used a telescope from day one. I think its better to start using a telescope straight away. Binoculars are ok but you can't see the rings around Saturn clearly or the moons of Jupiter. Saturn was one of the first things I looked at in a scope and after that, I was hooked! Once I saw Saturn and its rings, I wanted to look at it over and over again. Also, it does take a bit of practice to use a telescope but binos are quite easy to use. I also find it very satisfying being able to find deep sky objects with my scope, whereas binos are normally too small for them.

I would say, start out with a telescope if you can. That is just my own opinion, others will diasgree with me.

The Galilean satellites are visible as small points of light through a binocular but it must be mounted or held very steadily.

Hundreds of deep-sky objects are within the range of binoculars. As a matter of fact, a few of them such as the North America Nebula (NGC 7000) and the Pipe Nebula (LDN 1773) are best seen that way. However, dark skies are even more important for binocular observing than telescopic observing, however.

Binocular Astronomy

Having said that, if a person is primarily interested in solar system objects, starting out with a telescope is the way to go.

Dave Mitsky

__________________
Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.