first scope advice

[heatybob]

Hi all,im sure this Q has been asked before but i am going to buy a scope after years of promising to do so,herein is the problem which one?

i dont at this point want to spend much over £100,and was looking at several celeston scopes notably 70eq,76eq 90eq 114eq,i THINK i am right in saying that some are reflector and some are refractor instruments,i enjoy photography and own a sony dslr camera,and would maybe like to take some photos at some point(though this is not realy any priority atm).So peeps which should i get,and why,or maybe there is another scope i should look at.

many thanks in advance,oh and congratulations on a great site,sure ill be spending time on here in the future.

Tnx again

Ged

[dav1d]

My advice would be to go for the one with the biggest mirror (if you're going for a reflector). Big mirror = big light gathering power. Ignore magnification claims when shopping around.

The mount is as important as the scope & for the money, you can't go wrong with a DOB.

Lastly - Stay away from eBay

[dav1d]

Also, be aware that these scopes are probably too light to support a DSLR without it severely affecting / toppling them. You'll need to either position your camera near to the EP and hold your breath, or use a webcam.

[DOBBY]

Hi Ged... & welcome to the forum

You need a sturdy equatorial mount for astro-photography... & a complete set-up is unlikely to come in at much under a grand...

In all honesty...you are unlikely to get a good tripod & mount for £100..without the 'scope.

Grab a cheap pair of bino's from a charity shop or car-boot (try before you buy) & download Stellarium it's a freebie & very handy tool to have...& save for a good 'scope while learning your way around the night sky with the bino's

[heatybob]

thanks for the replys guys,firstly David why keep away from ebay,and what is a Dob,i take it you mean the type of mount?.Dobby i think i maybe a little too impaitent to wait however i will take up your advice bout the bins as i have a set,and have just downloaded stellarium and will order a copy of TLAO or is it R lol,however just back to the OP can you or anyone recomend any of the scopes mentioned or any other to get me started,i can upgrade if and when the time comes.as you rightly say i want to be able to find my way around the sky first.again thanks guys

[dav1d]

the eBay question is simple. If you're looking at a Buy it Now for a good scope which you can buy from a reputable retailer, the chances are that you'll be paying more on ebay than you would if you bought it direct from that retailer. Also there's a lot of dross on there which no reputable retailer would stock. These do tend to have big numbers and big mirrors / lenses etc, but the quality can be appalling.

The astro forums are full of first time buyers weeping over their Seben or other generic ebay scopes. I've never tried one personally, but the anecdotal evidence and disappointed reviews are out there.

In short, it's very difficult to get a good scope for a bargain price on ebay - even if you know exactly what you're doing & have a clear idea of what you're looking for.

Yes. I mean Dobsonian mount - they're easy to set up and just point at something. Also, they're incredibly portable.

How much over the £100 mark can you go?

Obviously, I'd recommend my own scope - which I reckon is wicked, but it's about £140 & others may recommend other scopes which may suit your needs better

edit: For an example of ebay astro gear being sold for more than they're worth, check Here for a heart-warming tale

[DOBBY]

they all come on the cheapest rickety tripod going..which there are threads on here as to how to repair them when they fall apart...We've all been there on the no-patience bit...but this could well be £100 down the drain time.

As Dav1d said...look at 130mm on a reflector as a good starting point...some good views to be had with these..& more likely to kick-start a long term hobby

[Tribal-Wolf]

I would look at second hand stuff, there is a lot about and still some bargains. If you see something you like come back here and ask about it first so that you don't buy a lemon.

[Tinker1947]

Your astro mount really needs to be a HEQ5 for 8" reflector or a NEQ6 for a 10" reflector, thats around £1000 or £1500 with a couple of odds and ends PSU ect....there are cheaper ways a EQ5 but if your going the autoguide route a little later your be sorry you never went for either of the first 2 mounts there sort of future proof, anything else will in the fullness of time need modding or updating.

[ollypenrice]

Just forget the photography. It is out of the question on that budget and risks messing up your decision.

Stick to visual and a Dob is the absolutely certain winner on all counts.

Olly

[heatybob]

thanks guys,right in order,

David- I appreciate where your coming from regards e-bay,I do a bit of fishing and see this overpriced stuff all the time,on top of witch i would sooner pay a little more and buy local.The £100 is not set in stone if i can get something that someone as yourself thinks is "wickid"for £140 then brill,thats what i wanted to hear(or is that just the mount?).what would you recommend.

Dobby,again thanks what about this Sky-Watcher Explorer-130 (EQ2) Newtonian Reflector Telescope (10922) - wex photographic

sorry Dobs dont know if that cut n paste thing worked link looks a bit long to me!!!!!

TW-another great piece of advice and one that i shall always bear in mind(though you may get fed up with me)

Tinker-thanks for taking the time to reply but whilst realy not wanting to sound rude which i NEVER would i just dont understand what your talking about:confused:.

So guys again thanks and by the way I WOULD do the same as the guy on e-bay.

[RikM]

Something like this: First Light Optics - Skywatcher Heritage 130p Flextube or even better this: First Light Optics - Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian

Either of these would give you a great start to visual astronomy. As said above, the stability of the mount is at least as important as the light gathering ability of the optics. Dobsonian mounts are particularly stable and easy to set up and use. If you can't point your scope where want, you are not going to be able to see anything.

[Scott]

i know this is over your budget but i think it would be a good place to start.

good luck with your search. it can be very confusing. i know i was/still am

Skywatcher Heritage 130p Flextube£135.00

scott

[heatybob]

what about Sky-Watcher Heritage-130P FlexTube Dobsonian Telescope (10213) - wex photographic

or similar,

[heatybob]

thanks Rik and Scott just seen your replies,i think with the help of you guys im getting somewhere (thank god its cloudy).i dont want to be pushy but why are the Dodsonion mounts better or am i missing something ?

[ismangil]

Hi,

For under £100 I would recommend binoculars first, it is already significant upgrade from naked eye.

I was at your situation last year, not wanting to spend much in case I don't latch on to the hobby.

Only when I'm sure my observing style I went on and got a Dobsonian 8".

If you do want a scope, have a look at 76mm Heritage mini dob.

That's a real telescope, and you have money left to get Turn Left At Orion so you know what to look for in the sky and how it will look in the eyepiece.

Perry on mobile (so blame strange words on text prediction!)

[Scott]

the reason i sugest a dobsonian is that if you get a telescope on a tripod for around the £100/£150 mark it will probably be quite shakey whereas the dobsonian will be much sturdier and with a dob most of your money goes toward the scope. thats just my opinion

[Scott]

i know a lot of people like binoculars, but i simply can't use them. i'm not steady enough and they make me feel nauseus (can't spell). i find myself looking through 1 eye.

[RikM]

i know a lot of people like binoculars, but i simply can't use them. i'm not steady enough and they make me feel nauseus (can't spell). i find myself looking through 1 eye.

Me too for extended viewing, so I bought a little ST80 and stuck it on a camera tripod. It works well for widefield low power views.

[Tiddles]

The Dob (Dodsonian) mount is a simple left right/up down (AltAzimuth) mount. It is cheap for manufactures to make but offers unparalleled stability. Money saved in the mount means more money spent on the optics.

Also next to no set-up time, you can be viewing in minutes.

[Scott]

If you have an astronomy club nearby it might be worth your while to go along and have a look, talk to owners, most people will be happy to help and you'll probably be able to have a look through their scopes. might help you to decide. try not to be too impatient, its one of my downfalls.

[Scott]

Me too for extended viewing, so I bought a little ST80 and stuck it on a camera tripod. It works well for widefield low power views.

glad it's not just me then. lol

[dav1d]

what about Sky-Watcher Heritage-130P FlexTube Dobsonian Telescope (10213) - wex photographic

or similar,

That's the one HeatyBob. I think a consensus is approaching here.

Scopes and skies do the same model for a fiver less & with a 2x Barlow (although the Barlows are out of stock at the moment)

As auspom said, Dobs are sturdy and simple. They're also easy to set up & lug about. It's just point and go.

[RikM]

Make sure you check the supplier reviews section before deciding where to get your new scope. Some suppliers have a much better reputation for good service than others!

[Tribal-Wolf]

That's the one HeatyBob. I think a consensus is approaching here.

Scopes and skies do the same model for a fiver less & with a 2x Barlow (although the Barlows are out of stock at the moment)

But they may send you a plastic bucket and a banana or a drain pipe and a whistle. ALLEGEDLY lol