Am I Cheating

[soots]

I am looking at the Skywatcher Skymax 127 SupaTrak as my first telescope.

However would the tracking system take away from the experience?

It looks fairly portable which is a necessity for me.

Any advice on other similar sized scopes would be very helpful.

Budget £300

[Caldwell 14]

Well loads of folks on here love goto, others can't stand it. Is it cheating, I dunno, seems a bit strong that does really. If its any good to you when I got back into Astro I bought goto, I sold it 3 months later and now use an AZ mount.

[Rob L]

The supatrak just tracks the motion of the stars, it doesn't have goto.

[soots]

Thanks. Is it portable?

[Cornelius Varley]

Cheating, enhancing, making it easier. Who knows. Personally I don't care. The mount is there to support the telescope. At the end of the its just a mount. I have had just a much fun with a telescope on a goto mount as without one. I don't feel that I am cheating.

Peter

[JonF]

Go to cheating? No. Next question?

[MorningMajor]

You can only cheat in a competition - this is a hobby enjoy it any way you like!

[Rob L]

Thanks. Is it portable?

Yes it is very portable, however the supatrak you've quoted doesn't have Goto. The goto version is about £365.

I'm not suggesting you need goto but I get the impression that's what you mean't by "am I cheating?"

[Caldwell 14]

The supatrak just tracks the motion of the stars, it doesn't have goto.

I stand corrected

[Catweazel]

Not cheating, go for it

[Cjg]

You can only cheat in a competition - this is a hobby enjoy it any way you like!

+1 for that answer - is awesome

[Squagnut]

Yes, it's cheating and I'm going to tell on you and then you'll be in big trouble!

Heheh, it's cheating only if it's against your own rules. The sky is there - how you look at it is up to you. It's useful to know telescopy and astronomy terminology and principles, but the enjoyment of gawping at space things is for everybody.

There are astronomy purists, of course, but no astronomy police (except for dealing with light pollution ...).

[barkis]

The Goto element of a mount, is more advantageous to an Imager than an observer. It makes locating a target quicker, which is desirable when the weather is likely to interfere in your session, at least your not wasting too much time searching for a faint target.

Goto in relation to an Observer, is not so essential, although I know that will generate disagreement.

If a newbie is able to find subjects too easily, he is more likely to just look at it, instead of really taking time to study it. He will like want to rush off to the next one, and so on. I've always been an advocate of learning to find objects using the constellations brighter stars. There is always a path to follow to guide you to the location of a faint DSO.

Having said all that. What anyone wishes to buy, is their own choice.

Ron.

[Brent]

Uh-oh, here we go again - prepare for a 10 page thread!

Back in a minute, just going to get some popcorn

[soots]

Maybe for a holiday etc

[The_PSY3NTIST]

I've lived without goto for 2 years and since getting it on my grab and go I have seen more in 2 months than I did in 2 years plus I know where things are now to point the 200p. I'd say it's a great tool for a newbie. Helped me no end

[rowan46]

Not all people who look at the stars are astronomers some like me are stargazers I have a smattering of the science but basically I am a stargazer I like to look not necessarily study. For me knowledge is useful in the sense that it informs me of what I am looking at and how to do it but I'll leave the quest for knowledge to those who are a lot brighter than me basically I just like to look at the pretty things in the sky. that's why i like goto.

[Tinker1947]

I had a Meade with GoTo and it made life very easy, my present set-up has never be set-up as a GoTo system , i find it more interesting finding DSO ect without and CPU help, No your not cheating but you are losing out on finding stuff and the little tingle when you see the grey blur and its all your own work..