Beagle38

Thanks all for your thoughts. Thanks Heather for all your advice - loads to go through! Yes the eyepiece was new from FLO - bought with the scope. I made sure it was all clean again and had a quick look this afternoon at a chimney about 1/2 mile away. The same results as before: 25mm - brilliant; 10mm - okay; StarGuider 8mm - okayish! I was wondering if I am expecting too much of the 8mm; but surely it should be sharper than the supplied cheap 10mm eyepiece?! I probably won't use it much ironically - as I don't like the field of view, etc, and will be better suited with a 15 or 12mm eyepiece - as fifeskies said. But it should be reasonably sharp when I do use it - conditions allowing. I will also have to make sure of allowing a scope to adjust to the climate in future. I wonder if to speak to FLO about it; or if possible try it in another telescope first. Thanks all for your help. Mark.

Amazing to get an ISS photobomb as well!!

Wow! Amazing image. Fantastic colours!

Wow! Amazing images. Never tire of seeing Saturn - especially with an image that good!

Blimey!!! Amazing images.

Very nice. Range of colour is amazing!!

Brilliant!!

As someone who is new to all this I'd be very happy with that!🤩

I've only just started to try and do this - but amazed at how hard it is to get everything lined up to get a full image. Enjoying the challenge though!

Interesting info, fifeskies. I shall have a good think of what you have said and consider a wider eyepiece. Thanks for your input!

I purchased a Star Watcher StarQuest 102MC Maksutov telescope a few months ago from FLO as a present. (first one ever purchased) Due to previous advice (as this was the first scope I've bought) about how poor the boxed 10mm eyepiece is, I purchased a BST StarGuider 8mm eyepiece at the same time. Apart from first setting it up, the first time we've had chance to start using it is with the recent clear skies. With the standard 25mm eyepiece the quality is fantastic. The 10mm eyepiece is not good (as you all know), and then i've tried the 8mm eyepiece and this is as bad - if not slightly worse - than the standard 10mm eyepiece. This was quite disappointing as I was expecting a reasonably sharp image from a specially made aftermarket eyepiece. I've tried it both on the moon and also on closer objects (a chimney 1/4 mile away in perfect daylight) and the image can not be focused sharp with the 8mm eyepiece - and in both examples the standard 10mm is just as good. Is the eyepiece faulty do you think, or something else? Mark.

Excellent!👍

Yes that is my only concern now - how to raise it. I've got a fold-out table I can use - but am not sure it will be sturdy enough: it's solid enough to hold the weight, but any slight touch to the sides (so if there is a breeze, etc) will sway it - as it's for indoor use. Though i may be able to attach a couple bags of sand or something to weigh it down. I was all set on getting a Heritage 130P (when back in stock) over the Explorer, but Mark at Beaufort has suggested another scope - a Skywatcher StarQuest - so I now have that one to consider as well. He thought it may be the better option for Moon and Planets. So it's probably now a matter of Heritage 130P or Sky-Watcher StarQuest-102MC???? But with everywhere out of stock for scopes, I have lots of time to read all the reviews!

Hi Mark, Thanks for the welcome. Yes it would be mainly visual to start with - but certainly in time I would like to try photography (of a basic nature). Yes the main interests are Moon and Planets. (with both myself and the person I am getting it for) I was all set for a Heritage 130....... but now after the scope you have linked I have something else to ponder!! I'll have to read up now on everything I can find about that scope and do some thinking. Nice scope set up by the way.

Hi Neil - Thanks for the info. Yes I would hope to do some photography in due course, but to start with was just wanting a good scope for viewing. I've gone through loads of reviews on youtube, etc, and seem set now to go for a Heritage 130 when they are back in stock. My only concern with it is the small stand - as I read/heard that you have to kneel down to use it. That is certainly out for the person I am getting the scope for (though I will be using it as well). But thought that I can place a fold-out writing table out; presumably as long as it is stable and not moving.

Thanks for the reply. Interesting you mention the 130M - as that was the next thing I was going to ask: standard Explorer 130 or Explorer 130M? (which is £50 more). Is that a really good extra function to have for the extra money? And then if it is - is the 130M also a better option than the Heritage 130?

Hi all, Am new to all this and have been hoping to get someone a telescope for a while now but keep failing to get around to it! After reading loads of advice I see the Sky Watcher Heritage 130P is a popular first scope. Whilst looking at these on the FLO website, I looked at the other scopes and see that there is also an Sky Watcher Explorer 130 (EQ2) that is £10 more. Both are highly recommended on various reviews i've seen, but not sure which is best to go for. The main use for the scope would be moon and planets. Any thoughts, tips, advice on which would be best to go for? Many thanks, Mark.