Skywatcher infinity and heritage 76P

[endure]

Hi. Total noob here.

Are the above 2 scopes any good at all or are they just for kids?

[bingevader]

The Infinity's nickname is the penguin for fairly obvious reasons!

It is difficult to keep steady on the stand and only has the one EP that screws up and down to achieve focus.

The Heritage on the other hand is on a much sturdier and adjustable base, has two EPs and a finderscope.

As a grab and go 'scope I think it would be great.

Pop it on the garden table and away you go or stick it in your luggage and take it on holiday!

The primary mirror is small and it has a relatively short focal length so it's not going to break any records, but for the money and compared to the department store rubbish, it's well worth it.

So, is the Heritage any good? Yes.

Is it just for kids? No.

Would I recommend it as a starter 'scope? Dunno.

Patrick Moore, God rest his soul, used to say the starting point for astronomy should be a 6" reflector.

I started with an ETX90 (only half an inch more than the heritage, but considerably more focal length and goto) and loved it.

It all depends on what you want to do with the hobby, and how much money you have to spend!

If you just want to take a punt and not spend to much to start, the Heritage shouldn't put you off!

Sorry, long winded and not really answering the question.

Cheers

[tuckstar]

If you can join a local group and get a look and feel of some kit, you'll soon know what you want, and then the aperture fever and scope envy kick in along with a second mortgage!!!

[KevUU]

FWIW I started with an ST80, so basically the same size, and did a full year before recently upgrading, fully enjoyed it. It was a cheap way of getting into it and seeing if I stuck with it before spending more on a bigger scope, and it worked out really well.

[luminova11]

I bought a heritage 76 for my 5 year old son. My best description I'd that it suitable as a scope for a child but it is definitely not a child's scope. See my review and first light report here.