telescope for 8 yo xmas pressie

[Stub Mandrel]

Sol_another_type.tifSol_another_type.tif

I've got one of those. The supplied eyepieces are not very good at all but with the EPs from my skywatcher scope it's quite usable but a bit plasticky and the tripod isn't bad for visual use (you can use it in ALT-AZ mode - like a camera tripod, easy for a kid, or in EQ mode which makes it easier to keep things in view as they move across the sky.

My daughter used it to photograph the lunar eclipse using her iPhone and one of my EPs and got some nice photos. It will show Lunar craters, Jupiter's moons and saturn's rings, but almost any scope will do this. With a special filter fitted (essential for safety) I now keep it as a 'grab and go' scope for solar observation and photography.

 

The main effect the scope had on me was to make me go out and buy a 6" reflector!

But to be honest, the cheaper offerings from FLO are probably a better bet as the supplied eyepieces are better.

[LukeSkywatcher]

1 hour ago, Peter Drew said:

Without any slow motion controls and the weight being over the pivot point a beginner is going to struggle with this.

I know you mentioned this on another thread Peter about Atl-Az v' EQ....(in particular with regards to kids). I personally cant see how slo-mo controls are/would be better suited to young kids. I know what you mean about the pivot point (weight), but surely kids brains are more naturally wired just to point (with anything including fingers) up/down/left/right?.

Just my thought.

Perhaps slo-mo controls give kids MORE control over where to point and how fast the scope slews?. In that regard (thinking about it), perhaps you are right. Alt-Az slewing is determined by the person using it, so many objects could be raced by and over-looked and in the end completely missed.

Fair point. I can see now why slo-mo controls are a better option (for some kids anyway).

TBH though, whatever you use as a first scope (or any scope).........you get to learn how to use/control it quite quickly.

[Paz]

+1 for a 80mm ish refractor on a simple az mount. Reflectors are too fiddly and I've seen one of those 76mm reflectors and had a look through one. It was disappointing even allowing for the low price.

[craigieboi]

thanks guys 

keep ideas coming .. gonna spend weekend looking at em all 

[craigieboi]

On 12/7/2016 at 18:16, CSM said:

Are you interested in astronomy at all or likely to be? 

im not at the moment but the with is into astrology etc so she may be yesthanks guys 

keep ideas coming .. gonna spend weekend looking at em all 

[rockystar]

be careful with the "ology" word round here

 

[Dave In Vermont]

1 hour ago, rockystar said:

be careful with the "ology" word round here

 

Indeed. Nothing more annoying to Astronomy-Folks than having to correct & explain that 'astrology' is not an actual 'science.' That it's more based in superstition, like theology. Reactions to being so enlightened can be a social disaster!

It's also disappointing to find that people in this day & age harbor such notions. It always makes me wonder what goes through their minds when they see the gorgeous pictures in magazines that were taken by the HST.*

- Shriek!

Dave

 

* - HST = Hubble Space Telescope

[LukeSkywatcher]

Horrorscopes in the daily newspaper will suit 50% of the population.

[Peter Drew]

7 hours ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Horrorscopes in the daily newspaper will suit 50% of the population.

And 50% of the population believe them!   

[Stub Mandrel]

If it provides people with a route into a new interest, what's the harm? All hobbies (including astronomy aside from a few people who contribute to scientific research or dicover comets etc.) are 'trivial' in a strict sense, although in practice they are probably the most enjoyable important things we do in our day to day lives, as we do them for ourselves without judge or jury.

[craigieboi]

On 12/7/2016 at 18:16, CSM said:

Are you interested in astronomy at all or likely to be? 

sorry maybe astrology was the wrong word lol.. she is into crystals and their properties and star alignment etc not horoscopes 

[Alan64]

I 'd suggest this Sky-Watcher kit, and the EQ-2 mount can be easily converted into an alt-azimuth if desired.  Of course such a kit would require participation by an adult...

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/skywatcher-explorer-130p.html

...as it would require collimation on occasion.  In its equatorial mode, the mount can be motorised, and to track any object automatically; hands-free.