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Just starting out

Bondred

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Bondred

Bondred

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Hi all, I am just starting down this very long and seemingly very expensive route! I have done a lot of reading over the last few days and have taken some of the advice on board.

I really want to get a scope right now, but I am making myself wait until at least Christmas time. Instead I bought myself a very cheap pair of binoculars today and will see if I get along with them first.

The bins I bought are 8x40, while not particularly powerful, I am hoping that they will do a job, I am not expecting a lot for the price I paid for them, but any lens should be better then no lens!

I suppose I am basically asking is 8x40 good enough for now, or should I invest a bit more and get some 10x50's?

Also I am in the process of picking a scope that I may want, my budget is not great, around £200. I seem to be coming back to the same 2 all the time, I am sure the seasoned pro on here can guess which two without me saying, but I will anyways! The two I keep coming back to are the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ-MD and the Skywatcher Explorer 130EM.

I Haven't decided which one yet, to start with I want to do planet/moon spotting. Then move on to deep space later.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Cheers guys.

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breadfan

breadfan

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I am just getting started too. I have an old pair of 10x50 binoculars which seem to show stars and the moon quite well. I tried resting them on a bean bag on a wall top and I could see things much clearer.

I expect 8x40 ones will be good too. Anything is an improvement over just looking with our eyes I guess !.

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cabby

cabby

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I bought our first scope a month ago. You are looking at the same 2 I did, as it was for my son (and me :)) I didn't want to spend to much in case he didn't like it. We ended up getting the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ from ebay (secondhand) as it was nearly new, local to us and £99. There didn't seem to be any difference between the 2 and if you can get a good one you still have money left for other bits and pieces. So far we have had a great time and with the help of some new eyepieces some fantastic viewing.

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Bondred

Bondred

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I am just getting started too. I have an old pair of 10x50 binoculars which seem to show stars and the moon quite well. I tried resting them on a bean bag on a wall top and I could see things much clearer.

I expect 8x40 ones will be good too. Anything is an improvement over just looking with our eyes I guess !.

I am working on making them steadier before I use them, got a few days of cloud cover by the looks of things, but looking forward to it.

I bought our first scope a month ago. You are looking at the same 2 I did, as it was for my son (and me :)) I didn't want to spend to much in case he didn't like it. We ended up getting the Celestron Astromaster 130EQ from ebay (secondhand) as it was nearly new, local to us and £99. There didn't seem to be any difference between the 2 and if you can get a good one you still have money left for other bits and pieces. So far we have had a great time and with the help of some new eyepieces some fantastic viewing.

Have you managed to view any of the gas giants? and if so how awesome did they look? I can't wait to see one. Jupiter is just sat there at the moment waiting to be looked at properly!!!

Hi and welcome from me.

Hello, thank you!

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cabby

cabby

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Have you managed to view any of the gas giants? and if so how awesome did they look? I can't wait to see one. Jupiter is just sat there at the moment waiting to be looked at properly!!!

We are just getting to grips with it at the mo, and finding our way around (when it's clear!!) Been looking mainly at Jupiter and the moon and just moving around seeing what we can find, and when we do trying to figure out what it is!!

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cantab

cantab

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Even though 10x50s will let in 50% more light, I'm not sure how much the views would differ from what you have. Factors like prism and coating quality, as well as how well-made they are, will also come into play; a quality smaller instrument can beat a poor-quality larger one.

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Bondred

Bondred

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i would order now as around xmass time scopes seem to get harder to get and if we get the crazy weather we had last year delivery may be a prob,the sw 130em seems a good choice

I didn't factor that into the equation, sound advice. Any particular reason why the SW 130em?

Even though 10x50s will let in 50% more light, I'm not sure how much the views would differ from what you have. Factors like prism and coating quality, as well as how well-made they are, will also come into play; a quality smaller instrument can beat a poor-quality larger one.

The ones I have really are cheap nasty ones, and I don't expect to see a lot. I mainly bought them in the hope that even cheap nasty ones can give me some views that I didn't even think were possible.

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ismangil

ismangil

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Hi, welcome.

It doesn't have to be expensive, well unless you want to take deep sky photos.

Binocular astronomy is a field in its own right, you don't have to feel you have to 'graduate' to a telescope.

I've only owned and used a 10x50 binocular for the past 7 months, and probably only got a fraction of the recommended binocular targets.

I did went to several local society meeting and star party and looked through different kind of scope. I've come to the conclusion, as most here will tell you, that bigger is better, especially since my observing site is my light polluted backyard.

Therefore if I do decide on a scope it will the biggest practical size I can afford.

In your case, if you have 200 to spend, I suggest consider this: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

Much easier to setup and use than equatorial mounts, larger mirror means more light gathering as well.

Perry Ismangil

Perry Ismangil

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Bondred

Bondred

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Hi, welcome.

It doesn't have to be expensive, well unless you want to take deep sky photos.

Binocular astronomy is a field in its own right, you don't have to feel you have to 'graduate' to a telescope.

I've only owned and used a 10x50 binocular for the past 7 months, and probably only got a fraction of the recommended binocular targets.

I did went to several local society meeting and star party and looked through different kind of scope. I've come to the conclusion, as most here will tell you, that bigger is better, especially since my observing site is my light polluted backyard.

Therefore if I do decide on a scope it will the biggest practical size I can afford.

In your case, if you have 200 to spend, I suggest consider this: First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian

Much easier to setup and use than equatorial mounts, larger mirror means more light gathering as well.

Perry Ismangil

Perry Ismangil

At a push I can increase my budget to £250-£300, there is an 8" Zenith R&D for sale on a certain auction website for £235, worth a punt or stay well away?

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Bondred

Bondred

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You would need accessories like star atlases, maybe better eyepieces down the line so I would say for now don't 'stretch' too much, that will easily be done later :-D

Perry Ismangil

I have found a shop near me that does the SM 130Em for £199, maybe I could try and talk them into a deal with some better eyepieces and accessories included for a price of £250ish

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JimStan

JimStan

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Find a chart of the "binocular Messier objects" on the web, and start looking around. Besides the obvious targets like M13, M31, The Double Cluster, The Lagoon and Trifid nebulas, The Moon, Jupiter, etc. there are DOZENS of objects up there that will amaze you with their views.

Getting to know your way around the sky with a pair of binoculars is the best way, in my books, of becoming a proficient amateur astronomer. Once you know what the field around these choice objects looks like, you can much more easily find them through the finder of most telescopes, and then you will really be rewarded with great views of the heavens!

Jim S.

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nicnac

nicnac

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The supplied ones? They will do the job but there are better ones out there. Like i said before a moon filter is a good investment as is a neodymium filter, cuts out sky glow from streetlights very well (if you have that problem) a decent barlow is good too, two eyepieces from one :)

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Bondred

Bondred

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The supplied ones? They will do the job but there are better ones out there. Like i said before a moon filter is a good investment as is a neodymium filter, cuts out sky glow from streetlights very well (if you have that problem) a decent barlow is good too, two eyepieces from one :)

The eyepieces supplied should Celestron 10mm and 20mm I think, I am looking at buying a 26mm EP, a moon filter and x2 barlow all made by Skywatcher.

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Bondred

Bondred

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Wow, just wow, got a break in cloud and Jupiter was sat just below a fantastic moon. Even with the standard eyepieces I could see the cloud bands on Jupiter and 4 of the main moons.

The moon looked stunning, seeing that much detail was incredible.

No told me it was hard work though!!! took me an age to find the moon let alone Jupiter!! that was a mission!!

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