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7 year old with glasses - telescope advice

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  • 19-10-2014 10:08am
    #1
    Barely There
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭


    Hi Folks,
    I have a seven year old who's become very interested in space/the solar system.
    She's looking for Santa to bring her a telescope and I've been doing a bit of research on a good beginners telescope.

    I do have a couple of queries, she doesn't have great eyesight and wears glasses - is there anything in particular I should be looking for with a telescope to accommodate this?
    This is probably a stupid question - but should she be wearing her glasses when looking through the telescope or should it be the telescope be focused to her eyesight?


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    #2
    mickmackey1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,288 ✭✭✭mickmackey1


    There shouldn't be any need to wear glasses when using a telescope - the focusing wheel essentially does the same job and can be adjusted to suit her eyesight. The only problem would be if she has astigmatism, but even then you can get telescopes/binoculars with what is called 'long eye relief' which allow for wearing glasses.


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    #3
    Barely There
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Barely There


    mickmackey1 wrote: »
    There shouldn't be any need to wear glasses when using a telescope - the focusing wheel essentially does the same job and can be adjusted to suit her eyesight. The only problem would be if she has astigmatism, but even then you can get telescopes/binoculars with what is called 'long eye relief' which allow for wearing glasses.

    Thanks - she does have astigmatism.


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    #4
    Kersh
    Registered Users Posts: 2,894 ✭✭✭Kersh


    With glasses-wearers its all about the eyepices that you will use.

    Taking the typical Plossl/MA Modified Achromat type eyepieces that are supplied with most scopes nowadays, in say, 10mm and 25mm size, glasses-wearers swill struggle with the 10mm one in particular, as the hole is so small to look through. The 25mm ones, for me anyway, are fine. I wear glasses observing,and find Plossls smaller than about 15mm quire difficult to use.

    Long Eye relief eyepieces are designed differently, so that the hole you look through is much bigger, and is easy for the glasses wearer to use.



    For the smaller sizes, less than 10mm, I use Skywatcher 58° UWA Planetary eyepieces, in 5mm and 8mm, as the eye relief for such small ep sizes is super.

    This is really the only thing you will have to look out for.


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