Another equipment question from an Astronomy Ignoramus

[nevermore67]

Hello everyone

This is my first post on Stargazers Lounge and I apologise in advance for asking questions that have doubtless been asked millions of times!

My wife has been interested in getting in to observing for some time and I have decided to buy her a new scope as a suprise for Christmas this year. I am going in to this fairly blind but I am lucky to know a former professional astronomer who has given me some assistance and there is a wealth of information on these forums which has helped a great deal.

Size is a factor as we have limited storage space (ruling out the 8" Dob which had been recommended to me) although I want something big enough and powerful enough to make it worth the money. I would also like the ability to take photos albeit we only have a digital compact so I appreciate the limitations.

I think I am looking for a scope with a GoTo function as I understand this makes locating objects vastly easier for the beginner and have read the Celestron system is slightly more user friendy than the Skywatcher. With this in mind, I have narrowed it down to the following:

130mm Newtonian (Skywatcher Explorer 130p SynScan or Celestron Nextar 130 SLT)

127mm Matsukov-Cassegrain (Skywatcher Skymax 127 SynScan or Celestron Nextar 127 SLT)

I am also considering getting her a universal camera adapter like the Parfocal Ultra Deluxe.

I understand the 130 has a shorter focal length which makes it better for viewing DSOs whilst the 127 Mak is better for lunar and planetary observation (and there is apparently no such thing as a "good all rounder"!).

Having discussed things with a couple of shops (very helpful), I am leaning towards the 127 Mak as I think the moon and planets are a good place to start and I am sure my wife would be thrilled to be able to make out Saturn or Jupiter in detail. My question however is whether it is possible to identify any DSOs with a 127 Mak? Opinion seems to be divided - I have read some reviews which say its impossible and others which report the scope can respectably hit some of the Messier Objects which I think would add another level to observation and might encourage her to get the most out of her new scope.

Any comments, suggestions or recommendations for a noob like me would be gratefully accepted.

Thanks in advance

Tom

[Owmuchonomy]

Hi Tom from Harrogate. What are you skies like for light pollution over there. Are you sheltered from L/B? That's a major consideration for picking out stuff that isn't so bright.

[Peter Drew]

Hello Tom.  Welcome to this forum.  Why not pay us a visit here at the Astronomy Centre, you could have a look at/through several telescopes to help you make a decision. The 127 Mak is a 5" telescope and will show you plenty of DSO's within the capabilities of a 5". 

[nevermore67]

Thanks for your quick replies. I am just outside Keighley in West Yorkshire. There isn't much immediate LP as we are a few miles out of town although we are fairly close to the hospital which generates a little. There are some isolated placed not too far from home I hope to visit once we have mastered the basic techniques though.

[Owmuchonomy]

Thanks for your quick replies. I am just outside Keighley in West Yorkshire. There isn't much immediate LP as we are a few miles out of town although we are fairly close to the hospital which generates a little. There are some isolated placed not too far from home I hope to visit once we have mastered the basic techniques though.

Well, if you want portability and visual then it's the Mak. Just make sure you budget for the appropriate mobile power source. It is longer focal length so if you stick with the brighter DSOs then you should pick them up, so M27, M57, in fact quite a few planetary nebulae and globs. Also you will get a nice view of M42. It will struggle a bit on the dimmer objects, so most galaxies except M31, 81, 82, 51. Moon and planets no problem.

[nevermore67]

Hello Tom.  Welcome to this forum.  Why not pay us a visit here at the Astronomy Centre, you could have a look at/through several telescopes to help you make a decision. The 127 Mak is a 5" telescope and will show you plenty of DSO's within the capabilities of a 5". 

Thanks, I have looked at your website and may pop over one evening in the next few weeks if I get chance. Might be difficult to explain my absence to my wife without ruining the surprise (or making her think I'm having an affair) but I will do what I can!

[ronin]

Very simple question - how much do you intend to spend?

You say:

I am sure my wife would be thrilled to be able to make out Saturn or Jupiter in detail.

She may be thrilled, but that is just 2 planets, and Saturn will not be back in view for a while and Jupiter is just now coming back - Jupiter will be better January next year. Point being not many planets to view and I am willing to bet that after the 5th time the novelty will wear off.

What is the:

"universal camera adapter" intended for ?

[just_ed]

Your post reads like you are buying it for her and not for you both (plural). A new scope sounds like a great togetherness opportunity to explore the heavens hand in hand, and shouldn’t be passed up. Gain some points by explaining to her that that’s the reason for the purchase.
 

[nevermore67]

Hi Ronin

"Very simple question - how much do you intend to spend?"

Ah yes, sorry I forgot that bit. My budget will stretch to the £350 mark (which just includes the Maks I mentioned) but no further.

"Point being not many planets to view and I am willing to bet that after the 5th time the novelty will wear off."

I take the point, hence why I am hoping to find a scope that can also find other objects. The purpose of my post was to find out whether the Maks I am looking at will be sufficient to find galaxies/nebulae/star clusters rather than being limited just to planets. Opinion I have read is split - some say they are not but these comments may be from experienced astronomers with a wealth of experience and range of gear who would expect much more from a scope than I might, bearing in mind that my wife and I have only ever looked at the sky with the naked eye and binoculars.

"What is the: "universal camera adapter" intended for ?"

This was a shop recommendation which (I believe) can mount pretty much any slr or compact camera at the eyepiece with reasonable stability. Like I said, we don't have an slr at the moment so I am not expecting miracles from this.

Thanks for your comments.

[nevermore67]

Your post reads like you are buying it for her and not for you both (plural). A new scope sounds like a great togetherness opportunity to explore the heavens hand in hand, and shouldn’t be passed up. Gain some points by explaining to her that that’s the reason for the purchase.

Yes I agree - I am also hoping it is something we can learn together, but at the same time I am keen to make sure what ever I buy is attuned to what I believe she will enjoy and stimulate her interest. This is primarily a gift for her as she has wanted a telescope for years but could never justify the cost. Without going in to the gory details she has just started a fairly lengthy course of chemotherapy and with Christmas and our first anniversary coming up I figured the expense was well worth it to give her something positive and exciting to focus (no pun intended) on. My concern is getting the best I can for my budget: there are a lot of options out there and despite conducting some fairly intensive research over the last few weeks I am still a little lost!

[happy-kat]

The universal adaptor allows a point shoot camera to be held near the eyepiece so it is steady to take single shot images, it is limited to very short exposure the mounts you list will track but won't compensate for earth rotation. So Moon OK to shot and Jupiter though both much better using video mode or webcam, the later would not need the adaptor as the webcam replaces the eye piece.

Good idea to have something to look forward to using and read about whilst waiting to use. A great book is Turn Left at Orion.

I have never looked through a mak that size to comment on expectations on what can see, though a no fuss but ready to use telescope might be a good idea though a mak does need to cool down before use. The other no fuss would be a refractor there is a startravel 102mm on a skyscan. That has pretty much no cool down but can have chromatic aberration on bright objects like the Moon which some are more bothered about than others.

I would consider ease and comfort of viewing and a find a telescope with the eye piece at the bottom best and can sit down to observe comfortability (i have a simple AZ3 tripod), my small newtonian is less body comfortable in comparison but it is on a dob base but my mind can't see it being a telescope to sit at on a tripod either because of where the eyepiece would be.

I am not an experienced user just I too did lots of reading and have added some personal experience to the above.

Best of success with the treatment.

[happy-kat]

Perhaps sitting to observe is not necessary and/or perhaps a member who has used a newt on a tripod whilst sitting could comment on eyepiece position.

[nevermore67]

Huge thanks to everyone for their comments. I have pretty much decided on one of the 127 Maks - the Skywatcher is a little cheaper although I understand the GoTo is a little more tricky to set up. Does anyone have any experience of the Skywatcher system vs the Celestron system?

[PatrickGilliland]

All the goto systems are comparable, might all seem a black art for first few days but good shop or a friendly local will be able to getmyou up and running in no time.

Don't rule out second hand gear either a few bargains can always be had and your budget may stretch a little further.

On the camera front imaging is rewarded with patience. A cheap second hand dedicated astronomy camera will yield better results than a standard camera on an adapter, can't help feel this would only disappoint.

Try the visual if you like and can justify then look for second hand camera.

Just a few musings but hope it helps.

Paddy