What's a good microscope or telescope for kids?

[Alex Franke]

Great tips -- I'll go check out those links now.

Jacob was looking up at the night sky last night and asked, "Why is it so dark if there are so many stars?" So I found myself trying to explain it (and that he'd stumbled on a rather famous paradox) in terms a four year old could understand. I asked what else he thought was out there. "Lot of other plants probably." So I asked, "Do you think there's other life out there?" and he said, "I don't know... Maybe. Probably."

Every little conversation like this just boosts the budget I hope he's not disappointed, though -- I'll have to explain the "points of light" and the "thrill of the hunt" just so he doesn't expect to look through the telescope and see little green men smiling back at him!

Yes, HarmsWay -- please do ask about Costco's 6" Dobsonian -- I really appreciate it.

The DIY idea sounds VERY intriguing, but I'm having a hard time finding mirror kits at a good price. Any ideas on where to shop? I didn't find anything at Edmund so far...

[Red88chevy]

Alex,

I had an astronomy nut in my office for a few years. He sold me his Dobsonian 8" when he moved up to a 10". The Dobsonians are much more steady than the tripod type. The 8" was pretty heavy, I think a 6" would have been fine for what we used it for. He liked to find Messier objects. It was an Orion, I was very impressed with it. Also the best thing he talked me into getting something called a Telrad sight instead of a spotting scope for sighting in the telescope. It worked like a "heads up" display on a fighter plane, very neat. You can find Orion and Telrad online.

[LarryG]

+1 on the Telrad; I have one on my 8" Dob. Or rather, it was on there the last time I looked. I've not had my scope out under the night sky for ... well, let's let that go undiscussed.

Alex, in an area the size of Chapel Hill, you should be able to easily find some astronomy clubs and/or star parties. Amateur astronomers are like any other group of hobbyists: they're always helpful and eager to assist newbies and show you novel ways to spend money that you never would have dreamed of.

All kidding aside, do try making contact with some sky-gazers in your area as that would be the very best place to start. You'd be able to experience the differences between different types and sizes of telescopes, how different eyepieces affect the view, and on and on and on. You'd also get an opportunity to observe how Jacob reacts to the activity. Some people get totally hooked; others have a sort of, "Oh, is that all there is?" reaction.

[LCHIEN]

Larry G has a great idea, take your son to some of the astronomy clubs and see if he likes the hobby, it will also be less frustrating since the members here know how to use the equipment and will have some interesting objects sighted in, on any given night you might be able to see several objects in seveal scopes instead of just one or 2. And you'll get to learn about the scopes and pick up knowledge. usully the people who go to these things like to share, if they didn't they stay at home or go someplace secluded.

[jziegler]

I haven't looked at this stuff for years. There used to be a store in my area, Edmund Scientific, that sold all taht kind of stuff, and had the greatest surplus room where you'd find all kinds of cool junk. They closed the store (and the star parties that they hosted with it), but the company is still around. http://www.scientificsonline.com

For a telescope, they made a small reflector called the Astroscan that was sold as a good beginner uint. http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3002001

You might want to take a look. For those more knowledgeable, is it worth it?

Jim

[HarmsWay]

I'll 3rd or 4th that. Definitely hook up with a local group if one exists. Even if it's just for one clear night. I haven't found anyone with direct experience with the Costco Dobsonian - just a comment that for that price they'd have to skimp on the optical quality.

I don't think this site has been mentioned yet.

http://www.cloudynights.com/

Lots of reviews from users. A quick glance didn't locate the Costco Dobsonian. Googling it didn't turn up anything that useful either - mostly just people dissing Costco telescopes because they came from Costco.

Bob

[Russianwolf]

Hey Alex

Here you go.

http://www.rtpnet.org/chaos/

I was a founding member of the Carolina Skygazers out of Rock Hill SC. I really need to rebuild my scope and invite some neighbors to have a looksy from the field across the street.

here are some mirrors

http://www.thetelescopetrader.com/Te...arid=GOO101738

[LarryG]

The Edmunds Astroscan has been around for a long time. I've never looked through one, but have always regarded its specs as marginal for the price. (The Deluxe package, which adds $200, is definitely overpriced.) With telescopes, aperture is king. Aperture determines how much light the telescope will gather, which correlates to how deeply into the heavens you can see. With "normal" 6" Dobsonian reflectors like the highly-regarded Orion XT6 selling for only $30 more, the 4.125" Astroscan loses points big-time. Because aperture is king.

BUT.

There is a saying among astronomers: "The best telescope is the one you'll actually use." For a four-year-old, the Astroscan might well be the better choice because it's small enough for a young child to carry and setup on his own. A larger scope like the XT6 will show Jacob more, but only after Alex sets it up for him. So what the Astroscan loses in terms of raw specs, it gains back in convenience and portability for the child who will use it.

(In the Astroscan's approximate price range, I think the somewhat similar Orion StarBlast 4.5 is the better package.)

Red88 mentioned stability. This is far more important than most first-time buyers, who tend to focus on the optics, realize. Countless would-be amateur astronomers have had their interest nipped in the bud by the prototypical $79 department store telescope ... the ones that say, "1200x Magnification!" and similar garbage on the box. The problem is not so much the crappy optics of these scopes (although the optics are, as a rule, pretty crappy). Their real downfall is their flimsy tripod mounts. The legs and head may seem reasonably sturdy in the store; but when you're trying to look at an object millions upon millions of miles away, the slightest amount of vibration set off by even the faintest breath of breeze can shake the targeted object right out of the field of view. Stability is where the Dobsonian mount (both the Astroscan and the little Orion use a modified version of this) shines.

(Here I should interject that I got my first glimpse of the spectacle that is Saturn through one of those $79 telescopes, and it was a night I'll never forget. So perhaps there should be another saying: "Any telescope is better than no telescope.")

Whatever you buy, or build, I would definitely advise buying a scope that uses the standard 1.25" eyepieces (or better yet, the larger 2" size, but those are much more expensive, as a rule); and also spending the money on a solid basic package rather than a bunch of extras of questionable value. Once you have a decent scope, you can always upgrade to better eyepieces and add desired accessories.

One logical master plan might be to look through other people's scopes to verify the interest is really there; buy something like the Astroscan or the llittle Orion to provide some fairly instant gratification in a package small enough for a young child to handle on his own; and if the interest endures, combine the hobbies of woodworking and astronomy by building a larger Dobsonian reflector.

[cabinetman]

Heck, the kid will only be a kid once. I'd go for the Hubble Home Version.
.

[LarryG]

... and if the interest endures, combine the hobbies of woodworking and astronomy by building a larger Dobsonian reflector.

Shortly after buying my first (and so far only) telescope, I became intrigued by the notion of building my next one. Hasn't happened, at least not yet, but during that phase I bookmarked a lot of ATM -- Amateur Telescope Making -- web sites.

Here's one excellent example of what can happen when a little bit of woodworking ability collides with an interest in astronomy.

If the notion of building a Dobsonian reflector telescope intrigues you, the appropriate place to start your research is on the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers web site. The SFSA was founded by John Dobson, inventor of the Dobsonian mount.