Noobie telecope!

[Blade57HRC]

Hi there again!

Couple of weeks ago I thought it would be easy (get the biggest you can afford) but the amount of products and pros/cons make the decision a nightmare.
So...for people in the know, what would you suggest for these requirements (in no particular order):

1. Portable
I don't own a car so the whole setup will be carried by a scooter in the back...so no Hubble...

2. I'm interested in video-astronomy so GOTO is a must (or am i wrong in this? I hope i am because that would lower cost by a lot).
 (I have a web-cam, a 12mp chinese phone (lol) and a 1080i car-cam (lidl) so i'll make use of what i have for starters...)
Any recomendations on universal camera adapters or is just duct tape enough??

3. More interested in planets (ex.clear viewing of Saturn & Jupiter) than DSO ,although i wouldn't say no to the Orion nebula etc., but i don't care about the CMB (for now...)

4. Price range...i'd like it to be sub-200e but that's impossible, although i'd prefer waiting and collecting more money for sth i'll use for years, rather than a singularity in my wallet (which has already been visited by a neutron star...) so...just don't go over 400-500e...unless the difference is stellar!

5. What are the necessary extras i'll absolutely need (as i realise more and more...these might double the budget required...)?

6. Maintenance...refractor<maksutov<reflector (am i right?). That alligning thing the mirrors/lenses need (forget the exact term) is it really such a nightmare and does it require additional equipment too?
I read somewhere that video essentialy triples the power of what you have, so, would a decent no-mantenance refractor suffice? or is the image too off-color and blury?Argh....

All these have caused me a headache...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I think tracking is more important than goto, but having both is nice for most beginners. Given your preference for planetary and the portability requirement, I would certainly consider a small Maksutov. There is a 90mm with tracking at least not far over your budget:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p5879_Skywatcher-Heritage-Virtuoso-90---90-1250mm-Maksutov-Teleskop-mit-Nachfuehrung.html

Somewhat bulkier, and in the upper bracket indicated (and one that really packs a punch for its size):

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3570_Skywatcher-Skymax-127-SynScan-AZ-GOTO-Maksutov-127-1500mm.html

A small Newtonian might also be useful:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5880_Skywatcher-Heritage-114-Virtuoso---114-500mm-Newtonian-with-Auto-Tracking.html

[philipw]

I've got a Dob. It's forced me to at least try to learn my way around the skies (with the help of Stellarium on my Nexis7!)

I've had some great views of Jupiter, not much else yet! I bought a second hand but A1 condition 200p Skyliner and love it. Maybe I don't miss tracking/Goto because I've never had it!

I would say buy something, whatever it is just get something and start looking. I procrastinated for over a year wondering which one to get, I wish I had bought something earlier.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Dobs are great, but not protable on a scooter, unless you get something small, like the Heritage 130.

[ronin]

Ignoring giving which specific scope - you can pick that, for planetary imaging you need (generally) a Mak or SCT and the mount needs tracking as a minimum although goto adds a bit to it all. Then mount can be Alt/Az.

So in reality there will be a few options out there, it just depends on budget and preference. A 102mm up to 127mm is OK, you can go bigger if required as said previously your choice.

Now the problem of planetary imaging. Lets ignore Earth, Venus is a fuzzy blob as it is cloud covered, Mercury is a small black disc as it is sillhouette against the sun, Uranus and Neptune are too far away and Mars is not going to appear for the next 18 months. So you have Jupiter and Saturn. When Mars appears do not expect much, Mars is a nightmare to image.

So if you go for a planetary imaging now I will ask how long for befoe you want/need to go DSO imaging.

The scope and mount for DSO imaging is 100% different to planetary imaging, so do not realistically expect to just swap over. You will need to change everything, and everything is money/cost. Even hanging a DSLR off the end of a Mak.SCT on an Alt/Az mount means a lump of weight at the wrong place.

A Mak/SCT on an Alt/Az is OK for visual, being a scope it should be.

Dobsonians are not applicable to imaging, they do not track and size is an issue for you.

Any tracking scope will need power. So add that into the "size".

What I suspect is most people get a Mak/SCT for visual then find it will do planetary imaging so give that a go. I have one sat here and to planetary image would simply mean a webcam being dropped in it.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Webcam plus barlow is best for planetary imaging. There are some very nice images of Jupiter and Saturn taken with a 127mm Maksutov on this site and elsewhere.  Mars is much harder, and Venus will just show phases, which is nice in its own right. There is also a nice result on Mars here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/58221-mars-skymax-127/

[Owmuchonomy]

Based upon your criteria I would choose a MAK as described by Michael. Even then portability may be an issue if you want to track planets for imaging. You will need to transport more than just the scope. For example, mount, tripod, power supply, imaging kit and Jaffa cakes.

[happy-kat]

Remembering that it must be portable and carried on a scooter there is a member who does just this with their heritage 130p.

I will find the post.

There may have to be a compromise somewhere you cannot have all that you want and be portable.

You do not need tracking to image planets it is a nice to have but not essential.

But it might just be that a small mak on a table top mount is best for size and may be able to take the mount apart and for fittings to make it put up and down.

If you have a very large top box maybe the virtuoso mount with the 90mm mak might fit. Virtuoso mount tracks using batteries, I see it has been mentioned above.

Though the 127mm mak is smaller then the heritage tube even collapsed.

Heritage back box thread.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/197231-help-needed-from-heritage-130p-owners/

[happy-kat]

Choosing the telescope is not your main dilemma I think it is choosing a mount you can fit it to is and carry on your bike.

(Edit swipe replaces words with gibberish)

[Blade57HRC]

Thanks very much everyone!!

I looked up in a thread of 'best telescopes for beginers' (which i stored but now just doesnt appear), and two caught my eye (heritage and the Cel127GoTo in the link below).
Then i looked up the Virtuso mount and it is upgradeable to GOTO (but i cant find the price of that part) which is very good, if i go low than find i need the upgrade...

I've narrowed it down to (maybe)
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5880_Skywatcher-Heritage-114-Virtuoso---114-500mm-Newtonian-with-Auto-Tracking.html
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5879_Skywatcher-Heritage-90-Virtuoso---90mm-Maksutov-with-Auto-Tracking.html
I like the mount (AND the prices) but both maybe a tad weaker than i'd imagine (i could easily be wrong & could be plenty?).
Assuming the upgrade to GOTO doesn't escalate to more than buying a GOTO in the first place though

& GOTOs
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p3570_Skywatcher-Skymax-127-SynScan-AZ-GOTO-Maksutov-127-1500mm.html
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p3570_Skywatcher-Skymax-127-SynScan-AZ-GOTO-Maksutov-127-1500mm.html
I think the first has some more extras and the 2nd has 2'' pieces (which is not the standard i think) but quotes higher magnification...


Does a 127 Maksutov with an auto-tracking mount (upgradeable to GOTO) exist??????


As far as maintenance goes, are the Maksutovs better/easier than ''basic'' reflectors?
Are the colimation tools etc.  a must and must be added to the budget?

As far as i understand up to now ,i'll also need a zoom piece, a barlow (SW127 in the link has one already) and a universal camera mount (like this maybe). True?

btw, i'm more interested in video, not photography as i understand that would need expensive pro-camera equipment + i'm a youtube-[removed word],LOL

[happy-kat]

I guess this is the handset that can be added. The Virtuoso is an AltZ mount. Just to show not that you could order from there I don't think (not sure though) as in Greece.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-synscan-v3-handset.html

[Blade57HRC]

Athens.
Have to check if they ship international then.

P.S.
This is priceless...! ''Buyer collects'' LMAO

[rowan46]

the handset upgrade is £169 http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-synscan-v3-handset.html

Maks like refractors don't generally need much maintenance unless they get knocked about and if you intend planetary work the mak is a good instrument because of its long focal length. And yes a 127 mak does exist 

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-127-supatrak.html it also equires the handset upgrade to turn it into a goto

[happy-kat]

If they do then you might want to check out the clearance section on FLO's site, there is this http://www.firstlightoptics.com/clearance/clearance_skywatcher-skymax-127-supatrak_13347.html the scope above 127mm

If using a webcam you do not need that camera contraption mount.

Do want particularily a zoom eyepeice rather than pick individual eyepeice lengths?

[Blade57HRC]

Do want particularily a zoom eyepeice rather than pick individual eyepeice lengths?

Reason i said i'd need a zoom piece is this...

When i was a kid (12ish) during summer vacation at my mother's village (near Argos 200+km from Athens) i would look with a fairlt decent set of binoculars at the sky (which is so clear there you can see the milky-way w/naked eyes) and could easily spot Jupiter but the zooming needed microadjustments to achieve the best view.

I assume than that would also be true for telescopes (??)

[Blade57HRC]

the handset upgrade is £169 http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-synscan-v3-handset.html

Maks like refractors don't generally need much maintenance unless they get knocked about and if you intend planetary work the mak is a good instrument because of its long focal length. And yes a 127 mak does exist 

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-127-supatrak.html it also equires the handset upgrade to turn it into a goto

So a GOTO is ~50P more expensive than the ST and the upgrade would cost ~100P more than GOTO in the first place.

I think i'm pretty much sold on  this .

(If you could also pm me an estimate shipping cost to Athens it would be great )

but it will have to wait until early-mid next year cause of price......but i can easily see this meeting my every need and do more than amaze me!

P.S.

Damn...this complicate things..

[happy-kat]

You will have to contact FLO (email perhaps) to ask about shipping.

With a telescope you can buy an eyepeice in the focal length you want and then use it.

This telescope focal length devide this by the eyepeice used for example a 16mm will give you the magnification x93.

You then gently adjust the focusing knob to get the view as sharp as possible for that viewing session.

I have not used a zoom eyepeice but the one that comes up in posts I have seen is the baader zoom eyepeice, not cheap.

[Blade57HRC]

You will have to contact FLO (email perhaps) to ask about shipping.

Missed the user name, i thought it was them...

[Blade57HRC]

I just realised...can i use my laptop + a cable + stellarium  to control either of these 2 (or maybe another suggestion?)

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p5879_Skywatcher-Heritage-90-Virtuoso---90mm-Maksutov-with-Auto-Tracking.html

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-127-supatrak.html


Can they be powered by cigarete/usb adaptor i've already installed in my scooter???