Heads up about that 'too good to be true' $50 telescope on Amazon

I was super skeptical about those cheap refractors, but a friend in Denver convinced me to try one. After a frustrating night where Jupiter looked like a blurry blob and the mount wobbled with every touch, I realized it's basically a toy. Has anyone actually gotten decent planetary views from a budget scope like that, or should we all just save up for a 6-inch Dobsonian instead?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason52417d ago

Ugh, that sounds exactly like my first scope. The real kicker is the cheap eyepieces they bundle with it, they're basically worthless. You could spend another $30 on a decent Plossl and it might help Jupiter a little, but the shaky mount is a lost cause. Honestly, that $50 is better put toward a used tabletop Dob.

rowan97217d ago

Totally get the frustration. Used to defend those cheap scopes as a way to get started, but my nephew's birthday gift changed my mind. Watched him try to see the moon for twenty minutes before the whole thing just fell over. That fifty bucks really is a trap, it just makes people think astronomy is harder than it is. A used tabletop dob is a way better first step.

the_rowan7d ago

My buddy bought one for his kids and they ended up using it as a pirate spyglass more than a telescope lol. Pretty sure it's just a lesson in cheap optics.