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Gray999

By Gray999
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Gray999

Gray999

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Hi everyone,

This is my first post, wanted to get into astronomy for a few years now and finally decided to do it!

I'm 50 in February and thought it was about time!

Looking at getting a Skywatcher 130P, read a lot of reviews and it seems to be a great starter. So will be asking for some advice!

So Hello.

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi Gray and welcome to the forum. If you are looking for a type of scope that offers the best value for money then stick with a dobsonian (a newtonian reflector on a dobsonian mount). This design ensures that most of the money goes into the scope and by that I mean a larger mirror that will enable you to collect more light (light = resolution = detail).  In my opinion the best starter scope you could buy would be the Skywatcher 200P which is currently the U.K's best selling scope and for good reason. Providing 8" of aperture will certainly provide you with some great views and it is at this aperture that you start to see enough detail to maintain your interest in observing the night sky over the longer period. The 130 scope you mention is a good performer too but sadly at this price range like many others the mount that it comes with is not sturdy enough making fine focusing a bit frustrating as you wait for the scope to stop twitching about whilst also still maneuvering the scope to keep the object in view, particularly noticeable bad at high magnification when viewing planets. The dobsonian platform although simple in design does make a difference in this area.

Having said all of the above, the 200P scope does come in at a higher price and I am making the suggestion only on the basis of what is the cheapest in the longer run as you are likely to want to upgrade from anything smaller once you get started. One other advantage of my recommendation is that the 200P will hold its value much better than a cheaper scope because it has a proven track record of performance and build quality and is therefore more popular to others starting out and who may wish to upgrade. It will also save you money too because you are entering in astronomy at a level where upgrading can be delayed for a longer time, though having said that we are all prone to the none condition of 'aperture fever' which is a condition that involves constant desire for the next biggest scope - we are all sufferers here and there is no cure!  :grin:  :grin:

Plenty of people here that are happy to give you advice over on the beginner sections but thought I would  write a few lines here to help you get started. Probably a good idea to give some idea of budget as well when asking questions that involve purchasing as there are some very nice scopes out that are looking for new owners!

Clear skies and enjoy the forum

James

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Gray999

Gray999

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Wow!

Thanks for all the replies. JamesM you have got me thinking now!

I'm not going to rush this purchase, are there any shops that anyone can recommend?

Enjoying reading and learning about something new.

Thanks again everyone.

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