Heritage 130p as a first scope?

[timbob67]

I'm finally looking at getting my first scope at the tender age of 28... Despite a lifelong fascination with all things space and planets, I've never looked skywards with anything more than a pair of binoculars - so it's time to do something about it.

Having done plenty of reading through various threads on forums, I thought I had settled on a Skywatcher 150p or 200p - until I started seeing photos of them in the flesh. They're huge! I had in mind something more tripod based for ease of transport and ease of storage. I don't have a large car, and head to Wales/Scotland relatively regularly, so I'd like to be able to take the scope with me on holiday. This seems to rule out a big, floorstanding dob. I'm also wary of a big 5 foot high thing needing lugging outside is going to get tiresome quickly. Something smaller and lighter which I can carry with one hand would make up for that for me - even given a big of lost aperture.

So... My shopping list currently is a Skywatcher Heritage 130p, with perhaps an additional 6 or 8mm eye piece, and perhaps a Barlow to give plenty of magnification options.

My interests are varied - the planets have long since fascinated me. I'd love to be able to resolve Jupiter as a disc, and perhaps make out some bands. If I could see Saturn's rings for myself for the first time - that would be amazing. I'm hoping I might be able to see Uranus too - although obviously only as a point of light - I don't expect to see a disc. Seeing Nebulae, and tracking down some of the more obvious M objects would be great to start with too.

From my reading, I think these things should be achievable with this scope?

[Naemeth]

Yes, all achievable. It's a brilliant first scope, Jupiter at 162.5x is still quite small (4mm eyepiece, or 8mm and 2x Barlow), but is much bigger with a 2.5mm eyepiece. Mind you, you don't get much seeing with this, maybe a few seconds of sharp detail per minute.

[LukeSkywatcher]

The Heritage 130P is a very able scope. It will deliver everything you mentioned and more. I think the 2 best things i have seen with this scope are the Black Eye galaxy and Ring Nebula. Most objects will be small when seen through the scope but you can still see them and know what they are. Dark skies in Scotland and Wales will be a big plus for the scope to be able to see better.

The Heritage has become a popular starting scope over the last 3 yrs or so since it was released.

Paul

[timbob67]

Good news so far then!

Not sure a 2.5mm eyepiece is the way to go. From what I can gather, as I wear glasses (although I might be able to observe without - the vision in my dominant eye is fine, if a touch longsighted), this could make a tiny eyepiece awkward to look through.

Would the 25mm and 10mm eyepieces supplied, plus an 8mm and 2.5 Barlow be the way to go? This would give a maximum of just over 200x magnification - which seems to be about the practical maximum to go for?

[Naemeth]

Good news so far then!

Not sure a 2.5mm eyepiece is the way to go. From what I can gather, as I wear glasses (although I might be able to observe without - the vision in my dominant eye is fine, if a touch longsighted), this could make a tiny eyepiece awkward to look through.

Would the 25mm and 10mm eyepieces supplied, plus an 8mm and 2.5 Barlow be the way to go? This would give a maximum of just over 200x magnification - which seems to be about the practical maximum to go for?

I think you're better off with a 2x barlow to be honest. I wear glasses too (for astigmatism), but notice I don't need it when the focal length of the eyepiece goes below 12.5mm. Just go for eyepieces with about 16mm of eye relief and you'll be fine .

Oh, if you are just long/short sighted, no matter by how much, you wont need to wear your glasses at the scope (as it's corrected by the focusser (sp?)), astigmatism does need glasses though.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Good news so far then!

Not sure a 2.5mm eyepiece is the way to go. From what I can gather, as I wear glasses (although I might be able to observe without - the vision in my dominant eye is fine, if a touch longsighted), this could make a tiny eyepiece awkward to look through.

Would the 25mm and 10mm eyepieces supplied, plus an 8mm and 2.5 Barlow be the way to go? This would give a maximum of just over 200x magnification - which seems to be about the practical maximum to go for?

Forget a 2.5mm EP. You wont see through it and the magnification would be too much. An 8mm EP (and a 2x if you really want one) would be OK. However on most nights of the yr in this part of the world, that would also be pushing the magnification too high for our average "seeing" conditions. The lowest (or higest as it goes) power EP i use with this scope is a 6mm on its own but more often then not..............i stick with just an 8mm EP (and no barlow).

I wear glasses all day for tv,computer,driving etc but i never wear them while using a scope. I dont have any astigmatism though, i'm just long/short sighted (i dont know which is which).

Hope this helps.

[timbob67]

It helps plenty, thank you

No astigmatism here, just long sightedness and a muscular squint in my left eye which gives double vision - I have prisms in my left lens to counteract this. Sounds like my right eye will be fine on the eyepiece by itself, which is good news.

[Optical Dob]

Hi there.

Here is a short video of the 130. This is the original version. The new one has a shield behind the secondary mirror to help cut down light.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&ved=0CD4QtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFEs_MMcJ7JA&ei=th_zUKaQG-iZ0QW43YHIBA&usg=AFQjCNE7WOyIDlEeZlfmqdJvknUYY6c6tA&bvm=bv.1357700187,d.d2k

[Optical Dob]

Sorry wrong link above.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Let me just say that the Heritage130p does NOT need to be mounted on a table. It works just as well while using a bog standand kitchen chair or a stool of similar height while paced on the ground..

I am in a wheelchair and i know.

[Optical Dob]

Good point Paul. I often use mine on the ground. Must admit I have been very impressed with it.

[timbob67]

Thanks for the advice folks, Heritage 130P and a Vixen 8mm plossl eyepiece are winging their way to me as we speak from First Light Optics - I had the despatch email this morning

[billybob]

I've got the same scope ( my first) and have thoroughly enjoyed it

[Optical Dob]

Thanks for the advice folks, Heritage 130P and a Vixen 8mm plossl eyepiece are winging their way to me as we speak from First Light Optics - I had the despatch email this morning

Enjoy your new scope. The most difficult thing a about the 130 is getting it out the box . Take your time lifting it out as its really well packed. Also remember to switch off the red dot finder after you've used it as its easy to forget. You may find putting a little sticker on saying switch me off may help.

[AndyWB]

Brilliant, I'm in almost exactly the same situation, also looking for a first scope, and having gone through the (apparently normal) wow-factor of computerised scopes, I've come back to "Keep it simple" and found myself looking at the Heritage 130p. It does seem to have a lot going for it. However, I'm a bit worried; I live in Reading and the glow in the sky is visible for a fair distance - would I have to make up some sort of cover for the 'missing' part of the tube? Also, as I live in a flat and lack a garden with a convenient table, what do folks actually set this form of scope up on? Is a stool really enough?

[Naemeth]

Brilliant, I'm in almost exactly the same situation, also looking for a first scope, and having gone through the (apparently normal) wow-factor of computerised scopes, I've come back to "Keep it simple" and found myself looking at the Heritage 130p. It does seem to have a lot going for it. However, I'm a bit worried; I live in Reading and the glow in the sky is visible for a fair distance - would I have to make up some sort of cover for the 'missing' part of the tube? Also, as I live in a flat and lack a garden with a convenient table, what do folks actually set this form of scope up on? Is a stool really enough?

A stool is easily enough, either that or a camping chair.

You wouldn't need a shroud but it would be helpful, but these are very easy to make. Just get a piece of foam the size of the open tube, stick it to the top of the inside with sellotape (plenty) and then cut a hole out so the light can get through the secondary.

Simples,

HTH

[AndyWB]

Thanks Naemeth, I think that's sold it to me!

[timbob67]

Well, my 130p arrived today, and all is well so far...! I've assembled it, and aligned te finder scope using the cross on the top of the church spire at the other end of the village. In the absence of both darkness and clear skies, I settled for a spot of upside down bird watching this afternoon...

Now to wait for this weather to shift

[billybob]

Just been out with mine for an hour using my camera tripod with a piece of board screwed to the tripod legs doesn't look great but is sturdy, tried out my new 5mm on the moon and its pretty damn good also good views of Jupiter considering its so close to the moon , you'll enjoy it I'm sure

[Naemeth]

Just been out with mine for an hour using my camera tripod with a piece of board screwed to the tripod legs doesn't look great but is sturdy, tried out my new 5mm on the moon and its pretty damn good also good views of Jupiter considering its so close to the moon , you'll enjoy it I'm sure

Sorry to interrupt the flow of the conversation a little, but does the tube screw to a camera tripod directly?

[billybob]

Sorry to interrupt the flow of the conversation a little, but does the tube screw to a camera tripod directly?

I may have worded this wrong sorry I use my tripod as a portable table with a thick piece of board with a piece of plate screwed to it with a large bolt that screws into tripod itself

[Terrynak]

On my scope, I "discarded" the tabletop mount entirely and attached the OTA to a stable alt-az tripod.

Note that in the States, the Skywatcher Heritage 130p was marketed as the Bushnell Ares 5 (no longer available) and the Skywatcher AZ4 mount is sold as the Orion VersaGo II.