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Winter's coming and I can't decide, 150 or 200?

the lemming

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the lemming

the lemming

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Hello

Its been a few months since I registered and asked for advice on a first telescope for a complete novice.

At the time I thought I'd sleep on the issue and mull it over during the summer months. Well I have and I still have a burning desire to buy a telescope.

I have a short list of two telescopes, but I don't know which one would be right for me and I would very much appreciate a little guidance.

My two contenders are the Skywatch Skyliner 150 and 200.

The cost has no influence on my choice, I just don't want to choose the wrong one. I've found a page which shows the size of the 200 and I'm thinking, gulp, that's big

http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-reviews/140240-skywatcher-skyliner-200p-unboxing-building-some-add-ons.html

Are there any more pages on this site with images of the 150p that will give me an estimation of size?

I live in a small seaside town with not too much light pollution, but it is still there all the same. So my main question would be which telescope is the most portable with the least maintenance after it has been bumping around in the back of my car or to-and-from the house?

The telescope also needs to be hidden from sight of my other half, because if she can't see it from day to day then it wind play on her mind and wind her up.

Can these toys be kept in the shed?

Lots of questions, I know, but I have been thinking on and off over the last few months and its best not to rush into such a purchase.

Cheers

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Stephen

Stephen

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The 200 is not really that big :) From memory it's 5 foot tall and 1 1/2 foot in diameter when stood on end due to the base.

Maintenance wise they will both be the same. Yes the 150 is possibly more portable (as it's a little smaller,) but the 200 fits easily in a family hatch.

Mine used to live in a cupboard under the stairs, but so long as it's covered and not subject to drastic temperature changes or moisture, the garage "should" be OK.

If money is not the question I would recommend you get the 200.

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todd8137

todd8137

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well they all biggish ,if you go in for one of the two then you should learn to take the spider vanes out and the mirror so then the tube can sit in the boot and the other half on the lowered back seat

learn to collimate asap and then putting in the car is no probs and once you have done it its like ride in a bike

the winter is a little better than the summer but frost cold dew (in some cases) but its niceto be looking on a evening and not after midnight

choose wisely

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John

John

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Both scopes are the same focal length (1200mm) so the tube length's are pretty much the same. The overall "footprint" of the base is around the same size as well as I recall. The 6" is around 6 lbs lighter than the 8". Personally I'd definitely go for the extra aperture if you can fund it :)

You don't need to remove the secondary or primary mirrors - the tube just lifts off the mount in one piece and should fit across the back seat of most cars.

The scopes in this pic are pretty much the same as the Skywatcher Skyliners:

post-12764-133877651238_thumb.jpg

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the lemming

the lemming

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Both scopes are the same focal length (1200mm) so the tube length's are pretty much the same. :

That is indeed interesting to know. If both tubes are the same length then I would be very silly not to get the 200.

Or is there something elementary that I am missing?

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RikM

RikM

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Get the 200. The difference in apperture between 6" and 8" is a noticible improvement. An 8" f/6 is magic. Add a Telrad next to the finder scope to help you find objects. I would be lost witout mine.

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MjrTom

MjrTom

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Yeah I cant make my mind up between a six or eight inch newtonian.

However I am looking at f/5 scopes so the focal/tube length differs between the two sizes.

For dobs you might as well go for the 8 inch as the smaller dobs are 1200mm focal length and its only the focal ratio that changes.

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Damo636

Damo636

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well they all biggish ,if you go in for one of the two then you should learn to take the spider vanes out and the mirror so then the tube can sit in the boot and the other half on the lowered back seat

learn to collimate asap and then putting in the car is no probs and once you have done it its like ride in a bike

the winter is a little better than the summer but frost cold dew (in some cases) but its niceto be looking on a evening and not after midnight

choose wisely

Spider and mirror out to to transport in car :icon_scratch: By the time i'd get all back together and collimated again it would be daylight :)

I would go for the 8'' every time. The actual storage footprint will be around the same for both.

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Beulah

Beulah

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you should learn to take the spider vanes out and the mirror so then the tube can sit in the boot and the other half on the lowered back seat

Why? Isn't it easier to transport as-is and collimate at the destination? And removing the mirrors won't decrease the length of the OTA. They are safer where they are.

I can understand the need to remove the telescope tube from the mount and load seperately, but removing the mirrors? That's the first time I have ever heard that done, except for when people want to clean their mirrors.

With regards to The Lemming's question, I think there is no contest between the 6 and 8 inch Dobsonians. Go for bigger aperture every time, providing that space isn't at a premium. :rolleyes: I have owned both scopes and the 8" is a in different league.

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the lemming

the lemming

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Just noticed one with a motor

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skyliner 200P FlexTube AUTO

Is this too extravagant for a newbee such as myself?

Is the extra £200 worth the motor and magic folding optics?

Quite like the idea of connecting my dSLR to the telescope.

:-)

Thanks for the advice as the 200 is the way forward, especially as both are the same length.

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RikM

RikM

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The motor might be nice, but the folding is not necessary until you get to 12" and forget about connecting a DSLR to it. A webcam for imaging the moon and planets might be possible, but that's about it. For that sort of money, get the standard 200P and a couple of nice EP's instead.

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rwilkey

rwilkey

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Another vote for the 200P, one the most popular scopes ever, just look at all the owners on this forum. As long as you have your health it is no problem to break down and put back up again - 5 minutes, the scope often holds its collimation when transported - from personal experience.

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JamesM

JamesM

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As good as the 200 is, I would save half the amount again and get the 10". Trust me, there's no rush to buy anything but once you have, you'll eventually want to upgrade. My personal view, is that 8" of aperture is the starting point for resolving the amount of detail that makes observing interesting - but only the starting point. Have you looked through an 8" scope? The specifications only mean something when you have established your own datum point based on what you have seen and future expectations. I'm not saying that 8" is not a great start, it is but reselling and buying an upgrade is more expensive. With 50 posts you will be able to access the FOR SALE section soon which will yield you the best value for money.

I like to spend other people's money but as not as much as I like witnessing people's joy at what they can observe. :rolleyes:

James

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