AstroFin

Here's my list. Because in this hobby it's very easy for equipment to start collecting dust, I've tried to limit myself to only 2 telescopes at a time. If I want something bigger, I can always use the equipment of my local observatory. 🙂 2008 - Sky-Watcher Skymax 102 - My first telescope. An excellent instrument for observing planets and the Moon. Taught me so much about the night sky. Memories of staying outside for hours during those cold February nights just to see Saturn still make me smile. I hated the EQ-2 mount, though. Had it had a sturdier mount, I might have kept it. 2010 - Celestron CPC 800 - My current telescope. I've had this for 10 years now, still works like a dream. The mount is so sturdy that you can lean on it. Goto is spot on. Great for almost everything, I've even taken some pretty decent deep sky images with it. This scope is often taken to dark sky sites, it's compact and easy to carry. I've upgraded the focus knob and installed a DIY built-in dew heater. 2015 - Celestron Firstscope 76/300 mini Dobsonian - Bought this just to see how well it would perform. Terrible spherical aberration. Didn't like it so I gave it away. 2017 - Sky-Watcher Startravel 80 - My first refractor that was given to me by a friend. A very capable scope for it's price range. Eventually sold it because I didn't have a proper mount for it. 2019 - Sky-Watcher Evostar 72ED - My first ED scope. Suberb optics in a lightweight package and for a very reasonable price. Great for both visual and astrophotography. The first light was during a lunar eclipse last summer. A keeper for sure!

Here's my new wide-field setup for next season! 😎 Finally managed to get a Samyang 135mm f/2. After a few test shots I can confirm that this lens is a keeper, it's super sharp. Now the only thing I need is a CLS-CCD clip filter for my self-modified Canon 60D. Probably need to modify and sell my 1100D to fund that though... It's not easy being a student! 😂 Clear skies! Tomi

Hi Robert! To me it looks like your OTA has once been attached to a Nexstar GPS fork mount, which would explain the "mystery holes" on both sides, since they were intended for attaching the scope to the fork mount. Your guesses about the other holes seem correct to me. The scope must be an early Celestron Nexstar GPS 8 because it still has the older Celestron font on it. It's one of the last models made in the USA. I hope this helps. Clear Skies from Finland, Tomi

Hi Dean! Very good advice from the others, but I'd like to add my thoughts. Astrophotography is quite expensive and the 400 pound budget won't take you very far in the long run. To get good results early on, you should probably invest in a DSLR camera and a star tracker. This way the learning curve won't be too steep. You can get good deals on used DSLR cameras online. Taking a too deep dive in the beginning might not be a smart idea. Things get very expensive very quickly. Many amateurs use Canon cameras, because of the wide range of software available and the relatively "easy" astromodification process. Some good star trackers include Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer and iOptron Skyguider Pro. If you want to go full-on and get a high class mount that's sturdy enough to support a telescope, get the Sky-Watcher HEQ5 mount as @jonathan recommended! Also, you might find it interesting to check AstroBackyard on YouTube for some beginner tutorials! As for the telescope, I've been to this hobby for the most of my life and often find myself enjoying the 200mm Dobsonian telescope of my local astronomy club. A telescope like this will show you an unimaginable amount of detail on the Moon, is a good instrument for observing the planets and has enough aperture to make observing deep sky targets enjoyable and worthwhile. You will also learn to navigate through the night sky in the process. Taking pictures of the Moon and videos of the planets is possible with a Dobsonian. Even if you decide to levitate towards the astrophotography route, a good Dobsonian is always a nice to have. They are easy to use, fairly cheap and have a sturdy mount. They are somewhat heavy though, so keep that in mind if you need to carry and transport the scope a lot. Buying gear second hand is a great way to save up some money for future accessories. No matter which route you end up going, remember that the best gear is the one that you use the most often. Clear skies from Finland, Tomi

@osbourne one-nil Out of curiosity, how do you find the 10x42 Canons compared to the smaller 12x36? Which pair do you use more often? Clear skies, Tomi

Hi! The NEQ6 Pro mount (assuming yours is a relatively new model) will accept both Vixen and Losmandy style dovetail bars. For maximum stability, I'd recommend getting the Losmandy (CGE) one for Celestron C8. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/celestron-cge-dovetail-bars.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dovetails-saddles-clamps/celestron-cg5-vixen-style-dovetail-bars.html These should be bolt on, with no need for any extra adapters. Clear Skies, Tomi

Hi piff No, it won’t remember the alignment unless you use the Hibernate function found in the hand controller. Use that and all you need to do when restarting the scope is to confirm the time and date. Make sure you don’t move the telescope at all while in Hibernate. There really is no margin for that, at least to my experience. Here’s more info: https://www.celestron.com/blogs/knowledgebase/how-do-i-quickly-start-my-celestron-telescope-can-i-use-previous-alignment-information Clear Skies, Tomi

Hi Victor! I recently bought the scope in question and have really been enjoying it so far. I use a 2 inch William Optics Diagonal + Baader Zoom and I have had no trouble reaching focus. However, for DSLR you will need an extension tube, I use a 50mm one and it works just fine. You might also need a longer dovetail to balance the scope properly for astrophotography. The Evostar is a very good grab and go scope to go with your Dobsonian and it definitely deserves my recommendation! The case is excellent, especially considering it is included with the scope. 😁 Clear Skies from Finland, Tomi

Hi everybody! I recently purchased an Evostar 72ED to serve as my grab and go scope and now I’m looking for something to mount it on. The scope will be used for visual only with no need for tracking or GoTo. Lighter the setup, the better. Can you give me some recommendations? What mount do you use your 72ED with?

Yes it does, but only barely. Both Jupiter and Saturn have a maximum altitude of ~6 degrees above horizon. I just came back from outside after viewing Saturn. I could see the rings but not any other detail, it is so low in the sky. The only star I was able to see with the naked eye was Vega, the sky is simply too bright... 😂

Thanks @Stu ! It really is a nice place to observe, especially during the dark autumn months when it’s not that cold. I’ve been pretty pleased with the C8, it seems to be the perfect telescope for me. It’s right at the sweet spot between light grasp and portability. 🙂

Here’s my CPC 800 in action, ready for some lunar observing. The picture was taken at 00:25 so technically it was taken at night, but as you can see, there really isn’t such thing as night here in Finland during summer. 😂 However I upgraded the stock focuser yesterday and just had to get a “first light” with the new one. Very impressed after a glimpse of Jupiter! 😎 Clear Skies, Tomi

Hi! Canon 10D is a very old model (2003) and it only supports Compact Flash memory cards. I bet you can get a lot newer Canon DSLRs for £100. Personally I’ve bought a used 500D and a 550D for €100 each here in Finland and I assume that you should be able to find them in the same price range in the UK as well. 🙂 1000D is also very good for beginners and usually quite cheap. Newer cameras have a lot less noise and are more likely to be compatible with modern astro-software. DSLRs can also be used for wide field shots of the Milky Way. Keep in mind that you’re going to need a T-adapter and an intervalometer as well! Clear Skies! Tomi

Thanks for all the replies! I have to say that I’m quite impressed by the positive comments regarding the SW 72ED. For it’s price it seems to be very capable. 😁 As I said before, the scope will be mostly for visual. It seems that for imaging the z61 might be the way to go, but for my needs the ED72 would be sufficient. Now all I need to do is to find a good alt-az mount for it! 🙂 BTW, that’s a stunning image @hennyvenom ! Clear skies, Tomi

Hi everybody! As summer is finally beginning to reach Finland and it no longer gets dark at night, I’ve begun to look for a new grab and go telescope for next season. Previously I thought about getting a Maksutov, but due to the required cool down time and cold Finnish winters, I’ve decided to go with a small APO refractor. My current (and only) scope is a Celestron CPC 800, which is fantastic, but definitely not something you can put to your backpack and walk to the nearest park with. I already had my mind set on Sky-Watcher Evostar ED72 but then I came across with WO Zenithstar 61. I know WO has a higher build quality (and price...) and is more compact than the Evostar but how about the views? Has anyone used one of these for visual? I currently have a WO 2 inch diagonal and a Baader Hyperion Zoom eyepiece, do these short refractors cope well with Hyperions? Does the 11mm make an enormous difference? Am I better off with the ED72 after all? Any other alternatives? 😀 I will be doing some imaging with the scope later on (my astro club has a Star Adventurer that I will be borrowing) but 90% of the time it will be for visual only. I will also be getting a field flattener eventually, no matter which scope I choose. Clear skies! Tomi

Hi Peter! I think Gaj is correct, it is most likely due to the recent GPS epoch. This has affected Celestron telescopes as well. From now on you need to manually set the time and date. Check this thread on Cloudy Nights forum for more info: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/656941-party-like-its-1999-gps-gets-wrong-date/#entry9284685 Clear skies, Tomi

I currently own only one telescope, Celestron CPC 800. I find a 8 inch SCT to be a great compromise. It has enough aperture to show a good amount of detail on deep sky objects and enough focal lenght for the planets. The mount is so sturdy that you can even lean on it while observing! ? For planetary and lunar imaging the CPC is a beast and despite the alt-az mount, I’ve been able to capture some DSOs with my Canon 60D. Tracking is fantastic and the Goto is always spot on. The scope is quite big and bulky, but it’s easy to carry and fits well in the car. I have a pair of binoculars that function as my grab and go instrument, in case I don’t want to be carrying the CPC around.

The 6 inch model seems to be available in Europe now. The price is €399 at Astroshop, sounds like a superb deal to me! ? https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/ts-optics-cassegrain-telescope-c-154-1848-ota/p,60781

Have you tried changing the power cable? I had severe issues with my Celestron CPC when I bought it, but it turned out all of them were caused by a faulty cable.

Hi! You already seem to have a very nice pair of binoculars, I hope you can get them them back as soon as possible so you can start looking up! ? If there is one book you should get, it is Turn Left at Orion. It’s a very good observing guidebook for beginners and advanced observers alike, with details on how and when to observe the Moon, Planets and Deep Sky Objects. The book has a lot of drawings which describe quite accurately what you will be able to see with an amateur telescope. I wish I had it when I was observing with my first telescope. As for the telescope, I’d recommend something that is reasonable portable. The best telescope is the one you use most often and being portable definitely helps. Not anything too heavy and bulky. That said, the mount should be stable in order to avoid vibrations. There’s nothing more annoying than an unstable telescope mount. ? GoTo is a nice feature to have, but at £400-500 price range, buying a scope with a GoTo mount means most of your money are going to the mount, not the optics. Oh and you need to remember that at this bugdet deep sky astrophotography is out of question, however planetary and lunar photography can be done with following setups as well. ? I have a few suggestions; 1. Skyliner 150P Cost: £188 (FLO) The 150P is a nice telescope on a sturdy Dobsonian mount, it is not as heavy as it’s bigger brothers. Most likely the best telescope for less than £200. 2. Skyliner 200P Cost: £275 (FLO) If you feel that size and weight are not an issue, go for the big brother! It is widely considered the best value for money telescope and many of us here will recommend this scope to you. (Have a look at the reviews of the scope, there are many on the internet). Having used similar telescopes, I have to say they are great value for money. The GoTo version of this scope is available at FLO for £750, not including the power source. 3. Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GoTo + Power Source Total cost: ~£430 (FLO) Here is an example of a compact GoTo telescope with good optics. This scope will track and find objects for you, once you’ve done the initial alignment. My local astronomy club has one of these and it’s a pretty good telescope. The Skyliners will show you brighter images with more detail and are more stable, though. I began my stargazing hobby with this telescope’s little brother, the 102mm Maksutov. I was very pleased with it and it gave me my first glimpse of the rings of Saturn, the cloud bands of Jupiter and the endless craters on the Moon. All of the setups mentioned above will show a good detail of the planets, while also being able to show you some fainter deep sky objects. The “nice to have” accessories might include a red light torch, a Planisphere and Stellarium/SkySafari app on your phone. Eyepieces can be bought later. First try out the ones supplied with the telescope. When the time comes to grab a few extra eyepieces, I highly recommend the Celestron X-Cel LX line.

This might very well be the case, Stu! The 15x50 must have been fantastic. ? However, I wonder if Canon makes so small (36mm) lens caps? After receiving the bins, I did a quick Google search which didn't bring up anything, so I assumed there was no commercial solution available. I really like my 3D-printed caps, though and I think I'm going to stick with them. I can PM the stl-file if someone is interested in printing their own caps. ?

Oh my. The scope is beginning to sound more unconvincing the more I read your experiences. ? A loose primary is definitely not something I want to be dealing with. My C8 had a loose secondary due to poor design of the gasket between the secondary mirror and corrector plate, I had to order a new gasket all the way from Starizona in the U.S. Thank you all for your replies! This might be steering me to take a look on some other scopes.

Canon has a wide range of IS binoculars, up to 18x50, I recall. If your budget can allow the price, go for it. You wouldn’t believe how much more detail can be seen when the image isn´t shaking all the time. Besides image stabilisation, the optical quality itself is also good. It is not ED-glass, but still provides very sharp views. These are also excellent for daytime observing, birding, for instance. Oh and the bins are made in Japan. Many camera shops have a pair in stock, I recommend you go and try them to see it yourself. ?

Here are some pictures of my pair of binoculars. ? They are Canon 10x30 IS II and I got to say that I couldn’t be more pleased with them. Despite their small aperture they have already showed me many things I had never seen with a handheld binocular. Albireo is an easy split, as is many other double star. Wide field stargazing is simply awesome. M33, M81, and many other deep sky objects are within reach. The amount of detail seen on the Moon seems endless. Saturn can be seen as an ellipsoid. I’ve never seen the rings with 10x magnification before! The image stabilisation really makes a difference! There’s no going back for me ? Storing the Canons in a small Pelican case (colored yellow so you won’t lose it in the dark) makes them a great go-anywhere no-excuses grab and go setup. The only downside I can think of is the lack of objective lens caps. I had to 3D print my own.

Thank you all for the replies! ? It really seems like a mixed bag. I might be inclined to go for the 1/4th wave Standard version, due to the more reasonable price. I understand that this would be somewhere near “Sky-Watcher -level” in terms of optical quality. At this price point I’d expect the UK-made OMC to be mechanically superior to Chinese made Skymax etc. but from your comments it seems that this might not be the case after all? Alan, was any of your scopes a CF version? If so, what are your thoughts on image stability and cool down? John, I am concerned that the CF tube might cause a lot more thermal issues compared to an aluminium tube. This combined with the behaviour you described wouldn’t be a good combination. I have experienced the same issue on much larger catadioptrics, such as C11, though. How long was the cool down time on your scope? Peter, how do you find the focuser knob placement awkward? Is it too close to the visual back? Stu, thanks for the advice on collimation. I’ve never needed to collimate a Mak before. Having read a few articles on the issue I know it requires quite a bit of accuracy to get it right. Where I live, the used market for such scopes is very narrow or even non-existent, so the only choice for me would be buying a new one.