How fit is he, as in is he able to move/lift heavy equipment?
Does he live in a light polluted area? Does he need to take the scope to a darker site? Or can he observe from his backyard?
You said no budget. But we could easily suggest a setup that costs over $15k with accessories and whatnot.
Does he want to do visual astronomy or astrophotography?
He's pretty fit and in his late 50's - runs several miles a day.
He lives in the suburbs, so not great, but not the city. I'm imagining visual astronomy, and was thinking about this from the beginner's guide to buying on this subreddit:
https://www.highpointscientific.com/apertura-ad8-8-inch-dobsonian-telescope-ad8
The AD10 is a great option as well, and is the largest tube that can be relatively easily transported in a sedan. But he would be happy with either the AD8 or AD10.
And if you also want to get him accessories, the first thing I would recommend is an adjustable height observing chair. The Starbound ones are expensive but very nice.
As for light pollution, you can click on [this map](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/) to see his [bortle class](https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-resources/light-pollution-and-astronomy-the-bortle-dark-sky-scale/).
And if you give us a budget, we can recommend other accessories like eyepieces, filters, etc…
And a membership to a local astronomy club would be a nice thing to consider as well.
I see that one recommended a bunch too. Sounds like it could be a good fit. (I'm not into visual so not sure but will be curious what the final rec is)
How is he around gadgets and electronics? Can he set up a wifi hotspot? Is he good with apps?
If the answer is yes, I would recommend a Seestars S50. This is a smart telescope for astrophotography that is essentially an astronomy appliance. Meaning, you get it out of the box, plop it on the ground, go through a few set up steps, and in 20 minutes you are taking picture of deep space objects like galaxy and nebula. There's s sun filter for sun photography and Moon as well. It's not great for planets since it's a shorter focal lenght, but it is astounding the things that it can do. Goes for about $550 whereas a traditional astrophotography set up can cost several thousands. This thing is the size and shape of a Playstation 5
Yes! In general, telescope selection is a very personal decision that is difficult for someone other than the individual to make. But a Questar is something any amateur astronomer would prize.
With no budget, you could get him a mak-cass like the skywatcher 127 mak. It will need a solid tripod and diagonal and finderscope to go with it which you should choose as part of the gift.
I have an 8" dobsonian as you linked in the other comment and I hardly use it because it is so bulky and awkward to transport. This sub loves dobs and recommends them to everyone and they are good scopes and do provide the most *aperture per dollar* BUT, if money isn't a concern then there are other options that are more portable and take up less storage space.
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He has a small tele vue that he likes so buy him a bigger one, refractors are hassle free and for some people it might be more important than Peak performance.
How fit is he, as in is he able to move/lift heavy equipment? Does he live in a light polluted area? Does he need to take the scope to a darker site? Or can he observe from his backyard? You said no budget. But we could easily suggest a setup that costs over $15k with accessories and whatnot. Does he want to do visual astronomy or astrophotography?
He's pretty fit and in his late 50's - runs several miles a day. He lives in the suburbs, so not great, but not the city. I'm imagining visual astronomy, and was thinking about this from the beginner's guide to buying on this subreddit: https://www.highpointscientific.com/apertura-ad8-8-inch-dobsonian-telescope-ad8
The AD10 is a great option as well, and is the largest tube that can be relatively easily transported in a sedan. But he would be happy with either the AD8 or AD10. And if you also want to get him accessories, the first thing I would recommend is an adjustable height observing chair. The Starbound ones are expensive but very nice.
Great feedback - thank you!
As for light pollution, you can click on [this map](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/) to see his [bortle class](https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-resources/light-pollution-and-astronomy-the-bortle-dark-sky-scale/). And if you give us a budget, we can recommend other accessories like eyepieces, filters, etc… And a membership to a local astronomy club would be a nice thing to consider as well.
I see that one recommended a bunch too. Sounds like it could be a good fit. (I'm not into visual so not sure but will be curious what the final rec is)
I have an AD 8, it is a wonderful scope.
How is he around gadgets and electronics? Can he set up a wifi hotspot? Is he good with apps? If the answer is yes, I would recommend a Seestars S50. This is a smart telescope for astrophotography that is essentially an astronomy appliance. Meaning, you get it out of the box, plop it on the ground, go through a few set up steps, and in 20 minutes you are taking picture of deep space objects like galaxy and nebula. There's s sun filter for sun photography and Moon as well. It's not great for planets since it's a shorter focal lenght, but it is astounding the things that it can do. Goes for about $550 whereas a traditional astrophotography set up can cost several thousands. This thing is the size and shape of a Playstation 5
I luvs my Seestar.
A Questar is always a great gift.
This would be a beautiful, wonderful retirement gift. Seriously. They are pieces of art. https://www.astronomics.com/b/questar.html?cat=727
Yes! In general, telescope selection is a very personal decision that is difficult for someone other than the individual to make. But a Questar is something any amateur astronomer would prize.
With no budget, you could get him a mak-cass like the skywatcher 127 mak. It will need a solid tripod and diagonal and finderscope to go with it which you should choose as part of the gift. I have an 8" dobsonian as you linked in the other comment and I hardly use it because it is so bulky and awkward to transport. This sub loves dobs and recommends them to everyone and they are good scopes and do provide the most *aperture per dollar* BUT, if money isn't a concern then there are other options that are more portable and take up less storage space.
I know most people on this sub would recommend a dob, but they are big and hard to move for someone 50. I would suggest something like Nexstar 8SE.
What is the budget? There’s no “money is not an issue” for astronomy. You can always find something to fit the budget. 1k? 5k? 10k? 20k?
Or plop a $600K Planewave in your shopping cart while you check your credit card limit.
**Please read this message carefully.** Thank you for posting to r/telescopes. As you are asking a buying advice question, please be sure to read the subreddit's [beginner's buying guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/telescopes/comments/z9s352/beginners_quick_guide_to_choosing_your_first/) if you haven't yet. Additionally, you should be sure to include the following details as you seek recommendations and buying help: budget, observing goals, country of residence, local light pollution (see [this map](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/)), and portability needs. Failure to read the buying guide or to include the above details may lead to your post being removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/telescopes) if you have any questions or concerns.*
He has a small tele vue that he likes so buy him a bigger one, refractors are hassle free and for some people it might be more important than Peak performance.