Is my grandaughter too young?????

[lemeynissou]

Lauren is nearly 8 but we are told she is very bright at school. She has been doing astronomy in class and goes out most nights into the garden to star gaze and moon watch and is starting to know her way around the sky. She has asked for a telescope. I have been looking to buy her one but am now so confused. I am prepared to pay around about £100 and I know that's not much as things go but do you think she is too young to appreciate, and be able to use, anything more expensive. Any suggestions for a starter scope with maybe a bit of wow factor would be greatly appreciated.

[brantuk]

Certainly not too young at 8yrs - but don't get any of the "toy" scopes seen on ebay. Phone FLO and they'll be sure to have a good recommendation. I'd say spend a little more and get a 130P newtonian that you can use if she looses interest. But it doesn't sound like she will so you'll have fun sharing it

[barkis]

Mmmm!, A telescope may be a bit too much for an 8 year old, although I know some youngsters are extremely bright.

Unless you could get something second hand, a £100 might not be worth spending, although I may get shot down saying that.

I think maybe a pair of Binoculars would be a better starter for her.

Something light, so she doesn't get tired holding them to her eyes.

A pair mounted on a monopod or tripod would be ideal.

Of course, she must be encouraged to keep her interest. Astronomoy is a great subject, and she may even get a love of any one of the many sciences that make up the whole spectrum of astronomy.

Ron.

[John]

I tend to agree with Ron here, having tried to show a few youngsters the view though a scope. The interest was certainly there but the technique of looking through one eye seemed the biggest hurdle - I'm not sure to this day if any of them actually saw anything !.

So binoculars and perhaps a tripod to hold them steady might be a better approach at that age.

[lemeynissou]

thanks for that advice. I did think of binoculars as I use some for birdwatching. She uses those fine when out with me. So I had better phone FLP for help. Any books for her age you can suggest. So grateful for everyones help so far

[kris h]

You could get her a pair of

Celestron 15x70 binos £ 50

Horizon heavy duty tripod £ 79

L type adaper £ 8

from FLO for xmas

[Starjumper]

What about one of the Lidl scopes ( about £45.00 ) ??

John

[Taff]

Not at all' i started off with astronomy when i was 10 yrs when i saw the craters on the moon for the first time with a pair of 10x50s binoculars.Mark

[Beulah]

You could get her a pair of

Celestron 15x70 binos £ 50

Horizon heavy duty tripod £ 79

L type adaper £ 8

from FLO for xmas

This is the ideal setup - sit 'em on a patio chair and the sky is thiers.

Believe it or not, I know of an eight year old near me who can navigate the sky with a 6" Dob.....

[TheThing]

Go for a scope! My boy won't be 4 until just after Xmas. I have a 4th hand Tal Alcor for him for Xmas which I picked up for £25.

Even at his young age, he is quite able to learn to look thru one eye. He has used my scopes and spotting scope many times.

I think you 8 year old would love it. Remember, short sessions and look at bright, interesting stuff to start with.

[Beulah]

I think you 8 year old would love it. Remember, short sessions and look at bright, interesting stuff to start with.

It's the stuff they can actually see, such as planets, the Moon, Pleiades, M31, Beehive cluster, Double Cluster, even M42, etc.

The trick is to go wild with them when they have found one of those visual eye objects through the scope. It's pretty exciting when they do find something - my young son found M57 the other night and it was as amazing as him taking his first steps!!

After that, the whole starhopping malarky can be quite tricky and can get discouraging when they can't find anything.

Setting up Stellarium with the constellations and nebulae is an excellent tool to recognise asterisms/constellations...

[Nillchill]

remember, she is 8 yrs old, and to be honest a scope such as a 130 and then the Mount and tripod my just be a little to large for it to be practical. you'd probably have to buy her a set of steps to view properly, it may be better to use a good set of Bino's or a smaller size scope, if she is that interested she will then progress to something bigger, if she looses the interest she will always have a set of bino's to use for other interests she may want to try, like birdwatching etc. I started with a set of Bino's when I was that age, and also did birdwatching I still have them now and they are still very treasured

[Capricorn]

Get her a scope.

Binoculars could be a disappointment. Also 15x70's are not exactly suited to an 8 year old.

Which one, that is the question.

Refractors:

FLO do the Startravel 80 at £115, it is on an EQ1.

Sherwoods do the Equinox 90 at £130. Rother Valley much the same cost.

Reflectors:

The 114P is £115 from Sherwoods, not sure of the mount.

The 130P Flex-Tube is £120 from Sherwoods.

At her age I would go for a refractor, less maintenance.

Where about are you, they may a retailer close to you that someone could recommend. Or a club.

Just checked the Sherwoods site, they do a selection of 70mm refractors at £70-100. Hesitant as 70mm isn't that big and 90mm is a reasonable start. Go look at Sherwoods-photo.com

[lemeynissou]

Certainly not too young at 8yrs - but don't get any of the "toy" scopes seen on ebay. Phone FLO and they'll be sure to have a good recommendation. I'd say spend a little more and get a 130P newtonian that you can use if she looses interest. But it doesn't sound like she will so you'll have fun sharing it

Thanks for your reply. What do you mean by a 130P newtonian? I like the sound of sharing it. Sorry I don't know the jargon.

[Ant]

What about something like the Evostar - Skywatcher Evostar 90 (AZ3) it's pretty close to your budget and looks like a real telescope! It'll be great on the planets, the moon and some of the brighter clusters...

My little boy is 7 and he loves looking through the telescope. Even my scope which is quite a bit larger can be looked through without the aid of steps.

Also closing one eye to observe isn't an issue for him.

Cheers

Ant

[brianb]

Avoid equatorial mount at that age - the Dobsonian is much more intuitive. Try to avoid anything that needs continuous active supervision ... and make absolutely sure that she knows NOT to point it at the Sun!

In many ways the ideal scope for a youngish child is the small Skywatcher Infinity 76P - it's cheap, light and very intuitive, and good enough to be an excellent introduction to the moon and the brighter Messier objects.

[dc509]

My 7 year old daughter loves looking through my C925. It's only a matter of time before I mount the ST80 on a simple tripod for her to use while I'm playing with the bigger toys (and not guiding!)... I had my 1st scope (nothing special) when I was 9 or 10. Never too early.

d

[lemeynissou]

Get her a scope.

Binoculars could be a disappointment. Also 15x70's are not exactly suited to an 8 year old.

Which one, that is the question.

Refractors:

FLO do the Startravel 80 at £115, it is on an EQ1.

Sherwoods do the Equinox 90 at £130. Rother Valley much the same cost.

Reflectors:

The 114P is £115 from Sherwoods, not sure of the mount.

The 130P Flex-Tube is £120 from Sherwoods.

At her age I would go for a refractor, less maintenance.

Where about are you, they may a retailer close to you that someone could recommend. Or a club.

Just checked the Sherwoods site, they do a selection of 70mm refractors at £70-100. Hesitant as 70mm isn't that big and 90mm is a reasonable start. Go look at Sherwoods-photo.com

Hi, we're in Shrewsbury, in the town at the moment, but moving house in the spring to be in the country, on the slopes of the Long Mountain, closer to Welshpool. Getting mixed up with reflectors or reflactors being the most suitable. Just spoken to her mum and I think it will have to be a scope, I shall just have to up my price range.

[Nillchill]

If you decide to go for a scope why not take a look at this

Sky Watcher Heritage 76 (3") Mini Dobsonian Telescope

small compact and should give some good starter views

[pete_l]

This is a FAQ, here's a link to quite a thorough discussion we all had a few months ago.

The price range is the same (as is the child's age - roughly) so I would expect the same advice applies.

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/116756-telescope-does-my-daughter-need.html

[nobbytate]

Iv,e set my 7 year old grandson up with a startravel 80 on a bresser mon eq mount with tubular steel legs. You don,t really need the the ballance weight as the scope is quite light and he can carry it all on his own.

He can find the Moon and Jupiter without any help so at 8 years old your grandaughter is certainly not to young

John

[lemeynissou]

What about something like the Evostar - Skywatcher Evostar 90 (AZ3) it's pretty close to your budget and looks like a real telescope! It'll be great on the planets, the moon and some of the brighter clusters...

My little boy is 7 and he loves looking through the telescope. Even my scope which is quite a bit larger can be looked through without the aid of steps.

Also closing one eye to observe isn't an issue for him.

Cheers

Ant

I am going for a scope because that is really what she wants. Do you have any knowledge of the Meade Star Navigator 102 refractor.

If so would it be suitable for someone her age? Look forward to your reply

[lemeynissou]

:iamwithstupid:Hi everybody again. I have seen a Meade Star Navigator 102 refractor . Opions please on the suitability of this scope asap

Cheers

[Capricorn]

Main concern about the scope is that I cannot se it sold by the general range of astronomy shops.

FLO, Sherwoods, Scopes and Skies etc

Concern being why not?

Looks fairly similar to the Celestron item.

Cost appears to be around the £220 mark, so a fair step up.

Not been able to have much of a look at the detail but I am guessing it is a goto.

Assuming that it is then the scope will need power, batteries are not really any good and rechargeables are no good. They only supply 1.2v per battery, not the 1.5v expected. And they hate the cold. It will need a simple mains power supply for realistic use.

Goto's need setting up. Meades I think are the easier ones to do so, others will disagree.

Being goto and electronic there is more to go wrong, however an 8 yr old will probably be operating it within 10 minutes. She will need some instruction in how to setup and use the handset.

It is a 102 refractor so zero maintenance.

As said concern is that it is not seemingly sold by the astronomy outlets and I wonder why.

Asked for your location in case you were close to any retailers that you could visit, it helps. I am way South East of you so cannot suggest any.

In place of a goto (assuming it is) there are sort of half way ones that you stand the scope I think facing North then you drive the scope to the target by eye and then the scope tracks at the appropriate rate. Thinking some input from her and some help for the scope.

[red dwalf]

i bought my daughter a skywatcher 130p autotrak for christmas when she was 8 2 years ago, they are around £200 new but second hand around £130.

we had a great time even the wife got in on the act, these are very easy to use, set up and light to move around, but most importantly give great views of loads of objects, M42 Orion nebula, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon all gave fantastic views.

these mounts and scopes are not heavy and can be moved easily around, 100% recommended if you can afford the extra pounds.