The Top Ten Amateur Telescopes of 2011

If you're ready for some night-time observing this summer, you'll likely find the right telescope among these ten moderately priced instruments. Produced by TopTenREVIEWS.com, a corporate sister-site of SPACE.com.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• telescope
• amateur astronomer
• Orion
• Celestron
• Meade
• reflector
• refractor
• cassegrain
• hybrid telescope
• eyepiece
• finder scope
• science
• education

[TheAstroPhotographer]

3:56 It's called a dobsonian mount, not a tripod.

[VideoFromSpace]

@TheAstroPhotographer You're right, of course. We'll be doing a 2012 version soon (different 'scopes) and we'll make the correction. Would you be OK with the term "Rocker-Box" (as John Dobson himself has sometimes called them)?

[kmkeefe]

As an avid amateur astronomer, the title of this video is misleading, It should be top 10 entry level telescopes or top 10 scopes under $500. Personally the smallest I would go with is a telescope with a 6" mirror. Orion's Starblast is a good starter scope but many adults will find themselves hunching over too much.You may wish to consider a good adjustable observing chair & the Orion XT6 dob, I bought one for my son & it's turned out to be a great grab and go me (my main scope is an 8" SCT).

[VideoFromSpace]

@kmkeefe We agree with your title suggestion. Maybe for 2012! Thank you also for your other comments. Just note that some people like refractors (no collimation, sealed tube...). So we look at a mix.

[Firestorm7773]

Why was their only one Dob?! None of these scopes had enough apeture for me. Im not rich but 8 to 12 inches can be pretty cheap. The more glass the better. Most of the scopes were either equitorial (hard to use for beginners) or goto (ruins the experince of learning the sky) stick with dob or alt azamith. Ps the best thing about a Maksitov Cassigran is the correcter lens on the top. It adds a huge sum of money to the telescope so you sacrafice apeture unless you have a couple K sitting around

[1CloudWalker]

A family member has the biggest privately owned telescope in Michigan--talk about having a front row seat at looking at Jupiter--WOW! I was able to see all 4 moons of that planet. Too bad I am the other side of the country and do not get to view as much as I would like.

[TheHemiphil81]

yeah you right.ive been doing this a long time myself.

[VideoFromSpace]

@FastRedDragon1984 Best advice I got when I was starting out in astronomy (beyond NEVER POINT AT THE SUN - EVEN WHEN YOU"RE NOT LOOKING): Get a Moon Filter and screw it onto your eyepiece before you look. And don't look at the Full Moon; start with another phase.

[FastRedDragon1984]

@VideoFromSpace agreed. I'm looking for something I can use and trying to avoid crap telescopes...but its either I get one shipped or get one from Dicks sporting goods store or Walmart. thanks for the video.

[FastRedDragon1984]

@TheHemiphil81 I think the key word is "amateur" someone who has never done this before should not and will not spend more than a few hundred bucks on a telescope that they don't know how to use yet.