Commercial Telescope Vendors

THE VENDORS

Celestron International

Knowledge Database Search for answers to your astronomical equipment questions
Telescope Basics

Meade Image Gallery
Telescope and Astronomy FAQs

Astronomy Vendors - from the Astroguide
Adorama Telescopes and Binoculars
University Optics
Bushnell Telescopes - Complete selection of binoculars, telescopes and other optical equipment
LAAS Commercial Links - Los Angelos Astronomical Society
Telescopes and Binoculars - - from Sky Online
Buying a Telescope from Astronomy Magazine
Society Store - a European vendor - Site contains detailed faqs on telescopes and binoculars
Skysgt's Astronomy Homepage (Pat Lanclos) - - click "telescopes" for advice on buying

CLASSIFIEDS

Free Astronomy Classifieds - also includes list of vendors
Used Equipment - from Binocular results includes telescopes
Astromart
Rivers Photography & Astronomy
EBAY of course, auctions equipment, this link goes to the Telescope and Binocular section
Best Price will help you find astronomy equipment or anything
Telescope Blue Book

ADVICE [from Astra for new astronomers - don't take it too seriously]

Most astronomy club members will tell you the same thing when you ask about buying your own 'scope. DON'T DO IT ! We'll tell you to come out for a few star parties before even considering a cash lay out. Look through the instruments of "veteran" observers and ask questions. And, first and foremost: Look at the sky before you start flippin' through Sky and Telescope for your very own machine.

If you just can't wait, try out binoculars. Here is a short page I did a while back that leads to binocular links. Typical instruments for beginners include 7 x 35 or 10 x 50 binoculars. Some observers found it took many years to outlive the possibilities with a pair of these binoculars. While you are learning the sky with your binoculars, you can take the time to study the types of telescopes and decide what exactly it is you want to do with your telescope. Whether you want to do planetary work, deep-sky observing or comet hunting is as important a consideration as portability and aperature.

If you still insist on buying your own telescope, you'll be faced with deciding between a reflector or a refractor or a modified type of reflector like a cassegrain or maksutov. Reflectors seem to deliver more "bang for the buck" because large refractors become too cumbersome to be portable after 5 or 6 inches (diameter of main optical surface.) If your main objective is photography, you'll need a telescope with a drive to track the sky with reference to the rotating Earth. I would suggest a a clock drive and computer tracking to all observers who felt they could afford it.

Last Modified 12/10/08