What would be a nice telescope model for a begginer?

I know this isnt YahooAnswers or anything, but for a guy like me, who's obsessed with astronomy, looking at space pictures, i dont know why only recently, the urge to buy a telescope became so strong. Well anyways, i dont have much expirience with telescopes, other than the tiny one my granpda had, and looking through a few observatory ones, but I want to buy a nice telescope, thats powerful enough to view objects such as Jupiter and its moons, nebulae, and galaxies, but cheap enough to fit into the 100-300$ range, and easy to use. Im also looking for something durable, as my friend recently got a telescope from Costco, and its motor broke the first time he put it to use xD

If anyone has any suggestions on models for an astronoob like me, please send those suggestion my way

I started out with a Celestron 90mm refractor with a couple of eyepieces and a barlow lens. Good enough for saturn and jupiter, watching comet Hale-Bopp.

Originally posted by 8fl0z
thats powerful enough to view objects such as Jupiter and its moons, nebulae, and galaxies, but cheap enough to fit into the 100-300$ range, and easy to use.

The same answer most people give in this situation is that telescope optics are expensive. Unfortunatly.
Any telescope worthy of being used is expensive. There is a price range below which its best to not get one at all.
The usual answer, and one that I agree with, is to get a really good set of binoculars. Its how I started. There's lots to be seen.
Only once you've maxed out the capabilities of that, will you know what you need for the future. Telescopes designs arent all the same, and a telescope good for viewing one thing (eg. planets) is not the same as one best for viewing other things (eg large nebulae) Pros and cons. A big 'dobsonian' will get lots of faint objects, but if you want to take photos you'll be wanting something else on a differnt mount. How can you be sure now which of those you really want?
It sounds patronising, but get the binoculars, join an astronomical group and dont buy a telescope... yet.


Edit - one of my own astro photos...
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/98ba4625c03d.jpg[/atsimg]

I have a 200 mm newtonian reflector scope.It cost 500 with 25mm 10mm lenses.I can see cloud structure on jupiter as well as the storm.If you want a deep space scope i sugest this as minimum

Too see jupiters great red spot, at least, you will need an 8 inch reflector. I had a 4.5 inch celestron german EQ reflector late 80's in my early teens, and all i could make out, even with a narrow 7.5 mm eyepice, was 2 bland borwn stripes going around it, and a featureless cream colored globe, let alone a 25 mm eyepice. and also had a 2x barlow, a 5 mm eyepiece no luck. Saturns rings were kinda interesting, providing they face earth, as tehy did 1990. edge of rings facing us, looked like it had 2 ears, but could see titan, and a few other satellites. the 4.5 inch refelctor , was no real better, than using a pair of 12x something binaculars.
llook at celestron.com or orion telescopes. celestron has the better deals, especially at xmas time..
refractors, long tubes scops, will give crisper views, but their not commercialy made over 4 inches, and those would be epensive...refelctors give you the most for yuor buck*
shmidt cassegrains get yuor checkbook out...their more or less, maintenance free, hence forth the $$$.
i once saw a picture of a teelscope, years ago, discontinued....it wa a HUGE 36 inch reflector. the guy was using a tall ladder to look through the eyepiece! turns out, someone actually spent the $$$ on one, fell and broke their neck. thats why they were discontinued.

Unusual, good quality, and in your price range.
I've used one, but never owned one.
They do very well at brightening up things.

I even entered the contest when it was introduced in the late 70's by edmund scientific company.
The contest was "name our new telescope"...I lost.
It's an excellent beginner scope. Not bulky. More powerful than binoculars, but still very portable.
Comfortable to use on a camping trip.
Under 300 dollars.
Astroscan

Google it, see what others are saying.

And when you graduate from it...If you don't remain emotionally attached, You can definitely sell it.

reply to post by 8fl0z


www.telescope.com...

There are some pretty ok looking for under $300, note that a reflector or cassegrain is usually "better" since they can provide a larger aperture as compared to a refractor at lower cost.

Something like

www.telescope.com... tValueIds=4544

might certainly be ok for a beginner

or

www.telescope.com...

6" for under $300....

I cant say a lot about the quality of those...but they should be "ok" for beginners.

This one with equatorial mount even:

www.telescope.com...

I started out with a pair of Helios Quantum 4 25x100 giant Binoculars and a Tripod (First Horizon 8115).

Binoculars are always skipped over by beginners, dont know why, they are much cheaper and can be used for other purposes too