Quality & Affordable Beginner Telescopes at less than US$300.

^{Beginner Starter Telescope for
under $300/=}

Want some tips on how to choose

a beginner telescope?

Here are some really useful professional tips on

how to choose your first starter telescope.

When you go shopping for your first telescope, please bear in mind that every telescope has its strengths and weaknesses, even the most expensive models.

For Beginners, Simplicity Is The Name of The Game

The cardinal rule for beginners is to keep it simple. Do not overwhelm yourself with too many bells and whistles. Don't even consider astrophotography for the moment. Ditto for computerized models.

Learn the basics the good old-fashioned way - hands-on and from the bottom up. With practice, you'll be a sharp-shooter in no time!

What is most important for an observational astronomer is to enjoy the new hobby by actually doing it. In short, beginners should spend less time looking at their telescopes and more time observing the skies.

Another piece of good advice is to get a complete package. Avoid blowing your budget in buying too many accessories too soon and regret it later on.

Generally, your first starter telescope should be:-

Affordably priced
Comes with basic accessories
Portable
Easy to set up and dismantle
Simple to operate and handle.

As a beginner, get a small telescope which is portable so that you can easily transport it. This way, you are more willing to use it compared to a larger and bulkier one which you might not feel like dragging around.

Typically, 2.4 inch (60mm) and 3.1 inch(80mm) refractors and 4.5 inch and 6 inch reflectors are popular for most amateurs.

If you are at a loss as to which Stargazer telescope is most suitable for your needs, here are some tips and pointers which you may use as a guide in selecting your first scope.

General Comments

Stargazer

Telescopes

1. Understanding the model number

Focal length and aperture/objective lens size

By looking at the model number, you will be able to know the focal length and aperture/objective lens size of the telescope.

For example, model R60700ES is a refractor with a 60mm objective lens size and a 700mm focal length.

Aperture/Objective lens size

Since deep-sky objects are much further away from Earth and are usually dim compared to near-Earth objects, larger apertures or objective lenses are required to collect sufficient light for us to see them clearly.

2. Understanding the Mount

The mount is a very important part of a scope. It is absolutely necessary if you want steady viewing.

There are 2 basic types of mounts: alt-azimuth and equatorial. If you're a complete beginner, the alt-azimuth mount is the obvious choice. The equatorial mount is designed to track the movement of objects in the sky. To be able to do so, you must make sure that the equatorial mount is accurately aligned on the pole to ensure accurate tracking. However, as a beginner, the last thing you need to worry about is polar alignment.

R60700ES

R80720ES

N102700ES

N114540ES

All Stargazer beginner telescopes come with easy-to-handle single-arm alt-azimuth mountings.

3. Understanding Aperture Size

An astronomy telescope is basically used to collect light from a distant source. This light is then focused to a point where it will be magnified for a clearer view through your eyepieces. Its ability to gather light is directly proportionate to the size of its aperture.

The aperture of a scope refers to the diameter of either the objective lens of a refractor or primary mirror of a reflector.

Since astronomy telescope is essentially an instrument to collect light, therefore their aperture size is the true key to the power of a telescope.

4. Understanding Focal Ratio (f-ratio)

The focal ratio (or the f-ratio) is calculated by dividing the focal length of the telescope by the aperture of its objective lens (or the diameter of its primary mirror, as in the case of a Newtonian reflector telescope).

For example, a 102mm telescope with a focal length of 700mm has an f/ratio of 700/102 = f/6.8.

Understanding the focal ratio will help you in choosing the telescope that will best suit your needs. Generally, your choice will depend on where and what you would like to observe.

Low Focal Ratio - Newtonian Reflector Telescopes

Simple Newtonian reflecting telescopes usually have low focal ratios of between f/4 and f/8. They are sometimes described as rich-field telescopes and are ideal for wide-angle views of extended objects such as galaxy clusters and nebulae.

If you want a taste of most items on the celestial spread, a Newtonian reflector of between f/5 to f/8 is a popular all-purpose beginner telescope.

N102700ES = f/6.8

Newtonian telescopes with low focal ratios of between f/4 to f/5 give excellent results in locations with dark skies.

N114540ES = f/4.7

If you are observing in light polluted cities, opt for a telescope with higher focal ratio.

R60700ES = f/11.6

R80720ES = f/9

If you wish to observe in both sky conditions, a reflector telescope of between f/5 and f/7 will be a good choice.

N102700ES = f/6.8

High Focal Ratio Telescopes - Refractor Telescopes

Refracting telescopes generally have higher focal ratios of between f/8 and f/15.

R60700ES = f/11.6

R80720ES = f/9

They are renowned for their sharp and exquisite image quality. Their smaller field of view and good contrast at low magnification make them ideal candidates for observing in light polluted skies.

Refractors are recommended for observing the planets, the moon and its craters, the sun (with solar filters fitted) and double stars.

A larger refractor of at least 70mm will give sharper images such as the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter and a clearer view of the craters on the moon.

R80720ES = f/9

5. Understanding Eyepieces

Barrel sizes or diameters of eyepieces

Eyepieces come in three different barrel sizes or diameters. They are 0.965 inches, 1.25 inches, and 2 inches. Eyepieces with larger barrel sizes are more expensive.

The barrel size of your eyepiece is determined by the size of your focuser (for reflectors) or the size of your diagonal (for refractors). The standard barrel size is 1.25". The 2" eyepieces are more expensive. Avoid the non-standard 0.965 inches eyepieces.

Usually the barrel size of the eyepiece also determines your field of view or how large a portion of the sky you can actually see through the eyepiece. The smaller ones will show a lesser portion of the sky for a given focal length and apparent field than the larger ones.

Since standard eyepieces come in diameters of 1.25", it makes sense to buy telescopes that support 1.25" eyepieces. Please check this carefully as some cheaper models are fitted with eyepieces measuring 0.965" only.

If you are serious about this hobby and wish to buy more eyepieces in the future, do invest in a telescope that uses the standard 1.25" format. The reason being that your investments in one set of eyepieces can be used for all your future telescopes.

Eyepiece Brands

Most beginner telescope kits come with either Huygen's(H), Kellner's(K) or Plossl's(P) eyepieces.

Eyepiece lenses: Glass vs. Plastic

Depending on manufacturing quality, glass optics generally out-perform plastic lenses in terms of image quality and durability although glass optics are more expensive.

6. Understanding Magnification

You can easily calculate the magnification of any telescope using different eyepieces by dividing the focal length by the focal length of the eyepieces. For example, N102700ES using a 25mm eyepiece will give you a magnification of 700 ÷ 25 = 28x (28 times). A 9mm eyepiece will give you a magnification of about 77x.

Therefore, using the same eyepiece, a telescope with a focal length of 700 produces larger images compared to a telescope with a shorter focal length of 540mm.

In astronomy telescopes, clarity is more important than high magnification. Remember, our Earth is not static. It rotates on its own axis and revolves around the Sun. Such movements will be equally magnified by the telescope. If you are using a manual telescope with high magnification, you'll have to adjust your telescope more frequently to get your object into view.

Besides the Earth's movements, you must also consider its unstable layers of atmosphere. A telescope with very high magnification will magnify such disturbances resulting in shimmering images.

In short, lower power provides a better viewing experience most of the time.

Magnification
Model	R60700ES	R80720ES	N102700ES	N114540ES
Eyepiece	f = 700	f = 720	f = 700	f = 540
K 9mm	77.8x	80.0x	77.8x	60x
K 25mm	28.0x	28.8x	28.0x	21.6x

All Stargazer telescopes come with 9mm and 25mm quality Kellner standard 1.25" coated glass optics for enhanced image brightness and clarity

R60700ES

R80720ES

N102700ES

N114540ES

Eyepieces:

K9 & K25 (1.25”)

9mm eyepiece:

Magnifications of 60 to 80 times.

25mm eyepiece:

Magnifications of 21 to 28 times.

7. Compare And Contrast

	Description	R60700ES	R80720ES	N102700ES	N114540ES
1	Optical Tube Assembly (OTA)
2	Single-arm alt-azimuth mount
3	Two 1.25" Kellner eyepieces (9mm and 25mm)
4	Finder Scope
5	Accessory Tray
6	Sturdy aluminium tripod
7	Dust cap
8	Instruction Manual
9	Manual navigation
10	Focuser (Newtonian) Diagonal (Refractor)
11	One-year limited warranty
12	Moon Filter	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional
13	2x Barlow Lens	Optional	Optional	Optional	Optional
14	Affordable Prices	US$179	US$279	US$237	US$297

8. Pick One That Best Suits Your Observation Habits

Refractors vs. Newtonian Reflector

Refractors are comparatively more expensive than Newtonian reflectors because of the use of lenses which are more costly to produce than the primary mirrors in a Newtonian tube. Due to this cost factor, larger telescopes tend to be Newtonian reflectors.

$60mm refractor beginner starter telescope$

R60700ES

US$179.00 Not In Stock

Affordably priced. Great in nurturing children's interest in the science of astronomy. It is portable and easy to handle. Excellent as your kid's first telescope

$80mm refractor beginner starter telescope$

R80720ES

US$279.00 In Stock

If you are serious about observing the Solar System, this is your best bet.

The above models are ideal for observing in light polluted cities.

N102700ES

US$237.00 Not In Stock

Choose this model if you want to do a bit of both: observe the Solar System as well as some brighter deep-sky objects and move between locations with dark skies and light pollution.

An excellent all-purpose beginner telescope.

N114540ES

US$297.00 In Stock

If you've set your mind on deep-sky objects, then go for this telescope. With its larger aperture and shorter focal length, you can have a better view of galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

*Optional Accessories

moon filter