Newbie after a telescope? - But I've only tried one to compare it to.

[crusty]

Hi,

I have scanned the forum and there is a so much informatino here. Like most people here I have always had pleasure and wonder looking up at the skies.

I recently borrowed a friend telescope, I believe it is a Skywatcher Explorer 130 EQ1? (with a 10mm, 25mm and a 2xBarlow lense).It is 130mm aperature and 650mm focal length.

I'm now at a stage where I want to commit to buying one. The one I have borrowed is quite heavy but it doesn't really bother me lifting it out the conservatory and into the garden and I don't really have any intention on going out and using it anywhere else.

I live in Essex, UK so there is quite a bit of light pollution but was still amazed and looking at the moon and Jupiter.

I've just about got my head around the focal ratios and was looking at a Skywatcher Explorer 130p EQ2...which I believe is pretty much the same as what I have borrowed but is longer....which I think means I can get higher magnification but won't show as bright?

I have a few questions really?:

what are the pros and cons of getting a telescope with the same aperature but longer focal length (compared to the one I've borrowed).

I've seen a 2nd hand Seben Big Boss 150/1400 EQ3 Motor Telescope for sale, are these any good?

How will this Seben compare to the skywather I've borrowed? (my budget is about £150 and I'm mainly interested in observing the moon and planets (although DSO would be a bonus after I get into it a bit more).

I don't really need anything compatible to take pictures although snapping up some pictures of the moon with just my mobile pointed down the lens produced some superb images and a friend has a SLR that I borrow quite often so I may at some point in ithe future would like to attach this somehow - presumbably I'd need a motorised mount to do this?

Having seen the Seben in my price range I'd like to go for something bigger than 130mm aperature as I'll assume it will let more light in and allow me to see things better?

And lastly are there any members here from Essex that know of any public star gazing events?

Any help would be much appreciated :-)

[patomlin76]

WARNING: Steer clear of Seben!

Enough info on that on these forums if you search. The Skywatcher will be light years ahead in the quality and optics so don't even touch it!

I have the same 130p EQ2 and find it perfect for my needs. I can't tell you whether it will suit yours. I had to balance budget and aperture, and having compared views between the 130 and 150 skywatchers, the difference in price for me just wasn't worth it. I may have seen slightly more detail in the Orion Nebula and slightly clearer smudges of galaxies, but I had a strict budget. I think you'd need to step up to a 200P to see a significant difference, but that was well out of my budget.

Just... steer well clear of Seben or any ebay 'bargain'!!!!

As far as photography goes, the Skywatcher has a screw-type tripod mount on the rings and you can attach an SLR that way, or you can get adapters to view directly through the eyepiece. For the moon you won't need to track it as it's so bright, 1/250 and 1/125 shutter speeds are fine. You would need to go for a motorised mount if you wanted longer exposures. I've had on-off results using off-axis guiding (tracking a star in the eyepiece while the shutter is open with camera attached to the main body of the scope)

[Jiggy 67]

The two telescopes you have mentioned are the same I believe, the difference between the two is the mount the scope sits on. The EQ2 is sturdier than the EQ1, in fact, Ithought all SW 130's came on an EQ2 but I maybe wrong

[crusty]

thanks chaps :-)

[Dave Dubya]

Crusty, there's a stargazing night in Braintree on Saturday. You're welcome to come along. Follow the link in my sig for more info.

[crusty]

Excellent news, thanks Dave, I shall be coming :-)