Expert: Paul Wagner - 2/7/2008

Question
I brought a telescope twice and had to return both of them because my 14
year old and I don't know how to use one. We had someone put it together
for us. We brought it from the Mead Company. The first one you were to push
a button and it would move by it self. The second one was called a  Celestron
114 - this one was supposed to be for beginners but we couldn't see out of it.
Family came over and they couldn't see out of it either. What kind of
telescope do you recommend that we get?

Answer
HI RSN

This may be an odd thing to say, but I recommend that you don't get a telescope right now.  Instead, check with your local community college or university to see if there isn't a local chapter of an amateur astronomy group in your area.  These groups often hold star parties where the members show up with a really wide collection of various telescopes, and they let each other ( and you and your son) look through them.  It's a great way to learn about a lot of different scopes, and a great way to meet some people who can really help you find your way around a telescope and the nighttime sky.  

If you drop me a note and let me know where you live, I might even know someone in the area.

Once you've been to a star party, you can really decide what telescope would be best for you---and you may even find someone who wants to sell a used scope for a fraction of the price of a new one.

Hope that helps--it really is the best solution.

Paul Wagner