Beginner Scope

[Benalmond]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for advice on which scope i should get for my first voyage into the world of astronomy.
I have done some research before and already tried with binoculars.
I'm look for something in the region of £150. I live in York with a street light right next to my backyard so it might not be easy to view from my backyard. I am happy to drive outside the city to do some proper viewing though.
It was suggested to me that i should get a 6" Dobsonian but I welcome your advice. Will be visiting a shop this weekend but any prior help would be fantastic.

The two i have had in mind so far are:

Celestron Astromaster 130EQ

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000MLL6RS/ref=s9_ri_bw_g23_i2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=0FFX4Z0GTPEPZ5HFY3HZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=358832047&pf_rd_i=1083940

and

Skywatcher Explorer 130P (EQ-2)
http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130p.html

Is it worth getting a motor for them as well?
Sorry about the poor formatting

thanks in advance
Ben
 

[Hootsitabernacle]

The skywatcher is a good scope and you will see great things with it. The motor will help you track the planets,....which is helpful when you get jupiter in the FOV and then watch it skite out again!!!. The dob is the best all rounder and if you can stretch to the 8" then all the better but the 6" is good too

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL. Optically there should be no difference between the two telescopes, they use the same mirrors. A lot of Astromaster 130 owners complain about the poor design of the red dot finder, which is not easy to replace with a better one. The Astromaster also has a lot of plastic components on it compared to the SW130. A motor drivee would be a useful addition so that you can observe without having constantly adjust the RA .

[Benalmond]

Thanks guys for the helpful advice.
Thinking back i handcuffed you a little asking about certain scopes. I suppose the more prudent question would be given my situation and a rough budget of £150 , what would you suggest for a first time beginner?
I s there any particular scope that you would recommend looking back?
Any accessories I should buy, certain apps or books or filters etc. (I figured a moon filter would be  good purchase to begin with as its an easy object to find!)

[happy-kat]

Moon filter, I have one but don't use it so I guess I would not rush to get one straight away see if you need one first.

Filters in general I would keep your money for 1 better eyepiece instead.

Turn left at Orion but you need to check is still relevant for your latitude.

Stellarium free to down load.

Red torch (red mail polish on a cheap torch gets you started)

What ever you pick if it is a reflector our refractor make sure that the telescope physical tube length is give or take the same as the stated focal length. The tube will always be a bit smaller as the focal length includes the focuser and diagonal.

So if the focal length is 1000mm you do not want a tube only 400 or so long. Reflector or refractor. If it is short it means there is a magnifier in the focus tube most likely.

[Alfian]

Of the two,I'd definitely go for the Skywatcher 130P rather than the Celestron 130EQ. Similar but not the same, the Skywatcher is a better package.

[ronin]

If you ge a scope on an EQ mount, EQ2, then you really will find a motor to be useful. Tracking anything with the flexible cables is not easy especially at first. However for motors you also need power. Finally the EQ2 is notoriously shakey.

As best I can see they do not have the 130P on an EQ3-2, the mount is a bit more solid and you can fit dual motors to that mount, the EQ2 takes only a single motor for RA. Whereever you are visiting ask.

You may be better with the 150P dobsonian, bigger aperture but mainly you are holding the thing and so you move it to keep the object in view while looking through the eyepiece.

[Sirius Starwatcher]

Hello Ben welcome to SGL the dobsonian type scopes are very easy and simple to use. They don't require motors and power supplies and can be in use within a couple of minutes once set down outside. You get a lot of scope for your money and the bigger the aperture the more light gathering capabilities and this gives you much more to see. Best of luck with your choice.

[Astro_Baby]

Go Skywatcher - heres why.......

Celestron has horrible plastic, the mount is not as stable, the red dot finder is horrid, collimation with the Astromaster is horrific - even I struggled and I am the author of a guide on collimation the focuser is rough and the astromaster has horrendous thick plastic vanes holding onto the secondary mirror.

The Skywatcher 130 (assuming its not changed too much since I reviewed one some time back) has a nicer focuser, more stable mount, nice secondary vanes made of thin metal, its a doddle to collimate (bear in mind collimation is always like an inner circle of hell for a novice but at least with the Skywatcher its possible - I was driven almost to give up astronomy altogether after trying to help some poor bloke with an Astromaster a few years back  )

Personally I always thought the 130 looked like a telescope while the astromaster with that ghastly orange trim looks like its an accessory for Action  Man

[Alfian]

"Personally I always thought the 130 looked like a telescope while the astromaster with that ghastly orange trim looks like its an accessory for Action  Man"

Astro_Baby, you have such a way with words! 

I was bought a 130EQ Astromaster as a surprise pressy and for that I shall be forever grateful for re-kickstarting me into astronomy, but I had many issues with it (several you've mentioned), and at the time I blamed them on my ignorance, but then I discovered that perhaps it wasn't all me. I did get it sorted after a fashion. Some folk seem to get on with them, but why saddle yourself with that worry, when the Skywatcher is better to start with.

[bomberbaz]

At the 

Hi guys,

I'm looking for advice on which scope i should get for my first voyage into the world of astronomy.
I have done some research before and already tried with binoculars.

Ben
 

Hi Ben and welcone to SGL. Can I ask you why you list two with the tripod type mount and although you asked about the 150p Dobsonian, didn't shortlist it?

Reason I ask is some people, myself included have a pre-conception of what a scope should look like and the dob doesn't quite fit that does it.  

Anyway for your budget and if you are ok with the dobsonian I would get the 150P.  Or search the secondhand stores and buy a 200p, you would be ok for a long time to come with one of those bad boys.

And just to demonstrate this http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=89588 lots of extras with this including a collimator, moon filter and other bits for your £150 budget. (Ps it isnt me)