Andy38416

This looks like it has the answers:

Thanks for reply’s. I’ll have a think and go from there.

Afternoon, i’m booked to go to Kelling Heath in December and was thinking about taking a scope with me, now I don’t want to take my Nexstar 8SE with me, as cool as that would be, I have a toddler and a 8 month old baby so have to already take a lot of stuff with me in the car etc etc. I was thinking of buying some incredibly portable and cheap as a good grab and go / travel scope. Originally was looking at the Celestron Travelscope 70, but wasn’t sure if it would almost be pointless given the vast difference in optics to my 8SE. So possibly the heritage 130p? just after some suggestions or opinions if anyone has the travel scope. it’s £80 on amazon with a travel bag. Or maybe I should suck it up and take the 8SE for a chance to be at a proper dark site.

To be honest I think the heritage models are best placed. I had the 130 model as my first scope and Miss is greatly, it was so grab and go. the other smaller and cheaper option could be the celestron firstscope with is about £50

The celestron starsense explorer range which is relatively new looks quite cool, and when paired with a phone can align itself by using the phones camera. i have no experience with it, but have seen some good videos on YouTube of people using manually and as a push goto as such. https://www.celestron.co.uk/shop/celestron-starsense-explorer-lt-127az-smartphone-app-enabled-newtonian-reflector-telescope/

A lot of people will suggest Telead or the rigel quick finder, both are really really large and ugly (in my opinion). I have used the below, which I find excellent. Everything is spot on and very easy to find. I’ve had no issues with it at all - so can recommend. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-30mm-sky-surfer-iii.html

I could only see a WiFi version in a quick google search, you can always buy the handset separately, but this obviously adds to the overal cost.

There will always be someone who says ‘spent more and get a bigger telescope’. It might be worth looking at something cheap, like the skywatcher heritage 130p, nothing motorised or goto about it but it’s a good little scope and will see if your interested in the winter months without spending huge amounts of money. It would need a table or something to sit on though. or if you really want a goto the skywatcher you have seen or the celestron Nexstar slt range are good entry levels. It’s certainly can be very confusing, but you definitely need to be outside, not even inside with a window open is any good. I’m a little sceptical of the WiFi only range, I really struggled when I brought a WiFi adapter, when your looking in an eyepiece a proper button to move the scope slightly is so much easier then having to take your eye off the eyepiece to look at a screen button. my advice would be to have a good think and ask as many questions on here as you need to.

You could always try the widescreen centre, they might have one if you give them a call. https://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/sky-watcher-explorer-130p-synscan-az-goto-computerised-reflector-telescope.html

Good point, I didn’t get on well using the WiFi adapter in my 8se so returned it to continue using the handset.

Gotos are great. I was initially told when starting out not to get a goto from a telescope retailer, but to ‘learn the night sky’, I ignored them and love having a goto - but each to their own I guess. I can’t comment on that particular scope goto but I’ve owned a celestron Nexstar 127slt, which is very similar, from a mount point of view and found it to be good. i think all in all it’s a good scope, there is also the AZ Gti range from skywatcher: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-gti-wifi/sky-watcher-explorer-130ps-az-gti.html but to be clear I have no experience which this scope setup at all - so hopefully someone else will be along and able to help better than I have.

I’ve had a couple of 130 telescopes, the Skywatcher Heritage 130p and a celestron astromaster, neither of them were goto but optically very good telescopes. is goto something you definitely want? Based on the telescope you selected I guess the budget is around £300. are you looking just for visual or do your thoughts turn to astrophotography?

Initially I was passed about a bit by county council, local council, but in the end it was my parish council that sorted it, once I got a contact it took about 4 weeks. I even had the lighting contractor knock on the door and ask what I needed so he understood the problem fully.

Only got a very quick photo as was raining quite heavy, it’s definitely an improvement.

Wow that’s worse than the moon! Hopefully you get a decent result. Of course I may be kidding myself and the shield do next to nothing when it’s dark later 😆