Startravel 80

[dick_dangerous]

Hi All,

So my deliberations on buying a 'scope near their conclusion. After careful consideration of the various options I've come to the conclusion that the telescope that would best suit my needs for portability is the Skywatcher Startravel 80. My logic is that its small enough to be portable while large enough to find plenty of objects to keep me amused and get me back in to astronomy before I have a garden and get a great big Dob.

Question is, what mount should I get: the presumably heavier EQ1 mount, which seems sturdier and will make looking though it easier or the tabletop mount which will be lighter but will require tables and backache?

Also, if I go for the EQ1 mount, do I get a bag for the scope with it or will I have to supply my own?!

Any tips or suggestions greatly appreciated!

DD

[JamesF]

You don't get a bag. Personally I'd be tempted to put a wanted post on AB&S for an AZ3 mount and then buy just the OTA to go on it. But then I'd be tempted to go for the ST102 as well. It's not that much bigger physically and 60%+ more aperture area.

James

[Keiran]

Not a bad choice i scope, alot of people use them on here as a guide scope, but i gave also used mine for visual. A nice wide flied, which i do love, small and light. I would defiantly go for the go with the EQ1, but if you could stretch to a little more money i would consider a more stable mount. I quite like an ALT-AZ mount for visual....

http://www.firstligh...t-az-mount.html

But thats just me. If you cant stretch, the EQ1 will be much better than the table top, and its not a bad mount... Really depends on your budget

Keiran

[NGC 1502]

The startravel 80 is a nice and very portable scope, will show a lot of objects, but is best for low power / wide field observations, so for me, I'd wouldn't want an EQ mount for that scope. You could use it on a good photo tripod, perhaps you already have one ?

If the tripod is a solid one, you could be ok at up to 40-50x mag, that's where the ST80 will give good views, and it would be a very portable outfit.

Regards, Ed.

[dick_dangerous]

But then I'd be tempted to go for the ST102 as well.

Oh now you've got me all confused again... I thought of the ST102, but worried it might be too heavy. But then it comes on the AZ3 mount. I'll just have to compare the weights in the shop and work out which one I can carry, not to mention which I can afford!

DD

[Keiran]

The 102 is also a good scope, but it is more money, and is heavier. What is it you are looking for and how much do you have to spend?

[NGC 1502]

Oh now you've got me all confused again... I thought of the ST102, but worried it might be too heavy. But then it comes on the AZ3 mount. I'll just have to compare the weights in the shop and work out which one I can carry, not to mention which I can afford!

DD

Sorry if we have confused you ! If it were me, and if you can afford the extra, the ST 102 on the AZ3 is a much better outfit.

Regards, Ed.

[Uranium235]

You might be able to find a flightcase for an ST80 at maplins for it (you would have to measure up first). Any optics you have are worth keeping in a secure, dust free environment while transporting. Plus a flightcase would have room for your EPs as well, and double up as a handy seat

[part timer]

Hi,

I use my ST 80 on camera tripod and take it all over with me. it is my most used scope just because it so portable and simple to use.

I was not tempted to go for the 102 (although to be fair I do have a bigger scope).

The 80 will show you just about everthing you could want to see and show most of it very well indeed.

I took mine to the scottish highlands last October and was absolutely thrilled with it's performance. The best observing I have ever had!

Given your original post I'd say the 80 and simple but fairly chunky camera tripod would be ideal!

[RikM]

I use my ST80 as a holiday scope on a Manfrotto camera tripod with a quick release plate bolted onto one of the scope rings. I like it a lot

[dark knight]

there might be an st80 in the classified ads section on here in the forum.

[dick_dangerous]

Hmm... I can afford the 102, but all the recommendations for the ST80 describe exactly what I'm after - portability. I guess that's what it comes down to at the end. One of the problems with my old Tal was the sheer weight of it. As an 8 stone weakling I found it a struggle to get the damned thing outside. If I get the ST80 I'll have to invest in a better tripod though - I only have a cheap and cheerful Jessops one.

DD

[Keiran]

there might be an st80 in the classified ads section on here in the forum.

Unfortunately, DD only has 6 posts so doesnt have access to the Classified section, could be worth looking on Astro buy and sell though

[JamesF]

I really didn't notice a huge difference between the ST80 and ST102. Go up another 20mm in aperture though and the ST120 seems enormous by comparison.

James

[SamAndrew]

Another vote for a camera tripod, the EQ1 will take all the portability out of the setup as the legs are fixed in position by the accessory tray

plus it's a pain to use as the controls aren't easy to reach

[JamesF]

Another vote for a camera tripod, the EQ1 will take all the portability out of the setup as the legs are fixed in position by the accessory tray

plus it's a pain to use as the controls aren't easy to reach

I didn't find the controls that bad, to be honest. I just can't see the point of the EQ1 for visual use. It makes no sense to me. I'm half-convinced that the only reason Skywatcher sell "entry level" telescopes on lightweight GEMs is so the inexperienced beginner thinks they're getting something more impressive and high tech instead of just unnecessarily complex.

James

[zedzed]

I use my ST80 as a holiday scope on a Manfrotto camera tripod with a quick release plate bolted onto one of the scope rings. I like it a lot

Can I ask - what advantages does this have over an AZ3 mount? Or is it just that you already have the Manfrotto so it was cheaper?

[dick_dangerous]

Well I'd probably buy the Tabletop package, and then get the tripod seperately - good to know about the issue with the accessory tray because that would make it very impractical to carry around. My old Tal was on a pier made of cast iron so I'm not used to these spindly tripod things. In fact the ST102 on the AZ3 mount is likely to have the same problem, so I'm thinking I might plump for the tabletop ST80 and find a decent camera tripod. I can also use said tripod for my camera! Any recommendations what to go for?

DD

[RikM]

Can I ask - what advantages does this have over an AZ3 mount? Or is it just that you already have the Manfrotto so it was cheaper?

It just means I only need to take the one mount for both daytime photography and night time observing. I have also taped some Baader film over the hole in the cap of the ST80 for daytime white light solar viewing. Add a zoom eyepiece and it makes for great flexibility in a small package.

[brucen]

Hmm... I can afford the 102, but all the recommendations for the ST80 describe exactly what I'm after - portability. I guess that's what it comes down to at the end. One of the problems with my old Tal was the sheer weight of it. As an 8 stone weakling I found it a struggle to get the damned thing outside. If I get the ST80 I'll have to invest in a better tripod though - I only have a cheap and cheerful Jessops one.

DD

I have just bought the ST80 on the EQ1 mount. I was going to just get the OTA and use my camera tripod but when I saw that the package was just £36 more I decided to give it a go. Although the EQ1 is not the sturdiest set up I thought it would at least let me practise with the equatorial mount as I have never used one. For £36 though I would say it is one of the best purchases I have ever made!

[mrjolly]

You might be able to find a flightcase for an ST80 at maplins for it (you would have to measure up first). Any optics you have are worth keeping in a secure, dust free environment while transporting. Plus a flightcase would have room for your EPs as well, and double up as a handy seat

The ST80 will fit in a flightcase from Maplins - I bought one to put my ST80 in on Monday! This one in particular: http://www.maplin.co.uk/flight-case-with-foam-460mm-x-350mm-x-160mm-36796

It'll also have plenty of room to store the diagonal, eyepiece, finderscope etc.

[jonathan]

The EQ1 mount is worth having, I would say, as a camera tripod of sufficient weight and accuracy (you would probably require a very beefy video tripod) would surely cost about £100 on its own.

I have tried using my LS60 on a camera tripod (a 60mm solar scope similar in size and weight to the ST80), it's awkward and quite inaccurate - the target leaves the eyepiece surprisingly quickly, and I have to effectively start again to get it in the center of the eyepiece, adjust for slack in the tripod head, then try to observe for a few more minutes. With the EQ1 all I need to do is turn one of the slow motion controls, the view remains very steady compared to my camera tripod.

Personally I would never attempt to use a camera tripod for a telescope again, I'd rather mount one on a slightly wobbly EQ1 any day (slightly wobbly compared to a larger mount, that is; the problem is mainly in the legs which are a little flimsy compared to the steel tube type).

The weight of the EQ1 and ST80 combined is easily lifted, probably with one hand for some people, with weight attached. The accessory tray is attached by three wing nuts so takes only a few minutes to fit or remove if you need to collapse the tripod completely, all you would need is a small bag for the bolts. The weight is easily removed too for carrying in a ruck sack, for example, to reduce the hand weight of the set up.

The AZ mount would be even lighter than the EQ1, and just require the turning of two knobs instead of one to track an object. The EQ1 / AZ mounts (the part that sits on top of the tripod) are really not that heavy, the EQ1 can be removed from the tripod with a single bolt if necessary, but I think you would need the supplied spanner to do this.

[dick_dangerous]

Well I bit the bullet today and bought the telescope - I went for the ST80 on the EQ1 mounting in the end. I just couldn't see the wisdom of getting the tabletop mount, and my camera tripod barely takes the weight of my DSLR, let alone a telescope.

Very much looking forward to using this 'scope down the park. Cue large amounts of cloud over SW London... Oh... they're already here...

DD

[Helite]

Well I bit the bullet today and bought the telescope - I went for the ST80 on the EQ1 mounting in the end. I just couldn't see the wisdom of getting the tabletop mount, and my camera tripod barely takes the weight of my DSLR, let alone a telescope.

Very much looking forward to using this 'scope down the park. Cue large amounts of cloud over SW London... Oh... they're already here...

DD

You will love it, I just got mine from FLO a week or so ago and finally managed a few mins between clouds last night and tonight, managed Saturn last night and got Jupiter tonight before it dropped out of sight. I would recommend a couple of eyepieces and a barlow to go with it, the supplied one's are ok but I used my vixens and TAL barlow in it and it shows a world of difference ( from my inexperienced point of view) The ST80 was bought to be used as a guidescope for my 200p eventually but im rather enjoying just using it as is. Hope you enjoy it as much as I am mine!

[RikM]

It's quite funny. My ST80 was also bought as a guide scope but with decent lenses it makes a great observing scope too.