First Scope

[star blaze]

Hi SGL.

I wonder if anyone can help me choose my first scope. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. My budget is aprox £250/£300. I would like a reflector scope that will enable me to see planets, nebula's, clusters and deep space objects. I would like a computerized scope with a go-to function and I may wont to get in to astrophotography later on so would like it to be comparable. I don't want much do i lol

Thank you very much in advance!!

[Nova]

With the budget of £250-£300 its going to be really tough to get a good starter scope and a goto mount (unless you get lucky and find a good 2nd hand one). In my opinion (and thats all it is) I would not worry about the goto mount and spend the money on a good starter scope. Being new to the hobby myself I am only relaying the advice I recieved when I was looking to get a scope. In the end I dithed the idea of goto for now and plumbed for this

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 150P EQ3-2

As you can see the goto mount ramps the price up a bit but with the EQ3-2 mount you can upgrade to goto at a later date (or like me add a dual axis tracking motor). But so far I have loved learning the night sky for myself using the EQ mount and have no plans yet to upgrade to goto. The 150P is a great all round scope but I believe leans more towards the DSO observing but the planets I have seen so far have been stunning. If you wanted to see planets even better then this scope

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150pl-eq3-2.html

with its longer focal length might appeal more. Its really all about personal prefferance and everyone will have a different opinion there isnt really a right and wrong

[ronin]

I would suggest similar but choose the 150PL over the P, and get the EQ3-2 with a set of motors.

And forget Astrophotography, (except in a very basic form)sorry.

AP is a specialist area and a good set up can cost £15,000, even a "basic" set up can be £3000-5000. Have a look up an EQ6 mount with a goto system, that is the start point. AP is usually done with APO scopes, there is a new WO scope out that looks good for AP, that is £680-700 (good price). Get the idea of the cost?

An alternative, to the 150P(L) may be the Evostar refractors on the same mount, depending on the cost.

You are not going to get everything, so I suggest starting out with a system that you can use for some time to learn what it is that you want.

Have you dropped into the East Midlands Observers Group? Could be worth while making contact.

[virtualpilot45]

I chose the 150P. 'Faster' (lower focal ratio) scopes are more difficult to collimate but they do have great fields of view and have brighter stars. If you want to do astrophotography with it, it slowly gets more expensive.

Moon - Just hold up your camera and snap away

Planets - A camera tripod is very helpful

Star Clusters - Camera tripod a must

Bright Nebulae - Skip the tripod and buy a telescopic afocal camera adaptor, and make sure your camera has nice long exposure times, possibly a motor drive

Bright Galaxies and Globular Clusters - As above, but definitely a motor drive.

Dimmer Deep Sky Objects - DSLR and motor drive

Really Dim DSO's DSLR, motor drive, guide scope, guide camera and a lot of patience.

I have provided links to all the simplest accessories I have mentioned

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Universal Camera Adapter

First Light Optics - Single-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ3-2

[star blaze]

Hi guys,

Thank you for all the information!!! I have had a look at the links and I think I like the 150PL (simple because it say it will be better for planets) I cant see any mention of a tracker though.

Is the 150PL fully manual?

What are these motors ronon has mentioned? Would that turn it into a tracking mount and would they be easy to fit?

I understand a go-to will mean loosing some scope power for my money but I am concerned about having the power to see the objects but not being able to find them. I think I would get more enjoyment out of actually finding the objects rather than looking for them. I know looking for them is part of the fun but I have a pair of 20x80 bins and I do get a little frustrated when I can't find the objects I want.

I am thinking maybe to invest in a go-to mount with as best a scope as I can get with my budget and then upgrading my scope in the future. At least that way I will still be getting to see speculate objects?? maybe

If we forget the photography for now then (or at least until I can remortgage my house lol) What would you say is the best scope with go-to mount in my price range please? I have been recommended this one

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 130P SupaTrak AUTO

What do you think and is there something else I should consider?

Thank you all so much for all your help!!!!

[brantuk]

It's a good idea to forget the imaging for a bit while you learn the astronomy side of things. Imaging is a big learning curve. The 130p that Doc suggests is a great little starter scope, but it's alt/az which will limit you to snapping planets/moon only.

You could get great results if you can stretch the budget a little and go s/h. You can get a manual EQ5/CG5 for around £100, new motors from FLO would be about £95 (dead easy to fit), and pick up a 150P or 150PL ota for around £100.

You'd have a much more stable equatorial mount for starting imaging (when you're ready) that will take several ota's (look at Maks and Sct's also) and be upgradeable to goto when you have saved a few pennies. Built up in bits like this, as and when you have the funds, can be a lot of fun and more satisfying in the end.

Just ask if you need any help/advice with anything along the way

[Nova]

the 150PL on an EQ3-2 mount is fully manual as standard but for around £95 (as mentioned above) you can buy a dual axis (RA and dec) motor drive which will track objects you align the scope to by automatically moving the scope to compensate for the earths rotation. Mine arrived today and its a doddle to fit. Itching for a clear night to try it out now.

The 130p is great but even though you would be able to automatically find objects using the goto (and thats only as accurate as your initial star alingment when setting it up) with only 130mm of apature you may find it harder to see the objects when compared to the 150mm which may lead to frustration. thats not to say that its easy with the 150P either though lol

[star blaze]

Thank you all for all your help and advice!!

OK, I have decided to spend my budget on optics rather than electrics and am sort of set now on the Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian. I have been recommended to get a telrad to go with it but I have also seen a regel.

My question is which is better and which will suit the scope better? I have read lots of reviews and it would seem that the telrad just pips the regel at the post but where is the best place to buy one from as when I search FLO for a telrad it only brings up a regel?

Thank you all!!

[Nova]

imo the telrad does pip the rigel and i will be getting one myself. this is about the best price i have found

Telrad Reflex Finder | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

and there are loads of add ons for it. sure there are loads of other places to get it from

[star blaze]

Thanks NOVA, I will go for the telrod then. I am going to give FLO a call to see what there price is just in case they do stock them and are cheeper or maybe price match. If not I wll order from rother valley optics through your link. Thank you for shareing that with me!! I will keep you posted as to FLO being cheaper or not.

Thanks again to you all for your time and great advice!!!

[Nova]

great. post up how you get on