Binoculars and/or Telescope

ddoubleep · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:17

I wanted to gift my wife some binoculars and/or a telescope for her birthday.

She loves aeroplane spotting and would like to spot the moon.

I understand she they are for different needs so am unsure where and what to look for.

The telescope would most likely be used from the loft or back garden. The planes would be spotted on walks near to Heathrow airport or when on walks nearby so binoculars would make sense as more practical?

Budget wise £100 - £150 Bins and £200 Telescope or roughly £300 or so split between the two....

Any tips or help on what to look for?

teenwolf · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:20

you did not put a budget but this should do it

Diddums · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:22

"My wife"

"Aeroplanes"

Mhmmm

ddoubleep · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:22

I knew this was coming!

Budget wise £100 - £150 Bins and £200 Telescope or roughly £300 or so split between the two....

ddoubleep · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:23

Diddums said:
"My wife"

"Aeroplanes"

Mhmmm

Do they not go hand in hand?!

ODuffer · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:33

I have one of these, it's great for the moon.

Sky-Watcher Heritage-130P FlexTube Parabolic Dobsonian Telescope | Wex Photo Video

It just packs away in a cupboard when not is use.

Efour · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:36

Spot the moon? lol ive never heard that before! Have fun!

danoliver1 · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:38

ddoubleep said:
I wanted to gift my wife some binoculars and/or a telescope for her birthday.

She loves aeroplane spotting and would like to spot the moon.

I understand she they are for different needs so am unsure where and what to look for.

The telescope would most likely be used from the loft or back garden. The planes would be spotted on walks near to Heathrow airport or when on walks nearby so binoculars would make sense as more practical?

Budget wise £100 - £150 Bins and £200 Telescope or roughly £300 or so split between the two....

Any tips or help on what to look for?

Moons pretty easy to spot it's that big white ball in the sky at night. :cry:

bainbridge · 31 Mar 2022 at 15:41

I'd recommend a good set of binos with good magnification and a tripod. She could use the wide field of view to home in on planes while holding the binos, and set them on the tripod for viewing the moon. Looking at the terminator under high magnification is really interesting.

Blackjack Davy · 31 Mar 2022 at 16:25

Get some decent bins and save the telescope for occasional objects like the moon or planets for everything else bins are vastly more practical (you won't see much detail of planets without a decent sized 'scope anyway bare minimum 3" for refractor 6" for a reflector)

AtreuS · 31 Mar 2022 at 19:57

You can get something like a Meade ETX for a few hundred second hand.... far better than a cheaper make 400ish scope.

https://www.meadeuk.com/Meade-ETX-Observer-telescopes.html

josh_sheffield · 31 Mar 2022 at 21:38

Id recommend a pair of binoculars. I’ve got quite a few scopes, including quite a nice astrophotography rig, but starting out I had many years with a pair of binos and think that was the best way to explore the sky on a budget.

celestrons and a tripod would be my recommendation.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-...59&hvtargid=pla-355937355830&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

josh_sheffield · 31 Mar 2022 at 21:41

Be warned though hobby gets expensive. Binoculars led to a scope, that led to a bigger scope, that led to another scope and a camera.

Still learning the photography side of things. https://www.instagram.com/josh_astrobarnsley/

Minusorange · 31 Mar 2022 at 21:47

ddoubleep said:
She loves aeroplane spotting and would like to spot the moon.

She'll be disappointed if she's hoping to spot some aeroplanes on the moon

Malevolence · 31 Mar 2022 at 21:49

Minusorange said:
She'll be disappointed if she's hoping to spot some aeroplanes on the moon

Would they even be called aeroplanes if they're on the moon?

Diddums · 31 Mar 2022 at 21:52

No, they'll be called Virgin Galactic Routemaster no. 438.

Thekwango · 31 Mar 2022 at 22:00

ddoubleep said:
She loves aeroplane spotting and would like to spot the moon.

leave her, before it's too late.

Rannoch · 31 Mar 2022 at 22:09

Check astrobuysell.com and First Light Optics refurbished. I would sell you bins or a scope but my location isn't handy

Thekwango · 31 Mar 2022 at 23:32

josh_sheffield said:
Be warned though hobby gets expensive. Binoculars led to a scope, that led to a bigger scope, that led to another scope and a camera.

Still learning the photography side of things. https://www.instagram.com/josh_astrobarnsley/

nice pics man.

arknor · 31 Mar 2022 at 23:46

ddoubleeep said:
She loves aeroplane spotting and would like to spot the moon.

I can spot the moon with my naked eyes, maybe you should buy your wife an appointment for an eye test.

is she talking about the other moons inside peoples rooms? ye old builders crack has escaped and gone full moon :eek:

ddoubleep said:
The telescope would most likely be used from the loft or back garden. The planes would be spotted on walks near to Heathrow airport or when on walks nearby so binoculars would make sense as more practical?

that aint no moon.