Best beginner telescope? Buying a telescope can be tricky if you don't know what you want.
The night sky is a wonder to behold and offers up countless questions as to our own place and purpose within the universe. Space, science-fiction and astronomy often proves to be a source of fascination for kids in particular. A clear night sky is truly an incredible spectacle to observe with or without a telescope. But if you can purchase the best telescope that you can afford for yourself or your kids, then you are so much closer to discovering a world of wonder! You are also closer to understanding a little bit more about life itself.
Today, it is possible to start off the hobby of astronomy with a relatively small budget. Telescopes are coming down in price all the time. Make sure that when you start looking for the best telescope possible that you take into account some important factors.
The size of the telescope isn't always a good signal as to if a telescope is good or not. Eyepieces that can be purchased additionally can often be a better investment for a slightly cheaper telescope than a telescope claiming to be super-powerful.
If you can get a telescope with a mount included then that's worth considering as mounts sold separately can be fairly costly.
How much light pollution do you have in your area? Will it be suitable to have a telescope in your garden or will you need to consider heading out into the countryside to get the best views.
Do you want to take photographs with your new telescope?
Check the attachments it has to determine if a camera can be mounted on it. Maybe you want to buy a computerized telescope so that you can download the images directly to your PC. If you are starting out then you probably want to test the water. The Celestron Astromaster 70az is a very good starter telescope. It offers a very straightforward solution if you literally want to unpack and get on with viewing the stars. There are very simple instructions on how to construct it without the need of tools and there are no fancy knobs or buttons to confuse the first time user
The Celestron Astromaster 70az refractor telescope is great for both adults and kids. It is at the lower end of the budget so will suit anyone who want's to try out astronomy on a less serious level. This is a telescope designed to give the first time user a taste of what a great hobby astronomy can be. This is a bit like buying your first bike. Once you've mastered the art of using a telescope you'll probably want to upgrade to a more powerful level.
It is ideal for stargazing and also land and sea viewing. It comes with a sturdy mount, 2 eyepieces, Starpointer finderscope and a host of other features. It is extremely easy to set up and there are no tools required to construct the telescope. Basically, it is straight out of the box, a few easy bolts that can be attached with your fingers and out into the garden.
What will you see with your new telescope?
Well, you can expect to view a large selection of spectacular sights with a telescope at this level. Of course, the first thing you'll point your Celestron Astromaster 70az at will be the Moon which you'll see in a very high definition. Then you'll be able to see Mars, Jupiter with Jupiter's moons, Saturn, Venus, Orion Nebula and that is just name a few. At this level you can't expect to see stunning images but you'll be extremely impressed at what details are possible to witness from your own back yard.
The Starpointer viewfinder is very helpful in locating stars and planets. There is a useful CD Rom which contains 'The First light software' which is very useful for new astronomers. For a telescope of this price and level the Astromaster 70az has a great focal length and all in all a very sturdy design.
So, to summarise, if you have been thinking of dipping your toes into the world of stargazing but are not prepared to pay out too much in case you are not certain you'll want to persue it seriously, then the Celestron Astromaster 70az may be a good compromise.
