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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonable priced telescope?
I was talking to a group of parents recently where the subject of
introducing their kids to science specifically astronomy came up. Much was made about the fact that one either has to buy junk or pay a significant price for a starter scope. They had a good point. The fact that the mags couldn't do a real review if they had to doesn't help. We have also seen prices drop for what one can buy since the Chinese has entered the market...evidence there has been price fixing in place. I had one mother discuss her experiences on CN where she sought advice as to which scope to buy for her son...what a train wreck. The advice of serveral CNers was to spend several thousand dollars on a scope...anything else was deemed inferior. |
#2
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonablepriced telescope?
On Thu, 3 Feb 2011 00:54:10 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I was talking to a group of parents recently where the subject of introducing their kids to science specifically astronomy came up. Much was made about the fact that one either has to buy junk or pay a significant price for a starter scope. They had a good point. I wouldn't be too hard on the "junk". The term is only relative and ISTM even the low priced stuff you find in non-specialist stores and on ebay is at least comparable in quality (and definitely cheaper) to what was comsidered a good starter 'scope when I first became interested in the 60's. -- http://thisreallyismyhost.99k.org/03...6251623025.php |
#3
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonablepriced telescope?
Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I was talking to a group of parents recently where the subject of introducing their kids to science specifically astronomy came up. Much was made about the fact that one either has to buy junk or pay a significant price for a starter scope. They had a good point. I'd say the world isn't divided into junk scopes and premium scopes. There's a lot of space in between, and many quite decent scopes live there. Granted, a lot depends on what you mean by "significant price." If by that you mean more than $50, then yeah, you may need to do that. But considering that telescopes are very long-lived, it's just not that much money. The fact that the mags couldn't do a real review if they had to doesn't help. We have also seen prices drop*for what one can buy since the Chinese has entered the market...evidence there has been price fixing in place. I'm not sure one can draw that conclusion. Firms charged what the market would bear. Now they're compelled to charge less. I don't see any clear sign of collusion there. At any rate, unless they're also being compelled to produce lower-quality telescopes (and I don't believe they are), there's not really much of a problem here. I had one mother discuss her experiences on CN where she sought advice as to which scope to buy for her son...what a train wreck. The advice of serveral CNers was to spend several thousand dollars on a scope...anything else was deemed inferior. So the advice of a few goldeneyes was unreasonable. There are places other than CN to get advice. Getting people out to real public star parties (where people with ordinary decent non-premium scopes frequent) is how we can funnel people toward reasonable advice. -- Brian Tung (posting from Google Groups) The Astronomy Corner at http://www.astronomycorner.net/ Unofficial C5+ Page at http://www.astronomycorner.net/c5plus/ My PleiadAtlas Page at http://www.astronomycorner.net/pleiadatlas/ My Own Personal FAQ at http://www.astronomycorner.net/reference/faq.html |
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonablepriced telescope?
On Feb 3, 1:47*pm, Brian Tung wrote:
So the advice of a few goldeneyes was unreasonable. Generally speaking, the difference between a 75mm aperture refractor and a 150mm aperture reflector are reproducible and objective, due to the diffraction limit. It isn't at all comparable to transient intermodulation distortion, which was a problem with amplifiers with slow transistors and too much feedback, that wasn't initially noted by the audio industry until the "golden ears" pointed it out. A 4" telescope - 100mm aperture - can afford exciting views of at least one planet, Jupiter. Edmund Scientific's Astroscan is probably what people have in mind when they're thinking of a "quality" beginner telescope, as opposed to typical achromatic refractors in the 60mm - 75mm aperture range. I think the reason why one doesn't see Astroscans - or specimens of their Bausch and Lomb imitator - in more places is simple enough. They aren't what the market demands. Parents get starter telescopes for their kids with which they can look at the Moon... and if people are serious about astronomy, usually they will be spending the money for "real" astronomical telescopes. Whether an 80mm apochromatic refractor, or a 200mm Schmidt-Cassegrain, or a 14" Dobsonian... is up to the individual's proclivities. Given that the single biggest observing problem is light pollution, most people who are active in astronomy as a hobby, at least in North America, can afford a car with which to drive out into the country on weekends, so they can also afford to spend a bit on hobbies they're serious about. And amateur astronomy does take some time and dedication. John Savard |
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonable priced telescope?
Too_Many_Tools:
I was talking to a group of parents recently where the subject of introducing their kids to science specifically astronomy came up. Much was made about the fact that one either has to buy junk or pay a significant price for a starter scope. This is a bit vague. "Significant price" has greatly differing meanings in a Third-World country like the USA. While some would find $800 (nice Orion Dob) to be significant, a minority would consider $25,000 to be trivial. So what did your group of parents consider to be significant? They had a good point. The fact that the mags couldn't do a real review if they had to doesn't help. We have also seen prices drop for what one can buy since the Chinese has entered the market...evidence there has been price fixing in place. I had one mother discuss her experiences on CN where she sought advice as to which scope to buy for her son...what a train wreck. The advice of serveral CNers was to spend several thousand dollars on a scope...anything else was deemed inferior. Lotta smugness in this hobby. Human nature, etc. Tell her to call Company 7 and discuss her son's desires. Davoud -- I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that you will say in your entire life. usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm |
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonable pricedtelescope?
Too_Many_Tools wrote: I was talking to a group of parents recently where the subject of introducing their kids to science specifically astronomy came up. Much was made about the fact that one either has to buy junk or pay a significant price for a starter scope. They had a good point. The fact that the mags couldn't do a real review if they had to doesn't help. We have also seen prices drop for what one can buy since the Chinese has entered the market...evidence there has been price fixing in place. I had one mother discuss her experiences on CN where she sought advice as to which scope to buy for her son...what a train wreck. The advice of serveral CNers was to spend several thousand dollars on a scope...anything else was deemed inferior. One major issue is lack of depreciation (price point) due to inflation. There are FAR more scopes available to day than when I started. About the only scope to get for a serious kid was one of the Criterion dyascopes. They held their price point for quite a few years and did not depreciate radically over the same period. Starting price ($50.00) was acceptable to most parents seeking a major gift for a serious child The scopes worked well enough that even the arent should share in the experience and be pleased withthe results. This gave parents confidence the kid was on the right track .... What would a comparable scope be today .... for what price point? There in is the hub of the problem.... as I see it. |
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonable pricedtelescope?
This is a bit vague. "Significant price" has greatly differing meanings in a Third-World country like the USA. While some would find $800 (nice Orion Dob) to be significant, a minority would consider $25,000 to be trivial. So what did your group of parents consider to be significant? Getwith the program, stop bull ****ting! |
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonable priced telescope?
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonable priced telescope?
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#10
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Thoughts on why companies can't or won't produce a reasonablepriced telescope?
On Feb 3, 2:54*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I was talking to a group of parents recently where the subject of introducing their kids to science specifically astronomy came up. Much was made about the fact that one either has to buy junk or pay a significant price for a starter scope. They had a good point. The fact that the mags couldn't do a real review if they had to doesn't help. We have also seen prices drop *for what one can buy since the Chinese has entered the market...evidence there has been price fixing in place. I had one mother discuss her experiences on CN where she sought advice as to which scope to buy for her son...what a train wreck. The advice of serveral CNers was to spend several thousand dollars on a scope...anything else was deemed inferior. Well for a dollar amount let's try this... http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_much_d...hristmas_gifts http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_...on_chr istmas So $800 - $935 for a family for Christmas. Average family of 4 so $200 - 233. I believe this is on the high side since the amounts they show would be for all gifts for all people the family gives to. So...what telescope can one buy for $200 - 233 ...no more...for a child? TMT |
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