Telescope Buying Guide

Philip M asked:


I purchased my Telescope March 31st, and how only been able to use it 4 times out of this month due to cloudy weather. Hopefully I’ll get to use it for a 5th time tonight. How many nights, on average, do you get to use your telescope in 30 days time?

Roxy Steifvater asked:


I’m 17 and am just getting into astronomy, this will be my first telescope. I have roughly £250 to spend, what sort of telescope can you buy for that money? I would really appreciate some guidance with this =D
Also I am from the UK.

Saturn asked:


I’ve read you need to store a telescope in a place that is near or within the outside temperature, especially for cold climates. How important is it to do this? Could it eventually damage the optics, or just hinder my view? I ask because I really don’t have a place to store it. My garage is heated, and needs to stay that way to accommodate a soon to be garden, and I don’t have a shed. Any and all helpful answers appreciated!
I plan to use it alot in the winter, actually.

guitarboy asked:


iv always thought the idea of being able to see a planet through a telescope for myself would be awesome but i don’t want to spend a tonne of money in order to do it. what are the cheapest telescopes i could get that would provide i good picture of these.

George N asked:


I have a computerized telescope that can be aligned and then automatically find objects. If I pick it up and put it somewhere else will it point in the wrong direction to find objects?

Peter asked:


Any autobiographies, letters, or diaries about discovering the 4 moons or something about the telescope would be great.

Regina asked:


Two identical stars are moving in a circular orbit around one another, with an orbital separation of 5 AU (Sec. 2.6) The system lies 150 light-years from Earth. If we happen to view the orbit head-on, how large a telescope would we need to resolve the stars, assuming diffraction-limited optics at a wavelength of 2 µm?
___ m

magiceye2008 asked:


Say the telescope can see at least 400 miles, and the airplane is flying 20,000 feet above the ground at 100 miles northeast of minneapolis. Taking into account the curvature of the earth, can you see the airplane from chicago?

Phantom asked:


Can you see the surface of a star from using the telescope u buy from the shop?
Just the ordinary one, because I want to buy one.
Like how detailed and how far can you see from using the telescope?
Thank you very much.

suzu asked:


which planets can i see without a telescope? when can i see them?
and is there any planet that could be clearly seen those days in a certain time?