How did you start out?

[RYan2040]

Hi all,

This is only my second thread as i dived in as usual asking for advice on a scope as many people do! (to eager) Just wanted to say thanks to all the people who have commented before.

My mind has changed so many times on what scope to get, as i later want to do ap. From a Skywatcher 200p EQ5 im now thinking of a refractor instead (budget around £400). As im now sitting here waiting for my copy of 'making every photon count' to help me decide, i thought id ask you about your experiences?

So I'll get to the point . I was hopeing some of you may share your stories of starting out, the first views, the fails, the rights the wrongs, how on earth you decided what scope to get! e.t.c?

Thank you all for your time, Noobs would be lost without your help!

[Jessun]

I think you're doing just the right thing just browsing around and getting your head around the various designs and their pros and cons.

First time scope for me? Well I walked into a shop, knowing very little indeed. And I liked the colour of one telescope the SW120 (crazy huh!). It happened to sit atop a HEQ5 which was a lucky strike since it's proven a very, very good mount. This was down in France too so me and the shop keeper didn't communicate entirely without problems....

I put a DSLR at the end of it and made a right mess for one summer whilst learning more and more.

I still make a mess of things from time to time, but enjoy learning more.

The book you mentioned is well worth the wait. It will not answer your question right away what would suit you best - but it will open up areas that you'll want to dig even deeper into as the basis of your upcoming choise. That's when SGL comes in handy!

Good luck with your decision!

[ollypenrice]

Oooof, long story. Studied literature, taught it, always very atheist philosophically, rarely saw many stars other than on holiday. Chance gave me a look through a telescope while travelling in South America, impressed, more reading, some courses, profoundly intrigued by science, some observing, exasperation with UK skies, emigrated and set up shop in astronomy. Rather reluctantly started to image, got to like imaging, got to like it a lot, then more than a lot and am now possessed by it!!

Beware...

Olly

[Moonshane]

hi Ryan

I am a visual only astronomer and this decision came relatively early in my experiences. I tried some point and press moon shots and liked them but it felt like the camera was hogging all the action - I was jealous and hooked on visual. I hope my waffling self-history won't bore you too much.

I have always had hobbies that require optics; birding, entomology and photography and therefore I am fully aware of the benefits of good optics and what I like to see in them.

After a lot of research my first real scope was a 120mm f8 refractor on a CG4 (equivalent of an EQ5 I think). This was a stunning scope to look at and also through to some extent. However, I found that when observing Jupiter in particular, chromatic aberration bothered me a lot as it did with Mars - not so much the moon or Saturn.

Also, I found the equatorial mount was somewhat cumbersome to use and put the scope in awkward positions on a regular basis. With the aperture of 120mm leaving me wanting to see more from my light polluted site, I bought a 6" f5 reflector which could go on the same mount. I preferred the views through this on the whole and decided that I should bite the bullet and buy my ultimate scope at the time a 12" dobsonian. I expected the views to be better but they were ridiculously better than the 120mm refractor on almost every single count. The only exceptions were wide open clusters (which would not fit in the narrower field of the larger scope) and double stars which were not quite as pin-point. That said, much closer and more difficult doubles could be split much more easily with the higher resolution of the large aperture scope.

I decided there and then to sell the refractor and the 6" f5 as it was dobs for me. A few months later, a 6" f11 dobsonian came up for sale and I secured it with a relatively low bid. I made a 400 mile round trip to collect it and it was superb. For planets and double stars it is great and cools much more quickly than the big dob. I made an equatorial platform for it and can now track doubles, moon and planets at 300-400x with only occasional adjustment.

Whilst the 12" dob is great, I hankered after a larger scope and put out feelers for a larger mirror. I secured a 16" f4 mirror, sold my 12" dob and made a dob for the 16". This is my current main scope and will be my last expensive purchase for a long time. It's amazing to use and great even at home - albeit much much better at a dark site.

I have now bought a smaller shorter 6" f5 and have created a portable dob for this that fits into a very small space. It will be great for wide field viewing at dark sites when I go camping etc.

The moral of my story I suppose is that no single scope will do everything and perhaps you need two in order to achieve this. You can also buy and sell used pretty well to build your kit over time - you don't have to have your perfect scope on day one. If I had to sell two of my three scopes, the one I'd keep is the 16" dob. Aperture matters when you are a visual observer.

The key thing to decide if you can is whether you will be doing AP or visual astronomy as this will determine if a mount will be your first purchase or a decent aperture.

I hope this helps but not sure it will!

[Bizibilder]

I started around the time of the first Moonshots in the late 60's, "When I were a lad etc...". Anyway a couple of us at school decided to make our own scopes - mine was a 6" Newtonian reflector (my mate, being "posh" made an 8").

The mirror was ground by hand from a Pyrex blank, the secondary was bought. The tube was PVC air conditioning tube and the mirror cells made from plywood and coathanger wire. The mount (equatorial) was from 1.5" iron water pipes and fittings from the local plumbers store - the "bearings" were the pipe threads ground together with valve (as in motor car engine) grinding paste. The whole thing stood on a "tripod" made from second hand fence-posts and an old oak tabletop. The eyepieces were purchased (Ramsden design, if memory serves - I had two - a 1" and a 1/4", (I still have them!). The focusser was two bits of fibreglass tube that "telescoped" (sorry!) indide one another. This was replaced by a simple helical (screw in) focusser and then a rack and pinion type (luxury!!).

The amazing thing was that it worked - and worked well!! Enough to get an "O" level in Astronomy - grade "A", of course.

[John]

I was inspired by the Apollo moon landings too. I joined the school astronomy club which gave me a chance to look though a proper scope. Eventually I saved up enough to buy a little 60mm refractor but it showed me Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, double stars and my 1st galaxies and I was hooked. 30+ years later I've owned over 20 different types of scope and I've lost count of the eyepieces I've been through

I've not been drawn into the imaging side of things though - I've stayed a visual astronomer throughout.

I've still got my old 60mm 1960's refractor plus a couple of larger refractors and a 10" newtonian now.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Picking a puppy is easier then picking a scope. My first scope the Celestron 90EQ seemed like the right choice at the time but i quickly learned that EQ mounts are too heavy and bulky for me.

I then decided to shop around for something lighter and with more aperture as i didnt see the point in sticking with 90mm. Thats when i found the Heritage 130P. It ticked all the boxes for me.

Then aperture fever really kicked in and i started looking again for something bigger then the 130P which also had to be light to carry. I eventually arrived at the Celestron 8SE (thanks Mick).

Throw in a set of BIG bins and a small 70mm refractor travelscope and thats pretty much my story.

Dont get me started on accessories because i'll be here all week.

In summary: because i am in a wheelchair, there are very few options available to me when deciding on a scope. Portability is the biggest issue. Anything after that is a bonus.

[onesmallstep]

Hi and welcome

Astronomy is a long-term interest and a recent(ish) hobby as I first expressed an interest when I was 7 or 8 years old during the mid-1970s so was probably influenced by Skylab and the Viking missions. I read a few books on the subject and my parents bought me a scope - a 30mm drawtube spyglass aka chocolate fireguard. I couldn't use it at all so stuck with the books, TV progs including Sky At Night, and the occasional naked-eye stargazing session.

Fast forward to 2005, I was looking for a hobby to distract me from work, searched the 'net under my local government website's hobbies page, started under the 'A' section and came across a local astro group who were holding a star party that weekend. Turned up to said SP, was impressed with what I saw so joined there and then. I bought myself some 10x50 binoculars and a star atlas to learn the night sky properly. About a year later I bought my first scope, a Goto model, but couldn't get on with the system so sold that and went basic with an 80mm refractor and 90mm Mak, both used with the Horizon 8115 tripod. Used those for a couple of years then sold them to a club colleague. I bought my Skyliner in September 2011 and haven't looked back since.

Plans for the future include an astronomy course, possibly moving into imaging (I'm a visual observer only atm) and a few trips to astro related events such as the 2017 solar eclipse in the USA, the Northern Lights, and southern hemisphere stargazing.

[Skybrowser]

Whichever scope you pick, it's the right one! Imaging is not easy and it can be expensive to do really well, but on planetary, not so expensive. Some decent deep sky shots can be done with less expensive kit too.

Take your time and pick the scope which meets your requirements visually and image-wise maybe? Also, when you do make a decision, you will always log on to SGL and think you should have saved a bit more, got a better mount, scope, eyepieces, camera, software, etc. etc. etc. etc. It never ends.....

Good luck with choosing!

I started off yet again in the 60s as a kid with a cheapo scope my parents bought be for Xmas. It was only 3 years ago that I returned to the hobby with a small refractor, then on to a SW150PL and now a 200P which I love. Those days, the days of the Apollo missions were very exciting and every kid was into it in a big way. The Shuttle didn't cause anywhere near as much excitement about space as the Apollo boys did.

[Marki]

I loved the stars since I was small, and I guess I was fascinated as a six year old onwards by the moon landings. However, school, girls, music, drink etc., and work all took up my time. I always retained an interest, however, watched the Sky at Night and so on. Anyway, I watched Stargazing Live earlier this year and I thought, why not finally actually get a 'scope and look for myself!

Did some very basic research (not enough, and regretfully not here!) and jumped in and got a fairly large go-to Schmidt-Cassegrain, and bought loads of gear fairly rapidly. Spent perhaps more than I should have or needed to and now I actually use a 100mm refractor (on a non motorised mount) much more, and only one or two of the ep/barlow combinations I ended up with. Whilst I bought loads of kit to help with cameras, webcams, filters etc, I found this all a minefield. Should have got the Every Photon Counts book earlier than I did .

Now I'm trying to get to grip with the basics, learn my way around the sky and how to use the kit I do have better before commiting time/cash to more serious/expensive aspects such as Astro-photography/imaging,

I think you are approaching this the right way. Read more, learn from the experiences people here can share, and then make a more informed choice. But do make a choice soonish . Some fantastic experiences await!

[PortableAstronomer]

I started out with a 6-inch Newtonian in the 1980's, from (what was then) Astro Systems in Luton.

I was into planetary viewing, but read a lot about deep sky objects and observing them, but I never understood why such people would want to see a feeble/faint grey smudge with averted vision. Obviously I had no idea what a truly dark sky was like.

Went to a 10" newtonian, then a 10" SCT, WO Megrez 90, now got the 190MN imaging scope.

Been imaging for about 8 years now. Went through Starlight Xpress HX916, Atik 314L, then QHY8 which I have stayed with. I found DSO imaging immensely satisfying as you have something to show for it, and I still find DSO visual observing immensely unsatisfying even through a 20" dob in a dark sky. I haven't looked through an eyepiece in 8 years.

First views: Saturn through my first 6-inch scope. Then Jupiter. Showing it to others, who were totally unimpressed by "that tiny white dot" when looking through the eyepiece.

The not-so-good: First scope was on an alt-az mount, so the planets were only in view for a few seconds. Very frustrating.

Getting an equatorial motor drive was a big relief.

First DSO views: M13 ( "huh that faint starry smudge ?" ), M31 and M57 ("huh they say those are bright DSOs?") and a few other faint grey smudges, then thought I'd better leave that to the pros with million $$$ telescopes.

First Planetary imaging: Saturn through the 10" Meade LX200 with an SPC900NC. Yes I LX modded it and it still works.

First DSO images: Ring nebula I think, with a Starlight Xpress HX916. Sold it for far too little money, as I saw it get re-sold by the same guy for double the price.

[JamesF]

Rather reluctantly started to image, got to like imaging, got to like it a lot, then more than a lot and am now possessed by it!!

Beware...

Heed this warning. Olly posted (mid last year, Olly?) that he was getting married. Six months or so later he posted that he had moved a bed into his observatory

James

[LukeSkywatcher]

Imaging can be done on a cheap and cheerful budget. The biggest factor about imaging (and indeed observing) is that you are happy with your images/views.

Who cares what the rest of the world thinks. Its a hobby. Hobbies are meant to be fun. They are not about "keeping up with the Jones'".

*No insult meant to anyone here with the surname Jones. Its just a well used phrase*

[JamesF]

And since I joined the thread...

My first telescope was a present from my parents when I was seven or eight, so mid-70s. It was a plastic kit that you had to build yourself and came with a big poster of the moon which stayed stuck on my bedroom wall for many years. As my teenage years turned to twenties so school, exams, a degree, loose cars, fast women, a fearsome party schedule and a few other hobbies consumed my time and astronomy got left behind a little.

Friends have an occasional get-together for a weekend during the summer where they invite lots of people to come and camp in one of their fields, let the kids go a bit "Lord of the Flies" and generally slob about for a few days, cooking on fires, using a "long drop" as a toilet and so on. During one of these a chance conversation with a friend over whether a bright star was Jupiter or not rekindled my interest and I hatched plans to buy a telescope. My wife jumped the gun somewhat and bought me an ST80 on an EQ1 for Christmas that year, after which I spent the following few months hunting DSOs on every available clear night until the scope was encrusted in ice. It all went uphill from there, really...

James

[astrofox]

Well 4 years ago I walked into a charity shop with a celestron SLT 130 for sale without eyepieces. I bought it and realised what fun I had missed since my last attempt at astronomy back in the 1980's

[Quatermass]

I got started in 2010 with a pair of binoculars first then I got a skywatcher 130p had it a couple of weeks took it back and got an eq5 and a 200p. Wanted to get into imaging after using my mobile phone and a rubber band I got my first slr camera and took a picture of m42. After that I was hooked. Still using my eq5 and 200p modded a canon 350d and still really loving astrophotography. This forum has been fantastic made lots of friends and learned loads

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

[ollypenrice]

Heed this warning. Olly posted (mid last year, Olly?) that he was getting married. Six months or so later he posted that he had moved a bed into his observatory

James

Heh heh, but I never said it was a single bed!!

Olly

[swamp thing]

My Astro interest started with a 50mm refractor bought as a present by my parents when I were but a wee lad.

The first scope I bought with my paper round money was my "Big" (I thought at the time ) 4.5" reflector.

I had this scope for many years. As back then going into teenage years.....yadda yadda we all know what goes on here.

Later in my mid twenties I rediscovered my love of the sky, and the little scope found a new lease on life for another couple of years, until finally I decided an upgrade was on the cards.

[Charon]

Mid pacific on one of my many voyages, I looked up and saw so many stars etc and this moment ignited my passion. Take your time on deciding on what telescope to buy, try to go to a star party and see for yourself what type of telescope would suit your need.

[lucjam]

Hopefully this may help you:

I received a 70mm Travelscope for Xmas last year which was only supposed to be for our camping trips in the summer but after seeing Jupiter and it's moons in early January I got a bit hooked and spent three months with TLOA learning the sky. I was tempted during the first few weeks to splash out on a new scope but persevered with my little 70 finding the planets, DSO's and spliting a few double stars which has become "my thing".

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a 127SLT MAK mainly because it suits my way of observing. I work full time and have teenagers that need running around add to that a dog thats needs a lot of exercise and the usual busy life stuff. This doesn't leave a lot of time for observing so for my 2 hours a night I think the MAK go-to should be perfect. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to use it yet due to the weather and a faulty handset.

The best piece of advice I have had was from this forum - the best scope for you is the one you will use the most.

If I were starting again I would not change a thing, my advice (for what it's worth) would be to buy some bino's or a small refractor ( you can always use it later as a travel scope), learn the sky and see if the hobby grabs you. You can then decide which direction to take.

GOOD LUCK.

[starnut]

I'm very new at all this, yes I know the “Brian Cox effect” when I first started to look for a telescope I had no idea what to buy, but had a sum of £400 to play with and wanted a computerised scope I first had a look at the Mak127, but the mount looked poor and unstable and a few members on here also confirmed that so carried on looking.

I then had a look at the Celestron C6-SGT XLT GOTO this was way over budget, but it looked good. It was around about this time the fridge freezer broke bang went my telescope and I said there's always next year......but while searching on ebay I found a Celestron C6-SGT XLT GOTO second hand and only three months old, I put in a bid and won the day.

A week later the vacuum cleaner broke and then the car battery would not hold it's charge so more expense so everything went on hold.

It only came with a 20mm eyepiece so all I have seen with the telescope in the gable on a house some ¼ mile away I kidd you not.

A few weeks later I picked up two BST Explorer 25mm and 15mm from Astro buy and sell and then a week later bought another BST 12mm and a Barlow x 2 from the same place, so nearly there, but I have been in a lot of pain due to a prolapsed disc and still have not used it, but I'm getter there.

[Ad Astra]

Growing up with the Mercury 7, Gemini, and then Apollo inspired me! (I got to see two Apollo launches from atop the roof of a cousin's house 75 miles from the Cape!)

The real hook was set by my parish (Episcopal) priest. His son and I were best mates, and I was always hanging about. Father B. had a "really big" telescope in his office (an 80mm f/12 refractor - I think it was a Unitron) and I bugged him mercilessly for months until he finally relented and took quite a few of us kids out in a dark field behind the church one moonlit night. We all said oooooh! and WOW! a the moon, but my doom was pronounced when I said - "What's that yellow one, then?" Father said "let's see!" and we turned to Saturn.

I was totally lost. The A and B rings with the Cassini gap between and little Titan nearby.... suffice it to say that I stayed out in that field many hours after everyone else was gone. Came back to Earth only when Father came out and said my mother had called the rectory in a panic as I hadn't come home and did I know what time it was? (Everyone else had long gone to bed!)

Father B. is in his 90's now, a Bishop and long retired. His son and I are still best mates more than 50 years on, and I had a chance to see him again last year and thank him for that night so long ago. I'm not sure he remembered it --- but I sure did!

Dan

[SteveNickolls]

Hi, I anguished over my first 'scope (a Celestron 235mm SCT Go-To) as it was the first time I had enough money to look for a decent 'scope that would (out)last me. Time has proved it was a good purchase as my first sight of Saturn got the 'astronomy-hook' into me really deep. I can also gaze at the double cluster in Perseus all night long oblivious to the cold: the beautiful pin pricks of light and the occasional orange-red stars looking jewel like and the mind opened up to the years the light had been travelling just for this sight! On a practical level it's German equitorial mount has allowed tracking whilst using a web cam, cctv camera and DSLR. I have found I prefer to use the 'scope manually for visual observation rather than the go-to mode as I have learnt to move about the night sky and not be reliant on a computer. I have had 'adventures' re-greasing the motor gearing, improving the OTA focus knob, fixing the 'dodgy' power connector to the CG5 mount and replaced the dec and RA markings to improve on pointing accuracy. There is still a way to go with this 'scope: maybe a 2" diagonal and eye pieces for a more immersive look. So all in all a good purchase and 'touch wood' still going strong.