Celestron 90gt COSMOS Wifi vs Skywatcher 200p eq5 synscan

[Destix]

Hi, apologies in advance for another "Which telescope?" question that's probably been asked a thousand times.

So..... Which telescope?

Looking to buy a telescope for my 11 year old son, budget of around £350

A new Celestron 90gt COSMOS is around £300, while a second hand Skywatcher 200p eq5 synscan is available locally for £350

Which one would be better for an 11 year old?

I realise the skywatcher is the better scope, but as someone clueless about astronomy I don't know by how much

The ability to control the cosmos via my sons ipad seems to be a big plus

How hard is the Skywatcher to transport?

Realistically we will mainly be viewing in our garden and from the bedroom window

Just for viewing at this stage, no plans for photography.

Any thoughts on these telescopes, or any others you feel may be more suitable, are much appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

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[Destix]

Just too add this looks quite good to my beginner eyes also...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/az-goto/skywatcher-skymax-127-synscan-az-goto.html

[wheresthetorch?]

I'd add that the Skywatcher 200p on the EQ mount is pretty vast for an 11 year old. He won't be able to carry it or set it up by himself.

For a sense of scale, look at the size of the handset in the picture . . .

[Destix]

I'd add that the Skywatcher 200p on the EQ mount is pretty vast for an 11 year old. He won't be able to carry it or set it up by himself.

For a sense of scale, look at the size of the handset in the picture . . .

Yeah I'm coming around to that line of thought... It's probably too big for him as a first telescope.

I was leaning towards it due to it being one of the only decent second hand telescopes available locally (northern Ireland)

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[John]

The 200 P optical tube is the same size as this one.  This is my Orion XT8i.  But the 200 P is up on an equitoral base.  This is on a Dobsonian base....

The equatorial version of the 200P is an F/5 focal ratio scope so has a focal length of 1000mm. Your XT8i and the Skywatcher 200P dobsonian is an F/5.9 so the focal length (and tube length) is longer. The weight of the F/5 tube is a little less because of it's reduced length.

Personally I'd not recommend a 90mm GOTO refractor to anyone. The scope aperture will be OK on the Moon, planets and double stars but you don't really need GOTO to find those. Many of the deep sky objects in the GOTO systems database will either be difficult or impossible to view with a 90mm scope or will be unimpressive to say the least. The "cool factor" is surely about how objects will look though the scope rather than the bells and whistles that the scope comes with ?. It's the views that will draw someone into the hobby I reckon.

My recommendation would be for either a 150mm F/8 or 200mm F/8 dobsonian scope and a good book such as "Turn Left at Orion". Simple to setup, simple to use, lots of "wow" for the £'s spent.

[John]

John,

I agree that aperture is king, but we are talking about what you can hand to an 11 year old.

Having done just that I think an 11 year old will cope just fine

I've seen grown up folks stumped by both equatorials and GOTO scopes !

Also the same investment will provide a scope that can be grown into rather than rather rapidly grown out of.

Anyway thats just my opinion from my experience. Other views will vary of course

[wheresthetorch?]

My first scope was a 90mm Mak, and while some say you won't see much with a small aperture GOTO, I did. Ok, you won't see the dust lanes in a galaxy, but you'll see a galaxy! And star clusters, beautiful doubles and even the ring nebula. Add to that planets and the moon, and you have a happy 11 year old.

Aperture isn't everything, its being able to get the scope outside!

[Destix]

My first scope was a 90mm Mak, and while some say you won't see much with a small aperture GOTO, I did. Ok, you won't see the dust lanes in a galaxy, but you'll see a galaxy! And star clusters, beautiful doubles and even the ring nebula. Add to that planets and the moon, and you have a happy 11 year old.

Aperture isn't everything, its being able to get the scope outside!

Yeah I like the size of the Skywatcher 127, it would suit to bring on caravanning holidays.

I would like something like a Nexstar 6se even better, but that's a bit over budget!

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[GeoffB]

As a father of a teenager I must say my eq mounted 200pds is out of my sons capabilities and patience. I would plumb for either a Mak or a scope on a goto altaz mount so would suggest either the Mak a 130p skyhawk or even its slightly smaller stablemate 1145p both of which are below £300. I know northern ireland is off on a limb but you get decent dark skies when out of the metropolis so both may leave you wanting a bigger aperture but dont get too big a scope it will kill his enthusiasm esp as he gets it set up and the clouds roll in so a fast erection is a must hence a basic mount.

I have just checked with my lazy teen and he agrees don't go for the 200p and an EQ5 mount. Get a scope thats relatively easy and quick to set up.