ALDI have a telescope on Special on Sunday

Whie you are going up in price considerably compared to the Aldi one, the ETX is far better. With computerised Go To, and relatively good portability, go for it!

I agree that such a scope is the best way to kill any budding interest in astronomy. It is so limited that it is close to useless, and a child for example doesn't understand that a bigger, better scope would give better views. To them a telescope is a telescope, and they can't see much with it. A GOOD quality 60mm can show a lot of detail on the Moon and Jupiter, and Saturn's rings look nice, albeit rather small, but I doubt very much that the optical quality of one in Aldi is much above very bad. Even a good 60mm is still limited due to its low light-grasp, and saving up for something better is highly recommended. Good binoculars are a better bet for a 'first scope', and any binoculars will give nice views of the heavens, which can't be said for any telescope!

One thing I can highly recommend a 60mm for is solar observation. (NOT for children!!) I've used one, fitted with AstroSolar film, and the views of the Sun are superb. Being so bright, the Sun is a perfect subject for a small aperture, and at around 150x, the maximum useful magnification of a 60mm, the detail visible is remarkable. The Aldi one would do quite well for that purpose I suppose, since optical quality isn't really so important when looking at something as bright as the Sun, but under adult supervision of course if its for children.

DENTON P. WALTER

Astronomy & Space Magazine
Astronomy Ireland

I just bought a nexstar 102 SLT from the states however for the first time I've seen, it is the same price in the uk!!. The main reason I bought this scope is for it's portability and also the new alignment software. You do not have to point it north or set it level when setting up the GOTO feature, you just point it at 3 bright objects in the sky and it guesses what you've selected and hey presto. I guess that's bad from a certain point of view coz you now have to know nothing about the sky to use it. You may want to go for a bigger aperture with a manual mount and forget the GOTO systems so that you can learn more about the sky plus get some nicer views.

I only received this today so I can't tell you what it's like yet:

www.greenwich-observatory.co.uk/acatalog...Star_SLT_Series.html

My 7-year old niece has just asked for a telescope for Christmas. Oh well, I guess the Aldi scope is a bad idea because it'll kill her interest in astronomy.

I guess all that I can do to keep her keen is buy her a 20" Optical Guidance System Richey Chretien on a Paramount, with a motorised Ash dome and a Finger Lakes CCD with an 8-postion filter wheel (Cousins BVR filter set, Ha, OIII, R, G and , plus a temperature controlled electronic focuser and an instrument rotator. Oh, and don't forget the complete set of 2" Nagler type 7's, PowerMate set, illuminated reticle, Kendrick dew heater system and the Boltwood Cloudsensor. Oops, nearly forgot the 80mm Apo guide scope with the ST4 guider, the 20Megawatt green laser pointer, TheSky 6 Professional, laptop, wireless network router, broadband subscription, the complete USNO catalogues (on 67 CD's) and the option of a plot in New Mexico or La Palma - her choice.

Now, that should keep her interested.

Dave

My 7-year old niece has just asked for a telescope for Christmas. Oh well, I guess the Aldi scope is a bad idea because it'll kill her interest in astronomy.

I guess all that I can do to keep her keen is buy her a 20" Optical Guidance System Richey Chretien on a Paramount, with a motorised Ash dome and a Finger Lakes CCD with an 8-postion filter wheel (Cousins BVR filter set, Ha, OIII, R, G and , plus a temperature controlled electronic focuser and an instrument rotator. Oh, and don't forget the complete set of 2" Nagler type 7's, PowerMate set, illuminated reticle, Kendrick dew heater system and the Boltwood Cloudsensor. Oops, nearly forgot the 80mm Apo guide scope with the ST4 guider, the 20Megawatt green laser pointer, TheSky 6 Professional, laptop, wireless network router, broadband subscription, the complete USNO catalogues (on 67 CD's) and the option of a plot in New Mexico or La Palma - her choice.

Now, that should keep her interested.

Dave

replace neice with dave and i think you'd be right .
stephen.

You know me too well... :lol: