As I write this, I am enthusiastically awaiting delivery of a Meade LX90 from OptCorp in California. Next to a computer, this is one of the most expensive items I have ever purchased. I “discovered” the Astromart Forum about a year ago and like many contributors I used the forum to gather information about various configurations, brands, and models before making my selection. Therefore, I wanted to share my thoughts on the process and my observations about the telescope marketplace as well. Also, because messages on the forum are limited to 3000 characters, I’ll need to break this ‘article’ into chapters. So bear with me, as I’ll need to spread this out over several days and several messages.
I am in my mid-fifties and have been interested in astronomy since I was in elementary school. While in junior high I saved my lunch money up to buy my dream telescope, a 4” Criterion Dynascope. I remember that I had saved about $35 and asked my parents if they would contribute the additional $15 to make the purchase. They were of course incredulous that a “toy” could cost $50. After much pleading, they finally relented and I had my first telescope. I had that scope until my mid-twenties when I sold it. Quite honestly, I had difficulty learning my way around the night sky, so was never able to really appreciate the abilities of the instrument. (Which speaks to the need for experienced amateurs to help youngsters and newbies with the hobby.) My other optical purchase was a pair of 7x40 Tasco binoculars when I graduated from college. I still have it and it is still a credible instrument.
My interest in astronomy resurged in the early 1990’s. I bought a small (about 90mm) desktop mounted mak-newt for about $90. I think these were marketed by Tasco. A few attempts at finding things convinced me that I needed a bigger telescope and I was able to trade in the smaller scope for a 4 1/2 inch mak-newt on an equatorial mount for about $200 at a local camera store (see my question in the Astromart Forum “Who made this telescope” for a picture of that instrument). I thought I was set, after all this thing came with setting circles, those marvelous, but mystical apparatus that opens the wonders of the heavens to the uninitiated. What I didn’t count on was that use of the setting circles depends on accurate polar alignment and the directions for using setting circles often sound like they were written by astrophysicists.
I am in my mid-fifties and have been interested in astronomy since I was in elementary school. While in junior high I saved my lunch money up to buy my dream telescope, a 4” Criterion Dynascope. I remember that I had saved about $35 and asked my parents if they would contribute the additional $15 to make the purchase. They were of course incredulous that a “toy” could cost $50. After much pleading, they finally relented and I had my first telescope. I had that scope until my mid-twenties when I sold it. Quite honestly, I had difficulty learning my way around the night sky, so was never able to really appreciate the abilities of the instrument. (Which speaks to the need for experienced amateurs to help youngsters and newbies with the hobby.) My other optical purchase was a pair of 7x40 Tasco binoculars when I graduated from college. I still have it and it is still a credible instrument.
My interest in astronomy resurged in the early 1990’s. I bought a small (about 90mm) desktop mounted mak-newt for about $90. I think these were marketed by Tasco. A few attempts at finding things convinced me that I needed a bigger telescope and I was able to trade in the smaller scope for a 4 1/2 inch mak-newt on an equatorial mount for about $200 at a local camera store (see my question in the Astromart Forum “Who made this telescope” for a picture of that instrument). I thought I was set, after all this thing came with setting circles, those marvelous, but mystical apparatus that opens the wonders of the heavens to the uninitiated. What I didn’t count on was that use of the setting circles depends on accurate polar alignment and the directions for using setting circles often sound like they were written by astrophysicists.
