ARTICLES AND COMPARATIVE REVIEWS
ON PURCHASING BEST TELESCOPES
(Bookmark this page Ctrl-D, as you will not digest
this in one sitting)
Chances are you have no
idea of the extent of absolute confusion, hype and half-truths
permeating the murky waters
of telescope performance and purchase reviews.
Following selections and
remarks are distilled to clarify and educate.
1. Articles
and Comparative Reviews
 BUYING
THE BEST TELESCOPE by Alan Dyer
Magazine: SKY
& TELESCOPE, December 1997
Excellent note
on Shmidt Cassegrain design, supra.
FROM
RUSSIA WITH LOVE by John Shibley
Magazine: ASTRONOMY,
April 1997
BIG
MAC ATTACK (MAC: Maksutov-Cassegrain design) by John Shibley
Magazine: ASTRONOMY,
June 1997
BUILDING
BIG ONES by John Vogt
Magazine: SKY
& TELESCOPE; OCTOBER, 1998
A
PAIR OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE MAKSUTOVS by Alan Dyer
Magazine: Sky
& Telescope, April 1999
Grand
Instruments of Observational Astronomy Series:
IN
SEARCH OF AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS by Spartacus
Fusion
Magazine: Sapere-Aude;
Summer 2000
2. Web-links
of Comparative Reviews
The
Telescope Review Website Look up how different models compare
Sky
and Telescope Magazine Read up reviews of latest models & accessories
Amateur
Astronomy Magazine If you want to get serious about astronomy
- Related
Links:
Astrohaven
6 to 15 feet fiberglass observatory domes to house your telescope
Home-
and Pro- Dome 7 to 12 feet clamshell fiberglass observatory domes
The
Astronomy Net - Astronomy resources, searchable forums and lists
of organizations providing astronomy services
3. Leading
Telescope Manufacturers
FS
Refractors by Takahashi
Refractors
by Astrophysics, Inc.
Mead
Instruments Corporation Refractors & Reflectors
Celestron
Refractors and Reflectors
Obsession
Telescopes Newtonian Dobsonian Giants
Starsplitter
Telescopes Newtonian Dobsonian Giants
Telescope
Engineering Company Larger Custom Made Telescopes
Russian
Optics Manufacturing Plants Manufacturers of Best x-Soviet Optics
Novosibirsk
Telescopes Full Line of Post Cold War Optics
4. If
You Would Like to Read About Astronomy and Telescope-Making
Books
on History, Technology, and Amateur 'How-To' of Optical Telescopes
Willmann-Bell
Telescope Making Books
BEST
DEALS WE KNOW:
 All
you've got is $79?! - Galileo 525x60mm Refractor Telescope ?!
-
700mm focal
link, 60mm coated objective lens,
mars eye electronic
finder, 4mm and 20mm
removable eyepieces
and a 3X Barlow lens.
Comes with
metal tripod with azimuth mount
and accessory
tray. Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Excited
by availability of 'affordable' giant binoculars? (See ... )
For about the price of one
pair of 25x magnification 100mm Pro-Optics (~$890)
you can have:
 MEADE
LXD 203mm (8'') Shmidt-Cassegrain telescope, with tripod, Meade
high-precision
LXD 500 equatorial mounting with dual-axis bronse worm gears
(~$895)
OR
Japanese
Tasco 124 RB-1 12 through 60x (!)continuous
zoom
magnification
70mm binoculars,
with Rubicon Lenses and BAK-4 Prisms (~$290) and
either -
Chinese
Orion 120 mm (4.7'') Refractor with a tripod and mount (~$599), or
Russian
150 mm (6.0'') Newtonian reflector with 15mm, 25mm & 42 mm
eyepieces, 1170mm
(f/7.8) tube, 4x barlow lens, 6 glass filters, German
equatorial mounting
on solid metal pedestal with built-in vibration-suppression
pads, 8x50
finder scope, hardwood case, Hurst R.A. Motor/Clockdrive -
All included
for (~$649), or
Russian
150 mm (6.0'') Newtonian reflector (f/5)
with 10mm & 25mm
eyepieces, 750
mm (f/5) tube, 2x barlow lens, 6 glass filters, German
equatorial mounting
on solid metal pedestal with built-in vibration-suppression
pads, 8x50
finder scope, hardwood case, Hurst R.A. Motor/Clockdrive -
All included
for (~$749)
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