If so what size? What can you see with it? Is one worth buying or would one get bored with a inexpensive telescope?

I have a Tasco 900x60mm Luminova Refractor Telescope (model 40-060675) it was $150 new and is probably worth about $50 now, used. I got bored with it pretty fast, its not nearly high powered enough to look at anything besides the moon. It has 3 eye lenses, SR4mm (225x) being the most high powered one. With SR4mm attached, this telescope allows a maximum magnification of 675x. I've actually had more fun with it using it to look across the land on earth. Its more like a long range spotting scope than telescope to me. I'd say its not worth buying one unless you get a really good one that is much higher powered. One problem i had with it looking at the moon is the moon actually moves pretty fast and its challenging to constantly having to re adjust 2 different knobs to keep the moon visible in the viewfinder/eye piece. Part of this problem is the object diameter is only 66mm (2.36 inches). Get one with a wider lens or you will spend more time adjusting knobs than you will enjoying the view of the moon.

This post was edited by NatureNames on Jun 30 2013 10:35am

I have a cheap 100$ telescope, lets you see Venus and mars pretty well at the cottage 50km from the city

I live out in the country so that wouldn't be a problem. I just didn't want to spend $100 on a telescope and be disappointed... I know telescope will give me a glimpse of what the hubble would let me see. I'm just wondering if it would be worth it. I know I read you can find a nice telescope to check out a close by galaxy or some nebula's. Oh well give I could just google some images, but whats the fun in that :|

I have a Celestron Astromaster Reflector telescope. I've used it to view both Jupiter and Saturn. It cost me about $489 dollars and it is advisable to spend a good bit on a decent telescope. With my telescope, I was able to view even the four largest moons as bright dots on each side of Jupiter and also some ring detail of Saturn, along with its largest moon, Titan.

A reflector or refractor have its pros and cons. I chose reflector because those types have a larger lens, and my aim is to catch a glimpse of Uranus and possibly Neptune. I have the calendar marked when they are both out at their prime this year. Refractors will give you better focus on a singular object, but you won't have the range the reflector has, which can possibly mean more time adjusting and finding the celestial object you seek.

I was looking at getting an 8 inch dob, any one have any experience with them?

This post was edited by Ylem122 on Jul 17 2013 01:17am

you can see incredible detail on objects in the solar system with even a shitty telescope, but you can't really see galaxies, at least not like you see them in pictures in books/internet. Those are from huge telescopes with long exposure times. It wasn't until the 1920's (and the construction of a 100 inch telescope) that the existence of other galaxies became obvious (before that, it was noticed there were some curious blobs of light that seems to be far away, but there was much debate about what they were).

This post was edited by Azrad on Jul 18 2013 03:05am

I had a cheap one and never saw anything special :(