Serious telescopes for beginners

The best advice I can give to someone just getting started in astronomy is to keep it simple. With that in mind, let me make a pitch for a telescope design that may not advertise as well as all the models loaded with bells and whistles, but that will offer more performance for the dollar than any other telescope design. I am talking here about the Dobsonian telescope. It is my first choice for a telescope for a beginner.

A Dobsonian telescope is, in truth, a Newtonian reflector. What makes it a Dobsonian or "Dob" is the mount. A Dobsonian mount is a bare bones, ultra simple, all manual, no electronics, no gears and no controls telescope mount. Don't let that fool you, though - it is amazingly effective. To follow and track a celestial object, you just nudge the telescope tube up and over. Unlike other mounts, when you nudge a Dob, it moves and stops and it does it smoothly. No overshooting and need to fuss. Following an object becomes second nature. Sure, it means you have to learn to navigate the old fashioned way - with a star map and some patience - but learning the constellations and how to use a star map has always been one of the most enjoyable aspects of astronomy for me.

A Dobsonian mount is also durable. Really nothing to wear out or fall apart. Unlike so many "beginner" telescopes, a Dob will still be going strong long after the department store models loaded with electronics and gadgets stop working and disappear into the closet or show up on the garage sale.

The best reason to buy a Dobsonian, though, is performance. In telescopes, the name of the game is telescope size in terms of the diameter of the lens or mirror and a difference of 1" in size is significant. Since a Dobsonian mount is simple, it is also less expensive to produce. Bottom line is that you can buy a serious size telescope with a Dobsonian for the same amount of money you would spend on a small beginner's telescope loaded with gadgets and electronics. A great example of this is the Celestron Starhopper 8" Dobsonian telescope. An 8" telescope like this Starhopper is generally regarded as the starting point, size-wise, for dedicated observers of deep-sky objects - galaxies, nebulae, star clusters - and these objects are the things that fill the observing agenda for the majority of amateur astronomers. Considering that the Celestron 8" Starhopper costs only a bit more than $300, it may be one of the best buys in a telescope, today. It will make those 114mm (4.5") reflectors that most beginners buy look like toys.

For many years, I did my galaxy hunting with a 10" Meade Dobsonian and loved it. That model is no longer made, but you can get an even better Dobsonian telescope in the new Meade LightBridge 10" Dobsonian. The LightBridge is even better because it can be taken apart easily and transported in a compact car. You will see one in my Geo, soon.