Telescope question?

[Ellie_86]

Hi everyone, I'm on a bit of a limited budget at the moment but I've been desperate to get my own telescope for some time I saw a Celestron PS76 700mm Newtonian Reflector in a well known high street store for £139 and I was wondering if there's any point in going for it? I've read somewhere that some of the cheaper scopes are really no better than binoculars. I'm interested in seeing the moon, jupiter and saturn in particular and I've just watched a video with Patrick Moore who suggested that refractors may in fact be best for that kind of viewing!?

Thanks in advace for any advice.

[LeeB]

Hi for £139 I would get the skywatcher 130 dobsonian on www.firstlightoptics.co.uk s site, bigger better mirror and even if you do go bigger later its still a super highly portable telescope.

[LeeB]

Hi better link for you http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

[John]

Hi and welcome to the forum !

There are much better options than the Celestron PS76 for your money. LeeB suggests a good scope which is much, much more capable. Here is a link to it:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

If you would prefer a refractor, here is a good one at around the same price:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/evostar/skywatcher-evostar-90-az3.html

Again, much more capable than the Celestron 76P.

[crazyjedi]

Most scopes found in high street stores are not the best for the money. The above mentioned SW 130 is a more capable scope and a well thought of starter scope.

Welcome to the forum by the way :-)

[onesmallstep]

Hi and welcome to SGL

You might want to contact a local astro society and attend a meeting and / or public astro session. Below is a link to the Federation of Astronomical Societies:

http://fedastro.org.uk/fas/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=8

HTH!

[Ellie_86]

Thanks so much for the replies, I'm so glad I asked and didn't waste my money, I love the design of the 130 dobsonian and can't wait to get hold of it, while I'm waiting I'll just continue with the planisphere and get to know the sky a bit better.

Thanks for the link to the astro societies as well, it appears that the Irish Astronomical Society meets at my University which I'm leaving next week after handing in my MA thesis. If I'd only known such a thing existed before! Ah well the membership is quite reasonable and it looks like there are some interesting lectures coming up, better late than never.

Again I'm so grateful for all the advice. Look forward to being more active in the forum when I get hold of the scope very soon.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Celestron PS76 700mm

If i am not wrong, this means the scope has a mirror of 76mm and a focal length of 700mm

????????

In my experience (limited), it does seem a tad underwhelming.

If money/cost is an issue then you could always go for a 130mm Skywatcher Heritage Dob scope. Dobs offer you the biggest "bang for buck" and the Heritage is just about the cheapest and offers big "bang for buck".

It comes in different formats:Dob,EQ..............

iT ALL DEPENDS ON PREFERENCE.

Do you want a "Dob" or a "EQ" mount. Optically both scopes are identical.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Thanks so much for the replies, I'm so glad I asked and didn't waste my money, I love the design of the 130 dobsonian and can't wait to get hold of it, while I'm waiting I'll just continue with the planisphere and get to know the sky a bit better.

Thanks for the link to the astro societies as well, it appears that the Irish Astronomical Society meets at my University which I'm leaving next week after handing in my MA thesis. If I'd only known such a thing existed before! Ah well the membership is quite reasonable and it looks like there are some interesting lectures coming up, better late than never.

Again I'm so grateful for all the advice. Look forward to being more active in the forum when I get hold of the scope very soon.

You decided on the Skywatcher Heritage 130P?

Great scope.

[crazyjedi]

Celestron PS76 700mm

If i am not wrong, this means the scope has a mirror of 76mm and a focal length of 700mm

????????

In my experience (limited), it does seem a tad underwhelming.

If money/cost is an issue then you could always go for a 130mm Skywatcher Heritage Dob scope. Dobs offer you the biggest "bang for buck" and the Heritage is just about the cheapest and offers big "bang for buck".

It comes in different formats:Dob,EQ..............

iT ALL DEPENDS ON PREFERENCE.

Do you want a "Dob" or a "EQ" mount. Optically both scopes are identical.

Yes it really is a Newt with a 76mm mirror and 700mm focal length giving it a puny mirror (and associated low light grasp) and a focal ratio of F9!!

It is the sort of scope that puts bigginers off astronomy

[Scott]

heritage 130p is a great scope. its so portable and if you can get it to a dark sky it'll outperform a 200mm in light polluted areas. if this is the one you go for you won't be dissapointed. Just don't expect to see magazine type views coz it just doesn't happen.

Scott

[valleyman]

Great choice for your first scope.

Now looking forward to hearing from you with your first light viewing report.

welcome to SGL

Pat

[crazyjedi]

heritage 130p is a great scope. its so portable and if you can get it to a dark sky it'll outperform a 200mm in light polluted areas. if this is the one you go for you won't be dissapointed. Just don't expect to see magazine type views coz it just doesn't happen.

Scott

This is true. Many people expect to see hubble type images when they look through a lens but this will never happen even if we have the biggest Dob to look through.

The problem isn't with our kit but rather our eyes. The cone cells in the human eye Which detect colour) are not sensitive enough to detect the tiny amount of light that a telescope can deliver. The rod cells (which detect light and shade) are sensitive enough to detect the light from a telescope hence we see the wonders of the night sky in black and white.

Luckily for us the sensors of a camera are far more sensitive and can have images multi layered providing far more detail and colour.