Reflector or Refractor?

[public hermit]

I am looking to purchase a telescope. I had a reflector when I was a kid and loved it, but I don't really know which one is best? Any thoughts on which is better? Any general suggestions about buying a good telescope that will last and has some power? I would like to be able to take pictures, as well.

Thank you!

 

[Tuur]

I lucked out and found a reflector heavily discounted after the last pass of Haley's Comet. Yes, you didn't need one to see Haley's Comet, which is likely why it went unsold. With a reflector you can easily have a larger aperture, so it collects more light than a similarly priced refractor. It has a cheap equatorial mount which means it's susceptible to vibrations, and I have a hard time keeping the sighter scope properly adjusted. Once you dial everything in right, you can easily track the motion of objects just by slightly turning a knob. This telescope came with a moon filter, which works nicely.

I've had this telescope since the late 1980s, and it's held up well, but I don't knock it around, either. Think it's a Tasco. It came with three eyepieces and a Barlow lens. The eyepieces are 20mm, 12.5mm, and 4mm. The Barlow lens triples the magnification.

I don't think super power is needed unless you're looking for deep space objects. You can see the moons of Jupiter and rings of Saturn with binoculars. Ditto some nebulas, like in Orion.

 

[public hermit]

I lucked out and found a reflector heavily discounted after the last pass of Haley's Comet. Yes, you didn't need one to see Haley's Comet, which is likely why it went unsold. With a reflector you can easily have a larger aperture, so it collects more light than a similarly priced refractor. It has a cheap equatorial mount which means it's susceptible to vibrations, and I have a hard time keeping the sighter scope properly adjusted. Once you dial everything in right, you can easily track the motion of objects just by slightly turning a knob. This telescope came with a moon filter, which works nicely.

I've had this telescope since the late 1980s, and it's held up well, but I don't knock it around, either. Think it's a Tasco. It came with three eyepieces and a Barlow lens. The eyepieces are 20mm, 12.5mm, and 4mm. The Barlow lens triples the magnification.

I don't think super power is needed unless you're looking for deep space objects. You can see the moons of Jupiter and rings of Saturn with binoculars. Ditto some nebulas, like in Orion.

Thanks! I had trouble keeping my sighter scope properly adjusted, too. I probably had a similar mount. I'm tempted to go with a reflector again.

ETA: Just reading, it looks like a good equatorial mount is suggested for astrophotography.

 

[zippy2006]

I would like to be able to take pictures, as well.

Does this require a special camera?

 

[public hermit]

Does this require a special camera?

There are cameras specifically designed for astrophotography, but there are also attachments to connect a DSLR camera. I'm getting the impression reflectors are best for astrophotography.

Mastering Astrophotography: Connecting a DSLR to a Reflector Telescope – Mecam.me

How to Choose the Best Telescope Camera in 2023 | OPT Telescopes

What kind of imagers are there? How do the work? What are they best suited for? Find out in this article on the Telescope Camera Types.

optcorp.com

 

[FireDragon76]

I had alot of fun as a kid with my dad with a reflector telescope. We never saw Hailey's comet, but we did see some interesting things.

 

[Zacki]

I am looking to purchase a telescope. I had a reflector when I was a kid and loved it, but I don't really know which one is best? Any thoughts on which is better? Any general suggestions about buying a good telescope that will last and has some power? I would like to be able to take pictures, as well.

Thank you!

A refractor is best for seeing planets & the moon. It gives a slightly sharper image than a reflector. They can be expensive but prices have come down the past several years. I have a Meade Polaris 90 which wasn't expensive. Lens is 90mm. A reflector uses a mirror to reflect light to another mirror then to the eyepiece. Cheaper to make a large mirror than a large lens. The larger mirrors gather more light which allows you to see deeper into space at faint objects like nebulas. Your eye's pupil can dilate to 7mm in darkness but with a telescope the lens or mirror gathers light like a pupil. 10 inch mirror is like seeing with a 10 inch pupil. The reflector image is usually a bit less sharp than a refractor but you can still use it for seeing planets.

 

[public hermit]

A refractor is best for seeing planets & the moon. It gives a slightly sharper image than a reflector. They can be expensive but prices have come down the past several years. I have a Meade Polaris 90 which wasn't expensive. Lens is 90mm. A reflector uses a mirror to reflect light to another mirror then to the eyepiece. Cheaper to make a large mirror than a large lens. The larger mirrors gather more light which allows you to see deeper into space at faint objects like nebulas. Your eye's pupil can dilate to 7mm in darkness but with a telescope the lens or mirror gathers light like a pupil. 10 inch mirror is like seeing with a 10 inch pupil. The reflector image is usually a bit less sharp than a refractor but you can still use it for seeing planets.

Thank you! That gives me some reasons to consider buying a refractor.

 

[Bob Crowley]

There's an article here contrasting 3 types of telescopes - refractor reflector, and cassegrain.

https://www.ryda.com.au/blog/types-of-telescopes/#:~:text=Refractors%20are%20ideal%20for%20high,are%20also%20ideal%20for%20astrophotography.

I was thinking about amateur astronomy a few years ago but it's on the backburner for the time being. I did go to a couple of astronomy nights, but I'd have trouble trying to fit everything in, apart from the cost and trying to justify a telescope to my wife.

Ryda.com doesn't appear to be an astronomy store, but they obvously include telescopes in their stock line. They're an Australian company in Sydney.