I'm looking to buy a telescope for a kid. I'd like to go to a place in CC that has some kind of selection, but have no idea where that might be.

Thoughts?

Edmund Scientific in Barrington, NJ used to be the holy grail of telescope shopping. It's been gone for years though.

How seriously is the kid into astronomy?

If this is his first telescope, and you expect he might stick with it, I'd recommend one of the small Meade refractor telescopes, like the Meade ETX-80AT.

It's $299 and you can get one at Ritz Camera.

http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/513951186.htm

Perhaps if you're willing to get one on-line, you can find it cheaper?

There are cheapo refractors around, and by and large they aren't that great, but it all depends on the kid and how serious he has the potential to become with his interest.

I may be overlooking some for-real telescope stores in the area that are good, but only because I haven't been in the market since I've lived here.

Hope I've been some help.

I myself am getting the bug to buy a telescope as well.

There is a big telescope place in Pottstown:

http://www.skiesunlimited.net/

I haven't made the trek up there yet, but they seem to be the local place to go.

I am interested in getting the Orion SkyQuest XT8 ($369):
http://www.telescope.com/control/pro...oduct_id=09707

However, they have smaller versions (4.5" and 6") that would be good for kids as well as the are kid height firendly.

-UC

There is a place in Old City on north 2 nd street across from the Arden theater. It's called I. Miller.

http://www.imillermicroscopes.com/index.shtml

I Miller does not have any mention of telescopes on their website?

-UC

Trust me

What brands do they sell?

-UC

Just called. They carry Celestron and Meade brands, though do not stock Dobsonian style telescopes.

-UC

Thanks guys!

I'll take a walk to old city and then go to Pottstown, if I find nothing there.

The kid in question is this little girl who loves science and nature. She's the daughter of a friend of mine and I first noticed how bright she was at age three. I had her on my shoulders in cc and she asked about why security gates were on the buildings. I asked her if she knew what criminals where and she knew, then I explained about the prison system. Amazingly, she figured out the purpose and details before I said them, and that blew my mind. Since then she likes to talk about animals and nature kind of stuff with me, and I figured that the introduction of astronomy would be a great new twist.

Spectrum Scientifics, 4403 Main Street in Manayunk.


It was talked about a month ago in this thread:

http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/man...cey-stuff.html