Newbie starting

[bowersox1]

Greetings,

Thank you for allowing me to join this forum and second for reading my question.I'm 54 and all my life have held a interest in space. Now since i am disabled i find myself looking to the stars more with greater interest. My Girlfriend has a huge interest in the planets. I would also like to get my 5 year old Grandson interested.   I've never owned a telescope or even really used one much. So, I've flooded my mind and eyes with lots of internet reading. Big mistake. We are looking to buy a used telescope to "test the waters" I don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars to only have it sitting in the corner as a coat holder so to speak. This brings me to my question. We found a Galileo G45LTME. Not a scratch on it with all original packages and manuals. I can not find much on the internet about this telescope. I know each person has different views on equipment, i dealt with that for most of my working life as a boiler operator and repair. So, can you folks provide me with your help? Last thing i want to do is buy a telescope set it up to find the optics are junk and you can only use it for a few minutes till its overworked but also don't want to dump huge moneys till I'm positive the "bug bite me hard". Thanks again.

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there and welcome. Don't know that telescope sorry but I'm sure someone on here will. 

[Cosmic Geoff]

Welcome to the forum. Here are some reasons for giving the Galileo a pass:  Not a well known make, cheap so may not be of good quality, has a manual equatorial mount that many newbies find troublesome, used so no warranty and a newbie may find it hard to sort out any minor 'issues'.

I would suggest that you set a budget and concentrate on models recommended here that are cheap but not a waste of money.  A lot of entry level telescopes are cheap but do not provide a happy user experience and possibly put off a lot of people from persevering with the hobby.

A common recommendation here for beginners is the Skywatcher 130mm Heritage table-top mini-Dobsonian,  which has a simple mount and most of your money goes to the optics, which are of good quality.  A similar model is sold in the USA under different branding.

Be aware that astronomical equipment does not come cheap compared with some other consumer goods and if you want a good quality telescope, well mounted, and with quality accessories, the cost escalates alarmingly.  Bargains are available in the used market but you need to know what you are buying and how to sort out any 'issues'.

[Starwatcher2001]

Welcome aboard Sir.

I couldn't find much on the internet about that scope either, other than it appears to be a 4.5" Newtonion @f/8.  I agree with Geoff and think that it would be quite frustrating without anyone who is familiar with the scope to help you out.

A decent mount is as important as good optics, especially with a child being involved. If the telescope wobbles or moves around at the slightest touch, you'll lose track of what you were looking at.

Are there any astronomy clubs near where you are?  Although they may not be meeting right now, it might be that you could borrow a scope for a week or two and see how you get on?

Mark