MiladyB

Well it's been quite a while, but I ended up with an offer on a Starsense Explorer 102AZ that was too good not to take a punt on. With the ever-squeezing astro budget this makes sense for me right now.

I love using the 8 inch dob with the app, and having friends and family over and them being able to find things easily makes it a much more social hobby for me. I decided to go for this as something that I can have a bit of fun with and sell on if I decide I want an apo later on.

I'm aware the mount isn't great, and it will show some CA, but I already have decent eyepieces to use instead of the stock ones and I think for what it cost me it should be a good enough trade off for me to justify buying scope number 3.

I've saved all the recommendations in the thread, and I really appreciate all the input! When I have the budget to go for something a bit upgraded I'll definitely be looking at these options.

MiladyB x

It must be so hard for retailers who are already under pressure with pricing and supply availability. I decided to pick up some stuff in the new year instead, but in a pinch, a nicely wrapped box with a picture of whatever has been ordered in it makes a good 'It's on the way' gift.

MiladyB x

I'm quite tempted with the ST102 on this mount - if the mount has enough payload capacity to take the Heritage 150p flextube OTA comfortably that could fulfil a couple of my wishlist items in one...

 

 

 

MiladyB x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Moon-Monkey said:

Did you decide on a little frac in the end ?? Just to throw my paper in the hat I would say either an ST80 , sure not the best on planets but use that apeture stop and the CA is then minimal great wide field views and on a little az mount super portable even on that 5kg tripod you said you had there is also the svbony SV501P (60mm F6.7version) the CA is almost non existent but you are limited by the apeture slightly but I can fit all that inc tripod in a small backpack still my bite goes to the st80 lol 

Analysis paralysis did rather kick in and I haven't managed to make a decision yet but this will be going on the list as a good budget-friendly option!

MiladyB x

Great review. 

This scope is a game changer for me. I  had been finding my attempts at star-hopping in my Bortle 6 back garden quite frustrating, but the starsense has meant I've now actually managed to see things I had struggled to find.

Even my husband - who is usually quite disinterested in stargazing - was very impressed.

I think if you have a reasonable budget, this is a scope really worth considering as a first buy. Being able to find objects without having to learn the sky is maybe not something everyone agrees with, but for the casual scope-user it makes short observing sessions so much fun!

MiladyB x 

So many great suggestions! 

I need to take some time (and probably a spreadsheet) to go through everything and weigh up all the options.

MiladyB x

19 hours ago, bemak187 said:

Baader plus the matching barlow is probably my most used setup.  Field of view a little tight on the lower power but very convenient and quality very good.

I took advantage of the FLO 20% off and treated myself to the zoom and barlow - can't wait to try it out 😊

MiladyB x

6 minutes ago, Jules Tohpipi said:

I still think that a Skymax 102 Maksutov is worthy of serious consideration. In no particular order:

1. Its field of view and magnification is near identical to the 8" Starsense dob 

2. Meaning the views in the eyepiece will be very similar to your bigger dob - just less bright and less resolution. And no collimation required

3. Skymax 102 tube length is 27cm vs 58cm of the Startravel 102 refractor. The Skymax is shorter than a sheet of A4 paper

4. Skymax has no CA on lunar and planets compared to the ST102 refractor

5. Skymax has a much longer focal length i.e. easier on the eyepieces

Ultimately, would you be happy to carry around something very small with great optics that delivers the same FOV and magnification as your 8" dob? If so the Skymax 102 will do that minus some brightness and resolution. If the aim is to go wider-field and lower magnification than the 8" dob then go for a refractor.

BTW, I'm not bias either way - I've got a 10" dob, Skymax 127 and an ST102 refractor. 

  

 

 

I've just been chatting with someone else who has suggested the same as you, and the Skymax is definitely going on the list of possibles.

Zoom eyepiece and a barlow it is, then!

That's a fab discount. So glad I hesitated the other day 😄

MiladyB x

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

To my mind an aperture of less than 70mm for visual use is best left to binoculars because it ceases to deliver a truly 'telescopic' view. Regarding the 'ST ' series Skywatchers, the 'Short Tube' versions are obviously more compact but the slower F ratio versions do deliver a much better image, especially on the moon and planets. I rather like them and I'm an inveterate refractor snob! 

Olly

That's a good point about the slower 'fracs. I'm thinking I should get something that offers a different experience to my fast dobs. The compact nature of the STs is very tempting. It's really tough to choose! 🤔

MiladyB x 

53 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Not knowing what your budget is I'll assume you don't want to spend much. An 80-102mm f-5-f6 achromatic refractor will do the job. I'll also assume on hols you will not be too bothered about solar system observation considering the darker skies are the astronomical equivalent to having the keys to a sweet shop.

Chromatic abberation is not really an issue when using these scopes for widefield observing. The Startravels come up regularly for sale and relatively speaking, cheap as chips. Something like a Startravel 102 and an AZ4 mount will keep you entertained all night at a dark site and will still be cheaper than a new Apo/ED refractor ota alone.

I'm thinking £300 tops, really. Cheap and cheerful.

As you say, something to take on hols/camping that won't break the bank but will give some nice visual treats without too much faff.

MiladyB x

1 minute ago, bomberbaz said:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/evolux/sky-watcher-evolux-62ed-ota.html

Could do worse than one of these at a reasonable cost and with ed glass and high quality build should serve you well. 

Ooh that's a spicy option! Possibly a bit over-budget, but very nice!

I never should have read the thread. It has inadvertently set me off looking at buying a 'frac as a grab and go. 😄 Oops! 

MiladyB x

Well I think that's answered my question about 'Should I...'

I just need to have a good look at 'Which...' 

I have a sturdy photo tripod with a 5kg stated payload that I use for my binos that might be workable, so I'll do some more research (good call on the CA point @cajen2 - I guess I need to make sure I get the best I can for the price).

Thank you everyone for your advice and suggestions - that's certainly given me plenty to mull over. 😄

MiladyB x

1 minute ago, Carbon Brush said:

For a 'quick away' scope you could do worse than look at a Skywatcher ST80 or ST102 on an alt-az mount.
I have owned both scopes and they give good performance for the ££ spent.
They are good wide field scopes so you don't have to worry too much about a robust tripod and mount.
The short tubes are good for carrying and again don't impose too much on the mount.
Bresser AR types are a bit better built and last time I looked, cost a bit more - but worthwhile.
Currently I have a Bresser '102 on my solar white light setup.

In part it is determined by whether you already have a mount, or are into buying new.

HTH, David.

Thank you. The ST102 had definitely caught my eye. I'll have a look at the Bresser you mentioned as well.

MiladyB x

2 minutes ago, starhiker said:

I am here just for my curiosity why the Heritage 150p is not portable enough, not that I can answer this question.  I ask this because it was once on my list before I finally decided to buy a StellaLyra 8 dob a couple of weeks ago. The reason for it in my list was purely its portability..

The heritage 150p OTA is pretty portable - I love mine. I wouldn't really want to transport it without a car though. 

I guess I'm looking for something that doesn't need collimation and that will work as a quick grab and go I could potentially take on the train or bus.

Something like this, maybe? https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/sky-watcher-evostar-90-660-az-pronto.html

 

Or this. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/startravel/sky-watcher-startravel-102-az-gte.html

 

MiladyB x

Hoping for some advice, please.  

I've got 2 lovely dobs (Heritage 150p and Starsense 8"), but I like the idea of having a very portable little refractor (on an Alt/Az mount) which requires minimal setup - something I can pop in the car if I go away for a night somewhere there might or might not be clear skies without too much thinking about whether it will fit in.

I don't want to break the bank, but I'd like something that will give me and my family/friends decent enough views that it's worth the outlay.

I know it won't collect light like the dobs, but I'm happy with a portability/no collimation trade-off.

I don't know much about refractors other that apo is better (and more expensive) than achro. Is there something someone could recommend that will fit the bill?

MiladyB x

On 27/10/2022 at 17:47, starhiker said:

This is a very interesting discussion. I am in favour of a high ratio of aperture per pounds/dollars myself, so that only a manual dob became an option to me without asking advices over the forum. Before I made the final decision to buy a 8" dob, the debate in my head is only the portability. Do I want the small tabletop one or a proper but heavy one? 

But I agree that a diversity of recommendation should be welcomed, so that anyone looking around will understand all the benefits and problems. 

'Bang for your buck' is definitely a consideration that puts dobs in an advantageous position for newbies. 

At the time I decided to get back into the hobby properly, there were few scopes actually available to buy so I had months to spend on research and reading reviews.

I ended up buying a 6 inch tabletop dob (easy to use, not too expensive, good optics, and portable - all boxes ticked). I recently added the 8" Starsense dob because I'm still very much a novice and want some help finding my way around without having to spend ages faffing.

I did start off with binos, and seriously considered a refractor, but the cost for comparable quality vs the dob swung it for me. I'd still like to add one to my collection at some point.

MiladyB x

24 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

The only problem with both the BSTs (wonderful VFM) and the Baader zoom (good images) is the field of view. Both of them need a lot of nudging to keep a target in view. I read the APM Superzoom has a rather larger FOV, but I've never looked through one.

The APM Super Zoom sounds amazing, but the price difference is possibly just enough for me to overlook the smaller FOV on the Baader. 😄

My 8mm BST Starguider was my first 'non-stock' eyepiece and is definitely my favourite so far.

That said, I'm seriously contemplating a Baader zoom now I have a solid tube dob with a Crayford focuser as well as the Heritage 150p. The point someone made above about not having to mess about changing filters is a very good one.

I got the BST Starguider 2x short barlow to go with the 8mm eyepiece but I'm wondering if I would be best off getting the Baader zoom and barlow combo if I'm getting the zoom?

MiladyB x

 

On 25/10/2022 at 18:46, starhiker said:

It looks great. But it seems to be substantially more expensive than a Oklop bag.

I can't speak for the other sizes, but the 8 inch/1200mm size was comparable in price. I went for it mainly because it had enough room for the docking shoe for the Starsense adapter as well as the side bearings Hope you manage to find something that works for yours 🙂

MiladyB x

On 22/10/2022 at 23:57, starhiker said:

Thanks. Great that it fits your SW 200 dob. It looks like no space for the side bearing of StellaLyra's indeed.

I've got a Geoptik bag for my 8" Celestron dob - it's big enough to allow for the side bearings and tube handle. I do have take off the Starsense adapter (but that has its own carry bag anyway). I'll be adding a blanket to pad out any gaps.

MiladyB x

10 minutes ago, lvan said:

Oops, i see my suggestion has come a little late!

Good to see I'm on the right lines with my choice of packing materials! 😊

MiladyB x

A whole year later and I had a sudden brainwave that my Heritage 150p OTA will fit in one of my Givi motorbike pannier inner bags. Wrapped in two giant (h)oodies, it's hopefully well protected for a car journey. Shame the weekend's weather is due to be so dire! 😕 

I have Ian Ridpath's Stars and Planets for a good quick reference book (along with the Collins Gem Stars for my handbag/pocket) - I like having something a bit less detailed particularly for binocular and naked eye viewing.

I got both Interstellarum books for Christmas, and they are not something I'd use outside but they are absolutely LUSH for planning observing targets (and dipping into on a rainy night when you can't get outside 😆) I made laminated bookmarks of the keys, abbreviations and the page refs for the constellations so I can cross reference the Atlas to the Deep Sky Guide more easily.

I find Stellarium is a great app for easily checking what's likely to be visible in a location at a particular time/date, and locating/identifying targets - I don't have a GoTo so I find it helpful for star-hopping

MiladyB x