Choice of scopes driving me insane!

[Rocknuts]

As a newbie I have sat most nights searching and comparing different telescopes and have (I think) finally narrowed my choices down to 2. I'm looking for a scope which is going to last me as my experience grows. I want to avoid wanting a "better" scope 12 months down the line.

My budget I want to try and keep under £400

I basically want the best scope within my budget to blow my socks off when I look into the eyepiece.

I would appreciate any advice on any other scopes I should be checking out before committing to either of these below.

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Startravel 120 (EQ3-2)

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skymax 127 (EQ3-2)

Also what main reasons do people choose az mounts over eq mounts and vice versa. Can I still star jump etc with an eq or am I stuck to moving in an arc?

Cheers and apologies in advance for asking a common question but I can't find any relative threads.

[bullettooth]

read some good things about the skymax. will be watching this one.

good luck in your new found hobby. hope you enjoy it.

[rowan46]

Your best bet to blow your socks off is First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian

the dobsonion is basically an alt/az mount it's simple to use and doesn't require polar alignment.

The eq mount requires polar alignment is easier to fit motors to for tracking.

In short if you want ease of use and quick set up go for alt az. if you want to fit motors on for tracking go eq.

I should point out that you cannot easily do long exposure astrophotography on an alt/az mount but with an eq mount and ra motor and good polar alignment it is possible.

But the best scope under £400 if portability is not a requirement is the dob I linked to. nothing visually gives a bigger bang per buck.

[Rocknuts]

Yep the dob 200p is a one I keep going back to but in honesty and I know it shouldn't but having to collinate them every time you use it was putting me off getting a reflector.

Is there really nothing to this collimating malarkey and would I need to buy any extra devices to do this or can it be done with just the scope?

[rowan46]

most people use a cheshire collimator. but you can make a collimator from 35mm film holder. It takes a bit of practice to do but there are plenty of good guides online to show you how to collimate and once you've done it it gets easier. With an 8" dob it doesn't have to be done every time, as long as you don't knock it around while setting up and taking down. However once you have done it a couple of times you'll want to do it everytime.

[DOBBY]

Hi Rocknuts... why not pop along to one of the Stargazing-Live events...

loads of 'scopes to look through... & peeps to ask questions of

[dweller25]

200P Dob.....

[lukebl]

I think you'd find the ST120 very limiting - lack of magnification & aperture.

200P Dob for that price is definitely your best bet. Don't worry about collimating. It's really not rocket science and something you'll have to learn at some stage. Takes me 30 secs to check and tweak collimation, and you can get away for ages without needing it anyway.

[Chris H]

When I was looking into getting a scope I kept reading that an 8" Dobsonian was the best bet but I was also concerned about collimation. Eventually after a lot of changing my mind I bought the Skywatcher Heritage 130p, basically a mini Dob. After a couple of weeks I'd got to grips with collimation and also really enjoyed the simplicity of using it, soon after I bought it a bigger brother a 10" Dob and have never regretted it.

The Dobsonian telescope is such a great design you can be observing in minutes you just put the base on the floor then rest the tube on the base and your up and running.

The two scopes you mentioned are good telescopes but the Skyliner 200p is a better buy and at £270.00 it will leave you with enough money for a cheshire eyepiece, maybe an eyepiece upgrade and a good book of star charts and you'll be away.

Just one thing to bear in mind you really should try and see the telescope before you buy.

[Zul]

I go for Startravel

[swamp thing]

Yep the dob 200p is a one I keep going back to but in honesty and I know it shouldn't but having to collinate them every time you use it was putting me off getting a reflector.

Is there really nothing to this collimating malarkey and would I need to buy any extra devices to do this or can it be done with just the scope?

Collimating a newt is no harder than setting up those EQ mounts you are looking at.

In fact after a few goes it's a lot quicker.

Regards Steve

[paul schofield]

+ 1 for the 200p Dob. I know collimation is a worry. Is for me anyway. But for aperture it cant be beaten. I am ordering 200p or 250px on Friday, then having a crash course in collimation on Monday. Good luck with your choice.

[AdrianP]

It gets repeated alot on here (and for good reason) but you cannot go wrong with an 8" Skywatcher 200p and at £270 you will have enough change for a Barlow lens (pref Tal x2). Matched with the 10mm & 25mm eyepiece's that come in the box (which really aren't bad) This will give you a range of magnifications to start you off and really give you the WOW factor every astronomer looks for.

There is a lot of grey mist inbetween the black and white's of astronomy, but the 200p is (in my opinion) the closest you will get.

[todd8137]

hiand welcome from me i have looked at the night sky with both theses scopes, they both give great views esp on planets and the eq will do the job,but at the same star party i looked at the moon with a 200p it looked really good in the 200p but not as good as it did in the startravel but when it came to deep space the 200p burst into life and blew the startravel out the water they both have there pros and cons but i`m .a reflector man ,but my daughter does own a refrator albeit a 90mm ,but it still gets used alot

the only thing about getting the reflector would be you would have some change for some eye pieces and other bits

but the choice is yours am sure what ever you choose the night sky will come to life

[M4lcs67]

ge

[Catweazel]

Hi Rocknuts, I am about to get delivery of my first scope, a Skywatcher Evostar 120 refractor (the longer tube version of the Startravel) and fingers x'ed, will be happy with my choice. I do understand that most folks here seem to vote for 200P Dob, but I chose refractor for simplicity, and as a beginners scope, which I might upgrade in a couple of years. I got it with an EQ5 mount, so that if I decide later that I want a 200P, I can put that on the EQ5 mount.

I must say that I didn't even consider a Mak, but the 127 looks nice too

[Luke]

If you want your socks to be blown off when you look in the eyepiece, then for me you have to consider the 200 dob!

It's got nearly 2.5 times the light gathering power of the 127, more than you might think, so it will let you see many faint deep sky objects more easily.

A smaller scope is great for portability and can be a joy to use (some of my favourite sessions this year have been with a 100mm refractor), but for me an 8 inch scope (or possibly a 6 inch under dark skies) is the magical aperture at which you can see a *lot* of deep sky objects fairly easily (though they won't look anything like the amazing photos on the magazine covers).

All scopes have their pros and cons, portability is a very good feature and size isn't always everything, but if you want the best visual bang for your money and you can live with the bigger scope size, the dob is hard to beat.

Re: collimation, I had a 12 inch dob that I didn't even collimate for at least a year. I should have done it sooner, it was a lot easier to do than I realised, but a solid tube dob should not need to be collimated that often if it mostly stays at home.

Best of luck with whichever scope you go for, and try to enjoy the decision. I find it difficult too to decide, but you are getting a scope, which is very exciting!

[sunshine185]

I also find it odd that a startravel would give a better view of the moon than an 8"dob, wider field maybe, but better? I have put wheels on my dob so I can wheel it from under the stairs to the back door, then lift it out and into the garden, had to give it a slight tweak with collimation just once.

[Rocknuts]

Thanks folks!

I am definitely considering the 200p now. It sounds great for the money and like some of you say, it gives me some change for add ons etc.

Can somebody tell me what height the dob is when it's in it's vertical position on the stand? Just to give me an idea for storage.

Regards

Craig

[swamp thing]

An 8" f/6 optical tube is going to be about 4' long.

So at a guess I would put it around 4' 6".

Regards Steve

[EntropyStar]

For £400 I'd go for:

£270 - Skywatcher 200p Dobsonian

£70 - Celestron X-Cel LX 9 mm eyepeice

£20 - Cheshire collimating tool

£25- Good 2x Barlow lens

£15 - Baader Moon filter or equivalent

At £400 your compromise is optics or GOTO tracking....personally I'd go for the optics...ie Dobsonian.

[sticks]

I just went through all this scope decision business and ended up buying a Celestron Nexstar MAK 127. If you look on the boards here you will see it has a very loyal following. At first use I was a little frustrated with the set-up and allignment process but after a few sessions I can now be up and viewing in <5mins inc assembly. It is very portable and that was the main reason I bought it. The seeing at home is hopeless and we have a holiday home, so the scope needs to fit in the car alongside all our regular packing, dogs etc. I think the tracking facility is the best feature and I value it more than the goto, although not having to keep using a finder is very nice and avoids back pain!

If I were ever to have good seeing at home I would get a 200p with tracking for £455 from FLO. But if, like me, you are on the move a lot, then the MAK has a lot going for it. Do not underestimate the additional costs you will incur over time. You will probably want a better and easier to use finder, better and more eyepieces, barlow, collimation tool etc.

I have found that having a scope has given me views I would never otherwise see but it has detracted from my "general astronomy" interest. If I were to have my time again I would wait longer before buying a scope and really get to know the sky with naked eye and binoculars first. With a Dob you need this knowledge and with a Goto you may never acquire it.... I would also take time to mull over what I wanted from a scope be it observing, astro-photography, deep-sky or moon/planets etc.

This is probs the last piece of advice you wanted - me too - I ignored it. I am happy with my purchase though as I am sure the MAK will prove a valuable asset and many on this Forum have kept theirs even after buying other scopes due to its usability and portability.

[Rocknuts]

Great advice given, much appreciated. I definitely don't wish to be too hasty. I ordered a set of quantum 4 bins from FLO (15x70) 2 weeks ago but they are still waiting for their stock to arrive so until they arrive I'm using the worst set of bins you can dream of (8x35) and a £20 refractor telescope and Stellarium. Its amazing how quickly knowledge of the sky is picked up. I just can't wait for my bins to arrive, but also seeing Jupiter and her moons through a cheap scope has got me pining like crazy for a bigger and better telescope. I know as soon as look through these new quantums, it won't be long before FLO are packing up a scope and sending it to me!

[Nexus 6]

must agree with the guys giving the 8" dob a mention, I have its little brother and the views using it are excellent so guess the 200P will prove itself a mighty telescope and worth serious consideration.