First scope advise

[Jw00lgar]

Hi SGL

I'm hoping to make my first purchase within the next week or so, and I'm looking at a Skywatcher Evostar 120 (EQ3-2)

Has anyone had experience with this scope? Or are there any better alternatives?

I'm look at refractors purely from a low-maintenance perspective... I'd end up getting lazy with collimating a Newt and it would fall out of use!

Thanks in advance

James

[pevsfreedom]

Personally I think a dob is much less maintenance I'd think, but I've never owned a refractor. Collimation takes 30 seconds, and is very easy, and that's all you'll ever have to do. Refractor's have so many knobs and dials my head would explode. Just my opinion of course. 

[damnut]

Hi James,

If you know that you would not get on with a newt or a dob, then a refractor or mak is for you. However have you used an equatorial mount???. The evo 120 is a great scope, I have one. It's a great compromise between aperture and weight.

Before you part with cash, I would advise you to go along to a meet of a local astro group and see what others have and what may suit you best.

[baggywrinkle]

That's a good apeture, I have the Star Travel 120 version so your optics should be a good deal better.

Easy and intuitive to set up and use. The EQ3-2 mount might (and only might) be a bit too light for it.

[Jw00lgar]

Thanks everyone

I've read some super reviews of the Skyliner 200p as a first scope, can anyone qualify this?

[damnut]

The 200p dob has a fierce reputation on SGL. This scope would give many years service. Do go to a dealer or local meet first so you can see these scopes in the flesh.

[staffop]

I'm very new to all this, but happy to share my learnings so far. After much deliberation and a limited budget (under £200) I opted for the SkyWatcher 102 AZ3. I wanted a refractor as collimation seemed a little daunting (my geek speak has gone through the roof since embracing this hobby) and wanted as big an aperture as i could afford. I also asked for advice from an online shop which was most helpful in narrowing down options. The scope appears to be well built, was easy enough to assemble and the mount is stable. The two eyepieces (25mm & 10mm) seemed to offer a good view of the moon - good enough for both my teenage children to shout out in amazement, but i'm now finding i've only scratched the surface. It seems pre-supplied EPs may not offer the optimum view and it's recommended you upgrade asap (many thanks for a great pinned post in this lounge). I'm now off to try and choose a barlow and better quality high mag EP - wish me luck!

[farunj]

If you are new to astronomy, I would suggest go for the 200p. It is a wonderful scope. The aperture is just right so that a LOT of stuff is visible. The weight is not too much, and it can be easily carried around. I am recommending the dob because it will help you to get started easily. All you have to do is move the scope up/down, left/right to reach your target.

Compared to this, the EQ mount needs a lot of getting used to. You need to get a decent polar alignment, not perfect, but you have to learn it. Also, I would suggest that if you are buying an EQ mount, get something above EQ5, as that will eventually be useful for photography if you have the inclination. One thing to keep in mind is the weight, and that you need to set-up the entire thing everytime.

A dob is much easier in this sense, as you dont really need to do much setting up. Also, most of the money goes into the optics. An 8" aperture will give astounding views from almost anywhere. I dont know if I have missed anything, but people will be along to further clarify, dont you worry!

Do let us know what you choose!

Cheers!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[spaceman_spiff]

Hi there,

I own a skywatcher Evostar 120 on an EQ5 pro mount and I can say that it is a very versatile scope that I am very happy with. It does an excellent job on the Moon and planets with remarkably good contrast (the Moon's terminator looks stunning). On bright targets it does produce some CA but that is fine with me (can be reduced with filters). It won't pull in as much light as a 200mm dob but the 120mm unobstructed aperture does give good views of DSOs. I would suggest that the EQ5 mount is the minimum mount you should use with this scope, anything smaller will be less stable and prone to wobble (the Evo 120 is quite long and is a handful for the mount). 

I am now using it for imaging and with a bit of practice it does give good results, at least for me (I have posted some pics in my gallery).

Hope that helps! 

[jnb]

Personally I think a dob is much less maintenance I'd think, but I've never owned a refractor. Collimation takes 30 seconds, and is very easy, and that's all you'll ever have to do. Refractor's have so many knobs and dials my head would explode. Just my opinion of course. 

Refractors have only one knob / dial - the focus. Equatorial mounts have lots of knobs and dials but that's a different question; it's also the flaw in the evostar 120 / eq3 package. That's a lot of scope on a small mount. I have a bresser 102 on an exos 2 (basically evostar 102 on EQ5 with a different label) and I would not consider a larger refractor on that mount.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I like the fact that you have done some homework and know that refractor scopes need less maintaining. I wouldnt let the fact that a reflector (lets call it a Dob) needs a bit more maintaining.

Once you collimate a reflector once............you pretty much have it down so it becomes second nature.

You didnt say if you want to image the night sky of not. An EQ mount will allow this. But if its not a major factor on your wish list...............a Dob is the way to go. You get bigger aperture for less cash.

A 200mm (8") Dob is by far the best seller as a first scope as far as SGL members recommend. 

You really do need to visit a retailer or astronomy group and see one up close before you decide..............

Looking at the scope you THINK you want............its about £350.

For a lot less you can have one of these:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

But, it really depends on yourself and what you can afford,carry around,transport,and if you want to take images of the night sky etc.

Honestly...........no one here is trying to scare you off. Most people who join here and ask about what scope to buy for their 1st scope...........quickly get pointed in other directions and other scopes. The more info provided about budget and hopes and aspirations of what you want your scope to do.............the easier it is to narrow down the list of potential scopes.

[Jw00lgar]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions... I've researched collimating using a Cheshire and I'm far less scared now! Great user guide available from Celestron.

I've now narrowed my choice down to either the Skyliner 200p or a Skywatcher Explorer 150p with the eq3 mount and GOTO motor.... Works out as being about 200 quid more than the Skyliner dob... Basically I want something I can use and enjoy for a long time but I'm not sure which scope would be a better investment.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to which I go for? I'd like to place an order either way at some point this weekend!

Thanks again

[damnut]

If you can the 200p dob. It has enough aperture, and there are plenty of further projects and upgrades you can embark on and grow with it. You will get years of good service from it.

[farunj]

Go for the dob! Anytime! It is a great choice, and you will enjoy it thoroughly. Also,

the hassle of polar aligning will not be there. And the eq3-2 is not that good a mount,

if you later want to turn to AP. I am sure you will enjoy with the 200p.

The next buy is a guide book of sorts. I would recommend Turn Left at Orion. Great

book, and contains nice sketches of Messiers. Have a look at it.

Cheers!

[Charic]

+1Dob

My first 'proper' telescope was the Celestron 127EQ. It lasted me a few Days and is still in the shed?

The 200mm Dob is a great first and possibly the only telescope you will ever need for visual observations.

[Jw00lgar]

Thanks everyone, I'll be placing an order with FLO for a Skyliner 200p this week! After reading loads of suggestions and reviews I'm confident the 200p will be able to keep me happy with DSO and planetary viewing... I've drawn up a list of objective targets and I'm eager to get started.

Luckily my area doesn't suffer with too much LP and I'm no more than 20 minutes from a good dark sky area. I'll let you know how it goes! I'll probably end up asking for some pointers on eye pieces/filters when the time comes; thanks for everyone's help so far

Cheers

James

[Charic]

My 200P is good from my `street light` polluted environment, and I can just see M31 overhead, and nothing  in the way of galaxies around Ursa Major (  my primary area of interest )  due to the pollution, and  limited sky views due to the shielding by  trees and buildings?

Jupiter  is small, but on one of the best viewing sessions in my living  memory, I witnessed the passage of a Moon transit seeing the shadow of Io ( Eye-Oh) across the surface of Jupiter, and the details and the shadow were ink perfect crystal clear, something I wont ever forget. Those nights don't come around too often, but when they do, wow. But the telescope  is  truly awesome used from a dark site.

I have sky views that encompass Ursa major and Cassiopeia.  At 57N Polaris seems to be right overhead?  with the two constellations in permanent rotation,  so I can lay on my back with Binoculars, and that's  the area of Sky I see locally.

If I hide in my observing tent, the images are a little better, but away at my dark sight, is where I need to be, for the ultimate in views.

Just have an open mind before the scope arrives, you wont see magazine type images. Get to know the scope,  the 25mm supplied EP will be the better EP, its up to you what you choose from the feedback you`ll receive from here, but  I highly recommend any of the EPs in my signature. Its an f/6 scope, so nothing too fancy is required. The Plossl`s are about £15 from AstroBoot, the BST`s are £49. If anything, replace your 8mm for something better (8mm BST Starguider) and get yourself a Cheshire Tool )

[Alexgopro]

Would there be any downside (aside from obvious mobility issues) to going to a 250 or 300 and so on?

[Charic]

Weight and size is an issue for some folk, and as the focal ratio lowers on the faster telescopes, you will need better premium eyepieces and possibly other optics to help reduce the effects of coma (inherent in all Newtonians - just more visible on the faster scopes) and possibly some  other aberrations. The larger faster scopes are also much more critical in collimation, but that said, you dont go out and half collimate a telescope, you give it your best, but  you must get it right on the faster scopes.

A telescope has to gather light to do its magic, the more light you gather, the better the image detail.  There are limitations to how big you can handle/manage, these apertures, and the weather plays a big issue? Ok having this massive aperture to get the largest - brightest image  also dependent on the focal ratio, is all well and good, but here here in UK the weather  tends to prevent  magnifications well over 250x. Powers over this can degrade the image. you have no control over the weather or its affects