33 replies to this topic

[Mike Q]

Congrats on your childs accomplishments.   I don't think i would run out and buy him a telescope.  What i would do is take him to a outreach program and let him look at telescopes.  There are so many options out there and he would find the one that fits his life.  

[EsaT]

He's going on to do a Masters degree in Uppsala Sweden

There's local astronomy club in there.
https://uaa.nu/

 

They do shows (free for members) in Tuesdays in old observatory:

https://uaa.nu/tisdagsvisningar/

That would be way to get to see things.

With the big assumption that clear sky happens in Tuesdays... Which is rather bad bet.

 

 

So own telescope to use when clear sky and spare time coincide would certainly be good.

Though city's light pollution will heavily degrade views of anything but the Moon and planets.

 

And even in low light pollution visual views are anything but like those shown by images:

https://www.deepskyw...-telescope.html

Really the only celestial object looking visually like in images is our Moon.

 

Moon can be also observed reasonably well from daytime sky.

Though long pass filter like orange is necessary for regaining some of the contrast lost to scattered sunlight.

 

Club has also  own observatory area in darker location 30km outside Uppsala.

https://uaa.nu/observatoriet/

That would be place to go look for outside solar system objects, if having car.

 

 

 

As for telescope types Dobson(ian) give by far the most performance per money.

No other telescope type gives even remotely similar aperture size per price.

Aperture is what decides how dim objects/stars you can see ("bigger bucket collects more rain") and how high magnifications can be used/how small details can be distinguished from the Moon and planets. (when not limited by atmospheric stability)

 

Downside is Dobson always having significant bulk/volume.

Here's excellent video showing size of common Dobsons:

https://www.youtube....h?v=-qVXy7SDDo4

 

 

Especially various Cassegrain telescopes with tripod mounting can be packed into lot smaller space.

But downside is major amount higher price for aperture/light collecting power:

127mm aperture Maksutov costs same as 200mm aperture Dobson, which collects ~150% more light..

https://www.firstlig...az5-deluxe.html

https://www.firstlig...-dobsonian.html

[Polyphemos]

Hi there, 

 

I'm a very proud mum to a son who is about to graduate from a Physics degree. I would love to buy my son a telescope but I know absolutely nothing!

 

He's going on to do a Masters degree in Uppsala Sweden, and I would love to get him a telescope but I'm utterly lost!

 

My budget is up to about £800 and just wondered if anyone could help, thanks very much 

 

Marie 

Welcome, Marie.  I faced a similar situation with my two sons who went off to graduate school after getting undergraduate degrees in Astro Engineering. Considering that they would continue to be living in relatively small student housing I decided to get them something compact, but still capable. After much thought I settled on and bought each of my boys Celestron 6SE telescopes, which at the time I thought was the perfect solution.

 

What I miscalculated was just how little free time they would have for using their scopes, and so their scopes languished and still do to this day as both are raising young families. So what have I learned that I can pass on?

 

I like the idea of cash so that he can decide what fits his lifestyle. I strongly dislike the idea of a gift certificate because that limits his purchase options to one location and whatever that location stocks. The other issue with gift certificates is that because of the aforementioned limitations they are often set aside and ultimately lost, which is a tremendous boon to the store but sad for the purchaser.

 

I’m not a fan of smart telescopes, them not being telescopes in the classical sense of something an observer looks through, but this may be one of those cases where, if your son likes the idea, it might work.

 

Alternatively a small (70mm-80mm) scope with a usable mount that has no electronics might work as well. They’re known as “grab-and-go” scopes here and require the absolute minimal amount of room, commitment, and forethought to use and enjoy, which might be the very best option for what I expect will be a very, very, very, busy grad student. I use my own grab-and-go telescopes for quick peeks when I’ve no time for anything else. We can expand upon this idea if it’s something your son is interested in.

 

My best advice is to go over this thread with your son so that you can both digest the information and choices presented here together and make a collective decision that fits your budget and his developing needs and desires. Good luck!

Edited by Polyphemos, 06 June 2025 - 10:24 PM.

[JOEinCO]

My best advice is to go over this thread with your son so that you can both digest the information and choices presented here together and make a collective decision that fits your budget and his developing needs and desires. 

 

  

[daveb2022]

I like the idea of cash so that he can decide what fits his lifestyle. I strongly dislike the idea of a gift certificate because that limits his purchase options to one location and whatever that location stocks. The other issue with gift certificates is that because of the aforementioned limitations they are often set aside and ultimately lost, which is a tremendous boon to the store but sad for the purchaser.

 

 

My best advice is to go over this thread with your son so that you can both digest the information and choices presented here together and make a collective decision that fits your budget and his developing needs and desires. Good luck!

Well, these days, my gift certificates usually say something like "VISA" on them. But when I was 18 years old, even if I were given a gift card like a visa, my guess is it would go in purchasing something important I'm sure I would want...backpacking equipment, fishing lures, beer, and those type things. My parents did buy me a nice set of binoculars in 1973 that I still own and cherish to this day. And those binoculars have a family connection that is different than models I purchased myself. So there is that. 

 

But I agree, sometimes it's better have a discussion so the gift will end up being something that will be used. 
 

Edited by daveb2022, 07 June 2025 - 08:36 PM.

[Pierre C]

Perhaps a gift certificate and a good introduction to astronomy book? 

Yes, I would suggest a home-made 'certificate' that does not commit him to a particular brand or shop, a good introductory book (e.g. The Backyard Astronomer's Guide) which outlines the ways to get started in astronomy and a warm welcome to join Cloudy Nights to get advice on what equipment to buy for his particular interests and circumstances.

Edited by Pierre C, 08 June 2025 - 01:27 AM.

[therealdmt]

8x42 binoculars (also good for birding and other "terrestrial" uses) and an 80mm ED doublet refractor on a simple, fully manual alt-az mount. If he wants to get into astrophotography later, he can get a mount appropriate for that. Alternatively, a 5" ( about 125mm to 130mm) solid tube tabletop Dobsonian (Dobson) could be nice and compact.

 

Anyway, that’s what I’d probably get, so just throwing that in there. When I was living in a small city apartment, I actually got 8x32 binocular and a 72mm ED doublet, and those worked well for me, but if doing it over I’d have gone just slightly larger with both (especially the telescope), as mentioned above. The eyepieces I used in this telescope were quite affordable, mainly: a Svbony 7-21 zoom, a 2x barlow (or a 3x focal extender, which was more expensive) and a Vixen 30mm NPL Plossl. I also had an inexpensive UHC filter, a red dot finder, and that was it.

 

Congratulation on your son’s graduation(!), and I agree to have him read through this thread and think/talk about how to proceed. Hopefully he gets a lifetime of enjoyment out of astronomy, though it might have to wait to a less busy time of life before it can fully flower 

[WillR]

Hi there, 

 

I'm a very proud mum to a son who is about to graduate from a Physics degree. I would love to buy my son a telescope but I know absolutely nothing!

 

He's going on to do a Masters degree in Uppsala Sweden, and I would love to get him a telescope but I'm utterly lost!

 

My budget is up to about £800 and just wondered if anyone could help, thanks very much 

 

Marie 

Welcome. Buying a telescope is tricky. If you have no experience, it’s  much easier to buy the wrong one than the right one. I would also consider cash, or maybe a gift certificate to an astronomy retailer.

 

But has he specifically requested a telescope? If he has, he probably has something in mind. If he hasn’t, there may be other things he wants to do with that money.

Edited by WillR, 08 June 2025 - 02:16 PM.

[aa6ww]

I'd not recomend a Seestar for a young energetic Physics Major. I know 3 people now who own Seestars and they are all old and retired and have basically given up on back yard astronomy, in favor of sttting in a chair and playing on their phone. Only one of the 3 is good at using the Seestar, but he comes from an AP background and wont use his AP gear any more.

Someone young should be energetic to wanting to get out and set up a telescope and test their knowledge of the skies.

I doubt anyone has ever stared at their seestar and though, wow, what a hot telescope.

Young people at star parties really enjoy looking through real telescopes

I hope so anyways. 

 

Ralph