Getting started Kit

[puyolsbarnet]

Hi,

I am currently thinking about investing in my first telescope so was just wanting some advice. Looking into it, I think I am kind of torn between the Skywatcher Explorer 130M or the Skywatcher Explorer 130P.

Couple of questions, is it worth getting the motorised version? I know it doesn't do GOTO so is there much point? WOuld i be better spending the money and getting the parabolic version?

What other things would I need to get going? Would it be essential to get a Barlow and additional eyepieces off the bat, or are these best left a bit later?

I'm basically looking for a general purpose scope to get started with an learn on. I don't think DSO's etc will really be possible for me as I live in Scotland, and in a built up area lol

My budget is kinda capped at £200, don't really want to go any higher than that just now.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[xarcane]

Hi there

I have been asking the very same questions as i too am getting my first scope. others on here may well give you better advice Here are my thoughts and summary from the advice given to me.

• It is worth getting a scope without a goto system for a number of reasons
  

1. you learn the night sky on your own and it is more rewarding when you find objects
   
2. you will get more for your money if you dont buy a goto system
   
3. you can always add a goto system after
   
4. you will probably stick at this hobbie longer if you learn as you go
   

Items to consider -

• David Chandler Night Sky Planisphere
  
• Collimating Eyepiece
  

Also i know you are in a buily up area but don't dismiss a Dobsonian scope, plus it is easier to find your way around the night sky with one of these.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

If you want to go for a reflector on a EQ mount then perhaps as you say

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130p.html

[xarcane]

sorry should say built up area not bully lol

[LukeSkywatcher]

Personally, i would go for the parabolic mirror.

[rowan46]

I tried both scopes once back to back and to be honest there wasn't an awful lot in the views on either. The view in the 130p was a little wider and stars seemed a little tighter. however the view from the 130m was quite acceptable. Of course the 130P is only 2/3 of the length which means that the mount handles the scope that little bit better

[breezy]

With the eyepieces maybe just stuck with what it comes with for a bit , practice using the scope and learning the sky . It's very very very easy to get into the I must buy mindset .

I'm constantly fighting with my wallet over new ep's and other bits - especially as your scopes gonna come with a free cloud in a box .

[paul schofield]

+ 1 for going parabolic. The 130p is a great scope to be getting going with, and a motor could always be added at a later date if required. Also not all DSO's would be out of reach to you in your location. I would have a look at dobs too the 150p would be worth a look at £218 from FLO and only slightly over your budget the extra bit of aperture would make a lot of difference. I started out with the 130p and it is a great scope all round, but given the opportunity of buying my first scope again I would of gone for the 150p dob. Good luck with your choice, the 130p and 150p dob both = a great starter package.

[jnb]

My gut response would be that unless you want to do photography then there's no loss in not having motors. I suppose the same argument could be made that in that case you could just go with a dobsonian which saves a lot of money. If you might do photography then consider a mount that you could motorise later.

[puyolsbarnet]

Great advice guys thanks a lot

I'll do a bit more sniffing around when I get home lol and xarcane I was thinking the exact same thing, that's why I was trying to a goto scope

[puyolsbarnet]

Great advice guys thanks a lot

I'll do a bit more sniffing around when I get home lol and xarcane I was thinking the exact same thing, that's why I was trying to avoid goto scope

[cantharis]

A RA motor drive, which will allow you to track the object you are viewing, doesn´t coat a lot and can always be added later. Get the parabolic mirror.

[cantharis]

Sorry - doesn´t COST a great deal.

[Catweazel]

+1 on the parabolic mirror, you can often pick a motor up 2nd hand for around £50, so it;s easy to add one later. The 130P will be a great scope for learning with, and is still small enough to be portable, so you may be able to get out of town and see some of those brighter DSO's after all.

[JamesM]

Of the choices offered I too would go for the 130P and add motors later on. Paul Schofield's suggestion of the 150p is a better alternative though I have a suggestion of my own to make that hopefully will help and not hinder your considerations. First off, I wouldn't buy anything until I had gone along to a couple of public observation sessions that are typically organised by your local astro club or local observing group. I say this because all the specifications and data that you can read about (including helpful suggestions from us here) won't mean a thing unless you have established your own datum point from which to measure your own expectations. When you have looked through a couple of scopes, it won't be long before you will be able to make up your mind of what you really need and by that I don't mean some great monster scope, as I respect the fact that you are going to have to manage your expectations within the budget you have set for yourself. During this time of observation, my suggestion would be to save a little more and go for a dobsonian, namely the Skywatcher 200P (£289) which is the UK's best selling scope and listed below are some good reasons for doing so.

- Great size of aperture and in my opinion the size of aperture that provides a lot of resolution (detail) that will sustain your interest in the longer term which is important for those starting out and who are frequently let down by the performance of some of the scopes out there.

- Avoid the need for interim upgrading (which costs more in the longer run) by obtaining a great scope right from the start.

- Should astronomy not be for you or you wish to upgrade to an even larger scope, the 200P being so popular, will hold its value well and offer a good return on your initial investment in the used market because it is not seen as a starter scope.

- Being a dobsonian scope, it sits on a more reliable platform (dobsonian alt-azimuth mount) than the cheaper equatorial mounts, which I personally have found to be a little 'twitchy' as every directional movement you make takes a while to settle down and in my view

undermines the quality of the scopes that sit on them.

- Should you in the future want to go down the equatorial mount (goto or motorised) route, it is very straightforward to transfer this scope to one these mounts thus extending your original purchase as your interest and experience grows.

One other consideration should you decide to perhaps even join your local astro club having attended one or two of their observation sessions, and that is that many of them have a number of scopes that can be lent out to members for a period of time. Not only might the use of such kit be in itself a useful research exercise in deciding what scope to get, but that it might also satisfy your initial desire to own a scope whilst you save for a slightly more expensive scope which I would argue offers better value for money in the longer term. There's an old saying that when considering kit, "...there's no rush, the stars aren't going anywhere" which of course is very true and taking your time getting the right scope for you is what matters. Hope that helps rather than hinders your thoughts on a new scope!

Clear skies

James

[cantharis]

Not personally a fan of Dobsonians, the term refers to the mount - the telescope itself is a Newtonian reflector but mounted on a primitive Alt-Az mount that is manually pushed into position - unwieldy and take up a lot of storage space. I prefer my scopes on mounts that will track the object being viewed, either Alt-Az or equatorial, and that can be used for a number of scopes. My EQ5 mount takes my 4" refractor, 8" reflector and my 40mm PST. If you progress in the hobby you will soon own more than one scope.