Some advice second-hand telescope for beginner

[midjam]

Hi, guys

I have always wanted to get myself a telescope and have finally decided to take the plunge but, I'm a little over-whelmed. I have found a second-hand meade for sale on gumtree and wanted to get some advice if you have the time.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/meade-model-114900-eq1-b-telescope--used/101875860

Does this look like a good deal and something I could use to get me started?

Thanks in advance.

[midjam]

I have also been looking at these two:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/bushnell-45-inch-telescope/105195655

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/jessops-ta1100-102-reflector-telescope/104218553

Which would be better for a beginner please?

[cotterless45]

Yo and welcome!

I'd go for a Dobsonian. They're easy to set up and use, just take them out and use. It's a great way to start and learn the night sky.

A Skywatcher 150 or 200 Dobsonian are good starters and quite easily transportable.Read whatever you can and dabble in the shallow end before you jump in at the deep end.

This is a super starter book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Practical-Astronomer-Dk-Astronomy/dp/1405356200

Nick.

[midjam]

Thanks for the reply so, none of the below second-hand telescopes would be any good?

[onesmallstep]

Hi and welcome to SGL

The following link is for a primer on choosing scopes.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/639-primer-choosing-a-telescope/

I've had a look at the scopes in your original posts and would suggest the following:

1. Try before you buy as being second-hand you need to know exactly what you're getting for your money, and

2. Avoid the Jessops scope. Even the vendor admits it's little more than a 'toy' scope.

Several scope companies/dealers have a guide to scopes on their websites so check there first. Also, type 'fedastro' into a search engine, this is the Federation of Astronomical Societies which lists astro clubs by area. Check out clubs and socs local to you and ask if they are holding any public meetings or events you could attend. This way you can see which scope suits your needs and make a more informed choice when you're ready to purchase one. Finally, buy binoculars to get you started. The ideal bins are porro-prism design with BaK4 prisms, fully multi-coating on the lenses, and 7x50 or 10x50 mag/aperture ratio. There are several models under £50 and they are an excellent introduction to astronomy.

HTH!

[midjam]

Thanks so, buying second-hand is quite a dodgey affair then. I contacted the meade guy and he said he will take £80 for it, worht the risk?

[John]

I don't think I'd risk £80 on it to be honest. I'd hold onto the cash and save £50 more and be looking on UK Astro Buy & Sell sore something like a Skywatcher 130mm newtonian which is a more capable scope.

It's not dodgy buying used but you do need to take some care as with all things. Hurried purchases are often regretted too.

[todd8137]

None starter for me ask for images of the mirrors shiny on the out side dirty on the inside save some more cash up still 2 months till dark nights are here so I would wait and save for a better scope

just my thoughts pat

[Teslar]

None of the scope you linked to would stay with you for more than a month if you got seriously interested. Try going got a skywatcher ST80 at least that would stay useable no matter how you upgrade. It would also provide excellent views of the solar system

Sent from tapatalk

[umadog]

I wouldn't. The mounts on those cheaper telescopes are wobbly and horrible. It will ruin your observing experience. The first one in particular looks very wobble. The suggestion above for a Dobsonian is a good one. For visual observing it's the standard recommendation. It may not look like what you had in mind when you thought of getting a telescope, but the design is tried and tested and works very well. You get a lot of aperture for you money and a stable mount that is both cheap and quick to set up. Don't mess around with an equatorial mount unless you have a specific reason for doing so.

[midjam]

Wow ok, thanks for all the advice guys seems like I need to re-think this. Was hoping to just buy something second-hand at low price to see if it was something I could get into, get to see some planets and the moon in more detail. Looks like I might have to sweet talk the wife into letting me have more pocket money

[onesmallstep]

Another link for you:

http://www.cpac.org.uk/buying.asp

[umadog]

You may still be able to get a bargain second hand, but I'd suggest you head for the astro-specific sources such as http://www.astrobuysell.com and the classifieds section on SGL (you'll need at least 50 posts to view that). Right now it doesn't get genuinely dark because we're near the solstice. Things will be better in about 6 weeks so there's no hurry. A 6" or 8" Dobsonian would fit the bill very nicely. If you're not in a hurry, try to get to a local astro club to look through their scopes and get a feel for everything. It's really worth trying to buy something reasonable because the very cheap end of the market is full of stuff that doesn't work properly and will just put you off.

[Prador]

Avoid the Meade in my humble opinion. The guy says he has used it a few times but all he would see is a magnified view of his radiator as its mounted the wrong way round

[umadog]

Avoid the Meade in my humble opinion. The guy says he has used it a few times but all he would see is a magnified view of his radiator as its mounted the wrong way round

Great spot!

[midjam]

Funny you should say that as, I have just had another reply saying he would take £70, I have replied offering £60. He says it has been used but, probably not by him as it says this in the ad;

I was given this by a friend and haven't ever really used it or found out much about it.

[todd8137]

I would not touch this scope in any shape or form the only thing you will see is the moon and a few other things ,the planets will just look like dots I would rather spend the original price on a decent pair of binoculars than get that heap of a scope ,the mount will shake for ages and it will really put you of this hobby if your that eager to have a look go join a club

they will let you look at things they may even have a loan scope most clubs do

but if you want it then that's down to our but remember this may ruin you astronomy hobby

pat

[moriniboy]

For a first scope with not a large outlay (£80) ish you can't go wrong with a TAL1 but make sure it has all the original TAL eyepieces, filters etc (junk the solar filter). They are always being sold on eBay but don't get drawin into a bidding war as they are £190 new.

Very capable and built like a tank and will hold its value well, my Scout group use one and they have not managed to break it yet.

For £150 you can get a good Skywatcher 150 skyliner dobsonian, once again another capable first scope.

[Prador]

Might be worth a punt at £60

If you fleabay it after a couple of months you will get your money back for sure.

If you decide to upgrade keep an eye on places like telescopeoutlet.co.uk for cheap new and used stuff with a warranty. As already suggested, astrobuysell.com/uk is a great place to find cheap (and usually well looked after) telescopes and accessories.

Hope the bug bites

[AndyH]

....................Very capable and built like a tank and will hold its value well, my Scout group use one and they have not managed to break it yet....................

I they do manage to break it, surely that deserves a badge?

Andy.

[StarryBob]

Don't rush in, I bought my 200P on a std EQ5 mount for £120 by just searching through local papers and being patient, it had been used twice and was like new. I bought a pair of good quality binos for £25 new in a clearance sale, normally £90. If you are prepared to wait a little then bargains are out there.

[umadog]

Might be worth a punt at £60

I'm less optimistic. There are a lot of cheap things out there which will perform adequately (e.g. a cheap bike to get around town) but a cheap telescope usually isn't one of them. Too many corners are cut at the lower end of the market.

[Prador]

I'm less optimistic. There are a lot of cheap things out there which will perform adequately (e.g. a cheap bike to get around town) but a cheap telescope usually isn't one of them. Too many corners are cut at the lower end of the market.

Whilst there is a lot of truth in that statement I started out with a Konus 114 newt on an EQ1 and some cheap bino's. I had many "WOW" moments with that scope and it is the sole reason I own the kit I have now.

It was in excess of 6 years old when I ebayed it getting £72

For £60 quid it may be a sound purchase for an complete beginner

[glowjet]

I think you will find, summing up the foregoing, a small amount of money invested in a scope, except in very, very exceptional circumstances, is ultimately going to lead to disappointment in the long run and is probably the best case sinario for putting beginners, starting out in the world of Astronomy, off the the subject for good. It is not without the wealth of experience that Astronomers recommend the use of binoculars, to begin your journey into viewing the night sky, while all the time accumulating knowledge until you are in a position to know yourself, which scope you want to purchase, to advance you further into the hobby. If you can curb your desire to obtain a scope in the short term, while accumulating the required 50 posts and being a member for the stated period, you will have the forum Classifieds section at your disposal, you may then be rest assured, that whatever you buy as a used product, you can have total faith in it. It does not take long to achieve your 50 post count and I think you will find the time spent to your advantage. I know what scope I would choose, as a starting scope, but for once I am not going to say, as I am positive you will come to this decision in a very short space of time if you take it one step at a time. Enjoy your Astronomy

John.

[moriniboy]

Reckon they will be waiting a long time for that badge then lol