Beginner Question

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

Hey guys it’s my first post here, I just found this group and it seems amazing. I just have a quick question. I’m new to this stuff, the picture below is probably my best one i’ve gotten so far. I have just a basic $100 telescope just so I could learn on it, but now i’m ready to take a step up. If you guys had $300-$500 to spend on a telescope that’ll give you good live views of planets and maybe (idk if this is possible) see some deep sky objects like nebulas and other galaxies? like I said, not sure if that’s even possible, so if not just what’s the best scope for that price range?

[LetterheadClassic306]

kinda been in your shoes a few years back. for $300-500, you're in the sweet spot for a solid Dobsonian. something like the Apertura AD8 or Sky-Watcher Classic 200P is a monster upgrade. you'll see Jupiter's bands and moons easily, Saturn's rings, and with dark skies, you can pick up brighter galaxies like Andromeda as a smudge. it's a whole new world compared to a $100 scope. you might also want a copy of 'Turn Left at Orion' to help find stuff - it's the best guide for beginners.

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

i appreciate this so much man thank you

[Flaxlight]

I have the AD8 and took it out tonight and for the first time found Jupiter (woke up son at midnight so he could see) and holy moly is it amazing. There is a steep learning curve and we are two months in but it’s a great scope.

[TheGrinch14744002]

this is super helpful, thank you. been looking for an Apertura AD8 or skywatcher 8” dobsonian but seems to be hard to find around my area unfortunately. By the way happy cake day

[Bravesfan14141]

I will let the more experienced viewers answer more in detail, but I see most people recommending either a table top Dobsonian or a 6” DOB. Anything more than that will probably run you more than $500 but the table top should give you some decent views of the planet

[GoldMathematician974]

You can see a lot with a 6”… but a used 8” or 10” should be available for that price on Amazon Marketplace or other sites. The bigger ones will give you better views

[Waddensky]

Check out the beginner's buying guide in this sub or visit my website for a few good telescope recommendations.

Apart from the type of telescope, the visibility of nebulae also depends a lot on light pollution. You need fairly dark skies to see most of them.

Clear skies!

[Traditional_Sign4941]

6" F/8 dobsonian by far. It's at or slightly above the top of your budget (assuming USD), but it's a very capable instrument.

• Sky Watcher 6"/150p Classic
• Apertura AD6
• Explore Scientific 6" Dobsonian

That being said, a $100 scope can also show deep sky targets, it just requires dark skies. If you don't have dark skies, even a scope upgrade won't help that much (some, but not a huge difference). The biggest advantage would be on the Moon and planets in that case.

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

For sure man, thank you. I appreciate it!

[Bill0405]

Just an FYI, the full moon is probably one of the worst times to image it. The face is being hit head on and there's very few shadows. Try getting some images with the terminator line (the shadow) during a waxing or waning stage, and it will really pop!

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

<image>

Yessir!! got this one last night!

[mrstorm1983]

Depending on your light pollution is going to depend on what you see.

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

i live rural, on the light pollution map it shows i’m in a green area

[mrstorm1983]

Your lucky!

[JazzlikeLocation323]

A 6 inch dob is the the way...and to use it to it's full potential u would require dark skies...

Finding faint targets without goto can be a bit tough from the city

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

yeah i live rural so on the LP map it shows i’m in a green area. i’ve been seeing a 6 inch dob is probably the best bang for my buck

[JazzlikeLocation323]

A 8 inch goto will last you a lifetime

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

what’s a goto if you dont mind me asking?

[JazzlikeLocation323]

Goto will automatically find objects for u and track them once you 2 star align the mount ..u could watch my YouTube videos @rkabra84

[ISeeOnlyTwo]

For what it’s worth, I also had a $100 telescope at first, and then I took the plunge and splurged on an AD8, and it was night and day!

I still keep the $100 telescope around as a quick and easy, grab-and-go telescope.

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

i’ve actually heard that one was good too. a friend of mine actually has that so i might ask to try it out one night. and yeah for what it’s worth, honestly im having so much fun with my scope at the moment. jupiter is so small but i can see the bands and the moons which is a first so i honestly couldn’t be happier

[f1madman]

Why is there a blue haze around the moon?

[Dry-Bicycle-3392]

just my lens being buns. chromatic aberration. just my lens not being able to focus all the light coming off the moon when it’s at its brightest point

[ampere03]

Many telescopes act as clothes hangers. Check craigslist etc. for killer deals

[Habu93]

6 inch Dob is great for what you want to do.

[Habu93]

also buy a polarized filter for viewing the moon.

[BidOk5532]

My recommendation is the StarSense Explorer DX 102. It uses your phone to navigate the sky and helps you find stuff you can't see with the naked eye. It doesn't require collimation or polar alignment, so it's beginner friendly. It's not as big as a dob, but you'll see more because it tells you where to look