My husband doesn’t come on here anymore so I think it’s safe… 😄

I’d like to get him a telescope for Christmas but I have no idea where to start. Can anyone offer some advice? Budget £200 or so.

Thanks!

NBT here – what’s the telescope for? Birdwatching or stargazing? Or maybe plane spotting? Or hunting? Very different needs so will have different recommendations

If its to get into astronomy then I would recommend this.

Orion 10022 StarMax 90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

Less than £200. Really easy to use and excellent magnification for its compact size.

I would say mainly stars, with birds on the side if that’s possible with the same bit of kit. Defo not planes or hunting.

Join the stargazerslounge.com forum. The STW of astronomy, really helpful knowledgeable folk with an excellent beginners section.

For astronomy at that budget then whichever SkyWatcher Dobsian scope which fits the price range and a copy of a book called Turn Left At Orion.

Best (and only) retailers for me are First Light Optics or Rother Valley Optics. Both exceptionally good and can be trusted 🙂

You’ll struggle to find a scope that’s good for birding & astronomy. I mean I can look at the stars/moon etc with my spotting scope but It’s really hard to pick out a particular object except the moon.
A £200 spotting/birding scope won’t be great.

STW delivers once again! Thank you everyone – I’ll see if I can work out which is more important out of stars and starlings 😄

Some really good stuff relatively cheap but as above the two are separate.
Our cheapish astronomical reflector is really good for its intended purpose but mucking about in the garden with the tree 50m away even on minimum optic its a leaf at a time!
If there was a nest it might be OK but any moving birds you can virtually forget.

I have one surplus to requirements you could have for much cheapness. Still trying to declutter my flat. Celestron astromaster eq114 PM me if interested but I guess the cost of sending it would make this impractical