Is this any good?

[Claire]

Hey guys. I've just been browsing a website and found this

http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/celestron_scopes/celestron_firstscope.htm

Is this any good for a very first basic telescope for me and my son.

I'm reluctant to spend a lot of money when I'm not sure it's practical for us to actually have a telescope.

I think one of the goto types would be good for us, but they're quite expensive I think.

Or if not, is there a relatively cheap but good goto type scope for us?

[Grotemobile]

http://www.amazon.co...S/ref=de_a_smtd

How about something like this.My son

bought one .Very pleased with it .

It is a proper scope.Worth every penny.

Steve.

[Khw]

Hi Claire I'm sure the celestron will get you started in astronomy . If u find u get bitten by the bug after a while you could always upgrade. Not used one myself but I'm sure if u found a comfy chair in the garden it would sit nicely on a table and your up and running ! Go for it , kev

[Carbon Brush]

Hi Claire.

How old is your son?

What sort of money would you be prepared to spend?

Where would you store the scope and where would you use it?

Here I'm thinking, stairs to negotiate, light pollution, etc.

This might confirm your choice, or point you in a very different direction.

David.

[JamesF]

I can't think of anyone who has said they have one of the 76mm Heritages. They're very small aperture and I'm really not sure how good they are. That said, there's a lot to be said for a telescope small enough to be kept handy and that could even be pointed out of a window during a break in the clouds if that's what was required.

James

[Claire]

Hmm. Well, my son is 8 (although I also have a 5 and 4 year old who love looking at the moon and Jupiter).

We really want to be able to work down the messier list and tick them off. I have some bins but they are too big for my son to see through (he looks through one eyepiece!).

But we'd also like to view Jupiter and Saturn more clearly, see the rings and grs and moons etc. I have seen this

which I love, but I have no clue on size it practicality of setting up/storage etc. I really like the goto feature though.

So I'd be willing to save up for a while to get something like the above one. But maybe something a bit more practical (and slightly cheaper?)

[skywatcher58gb]

Hi Claire - If you are looking for smething more practical and has GO-TO and you are not considering astro photography maybe the Skywatcher Skymax 127 Synscan may be worth considering. The link to FLO is http://www.firstlightoptics.com/az-goto/skywatcher-skymax-127-synscan-az-goto.html. The advantage of this type of scope is the viewing position for youngsters which does not move as far, and is not as awkward, as the newtonian. It is also cheaper than the Equitorial mount GOTO system, although the aperture is smaller. Mabe some members have this scope and can give their opinions.

Dave

[Claire]

Nope not considering photography, apart from maybe a quick snapshot. I see some scopes have a direct slr connection?

That link didn't work but I will have a search on the flo website do that type thanks.

I'm not sure what you mean by an equatorial mount! But again will look

[Claire]

Ah I like the look of that one

[Carbon Brush]

Hi Claire,

As a child I had a go with two telescopes to put me off astronomy.

The first was a 1" refractor on table top mount.

The second was a 60mm refractor, again on a table top mount.

So with either scope, looking at the sky was a joke.

Add to that the 60mm had a lousy zoom/eyepiece assembly.

Many years later I cut the eyepiece off and put a 1.25" standard eyepiece fitting. Then it was quite good.

What I'm getting at is that scope has to have decent glass, be on a good mount and be easy to set up and use.

Any package you buy comprises the scope, the mount, and (possibly) the electronics.

All cost money and have to be compromised to make a package deal.

Goto is never (in my opinion) as good as the sales literature. Especially the lower cost types. You generally have to set up the tripod level, point north. Tell the handset what day/time it is. Then faff around finding bright stars to calibrate, etc. OK it gets quicker and easier with practice. But it is not throw down the tripod and go. Children wandering off bored? Don't forget the batteries. Maybe buy a 'powertank'.

A newtonian on an equatorial mount requires a bit of effort to set up and you need to balance it. But for visual this is not a big problem. The biggest issue for you is the way the eyepiece height and angle change as you move around the sky. I'm guessing with children they will spend a few minutes looking at something, then move on to something else. Having to rotate tube in the rings, find a step for the child, etc is a problem.

But a newtonian reflector in a dobsonian mount has less eyepiece movement. The height changes as you move the scope from straight up to near the horizon, but the tube does not rotate. So it is only a matter of reaching up/down a bit. But unless you spend on goto, it is up to you to find the objects. With a 6" miror, for example the Skywatcher 150P, you will get the 'wow' factor on lots of objects. If you went up the 8" mirror, the 200P then it starts to get a bit big. Maybe too big for you.

The SW127 is a nice goto scope for the money. Though the long focal length length means it is better at the higher range of magnification, rather than wide views. So for example you will get great views of Jupiter, Saturn with rings, look inside lunar craters. But it is not necessarily the best (for the money) on larger objects like some clusters, or the Orion nebula. Also the small (5") lens and more complex optical arrangement means you don't get as much light delivered to your eye as you might think. Dim objects might be too dim? A newtonian reflector get you most light for your ££ spent. A bigger 'mak' scope than the SW127 costs more and starts to get heavy, which means the mount gets heavier and more expensive.

Sorry but no easy answers. All scopes compromise something. If you can attend a viewing evening at a local astro club, you can get a hands on different scope types. Or visit a scope shop in your area.

Whatever you do. Don't buy from a general store. Use a specialist astronomy/nature scopes shop. For example FLO, RVO, Greenwitch. Don't be tempted by ebay. Much of the stuff there is complete rubbish. Have a look around the threads on SGL about people's experience with scopes like those that have taken your eye.

Enough waffle from me.

[Claire]

David thank you so much for spending the time to write that for me. It's a HUGE help!

I will get on the computer later this evening and compare all that you suggested and see if I can find threads and pictures and more write ups / reviews of them.

I really appreciate it. It's made things so much clearer understanding this

[ronin]

Concerning the 76mm first scope I would be dubious of a scope that starts out with the statement that it has all the names of significant astronomers written around the outside of it. Sorry but that does nothing to improve to operation of the scope. So if that is its claim to fame and is considered at all relevant I guess that the actual quality of the rest is lower.

You will find it hard to get a scope to do the items you have given without a reasonable outlay, probably not huge amounts as this hobby can be very costly, but neither will it be £80-100.

Got will push up the cost, although kids will thinl nothing of it and will very likely expect the scope to do some of it all.

I se that FLO have a new line calle Heritage Virtuoso, the Mak looks a reasonable option. I presume that you set it up facing North then you locate an object and the scope tracks. Fair halfway option, you would be advised to get a 30mm or 32mm plossl to get a reasonable field of view from it.

Not so sure of the reflector option that is advertised.

Another possibility with children are refractors, the Evostar 90 is fair if the length is OK. However unless the mount tracks then objects will disappear out of view. They will also get knocked out of view when one child swaps places with another.

For what you describe you want something to deliver 120x for Saturn but aperture for the Messiers. The wider Messiers like M45, M31 can be seen through binoculars possibly better then a scope.

The GRS is not that big and you will need a bigger scope to see that.

Is there a club within travelling distance ?

If they have a junior section, or just an observing session, then it could be useful to get along a couple of times and see what is used and maybe try a couple out. It is useful to see what is actually used by people, it may not be what you think.