Help Chosing Beginner Scope With Upgrade Opportunities

[russellhq]

Hi, I'm looking to get my first telescope but with starting any new hobby I don't want to invest too much money in case I don't stick with it.

With that in mind, I would also like to think that if I do stick with it then the scope I chose would be able to be upgraded for eventually a bit of astrophotography.

I have 2 scopes in mind:

Skywatcher Heritage 130p Flexitube

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Heritage 130p Flextube

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD

CELESTRON AstroMaster 130EQ-MD Reflector Telescope with Motor Drive buy online | Currys

The first seems highly recommended on this board but I'm not sure how suitable it would be for imaging i.e. is there a motor mount that can be fitted to it?

The second looks like a good deal and comes with a motor drive which should help when I get to the imaging stage.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

P.S. Don't really want to spend more than £150ish

[Bondred]

I have the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD, it is the only scope I have had, and I have only had it a few months.

The motor is very poor and has never worked properly on mine. The red dot finder is also extremely poor and broke within a week.

I have seen what this scope can do, but I have yet to replicate these things. I have viewed Jupiter through it and while it is mind blowing to see your first planet with you own eyes, you quickly want to see it bigger and better. You may be able to achieve this with more expensive EP's, but I would need someone else to verify this for me.

I have tried imaging with it and have struggled, this may have a lot to do with me being a total amateur to photography, but the problems I encounter are as follows:

Imaging the moon has produced the best results for me, I have been using a Pentax KX DSLR. While using the T-mounts and adapters to connect it to your scope, you cannot achieve any focus without using a x2 Barlow lens. Whilst this gets you great views of the moon, it is a hindrance to getting the photos you want to achieve.

I have had a go at imaging Jupiter and have failed everytime, the mount is not sturdy enough to capture a solid image with a DSLR attached to it, and the images I have managed to capture are tiny and of no substance at all, just a round blob. I have actually captured better images by just holding a cheap compact up to the eyepiece and wildly snapping away.

I am sure a lot of the problem is with me and not the set up, like I said before I have seen some fantastic images of Jupiter taken with the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ-MD, but I have no idea how they were achieved.

My problem was I couldn't wait and bought what I could afford at the time, I already want another one.

[Catweazel]

Hi Russell, I doubt that the mount on the EQ is up to imaging, maybe with a webcam?

If you could push the budget a little the 130P would be a nice starter scope, although it doesn't come with a motor drive:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 130P

[Parus major]

It's a reflector for visual now and astrophotography later then a Dobsonian would be perfect for that. Any mount you get with a bundled telescope would be entirely unsuitable for astrophotography so you will need to replace it. This then brings the point that since you want a telescope with upgrade options the Dobsonian gives you a telescope you will be using for years but cheaply.

Tube rings and a mount and you have a very decent astrophotography set up. A 200P/250PX would be perfect.

[Rigel-7]

I'll second the 130p Heritage Dob. SWMBO insists that everying is fully packed after a session so setting up and using the tripod and scope can be a pain when you have limited time. I've been thinking of getting the heritage as a nice portable scope. When you want to upgrade they seem to hold on to their prices too. They sell new for £120 and close to that on eBay.

[russellhq]

For those suggesting the dob, what mount would you recommend going for when I want to start astrophotography?

[Catweazel]

It will depend on which Dob, but you will need an EQ5 mount to get into AP. The 200P may need something more substantial. This is why AP is a much more expensive hobby than just viewing.

[russellhq]

Thanks Catweazel. I was leaning towards the Skywatcher Heritage 130p dobsonian.

[swamp thing]

Hi

I would give the 150 Skyliner a good look if I were you.

This is the sort of stable, easy to use scope that is ideal for finding your feet with.

Regards Steve

[russellhq]

Thanks swamp thing but the 150 skyliner would be pushing the budget just a bit too far.

The following might be ideal for me (as previously mentioned):

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 130P

It also allows the opportunity to add a motor at a later stage if I'm still keen and want to try AP:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher RA Motor Drive for EQ2

[Parus major]

Thanks swamp thing but the 150 skyliner would be pushing the budget just a bit too far.

The following might be ideal for me (as previously mentioned):

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Explorer 130P

It also allows the opportunity to add a motor at a later stage if I'm still keen and want to try AP:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher RA Motor Drive for EQ2

The reason he suggested it was because you mentioned photography in the future and neither of those are capable. The Skyliner 150P isn't on a Dob mount but the optical tube itself is if you remove the box mount and put it on, say a EQ5 and up. If you buy either of those and want to do AP then you really are buying completly from scratch, for the sake of £25, and even more money than the dob if you buy motor drives.

[russellhq]

Thanks Parus Major. I was being a bit thick and didn't realise I could take the tube off the dob and stick it on an EQ mount!

So going for the following would be a great starter for observing that could be moved onto a motorised EQ mount for AP:

First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian

Thanks again!

[Parus major]

No problem. The tube's basically the same as the one that comes as the Explorer 150PL which I went for because of an unfortunate garden wall. In an ideal world I'd have gotten the dob version since I've had to replace the mount for something beefy for Astrophotography.

We've started an unofficial support page for the 150PL which, since it's the same OTA could be of interest to you. http://stargazerslounge.com/discussions-scopes-whole-setups/171668-skywatcher-150pl-owners-tips-mods.html

[russellhq]

I went ahead and got the Skywatcher 150P Dob.

Had my first shot of it last night and was well chuffed

Took this snap of the moon and Jupiter with the phone. Jupiter's not so great but you can see the moons! I had no idea!

[Parus major]

The SL 150P/E 150PL is a class act, that's for sure.

[stevetynant]

thats a great shot of the moon Russell - how did you manage that - what lens was in the Scope at the time?

So far I've tried a few with a small cannon but had no luck to date

[Parus major]

I'd guess at a 25mm. It is a cracking shot.

[russellhq]

Parus is right, I used the 25mm lens that came with the scope and just held the phone camera up to the eye piece. It was blumming fiddly trying to get the shot!

[russellhq]

You can see from the shot a blue edge to the moon. It's visible when observing but I don't know what's causing it

BTW, this was taken from my back garden in the middle of Glasgow where skyes are mighty polluted!