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Help choosing telescope for wife please


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Hi all,

Mt wife would like to try an astro-telescope and has hinted at one for Christmas. I really need to get one ordered tomorrow (from Amazon) and I just don't know what to order and wondered if anyone could help please ?

My budget is ideally around £100 - £150 but am happy to stretch to £200 for the right scope.

We will only really be using it in the garden (we live in North Wales) as we have children.

We would love to look at a mixture of the moon, the planets and maybe nebulae and galaxies but I realise all this might not be possible.

We don't own a DLSR so photography is not an option yet but might be in the future.

We have lots of laptops, netbooks and tablets in the house to run any software.

We want something, ideally, that is as easy to use as possible. It would be great to say "lets pop into the garden for half an hour and look at some stars" with minimal fuss and effort.

I have narrowed it down to three very different (well two similar and one different) scopes and would love opinions on them but am, obviously, more than open to other suggestions.

The ones I was considering were :

1. Skywatcher Explorer 130P f / 650 Newton Telescope with Parabolic Mirror 5.1 Inches Silver - £177 at Amazon

2. Celestron Astromaster 130EQ - £132 at Amazon

3. Meade ETX-80 GOTO Telescope Tabletop System - £199 at Amazon

I must admit, the Meade on looks like the easiest to use BUT how would it compare quality wise with the others? Also, a review I read says the Meade is not easy for beginners to use (They actually said " If you didn’t have a clue as to what an object looked like when the scope begins its spiraling search pattern, you would miss it… Plain and simple. Even though the true aperture is slightly more than 80mm, it just isn’t enough for someone who isn’t familiar with the sky to easily pick out fainter star clusters and deep sky objects with ease. The same holds true of the alignment stars. It’s one thing for me to know what Altair looks like in the eyepiece – but do you?" )

Any help MUCH appreciated - Thanks in advance icon_e_smile.gif

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Okay so your budget is £200 at the most..does it have to come from Amazon? You will get plenty of different views on what scope you should get..all of the right and all of them wrong..the best scope is the one you want..or the wife in this case. A good all rounder is the trusty Dobsonian

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html this one has great views on everything but maybe a wee bit cumbersome to bring in and out the house..

or this one is sma;ller and tabletop http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html..a lot of great reviews about this one

or go with a reflector like the ones you mentioned http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130.html

or a refractor http://www.firstlightoptics.com/startravel/skywatcher-startravel-102-eq1.html

Refractors are good for planets and the moon but to be honest they all do a good job at looking at the sky tbh. Is there any way you can go to a local astronomy club in the next day or so to check any of them out. My vote would be the table top dobsonian as easy to lift in and out and no mounts to muck about with..just plonk it on a table and off you go

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The first advice I would give is not to purchase your scope from Amazon, go to specialist Astro dealer, FLO the sponsors of this forum (click on their logo at the top of the page) are very well regarded in the community. By using a specialist supplier you are buying not just a telescope but their advice and after sales service should you need it.

FLO has a page of suitable scopes for newcomers:- http://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html and the one I would choose is the Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian. The reasons for this choice are in astronomy size really matters and this has the largest mirror that comes within your budget, it is easy to set up - take into your garden and point at what you want to observe-, you will have great views of the moon and major planets (Jupiter, Saturn and to a lesser extent Mars), many double stars and depending on the level of light pollution will be able to view many star clusters, nebulae and the brighter galaxies.

Of course you will need to be able to find your away around the night sky, Stellarium is a great free planetarium program that will help with this:- http://www.stellarium.org/

I'm sure others will come and give further advice, try to take your time and come back with any questions and one of the many knowledgeable members will help.

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The best advice would be NOT to rush into buying a scope just to get it in time for Christmas. You don't want to make an expensive mistake.

Find out where your nearest Astronomy group meet and take her out to meet them.

She can then experience what others are using and from then work out what is best to buy.

Otherwise get a decent pair of binos to start off with

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Hi Simonrp,

Welcome to SGL and an early welcome to your soon to be star gazing wife (although she does not know it yet). First bit of advise is  -DO NOT buy from Amazon. As has already been said use First light Optics. If you are really not happy looking on the web page give them a phone, they really will give you impartial advice. Ideally it is best for you or really your wife to view scopes prior to purchase. Have a search for an astronomy club near you, you don't give us a clue as to where in the UK you are based. Try this link for a club nearby, http://www.astronomyclubs.co.uk/Clubs/Counties.aspx although they may not have a meet taking place between now and Christmas, you could give the secretary a call and they may accommodate you to view some equipment.

As has already been said a 150P Dobsonian will fit into your budget and give the biggest bang for your buck. Things that need to be considered with Dobsonians or Reflectors (a dobsonian is really only the mount that a Reflector sits on) is that they need to be collimated. There are plenty of threads on here about collimation - seems a bit daunting, but is alright once you get the hang of it, oh and you would need to purchase a cheshire or a laser collimator to go with the scope. To avoid having to collimate a scope you need to get a Refractor - this consists of bit of glass i.e lenses, rather than mirrors as in a reflector.

There is a contentious point about whether to get a "Goto" mount or not. Generally the money ends up going on the software and electronics and not on the optics (optics might not seem important now, but they really are)

Hope that helps somewhat, but do not hesitate to pop back to ask more questions. You still have a bit of time yet. Most people who order from FLO manage to receive their equipment within 2 -3 days max. Do not quote me or blame FLO if this turns out not to be the case, as sometimes things are out of their control, but they are generally very quick to dispatch and deliver items.

Ian

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I reckon the 150p Dob fits the bill very nicely.

It's very easy to setup and use, and will show you plenty of the targets you mention.

You don't need portability as you are observing from your garden, but it will be quite manageable for you to carry out to setup quickly when required.

Totally agree regarding advice not to buy from Amazon too, FLO will give you all the advice and service you need.

Stu

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Thank you so much for the welcomes and all the advice - Much appreciated and I'm so glad I found this forum :)

It doesn't have to be bought from Amazon but it has to be bought mail order as I am not near any major cities with Telescope dealers.  I am in Prestatyn so Chester is only 40 minutes and I can stretch to Manchester (about 90 minutes but 2 hours with parking etc...) at a push.

I really do need this in time for Christmas but I take on board what you are saying about not rushing in. 

Basically,  she has shown an interest and I would love to encourage it as I think I will love it to. BUT... whereas I would be happy to sit outside for hours and get involved in the minutae of astronomy I don't think she would... at first! 

I think if she could use something that was initially quick and simple to setup and use then it may progress to bigger, better, more complex things lol.  I don't mind spending £200 on something that we need to upgrade in 6 months (after all, we can always sell the starter scope).

That's why I was thinking about something with a GOTO type device.  I really want to encourage this as a hobby so BOTH of us can get into it (and then I can justify to her spending thousands on equipment without being tutted at lol) but to do that I need to initialy make it so we can pop into the garden and be viewing something interesting within half an hour or so.

I am not sure if there any astronomy clubs nearby and I don't really have the time now to check them out as we are starting to cut it fine for Christmas deliveries.

 

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I'd say go for the 150P dob, too.

it's the sort of scope you might well keep forever even if you do buy another just because it's so easy to use and as has already been said, it has the biggest aperture you can get for the money you want to spend so it will be the most rewarding to use.  A GOTO might seem tempting on the grounds that you don't need to know your way around the night sky, but if you don't know your way around the sky, how will you get it aligned properly?

Any astronomy with a telescope takes some time and patience though, so you (and she) need to be prepared for that.  Generally it's not the kind of hobby that you can spend a spare ten minutes on between doing the washing up and getting the kids into bed :)  Many astronomers have a pair of binoculars for that sort of thing however, so they can just grab a few minutes looking at the sky when the occasion presents itself or even get dressed up warm, lie back on a comfy garden chair and spend some time just mooching about the stars (often with a glass of wine or a beer to hand :)

James

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I can see why the GoTo would be an advantage with his wife, making it easy to start with will make for a lasting hobby, i can see nudging a Dob round being a big let down for somebody starting and not knowing what there looking  at  to start off with....Stellarium will help with either system,,,,

http://www.stellarium.org/

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Another thing to consider is storage location to observing spot in your garden. If the scope is going to be inside and up stairs you might need to think about practacality of moving it, though some don't find this a concern. To get an idea on size a google search with images can help.

A good book for a future present is Turn Left at Orion and free sortware to download is stellarium.

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The ETX is easy to use, and easy to set up. As to the spiral search option you will never use it - the field of view of the ETX-80 is so big that if set up reasonably whatever you want will be somewhere in sight.

One drawback of the ETX is that it is 9v and uses batteries, you can get a 9v mains supply but need a small converter for the 2 ends. You can buy one or make one (I have made 3 up so if you get one I can supply details).

The other "problem" is they sort of grumble whilst running, and make a good noise when slewing to the next thing.

The handset is a little old now but not that much of a problem. Translate the button marked "Mode" to mean "Back". It cannot be undated with new firmware, which is actually a likely advantage.

A 5mm eyepiece in it will show Jupiter well, even a 12mm will do a fair job.

Saturn may be a problem as you need 100x to 120x for Saturn, so a 4mm or less and one of them could be a bit difficult.

As to DSO's it is an 80mm scope and so operates like every other 80mm scope which is pretty reasonable.

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Any astronomy with a telescope takes some time and patience though, so you (and she) need to be prepared for that.  Generally it's not the kind of hobby that you can spend a spare ten minutes on between doing the washing up and getting the kids into bed :)   

James

But... you can put the scope outside to cool while you get the kids to bed, then spend as much time as you like with it outside   :smiley:   The 150p dob is so quick and  easy to set up that you could be observing the Moon for example within a few minutes of getting outside.*  My kids have one and my youngest could set it up herself and be observing Jupiter within 5 mins - its a great scope and very simple to use.

* However you could equally well use it for a long observing session - it's very capable and comfortable to sit next to.

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But... you can put the scope outside to cool while you get the kids to bed, then spend as much time as you like with it outside   :smiley:   The 150p dob is so quick and  easy to set up that you could be observing the Moon for example within a few minutes of getting outside.*  My kids have one and my youngest could set it up herself and be observing Jupiter within 5 mins - its a great scope and very simple to use.

* However you could equally well use it for a long observing session - it's very capable and comfortable to sit next to.

Absolutely agree.  I think my intention was to convey the idea that telescope astronomy perhaps isn't a hobby that really fits very well into the "instant gratification" lifestyle that so many people seem to crave these days.  It needs a bit of time and effort at the start to really return rewards.  Which is actually why sometimes it's really nice to just sit out under the stars with a pair of binoculars or even just eyeballs and a bit of knowledge about what's where and just be a bit more casual.

Lovely to hear that your daughter is so motivated, too :)

James

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I bought the Celestron 127EQ as my  first  telescope, second hand with some great books in the deal. As for the telescope, I did not like it, too much messing about with the setting up every session, so I invested  (very quickly) in my first real proper basic telescope, the  Skywatcher Skyliner 200P. As simple as it gets, just place into position, and use straight away at lower magnification powers, or if there is a substantial temperature difference, say between in-doors and out-doors, then allowing the mirror to cool before getting the best use of the higher magnifications.  I don't need a  GoTo system , as its too fussy to set up.

With eight Planets, a Moon and a few constellations, and in my book a Star is a Star, do I really need/ can see,  over 42000 targets from my location with a GoTo system....Lol!

Stellarium ( FREEWARE program for your computer)  some books and just remembering where stuff is in the Night sky is all I have needed to enjoy the hobby. What's more, my 200P f/6 is a decent system,  easily manageable for me, easy on further eyepiece selections of non-expensive  eyepieces that work extremely well for their cost,  and not only just a beginner telescope, but unless I buy a larger apertured telescope in the future, this telescope should last a (my) lifetime , with careful handling?

For visual observation of the night skies II would say have a look at a 6" 150P Dobsonian telescope (Dobsonian was the inventor of the simple mount that supports  your Newtonian Reflector telescope)  as a minimum specification  telescope, but desire the 200P or larger for even better results.

Also note, would you buy a car without a test drive? At least check out the telescope at a local club ( you don't have to join to have some questions answered with an observer) also a good book on the subject will fire and assist with the enthusiasm with the subject. Its too soon to Christmas  and oh so easy to make the wrong! decision, and the telescope ends up left  packed away somewhere.  Skywatcher also produce the HERITAGE 130P Dobsonian, hailed as a tabletop telescope. You still need to be outside in the cold to use this telescope, not sat with a bedside table near the open window. You will just get poor results unless you get outside proper. The least amount of setting up with a telescope is to buy a refractor telescope, but you may get more  for your money with regards to aperture size, the bigger the better for Deep sky objects and fainter targets,  with a Newtonian telescope.

Don't discount a pair of binoculars in the 7x50 8x40 0r 10x50 ranges? They offer so much more when looking up at the Starry night sky, and visually two eyes are better than one when looking at Stars and the Constellations, then maybe move onto a Telescope when your options and requirements are fully understood.

Buy from a Dealer, not just a retail supplier. At least the dealer will offer support and advice. My skyliner arrived in two boxes, from the UK importers, Pulsar Optical, but shop around. Our site sponsor is slightly cheaper at present for the same telescope.

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Hello Simon where in North Wales are you. The NW astronomy society meet once a month near Conwy, a very friendly and helpful bunch. Welcome to SGL best wishes with your choice of scope and plus 1 for looking at FLO for further info and the Dobsonian is very well regarded and a good all round starter scope.

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Astronomy is a new joint interest for hubby and I, though I'm also interested in astrophotography.  In addition to other stuff we bought a Dobsonian scope.  In theory it easy  to use but nothing is that straight forward in this hobby.  We have had a lot of enjoyment from reading about the night sky and then using our eyes and binoculars to find our way round.  That approach has been instantly rewarding.  Setting up most scopes can be frustrating if you're a beginner so I can only echo what others have said, don't rush into a scope  it might not meet your expectations, at least initially.  Our binoculars have exceeded our expectations!

Good luck whatever you decide.

Annie

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For me, there's no contest. if you have to stick below the £150 then the 130 heritage http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html. if you can stretch to £200 then the 150p http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

Of course others will have vastly varying opinions....they're wrong but thats allowed :D. No, I'm joking of course. as already mentioned, there really is no right or wrong scope for everyone.

good luck and hope you have a great christmas

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Thanks again for all of your help folks - you certainly are a freindly bunch :) 

@Sirius Starwatcher :  We are in Prestatyn so just down the road really :)

I am now thinking seriously about the Skywatcher 150p - I have a couple more questions if that's ok ?

1.  I guess I just put it on my garden table to use ?    Can it also be mounted on a tripod and what kind of tripod would I need ?

2.  I am guessing that the general consensus is that I won't meed a GOTO scope then and finding things in the night sky should be pretty easy?

3.  Will I need to buy a collimating eyepiece at time of purchase or should I wait to see if it needs collimating ?

 

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1) it's not a table-top telescope, the tube is nearly 4 foot long, 1200 mm fl minus a bit for the tube diameter. A lot of people get misled by the photo. Plonk it on the ground and away you go.

2) Finding your way around takes a bit of work but is worth it. Use Stellarium and a good atlas, and take it one step at a time. When I was learning the sky as a teenager I set myself to learn to find my way to and around one constelation a night.

3) Yes, get a cheshire collimating eyepiece when you buy. At a focal ratio of 8 it's pretty forgiving compared to some of the small ratio imaging reflectors.

4) You won't need better eyepieces YET, but when you've been using it a while the two of you may decide to get something better. Again the 150p is pretty forgiving of eyepieces.

And we're always here to help and answer any questions

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I suspect you only asked about a tripod-based mount because you've misjudged the size.  Given a suitable size mount it could well go on a tripod with a little work, but I'd be disinclined to worry about it at this stage personally.  Dobs of this size are quite comfortable to sit at and use which makes it very easy to keep your head and body still and remain relaxed.

James

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Keep it simple at first in case the hobby does not catch on. However a couple of BST explorers will serve you well in the future. In order to help you round the sky download a planetarium program. Plenty out there but try Stellarium, its great and free..... to be found here... http://www.stellarium.org/  a couple of books to help also (stocking fillers!) 'turn left at orion' and 'sky&telescope pocket star atlas' in conjunction with stellarium these will guide you round the sky and show you where some great easy objects are this time of year, especially Jupiter.

Hwyl fawr, ac Nadolig Llawen

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