£100 - what to buy?

[Brentmeister77]

Finally decided on an Explorer 200p on an EQ5. Perfectly timed as it is my birthday next week and I usually get money from relatives to the tune of £100. Any advice on an accessory purchase? Eyepieces, if so which? Or a motor drive? Or anything else useful as I am a complete beginner! Thanks all

[The_PSY3NTIST]

I have the same setup and would recommend the dual axis motors for 95 quid. Saves manually tracking at high mag and means you can concentrate on observing rather than watching a shaky blob that just settles before you have to adjust again

[rowan46]

cheshire eyepiece http://www.firstlightoptics.com/collimation/cheshire-collimating-eyepiece.html

and a book either Turn left at Orion or The backyard astronomers guide or maybe both.

[Capricorn]

Difficult as you will need a collimator about £30,and a couple of eyepieces would be good, 2 of the BST's cost £94, motors will mean that an object remians in view longer and a lot less trouble, about £90.

You will want/need these at some time.

CAn reasonable collimation be done with a home made collimation cap?

If so make yourself one and buy the collimator later.

Motors or Eyepieces really depends on you, if you are happy to give manual tracking a go then drop the motors but they are very useful and as I said will keep things in view while you are looking and that makes it a lot more pleasant.

Motors mean power however so factor that in - simple main supply or whatever.

For convenience motors, is the option I would go for, but check the supply aspect as that could put the cost up.

[LeeB]

its a tough one , collimation can be done well without any aid but you need more time and a good underatnding of what you are seeing. The drives will help, and so will the eyepieces. I'd go one eyepiece 18mm bst £47 cheshire at £30 and save the £23 towards a later motor purchase.

[fredster]

You could get the single axis drive as there's no real reason to touch the DEC once tracking. And a friend uses one of the AE posh dust caps as a colli-cap. The badge pops off to reveal a perfectly sized hole dead centre and its only £2.75. That would leave enough for a Stirling plossl from the States. £22 delivered and no charges. So that's drive for the EQ5, a collimation aid and a decent eyepiece for £100.

[Phil-lost!]

^{I have the same setup and the most useful thing Ive bought is a skywatcher 32mm plossl for £30, made finding dso's much easier.}

[earth titan]

cheshire eyepiece http://www.firstlightoptics.com/collimation/cheshire-collimating-eyepiece.html

and a book either Turn left at Orion or The backyard astronomers guide or maybe both.

Agree with Cheshire and turn left at Orion, although I found my library had a copy.

How about a revelation 40mm eyepiece?

Typed by me, using fumms...

[earth titan]

Or a telrad!

Typed by me, using fumms...

[andrew63]

I'll go left field - if you have light pollution - a tent - then you'll get the chance to really see the night sky with it. Hope you enjoy the new telescope! I think an eyepiece first would be my choice.

andrew

[Brentmeister77]

Thanks all for the advice. Meant to say the collimator is already in the scope budget. Looks like a decent eyepiece it is then. Might try nd sneak the motor drive into the shopping trolley when the boss isn't looking!!!

[cotterless45]

Hyperion 21mm, you know you need it!

Nick.

[Moonshane]

Telrad for sure and a decent star map. If you cannot find anything then you'll not be using the tracking. good scope purchase.

[cotterless45]

Sky and Telescope's " Pocket Sky Atlas" is essential. I'll go with the Telrad, how could I forget the Telrad ?

Nick.

[Ags]

What to buy with a budget of £100?

Probably something costing £200! :-)

[The_PSY3NTIST]

What to buy with a budget of £100?

Probably something costing £200! :-)

So true

[fredster]

Telrad for sure and a decent star map. If you cannot find anything then you'll not be using the tracking. good scope purchase.

Telrad finder charts are all free to download and print. Save some cash there.

[Moonshane]

very true but I got Sky & Telescope pocket Atlas of the shole sky for <£10.

[swamp thing]

Star atlas, red torch and a tank of gas for the car, to get your scope somewhere nice and dark

[pel]

+1 for the motors, but I do image more than view.

Next priority for me would be a Telrad or BST explorer 25mm for finding the objects.

You can colimate to a certain extent with a cap with a hole in place over the EP tube.

[fredster]

very true but I got Sky & Telescope pocket Atlas of the shole sky for <£10.

Hehe i was getting desperate thinking ways to cram things into the £100 budget. But i agree, S&T Pocket Atlas would be great addition. I bought an ex-library copy of the Cambridge Star Atlas for £5, one of my best buys. The downloadable Telrad charts are very good too, especially if you can heat seal them. Make a great set in a ring binder.

[66mikeg]

Best bet in my opinion would be a telrad and the RA drive for tracking