Rich-Field Telescopes: Increasing in Popularity

Worth investigating is a relatively new category of telescope. Ultra compact and reasonably priced, rich-field reflectors are typically handheld with a Newtonian focus. What they have in common is a short-tube design that offers low degrees of magnification but a bright, wide field of view (typically a few degrees). They range in price from about $250 to $400 and can weigh as little as 4 or 5 pounds. Highly portable and relatively rugged, these telescopes nevertheless have the disadvantage that, since they are handheld, they do not track with objects in the sky, and are only as steady as you are. The great advantages of these telescopes, besides price, are their portability and the brightness of the image they deliver.