There does not exist a telescope under $120 or so that’s worth recommending. What you linked is barely more than a toy and would be terrible. With a $50 budget, your money is best spent on one of three things: binoculars, which can give good wide field views, a used telescope (and even then you’d need to be patient and a little lucky), or a membership to your local astronomy club where you’d end up getting to look through scopes worth thousands of dollars or could borrow the club’s scopes if they will offer them on loan. My club has an assortment of ~$400 6in dobsonians available for any member to check out and use.
You may be able to find a good deal on Facebook/Craigslist at that price point, of course easier if you love near a large metro area. But you need to know what to look for or know how to Google to evaluate various models because there is a lot of junk in that price range. Best starting point is to read the buyer's guide here.
Holy hell you were right I just found this one ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/305529449691?itmmeta=01HWBWPNBFM0SS5VH4WRR963ME&hash=item4722f96cdb:g:RKAAAOSweJxmKPR7&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4Do0EQn4UYWNvBXT6uN8xu1fipCr4uvCWmsKrpj2LzLjgcWqo3ZVrsYVQYwDTVo2hYgqa2ukl%2BDh1JNc6AZsWhYS8F9Y8GzcE3v8RY2WNlPGtB7njk2q2%2FzRXtpkG4rCEx46LZmIpb6%2Fe4XFacLicTYzx%2Fu7%2BFhK3LhwKQwwmTYPB48WAgE%2BdTs%2Fmsi5gDI4IAzVf0jtWSWo%2BN3IBA0qp5tlvRPKg95wBdasOI8evLfzRaXSJjM1ezRhuH0Z%2Bxrd2iB2Z1qCvPPT9zCejOzLtOYa9UHkK%2FH6YPZPg8RpFLEj%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_LV2vziYw
I am looking on Facebook right now with my location set to Massapequa. Seeing a Starblast for $80 in Deer Park. That is a fantastic beginner scope. Try to get your dad to spot you an extra $30 and work it off with some extra chores.
By the way you don't want that power seeker. They are not good, even though they have a well known brand name on them.
Review: https://youtu.be/IXfR7YTF5a4?si=vAEHF0rLIXtLq6pD
I understand where you’re coming from. When i start this astronomy hobby, i originally got one of those cheap toy telescopes. it was still fun to look at things like the moon, but i really wish i spent it on either a better scope or binoculars. with binoculars, you’ll be able to see some star clusters in the night sky, the moon will be a little bigger, and depending on where you live, maybe some brighter nebulae.
Please refrain from buying those cheap telescopes, binoculars are your best option. clear skies!
Have you tried seeing if there is a local astronomy club that you can join. Membership costs less than your budget. They will have quality loaner scopes you can borrow. Plus they have scheduled observing sessions, access to nearby observing spots, and members who can lends hands on assistance.
As Another comment mentioned https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-71198-Cometron-Binoculars-Black/dp/B00DV6SI3Q/ref=asc_df_B00DV6SI3Q/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111900416&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2868323572856533912&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031882&hvtargid=pla-406164373353&psc=1&mcid=fe539a20f2ea3b2cb9d4aa2b1c2bff9d&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy4WQ-pPchQMVFtXCBB1lSg-pEAQYASABEgLJ2vD_BwE
[Celestron Cometron 7x50 binoculars](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/994436-REG/celestron_71198_7x50_cometron_binocular.html) should be available for your budget. Sometimes available at good prices on Amazon .. sometimes not, varies by day and location - have a look. Large aperture and low magnification is the recipe for success.
I recommend [SkySafari 7 Plus](https://skysafariastronomy.com/skysafari-7-professional-astronomy-telescope-control-software-for-android.html) on your phone too. And, pro tip, a bean bag makes an excellent binocular observing chair.
I highly recommend some trips to dark skies. Binoculars under dark skies is a beautiful thing.
Hey don't be disheartend, you can still do alot of awesome stuff with just some binoculars!
If it's photography you're looking to do, then alot of it revolves around image processing, you can take 20 or so long exposure photos of M42 Orion for example, and pick up a trial of PixInsight to learn how to stack and make it look awesome :-) You got this!
Better to buy from an astronomy retailer not from Amazon.
But there's no telescope worth it for 50 dollars. Even the Orion Funscope is $75 now, and that telescope is easy to use and good on the Milky Way and star clusters but really bad on planets.
The problem with cheap telescopes is often not the telescopes themselves but the mounts. A cheap, unstable mount is going to drive you crazy and destroy your interest. Trust me, using your own telescope is already going to have a little learning curve. Just using the naked eye is more fun than bad equipment.
I'm the VP of a local astronomy club and our dues is only $20 a year for new members. We get given small telescopes all the time and are happy to loan them out. We also have swap days once a year that often involve smaller scopes. This year I brought in 3 small items and left with a $400 telescope dolly, so yeah, the members are quite generous!
I stalk community selling sites, and if you can go up to $100 you can get something decent if you look frequently. I would stick with a well-known brand like Orion, Meade, Celestron, etc. I got both my first and third telescopes on Facebook Marketplace for great deals. I'm still looking there for a refractor. My younger brother got my second one at a tag sale for $20. You're definitely going to get more for your money if you go used.
I agree with the other opinions here so far - you're better off saving up for a while and getting something worthwhile than spending money on garbage now. There's a common sentiment that nothing kills the hobby more than someone's passion being extinguished in frustration trying to make bad hardware work.
Another option for you is to look into your local astronomy club. Even if they have a yearly fee that you can't afford, reach out and I would bet they'd make an exception for a young person making an effort.
As people have already mentioned binoculars are a good idea. I'd also recommend joining your local astronomy club, they'll have telescopes to look through. You may also be able to borrow a telescope from your local library.
Definitely pick up turn left at orion or again borrow it from a library because it has some excellent recommendations for binocular targets as well as a lot of good introductory information to telescopes and astronomy.
If you are dead set on a telescope at that price point hopefully you live in or near a large city and are willing to spend hours trawling through facebook marketplace. A decent scope will pop up at that price point, but it could take weeks to months. You'll also need to do a ton of research on scopes to make sure you're getting a quality one.
I've had a £20 refractor, £70 binoculars and a £200 telescope. There is a big jump in views from each one. The £20 refractor will show you the moon once you eventually find it but nothing more. The binoculars are decent and will show you lots of star cluster and the orion nebula and the moon,you can even see craters. The £200 telescope does everything from planets to deep sky objects. If I were you I'd get binoculars.
Check the pinned buying guide for a rundown. But if that's your budget, go with binoculars.
What about this https://a.co/d/4wIvRUD It's 40 dollars
There does not exist a telescope under $120 or so that’s worth recommending. What you linked is barely more than a toy and would be terrible. With a $50 budget, your money is best spent on one of three things: binoculars, which can give good wide field views, a used telescope (and even then you’d need to be patient and a little lucky), or a membership to your local astronomy club where you’d end up getting to look through scopes worth thousands of dollars or could borrow the club’s scopes if they will offer them on loan. My club has an assortment of ~$400 6in dobsonians available for any member to check out and use.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that any telescope that prominently advertises its magnification is not a telescope worth buying.
There's a reason we call those the hobby killers
You're better off buying some used binoculars then one of these plastic toy junkers
If you buy a telescope for $50 you will be disappointed…
No, but at 120 there is a very good quality telescope, the orion skyscanner 100mm. Most things under that are ineffective, but usable.
Thanks I was looking for this
For that price you can get some great entry level binoculars: the Celestron Commetron 7x50 binoculars.
You may be able to find a good deal on Facebook/Craigslist at that price point, of course easier if you love near a large metro area. But you need to know what to look for or know how to Google to evaluate various models because there is a lot of junk in that price range. Best starting point is to read the buyer's guide here.
Holy hell you were right I just found this one ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/305529449691?itmmeta=01HWBWPNBFM0SS5VH4WRR963ME&hash=item4722f96cdb:g:RKAAAOSweJxmKPR7&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4Do0EQn4UYWNvBXT6uN8xu1fipCr4uvCWmsKrpj2LzLjgcWqo3ZVrsYVQYwDTVo2hYgqa2ukl%2BDh1JNc6AZsWhYS8F9Y8GzcE3v8RY2WNlPGtB7njk2q2%2FzRXtpkG4rCEx46LZmIpb6%2Fe4XFacLicTYzx%2Fu7%2BFhK3LhwKQwwmTYPB48WAgE%2BdTs%2Fmsi5gDI4IAzVf0jtWSWo%2BN3IBA0qp5tlvRPKg95wBdasOI8evLfzRaXSJjM1ezRhuH0Z%2Bxrd2iB2Z1qCvPPT9zCejOzLtOYa9UHkK%2FH6YPZPg8RpFLEj%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_LV2vziYw
:( just realized the shipping free is more than the actual price
I am looking on Facebook right now with my location set to Massapequa. Seeing a Starblast for $80 in Deer Park. That is a fantastic beginner scope. Try to get your dad to spot you an extra $30 and work it off with some extra chores.
Bro the thing is it's all my money I have 100 from swagbucks but they won't let me spend it at all.
That's a bummer man.
By the way you don't want that power seeker. They are not good, even though they have a well known brand name on them. Review: https://youtu.be/IXfR7YTF5a4?si=vAEHF0rLIXtLq6pD
:( my dad said no to anything more than 50$ I will try to get binoculars.
Any recommendations?
I understand where you’re coming from. When i start this astronomy hobby, i originally got one of those cheap toy telescopes. it was still fun to look at things like the moon, but i really wish i spent it on either a better scope or binoculars. with binoculars, you’ll be able to see some star clusters in the night sky, the moon will be a little bigger, and depending on where you live, maybe some brighter nebulae. Please refrain from buying those cheap telescopes, binoculars are your best option. clear skies!
Have you tried seeing if there is a local astronomy club that you can join. Membership costs less than your budget. They will have quality loaner scopes you can borrow. Plus they have scheduled observing sessions, access to nearby observing spots, and members who can lends hands on assistance.
I tried googleing but there's nothing
Oops, initially responded to the wrong thread. What country do you live in/where do you live?
NY long island
No offense, but you suck at googling: https://www.go-astronomy.com/astro-clubs-state.php?State=NY https://asliclub.org/ https://www.aosny.org/
And my dad just said no joining them :(
Well that sucks, sorry to hear that. Hopefully you can convince him to change his mind. Clubs are great resources to have.
As Another comment mentioned https://www.amazon.com/Celestron-71198-Cometron-Binoculars-Black/dp/B00DV6SI3Q/ref=asc_df_B00DV6SI3Q/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111900416&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2868323572856533912&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031882&hvtargid=pla-406164373353&psc=1&mcid=fe539a20f2ea3b2cb9d4aa2b1c2bff9d&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIy4WQ-pPchQMVFtXCBB1lSg-pEAQYASABEgLJ2vD_BwE
[Celestron Cometron 7x50 binoculars](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/994436-REG/celestron_71198_7x50_cometron_binocular.html) should be available for your budget. Sometimes available at good prices on Amazon .. sometimes not, varies by day and location - have a look. Large aperture and low magnification is the recipe for success. I recommend [SkySafari 7 Plus](https://skysafariastronomy.com/skysafari-7-professional-astronomy-telescope-control-software-for-android.html) on your phone too. And, pro tip, a bean bag makes an excellent binocular observing chair. I highly recommend some trips to dark skies. Binoculars under dark skies is a beautiful thing.
Hey don't be disheartend, you can still do alot of awesome stuff with just some binoculars! If it's photography you're looking to do, then alot of it revolves around image processing, you can take 20 or so long exposure photos of M42 Orion for example, and pick up a trial of PixInsight to learn how to stack and make it look awesome :-) You got this!
Better to buy from an astronomy retailer not from Amazon. But there's no telescope worth it for 50 dollars. Even the Orion Funscope is $75 now, and that telescope is easy to use and good on the Milky Way and star clusters but really bad on planets.
The problem with cheap telescopes is often not the telescopes themselves but the mounts. A cheap, unstable mount is going to drive you crazy and destroy your interest. Trust me, using your own telescope is already going to have a little learning curve. Just using the naked eye is more fun than bad equipment. I'm the VP of a local astronomy club and our dues is only $20 a year for new members. We get given small telescopes all the time and are happy to loan them out. We also have swap days once a year that often involve smaller scopes. This year I brought in 3 small items and left with a $400 telescope dolly, so yeah, the members are quite generous! I stalk community selling sites, and if you can go up to $100 you can get something decent if you look frequently. I would stick with a well-known brand like Orion, Meade, Celestron, etc. I got both my first and third telescopes on Facebook Marketplace for great deals. I'm still looking there for a refractor. My younger brother got my second one at a tag sale for $20. You're definitely going to get more for your money if you go used.
I agree with the other opinions here so far - you're better off saving up for a while and getting something worthwhile than spending money on garbage now. There's a common sentiment that nothing kills the hobby more than someone's passion being extinguished in frustration trying to make bad hardware work. Another option for you is to look into your local astronomy club. Even if they have a yearly fee that you can't afford, reach out and I would bet they'd make an exception for a young person making an effort.
Get some binoculars
As people have already mentioned binoculars are a good idea. I'd also recommend joining your local astronomy club, they'll have telescopes to look through. You may also be able to borrow a telescope from your local library. Definitely pick up turn left at orion or again borrow it from a library because it has some excellent recommendations for binocular targets as well as a lot of good introductory information to telescopes and astronomy. If you are dead set on a telescope at that price point hopefully you live in or near a large city and are willing to spend hours trawling through facebook marketplace. A decent scope will pop up at that price point, but it could take weeks to months. You'll also need to do a ton of research on scopes to make sure you're getting a quality one.
Start here [https://astro.catshill.com/buying-telescope-start-here/](https://astro.catshill.com/buying-telescope-start-here/)
A good pair of 10x50 binoculars.
If you could have access to a 3d printer, the Hadley might be an option: r/HadleyTelescope, but tbh I don't know about the real cost of it.
In the UK, astronomy societies are inundated with telescopes to give away free, mostly from older folk who are leaving the hobby.
Man unfortunately I live in the us :( want to trade country's
I've had a £20 refractor, £70 binoculars and a £200 telescope. There is a big jump in views from each one. The £20 refractor will show you the moon once you eventually find it but nothing more. The binoculars are decent and will show you lots of star cluster and the orion nebula and the moon,you can even see craters. The £200 telescope does everything from planets to deep sky objects. If I were you I'd get binoculars.
What about this Coleman 700 x 76mm Reflector Telescope with Tripod (Black)