Hi, r/telescopes ! A best friend of mine's milestone birthday is in a couple months, and I'm looking for some more information on purchasing her a telescope as a present.
We live in NYC (unfortunately, the light pollution is very high--a 9.0 on the Bortle scale), so I don't exactly know what I can expect her to be seeing, but I hope to purchase something that allows her to see the Moon, planets, and other bright objects. I'm looking for a telescope in the $400-$600 range, and after lurking on this subreddit and reading the beginner's guide, I'm thinking of the following as some potential options:
The Sky-Watcher 6" Classic Dobsonian Telescope
The Apertura AD6 Dobsonian 6" Telescope with Accessories
The Celestron StarSense Explorer 130mm Tabletop Dobsonian
The Celestron StarSense Explorer 114mm Tabletop Dobsonian
She has a backyard space in her apartment complex and a large park nearby that would allow her to set up a telescope outside, but I think most of her viewing will most likely be done through an open window. Would any of the telescopes I'm interested in purchasing be suitable for her? I'm also looking for a telescope that I'd preferably be able to buy at a physical location, just so if I have any last-minute burning questions, I can have them answered in-person. If not, online shopping works too! Also, are there any accessories I can purchase to make her viewing experience more enjoyable?
I'd greatly appreciate any guidance or recommendations this community has. It would be wonderful to get my best friend a closer look at what she loves.