Reddit reviews Celestron - AstroMaster 70AZ Telescope - Refractor Telescope - Fully Coated Glass Optics - Adjustable Height Tripod – BONUS Astronomy Software Package

• Le Creuset. Just one example - they have lots of nice gifts.
  
  
  
• Ice cream maker with recipe book and two stoneware bowls.
  
  
  
• Maybe they have a dark sky and enjoy stargazing? If so, a telescope
  
  
• In a rural area, they probably don't have access to high end grocery stores. A gourmet gift basket could be nice: Dean and Deluca; Harry & David; Vosges

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MLHMAS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 -- I bought this one a few years ago, looks like it's about $115 presently. Very basic scope, very basic mount, but the second thing I ever saw through it (after the moon) was Jupiter and its moons, and you can see them pretty well.

Alt-Az mount is way cheaper than an equatorial mount, but it means you'll have a harder time tracking objects across the sky. And you'll be surprised at how fast they move when you're looking at them under high magnification. So your investment should also consider how old your kids are and whether they're going to be able to track with the scope themselves.

Hello :-)


 

Which Optex OT 675? I find different models, but I think I found it on Kijiji.ca.

This is not a good telescope. There seems to be a lot of accessories, but nothing really great.

 

Which Astromaster? The one with fork mount, or the camera-tripod-style mount and leaver?

None of these telescopes will be good. The best choice is IMHO the more modern Astromaster 70 with leaver. For $40 it would be OK. If it's the one with fork, it's not worth it.

Vibration will cause frustration.

Bad eyepieces will cause frustration.

Small aperture that doesn't show much will cause frustration.

Not knowing hot to find things will cause frustration- at 7 you need guidance. You don't just point it somewhere and see stuff.

> I'm looking for something somewhat decent that they'll actually be able to see stuff and pursue if interested,

This is the problem, many of these cheap sets are actually the last telescope they will ever look through. If it sucks, it's a hobby killer.

 



70mm can show everything. Planets, some galaxies... The moon is stunning. But it's limited. Kids at that age have a difficult time with small exit pupils at high magnifications, and especially with the usual garbage eyepieces. They might be expecting a hubble-like image, but Saturn will be a small disc with rings.

What to expect, link list

At 7, it's important to give guidance, explain what the faint dot really is. Else he/she will loose interest.

 

A 114/900 (not 114/1000 or 127/1000 flawed bird-jones shorty) and a bit of handywork to make a simple, better mount out of wood scraps, would be the best sub-$100 solution IMHO. Else the 70az. For $40 that's OK, if you are aware of the limitations. $200-$270 will buy a better telescope (Mini 114, better Mini 130, Heritage 130), but of course that's a multiple of the budget.

 


Clear skies! :-)

I felt the same way and picked up one of the “department store telescopes” people will tell you not to buy... so long as you don’t mind getting what you pay for, they can be great “gateway drugs” to enjoying astronomy.

Orion SpaceProbe II 76mm Altazimuth Reflector Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0732TBPJW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XfTCCbEP3BWTW

This is something you could look into just to start. I began with this:


Celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70AZ Refractor Telescope https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MLHMAS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fyTCCbET2H4X6

Just food for thought. Will you probably turn around and wanna spend more money? Maybe... but in my mind, spending ~$100 to try something is a lot better than ~$400.

Tell them to get a better telescope. :P

It's just funny how photos in expensive, glamorous places like this always feature such dirt cheap telescopes.

My grandpa mentioned recently wanting a telescope to play around with so I sent him this one a few days ago when I saw it for ~$60 on sale (not bought on Amazon though). He's told me he's managed to resolve some of Jupiter's and Saturn's moons with just the eyepiece and tripod and everything else that came with the telescope, and pictures of planets taken with the scope from some of the reviews seem decent enough, though obviously nowhere near as good as the OP's (and from the review the former picture is technically long-exposure and using a fancy tripod, so not quite what you're eye would see).

You can get a basic refractor for 100 bucks. This is what I was using. If you really want into it, I'd say go for a reflector with a good mount. Computerized ones are more expensive, and doing it manually teaches you to navigate the night sky as well.

incase you're wondering. The Celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70 AZ Refractor Telescope is the telescope I used. I bought it for them as a combined Mother's/Father's day gift. I also took a picture of Saturn. Looks better with your own eyes, but you can still see the basic shape

https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21061-AstroMaster-Refractor-Telescope/dp/B000MLHMAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481412776&sr=8-1&keywords=celestron+astromaster+70az

Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-21061-AstroMaster-Refractor-Telescope/dp/B000MLHMAS/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1324870310&sr=1-2. It looks like it is more now. I could have sworn my wife said it was on sale for $70.

The problem with all telescopes is they can get real expensive for a good one.

For the money and his age (in case he out grows his interest I'd start cheap).

This one would make for a half way decent beginner telescope without breaking the bank.

Also another thing I thought of for a young kid interested in astronomy is one of these.

I had a more primitive version of one of those things when I was a kid but would still stare at my ceiling for hours when I had it turned on.

This. my Dad got it for Me, its also why I recently purchased this.