Which telescope should I buy for my elderly mother?

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

Hello, It is my mother’s 80th Birthday soon and I want to buy her a telescope as she loves astronomy and looking at the stars through her binoculars which are weak. I would very much appreciate if I could please have some suggestions on a Celestron or any other telescopes which are easy to use and to set up.  She is an absolutely lovely lady and I would very much appreciate any models that you  could  recommend. Many Thanks.

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Welcome,

to give a good response we need a bit more information, mainly how much do you want to spend, what sort of area will she be observing from (city with streetlights, dark rural  location, etc ) What storage is available, and is there someone who can set the 'scope up  for her ?

I'll make a couple of ( ageist !) assumptions which are that she would rather observe from a seated position, and will be wearing glasses, please correct me if I'm wrong !

Heather

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @SPACEIBIZALAD & mother, and welcome to SGL. 

These are popular https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html or https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/sky-watcher-heritage-150p-flextube-dobsonian-telescope.html though the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving EU, etc., is causing supply and demand issues with resellers restocking the shelves.

This article may help whet your and your mothers appetite.... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html  - please feel free to ask as many questions before purchase. I personally would advise that you purchase from a dedicated reseller that specialises in selling astronomy equipment, rather than the many online auction sites, online warehouses or high street department stores. 

I myself have and use a 70mm refractor, a 105mm Maksutov and a 150mm/6" SCT and manual alt-az mounts; visual observing of solar (with a Herschel wedge and/or full aperture solar filter), lunar and planetary viewing at present.

[RT65CB-SWL]

BTW - you mention your mothers binoculars are 'weak'. Can you give us an idea of what they are? - if she likes binocular observing then there is nothing wrong in 'upgrading' to a bigger pair and there are books dedicated to binocular astronomy. 

7x50's are OK for for wide views and handheld, but do not show much detail of the Moon's surface or the planets that are visible to the naked eye. Anything bigger would need a tripod or monopod for steady viewing. I use a pair of 7x50's and a pair of 20x80's. 

[jonathan]

I have parents who are now in their 70s and they enjoy the occasional look through my telescopes, I know sometimes they can struggle with dark adaptation so dimmer objects might be out of reach (I think we all envy young eyes as we get older!)  Unless there's someone available to lift and carry, then I think realistically a full tripod and mount setup might be a bit much to ask of your mother to setup by herself, although I wouldn't rule out a small dobsonian, either the Heritage 150P, or if you think she can handle it (probably best moved in two parts) the Skyliner 200P.

Perhaps one of the small tabletop telescopes would be a much easier proposition, something like the Skywatcher Heritage 130P or 100 reflector telescopes.  The 130P weighs about 6kg so shouldn't be too much trouble to carry and setup outside on a garden table, then it's just a matter of point and look.  I'd say any of these telescopes, from the 76 upwards, should give far better views than a typical pair of hand-held binoculars.  It should be noted that I've also seen refractor and Maksutov designs fitted to those small tabletop Dobsonian type of mounts, some have motor drive for tracking.  A refractor is probably the more recognisable type of telescope and the one with the least maintenance requirements, however at this size (probably around 70mm aperture) they won't show as much as the 100mm or larger reflector telescopes.  There's a wider selection at this Orion website, Orion are a well known telescope brand however I can't vouch for them as I've never ordered from there.  I would avoid the Travel telescopes that come with a small tripod, I have the Celestron 70 Travel Scope and the tripod is absolutely useless, the scope itself is great but requires a much better photography tripod to enjoy properly.

Edited January 4, 2021 by jonathan

[carastro]

The trouble with Dobsonian's is they may require bending in awkward positions which is not ideal for an older person.  

IMO having looked after elderly parents and getting on that way myself, from a comfort point of view, I would say a Maktutov on an Alt/AZ mount would be the most comfortable for her. 

Carole 

[dweller25]

I would suggest a 4” Maksutov on an Alt-Az mount......

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-pronto/sky-watcher-skymax-102s-az-pronto.html

Very light and comfortable to use and a big step up from binoculars, decent price too.

[jonathan]

11 minutes ago, carastro said:

The trouble with Dobsonian's is they may require bending in awkward positions which is not ideal for an older person. 

If it's a small tabletop one then it can be lifted up to a comfortable eye level with books or crates etc.

[mikeDnight]

I think a small refractor on a simple altazimuth mount and lightweight tripod would be the most intuitive of all. There are numerous 70 & 80mm achromat that could be easily handled, and that would give very pleasing views. If you could afford it though, a SW 72mm ED would be a perfect easy to use scope.

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

15 hours ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Welcome,

to give a good response we need a bit more information, mainly how much do you want to spend, what sort of area will she be observing from (city with streetlights, dark rural  location, etc ) What storage is available, and is there someone who can set the 'scope up  for her ?

I'll make a couple of ( ageist !) assumptions which are that she would rather observe from a seated position, and will be wearing glasses, please correct me if I'm wrong !

Heather

Hi Heather, thank you so much for replying. My mum lives in a village with a small amount of street lighting.  She has a large shed and also the item can be kept in the dining room for storage. My Mum wears glasses, she is extremely active and I can help her set up the telescope and tripod if one is needed. The lighter the better too. She is happy to be inside or outside. My budget is £500 but I can go a little higher for the right one.
I very much appreciate your response and look forward to hearing from you. 
Best Wishes. Steve

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

5 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I think a small refractor on a simple altazimuth mount and lightweight tripod would be the most intuitive of all. There are numerous 70 & 80mm achromat that could be easily handled, and that would give very pleasing views. If you could afford it though, a SW 72mm ED would be a perfect easy to use scope.

Hello Mike. Thank you very much. I will look at your suggestions and if it is ok, I will message you again. Best. Steve

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

5 hours ago, dweller25 said:

I would suggest a 4” Maksutov on an Alt-Az mount......

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-pronto/sky-watcher-skymax-102s-az-pronto.html

Very light and comfortable to use and a big step up from binoculars, decent price too.

I very much appreciate your reply and I will have a look at your suggestion and if it’s ok I will message you again if I need to.  Best. Steve

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

14 hours ago, Philip R said:

BTW - you mention your mothers binoculars are 'weak'. Can you give us an idea of what they are? - if she likes binocular observing then there is nothing wrong in 'upgrading' to a bigger pair and there are books dedicated to binocular astronomy. 

7x50's are OK for for wide views and handheld, but do not show much detail of the Moon's surface or the planets that are visible to the naked eye. Anything bigger would need a tripod or monopod for steady viewing. I use a pair of 7x50's and a pair of 20x80's. 

Hi Philip. I really appreciate your reply. My mother’s binoculars are very dated and are ancient, I am happy buying her a tripod and a better pair, I am now torn slight between binoculars and a telescope. 

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

6 hours ago, jonathan said:

I have parents who are now in their 70s and they enjoy the occasional look through my telescopes, I know sometimes they can struggle with dark adaptation so dimmer objects might be out of reach (I think we all envy young eyes as we get older!)  Unless there's someone available to lift and carry, then I think realistically a full tripod and mount setup might be a bit much to ask of your mother to setup by herself, although I wouldn't rule out a small dobsonian, either the Heritage 150P, or if you think she can handle it (probably best moved in two parts) the Skyliner 200P.

Perhaps one of the small tabletop telescopes would be a much easier proposition, something like the Skywatcher Heritage 130P or 100 reflector telescopes.  The 130P weighs about 6kg so shouldn't be too much trouble to carry and setup outside on a garden table, then it's just a matter of point and look.  I'd say any of these telescopes, from the 76 upwards, should give far better views than a typical pair of hand-held binoculars.  It should be noted that I've also seen refractor and Maksutov designs fitted to those small tabletop Dobsonian type of mounts, some have motor drive for tracking.  A refractor is probably the more recognisable type of telescope and the one with the least maintenance requirements, however at this size (probably around 70mm aperture) they won't show as much as the 100mm or larger reflector telescopes.  There's a wider selection at this Orion website, Orion are a well known telescope brand however I can't vouch for them as I've never ordered from there.  I would avoid the Travel telescopes that come with a small tripod, I have the Celestron 70 Travel Scope and the tripod is absolutely useless, the scope itself is great but requires a much better photography tripod to enjoy properly.

Hi Jonathan. Thank you very much for your reply.

[Tiny Clanger]

Excellent Steve, I was worried about two things , first that your budget might not get a telescope which would be a worthwhile improvement over binoculars (in which case I'd have said,  go for some better binoculars and a monopod to support them) and second that your mum is happy to go outside.

For ease of use , portability flexibility and easy adaptation to different levels (so it can be used from, say, a garden chair) I think a telescope on a tripod with an alt/az mount fits the bill. I love my tabletop heritage 150 but I suspect such a mount would not be ideal, neither would any reflecting telescope where you look in the side of the tube near the 'mouth' of the 'scope, too  many contortions required !

So  I agree with those above who think a refractor is the best choice. I own a maksutov, it was the second telescope I bought, and if I hadn't already spent 6 months looking through the wider field 150 heritage first, I believe I'd have struggled to line up objects in the very narrow field of view the mak 127 gives . I have no direct experience of refractors, so apart from saying that an appropriate alt/az mount ( for the weight of whatever 'scope  you will put on it) on a decent tripod should be under it, I can't be much help !

However, I can say (because I've fantasy shopped them myself !) that the Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED gets plenty of recommendations as a good telescope, but please note that as far as I can see, it is mostly offered at the moment not as part of a kit, but 'OTA only' so you'd need to buy tripod, mount, diagonal ( the right angled thing that goes in the back between telescope and eyepieces) , eyepieces and a finder separately.

If I was shopping in similar circumstances I might well go for the package mentioned in this thread

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/261603-thoughts-on-the-startravel-102/

which would be well within budget, https://www.firstlightoptics.com/startravel/skywatcher-startravel-102-az3.html

and spend another £100 on a good eyepiece or two (a whole 'nother topic in itself) and a right angle erect image finder (often abbreviated to RACI) ,as trying to line things up by peering into a red dot finder , the one often supplied in packages, can be a literal pain in the neck ...

Good luck with the hunt, and thank you for coming back to interact with the suggestions: often we see demands for help , help offered,  then silence in return !

Heather

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

10 hours ago, carastro said:

The trouble with Dobsonian's is they may require bending in awkward positions which is not ideal for an older person.  

IMO having looked after elderly parents and getting on that way myself, from a comfort point of view, I would say a Maktutov on an Alt/AZ mount would be the most comfortable for her. 

Carole 

Thank you Carole. Much appreciated.

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

9 hours ago, dweller25 said:

I would suggest a 4” Maksutov on an Alt-Az mount......

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-pronto/sky-watcher-skymax-102s-az-pronto.html

Very light and comfortable to use and a big step up from binoculars, decent price too.

Thank you very much. I am extremely grateful for your reply. Best Regards. Steve

[SPACEIBIZALAD]

3 hours ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Excellent Steve, I was worried about two things , first that your budget might not get a telescope which would be a worthwhile improvement over binoculars (in which case I'd have said,  go for some better binoculars and a monopod to support them) and second that your mum is happy to go outside.

For ease of use , portability flexibility and easy adaptation to different levels (so it can be used from, say, a garden chair) I think a telescope on a tripod with an alt/az mount fits the bill. I love my tabletop heritage 150 but I suspect such a mount would not be ideal, neither would any reflecting telescope where you look in the side of the tube near the 'mouth' of the 'scope, too  many contortions required !

So  I agree with those above who think a refractor is the best choice. I own a maksutov, it was the second telescope I bought, and if I hadn't already spent 6 months looking through the wider field 150 heritage first, I believe I'd have struggled to line up objects in the very narrow field of view the mak 127 gives . I have no direct experience of refractors, so apart from saying that an appropriate alt/az mount ( for the weight of whatever 'scope  you will put on it) on a decent tripod should be under it, I can't be much help !

However, I can say (because I've fantasy shopped them myself !) that the Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED gets plenty of recommendations as a good telescope, but please note that as far as I can see, it is mostly offered at the moment not as part of a kit, but 'OTA only' so you'd need to buy tripod, mount, diagonal ( the right angled thing that goes in the back between telescope and eyepieces) , eyepieces and a finder separately.

If I was shopping in similar circumstances I might well go for the package mentioned in this thread

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/261603-thoughts-on-the-startravel-102/

which would be well within budget, https://www.firstlightoptics.com/startravel/skywatcher-startravel-102-az3.html

and spend another £100 on a good eyepiece or two (a whole 'nother topic in itself) and a right angle erect image finder (often abbreviated to RACI) ,as trying to line things up by peering into a red dot finder , the one often supplied in packages, can be a literal pain in the neck ...

Good luck with the hunt, and thank you for coming back to interact with the suggestions: often we see demands for help , help offered,  then silence in return !

Heather

Hi Heather

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the time you have spent on writing the message to me above. It has been extremely helpful.
 

Best Wishes

Steve

 

 

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Steve,

as I said before, I've no direct experience of refractors , but if that startravel 102 sounds like a good idea (and no-one comes along with a better suggestion)  there is a similar short lightweight refractor by Bresser , which FLO reckon should be in stock in a few weeks, it is an OTA, but in this case you get a finder, eyepiece and diagonal, just need to add a mount and tripod.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-ar-102s-600-refractor-ota.html

The opinions I've read on here generally say Bresser 'scopes are good quality, a bit classier than skywatcher,  but cost a little more. What looks particularly handy (excuse the pun) is the handle on top of the tube which would I imagine be a useful thing for your mum to shift the thing by. Again, I have no experience of this particular telescope, and I can't easily find any reviews of it either.

Given the current situation , which has most telescopes out of stock ( and resupplies somewhere on a ship en route from China) I'd get in touch with FLO ( they sponsor this forum, so rather than rehash all the info, just give them a link to this thread!) and explain what you need : I'm sure they will help. If you decide on an OTA rather than a whole package and need advice on which mount/tripod to get for it, they will know. 

Placing an order and paying immediately for something which is currently not in stock might seem a gamble, but it secures your place in the queue for whatever stock they receive , and if you manage to find the telescope in stock elsewhere before FLO have the stock, they will refund you without question. Good people to deal with.

Heather