Ok, STW astronomers, the eldest has asked for a telescope for Xmas.
The consensus seems to be bigger the aperture size, the betterer…

The good lady wfe is looking at this 70mm model, for about £65-70, but is this size unit actually any good ?

The typical “bigger must be betterer” in me is looking at this 114mm model, for another £30 (minus 4% back from Quidco).

Advice…please ? 😐

The first one is a refractor telescope, the second is a reflector model. The refractor uses lenses to collect the light whereas the reflector uses a mirror and then a lens (the eyepiece). The reflector is better as cheaper refractors have baffles fitted inside the tube which restricts the light. If I was you I’d go to a ‘real’ telescope shop who can advise you… and prices will be better value rather than maplin etc who add their huge profits – not sure where you’re located but try http://www.telescopes-binoculars.co.uk/

For that budget I would be looking at something second hand.

Have a look on here http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/

Really cheap optics are pretty rubbish.

It’s a bit like a FS BSO from Halfords, on paper it has the disk brakes, lots of gears and sufficient travel. In reality it’s a heap of shite!

Been looking at this as well. Lots of youtube stuff: this explains all the types fairly well:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d0292TBMHo[/video]

STW, yesterday:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/where-to-buy-a-telescope

And a longer discussion from two weeks ago:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/want-telescope-for-7yr-old-10yr-old-and-45yr-old