First telescope for my 6yr old son?

1. get binos and a good tripod. you can get absolutely magnificant binoculars in Lidil usually around this time. they are Bressier binoculars, cost around 17 quid and rival many sets you would pay a 100 quid for. these boards monitor lidil closely so you will get notified when they come in. Guys, anyone any ideas if they are getting the bressiers this year again?

2. get a tripod. a good camera tripod will do just fine. any camera shop will explain and show you a good tripod.

3. get a bracket to hold your binoculars to the tripod. you can also get this in any good photography store. explain what you want, show them the binoculars and they will sort you out.

4. get the book "binocular highlights". that will show you everything there is to see through binoculars and how to find it.

Im not expert, but this is the way i wish i started!

best of luck.

He is only 6 and would probably get tired of binoculars in a short time, how much would a second hand 6" or smaller dob cost, then dad could have some fun also, a s/h etx-70 would be perfect, try buy&sell
www.buyandsell.ie/

I'm after coming around to the idea of good binoculars rather than a telescope. He has a little toyshop telescope at the moment, and always finds it hard to scrunch up one eye to look with the other.

In that case definitely get a tripod to go with the binoculars. Then you can find something nice to look at and set it up for him.

I've been looking around online for binoculars, and as an example I found a pair, Zhumell 20x80 SuperGiant Astronomical Binoculars, on binoculars.com (but they seem to only ship to the States) Are they a good make? Is 20 x 80 necessarily a good thing?? What should I look for in binoculars? Tripod-mountable, but what else? (Are tripods standard? I have one for the camcorder - is it likely to suit binoculars?)

I wouldn't advise 20x80mm as first binoculars. They will be very heavy and clumsy. Even as an adult you'll have serious trouble holding them by hand and a 6 year old we be in real trouble. Also, the more you magnify the smaller your field of view so the harder it is to find anything.

Ultimately the more you magnify the bigger and heavier the binoculars will be. You need to find the balance and that's generally accepted to be 10x50mm.

As for Tripods, any one will do, you'll just need to get an adapter in a camera shop (or from Andromeda Optics where I got mine).

I've been looking at star charts too - this is all really interesting!! I'll be robbing his binoculars and going out to study the night sky - he'll have to wait his turn! :lol:

Thanks for all your help, and no doubt I'll be back with more questions soon!

J.

Excellent! With the long winter nights coming up I'm sure the two of you will have a great time!

Bart.

Hi,
A simple 7x50 binoculars or even an 8x40 due to their lighter weight will do.
Remember that he is only 6, using a telescope requires a appreciation that is really beyond a 6 year old, besides, 2 eyes are easier and better then one.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions and advice - otherwise I'd have happily got the 'toy' telescope and thought I was great!

I'll start looking around for binoculars, get a beginner's book (any recommendations?) and subscribe to a monthly magazine (I'm looking at the one on Astronomy.com - what are people's opinions of that one? or would you recommend some other one?)

J.

For someone starting off, Astronomy Now, Astronomy magazine or Night Sky magazine would be ideal. Sky & Telescope is a little more advanced.