is this a good telescope for my first?

[M3 Andy]

Hi.

I'm about to take the plunge on my very first telescope and a friend had pointed me to this one.

It's a celestron nexstar 130 slt. (sorry in on my phone and don't no how to put up pics lol) any advice on this would be great.

Thank you.

[M3 Andy]

Anyone?

[jamespels]

Hi Andy,

really depends on what you want it for!

Main choices you have are reflector / refractor / hybrid telescope and equatorial / alt-az / dobsonian mount. As will all things in life, there is no "perfect" telescope and what you want to use it for will have a big impact on what is the best combination for you.

Can you say what your interests are please? Observation, imaging, solar, planetary, deep space objects (galaxies, nebula, etc.)?

A few general rules: bigger aperture is better; reflector is cheaper than refractor; lower focal ration (less than f7, say, is considered low) has more challenging optics and will demand better eye-pieces; heavier mount gives a more stable paltform for imaging; goto adds cost that you could save or spend on more aperture if you are willing to manually navigate the sky; tracking is pretty much essential for all imaging; alt-az mounts are simpler and cheaper than equatorial but will never give a fully staitonary image and are less suited to imaging.

One very major point - lower weight and simple scopes will be used more than heavy, complex ones unless you have an area where you can keep them set up. If you live in an area with bad light pollution, having something you can easily put in the back of the car and head for the hills is very valuable - the best scope in the world will show you nothing if it is stuck in a cupboard!

Finally, if you are not sure and want some (mostly!) imapartial advice, find your local astronomy groups, visit them all, choose one that fits in with your interests and ask. A couple of hours looking through half a dozen scopes, and seeing them in the flesh and talking to their owners will tell you far more then we ever could on here.

Hope this helps,

James.

[rowan46]

Hi andy it depends on what you're paying and why you need those functions. this is the same scope rebadged

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 130P SynScan AZ GOTO

but, I would mot recommend a goto scope as your first one. It sounds counter intuitive but Its better in the long run to learn the sky a bit first.

the celestron and skywatcher 130p are good scopes and you could do worse than get either. but in the world of astronomy apparture is king. You need the biggest scope that's suitable for your needs. For some people that's the 130 for others maybe not. Think about where you are going to use it, how you are going to get it there and how able you are to lift a bigger scope and of course budget. If you are thinking of the celestron 130 my guess is you have around £350 on your budget and for that you could get one of these

Dobsonians - Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian

it doesn't have goto and it's a fair bit bigger and less portable but if you are going to use it in your back garden or drive to a dark sky site this is the best scope out there for the price. it's more than double the light gathering ability of of the 130 which means you can see more and further. post back with some details of where you intend to use your scope and what you intend to see with your scope, eg planets, deep space or both and there will be someone along to give you better advice.

[JamesM]

I agree with Rowan in that the Dobsonian is the better option if observing is your aim. Greater aperture will help you resolve more detail and will certainly allow you to see more. You will be able to image from this type of scope via a webcam and at very bright objects like the moon and planets. Deep sky imaging such a nebula, galaxies etc will require some form of tracking, preferably equatorial. The problem I have with either the Celestron or the Skywatcher 130 options is that firstly they have a short focal length (length of tube) which means that with the eyepieces supplied, magnifications of x26 & x72 (Celestron) or x26 & x65 won't be enough to provide a reasonable view of Saturn and so you will need to factor in the added expense of purchasing a barlow lens. More importantly, the tubes are too long for this mount which will interfere with obtaining objects that are very high in the sky as the backside of the scope will be in contact with the mount. These mount I feel are more suited to a small Cassegrain or Maksutov type of scope.

Hope that helps

James

[M3 Andy]

Hi thanks for the reply's, i should of said what i want it for realy lol.

Right, i live in flats and have a balcony. iv not got much room for a dobsonian so that is out the question (shame realy).

I have a nice big field to over look and not much light around so that should help me.

I mainly want to see the stars and planets up close and start from there.

hope this helps.

[Ad Astra]

Hi thanks for the reply's, i should of said what i want it for realy lol.

Right, i live in flats and have a balcony. iv not got much room for a dobsonian so that is out the question (shame realy).

I have a nice big field to over look and not much light around so that should help me.

I mainly want to see the stars and planets up close and start from there.

hope this helps.

Hi Andy,

I understand your need for a compact scope - the 6" dob stores in just an 18-inch square on the floor - very compact, all the bulk is straight up and it takes very little space.

I've recommended 6" dobs to beginners for years - here's why: Actually, I teach hundreds of people introductory astronomy in both high school and college every year, and for what it's worth, this is how we start everyone out.

My 'workhorse' telescope for beginners is the 150mm f/8 Dobsonian (like the 150P over there, I think). The scope has many advantages:

1. Lightweight and rugged - easy for anyone from young kids to the elderly to use and set up. And you don't have to be afraid to let the kids use it, either. I have an even dozen of these on three campuses, and some have been in service for over 10 years and still work great.

2. Simplicity, simplicity! No gears, no levers, no buttons, no cables, no batteries, no computers, no alignment... NO FUSS. You can learn to point and use a scope like this in minutes, and perfect your technique easily over time.

3. (Almost) maintainence free. The f/8 scope is easy to collimate, very forgiving of small errors, and holds collimation very well. Once properly adjusted, and used with care, you won't need to touch collimation for quite awhile. Keep the dust cap on when not in use and that's it. I live and work in the (very) dusty desert, and I only clean mirrors once a year - you probably won't have to do it for years.

4. Easy to store, Easy to transport. The modest size and mass make it not only easy to move about and set up, but easy to pack into the boot for a bit of dark sky fun at a star party. These take up only an 18-inch square on the floor, so finding room for them is not a problem. EQ mounted scopes by nature need much more space, or must be disassembled before you can achieve compact storage. (Dob scopes have no tripod to worry about, either.)

5. You are paying for optics (and great views!) not for bells and whistles! Since you aren't buying a tripod, EQ mount head, gears, motors, or on-board computers - the dob is a great value. The best view for the money, hands down.

6. Easy on the wallet. Don't forget that you will want to add a few accessories like a wide angle (32-40mm) eyepiece for deep sky stuff and a high power (5-9mm) eyepiece for planetary work, perhaps a barlow lens (magnification doubler), a lunar filter (the moon is incredibly bright in a scope!), a star map, eyepiece case, and a red LED torch for use at night (it doesn't ruin your night vision like white light does.)

Yes, there are some upgrades you may wish to consider:

A) You can go bigger. A 200mm will store in about the same space, and is only slightly bigger physically (although about double the mass). More aperture will give you brighter views, and enable you to see 'deeper' into space to capture even fainter objects. If you have the money, this isn't a bad idea at all. Be cautious though, if you go bigger than 200mm, the scopes get physically large rather quickly! If you haven't gone to a local club's star party yet, NOW would be a good time. Lots of mates there to help you out, and you can see a wide variety of scopes from the very simple to the really grand.

You can add a computer. "intelligent" dobs are available which do not move the scope (no motors), but they do help you point the scope. This can be very valuable in a light polluted area, but be aware that these things really up the complexity and make the learnnig curve much steeper. The good news is that these sort of 'passive' computer systems can easily be turned off, allowing you to use the scope manually. Not so with most GoTo models.

As for an EQ mount, goto system, or astrophotography - let that wait a bit. If you have a nice dob of 150-200 mm, you CAN buy an EQ mount for it later and upgrade if you want to. The conversion isn't hard at all. Astrophotography is an entire new set of skills that require excellent basic telescope operation and astronomy skills first. Add complexity only when you have achieved mastery of what you already have!

I really want you to succeed and have a blast, mate. No need to stress about getting the 'ultimate kit' right away. A nice dob will meet your needs optically - and your need for simplicty and stress-free observing. These scopes also hold their value very well, so if you decide to sell it off and upgrade in a year or so, you won't lose very much. I'm willing to bet you never sell your trusty dob, though. Many of us simply get our 'second' scope to do what the first one won't.

I hope that is helpful, feel free to PM me if you have specific questions - I'd be happy to help.

Cheers,

Dan

[M3 Andy]

Ok then i think this could be the one for me. iv spoke to the misses and she said it could go in the wardrobe at the back lol.

If there's no more suggestions then i will order this toight/tomorrow.

thank you.

[rowan46]

I think you will be happy with that, clear skies and let us know how you get on

[M3 Andy]

Right im going to buy one in the next hour.

thanks for all your help people.

[david o]

Dan's got it all spot on and a 6" or 8" Dob will be great.

The only thing I can add is to say that the balcony won't be the best place to view from - air currents will always be rising up the side of the building and messing with the seeing. If you can, get out onto that field you have in front. The viewing over grass will be so much better.

[M3 Andy]

Dan's got it all spot on and a 6" or 8" Dob will be great.

The only thing I can add is to say that the balcony won't be the best place to view from - air currents will always be rising up the side of the building and messing with the seeing. If you can, get out onto that field you have in front. The viewing over grass will be so much better.

Its a farmer field over the back with a stream between us so i can not do it lol but will take it out if i get chance. im hoping the view from the balcany will be ok for me.

[Ad Astra]

Its a farmer field over the back with a stream between us so i can not do it lol but will take it out if i get chance. im hoping the view from the balcany will be ok for me.

The most rubbish view from the balcony will be FAR superior to anything you get naked eye. And that just means that you will have another awesome surprise boost in performance when you take your new toy outside!

Photos of the new baby when it arrives, yes????

Dan

[jamespels]

Hi andy, what haver you decided to go for in the end? From what you have said, a dob is definitely the way to go - takes up very little space and not too difficult to get into the car or across to that field if you get the chance.

J.

[M3 Andy]

Hi, still not decided yet. It's doing my head in.

The trouble I'm going to have with the dob is that I'm worried it won't see over the balcony railings. I know it sounds stupid but it don't look like it would.

[inksmithy]

It will, definitely.

Alan

[rowan46]

can you see above you or is there another balcony there?

[jamespels]

Any chance you could make something to attach an alt-az mount to the railings? Not sure how solid the railings are but they tend to be quite rigid at the corners.

Just a thought...

[M3 Andy]

can you see above you or is there another balcony there?

There's an overhanging roof above.

[jamespels]

OK, another thought - a newt may not be the best bet at all. If you go for a Mak or refractor (e.g. Skywatcher SkyMax 127 on an alt-az or StarTravel 120 would be about in your budget), the eyepiece is at the "back" of the scope so you can have it pointin out over the balcony. A newt based design has the eyepiece up near the "front" and would need to to set the scope quite a way back on the balcony.

Hope this helps,

J.

[M3 Andy]

Right the skywatcher skymax 127 alt-az looks perfect. It's got everything I need. Unless some one tells me to stay clear of it I will be ordering it tonight.

Sorry for messing you around I just needed all your expert advice. Thanks for being understanding.

[M3 Andy]

Hello everyone. this is what iv finally bought.

Skywatcher Skymax 127 SynScan AZ GoTo (211) - Best Price at Bristol Cameras

im hoping it will bring me many hours of joy!!!

thanks to all of you for pointing me in the right direction.

[rowan46]

It seems that for you apparture isn't the most important thing. It's a very good scope and nice and portable to take away with you. You will need to make a dew shield for it. use an old camping mat and some tape and it needs to overhang about 1and a half times apparture. It will help stop your scope fogging up and prevent light coming in from the sides giving you better contrast.

[M3 Andy]

you got any pic's of one that's been made so i know what im doing?

[M3 Andy]

just looked on google and seen what i need. got some of this stuff in the loft lol.