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Starting Out (Again) - Lightweight or Tabletop Scopes

LoneStar

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LoneStar

LoneStar

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Hi everyone!

Although I have experience with stargazing through binoculars, I'm still a relative beginner with telescopes.

You gave me some great advice last year on a scope I was looking at, but unfortunately, life took over and I had to put everything on the back burner and had to put off buying it. However, I'm in a better position now and on the hunt again.

Due to my current health, height and weight, I feel I would be best with a smaller/lighter scope now and have been looking at tabletops, although I'm very open to suggestions!

I'm looking at scopes around f/5 and will be mainly having short viewing sessions at the moment.

I'm mainly hovering around the:

Skywatcher 114p Virtuoso (F/5) Tabletop

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-114p-virtuoso.html

Skywatcher 130p Flexitube (F/5) Tabletop

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

I guess the benefits of the 114p are the tracking, the fact I can use my tripod with it if needed...and I can remove the scope and put my Canon 700D on it...which is kinda handy I guess.

The benefits of the 130p would be the extra half inch.

I just wondered if any of you had used the 114p and how you'd found it? I understand the 130p is quite highly regarded and quite a good beginners scope.

Although bigger, heavier and more expensive, I do like the look of the Skywatcher Star Discovery 150P with GoTo and tracking, but that's likely too big at the moment.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/az-goto/sky-watcher-star-discovery-150p.html

Any advice would be gratefully received! :)

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toilandtrouble123

toilandtrouble123

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 (which can go BOING! just when you don't want them to)

Boing!! Haha love it!

The 130 sounds like a safe bet.  I started off with a 60mm refractor from a car boot sale when I was about 13 yrs old, before getting my first PROPER scope, the SkyScout 90 5 and a half years ago, as a Christmas present from my grandmother and Great-Nan.  I wanted the NexStar 127, but the local independant camera shop they went to persuaded them to but the SkyScout 90 bundle instead.  Despite my first misgivings and sore feeling over not receiving the dreamy NexStar 127, the lack of techno-jingles and simple optics have helped me stay interested in my hobby, rather than being daunted and frustrated at the electronics set up and what not, which may had caused me to jack it all in before I had even gotten anywhere.  My 90mm fully coated refractor has given me enough aperture to learn navigating the skies, and with the LP in my area, it's great for viewing the planets, moons, doubles and a few of the easier-to-view Messiers, much like the 130 will provide.  The 130 over the 114 would help obviously stave off the aperture fever just that much bit longer.  

As much as the 150 sounds really cool, and could be something to aspire to, you did mention that health, strength and weight are factors, may I say my EQ5 mount, counterweights and even handling the mirrors and fixing the tube rings onto the tube, is a job and a half for a healthy 5'6" female, meaning I intend to conscript my 6'7" broad shouldered other half, as the labourer when I get round to bringing it out of semi-retirement.  

Well good luck and I hope to see your first light report soon! Nat x

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ghostdance

ghostdance

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Have you had a look at the Orion tabletops, the 4.5 and 6" Starblasts? Nice optics.

The 4.5 is particularly stowable and light and both are easy and quick to set up. The heavier and larger 6 is available with a push-to Intelliscope option (the 6i) which comes in very handy at times, especially in light-polluted sky.

I have both (my 6i replaced my 4.5, which is waiting for rehoming) and have found them good companions. Worth a look.

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LoneStar

LoneStar

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Excellent! Thanks so much everyone! You're always so kind and welcoming! :)

It looks like the 130P is going to be a great starting point!

.

Have you had a look at the Orion tabletops, the 4.5 and 6" Starblasts? Nice optics.

The 4.5 is particularly stowable and light and both are easy and quick to set up. The heavier and larger 6 is available with a push-to Intelliscope option (the 6i) which comes in very handy at times, especially in light-polluted sky.

I have both (my 6i replaced my 4.5, which is waiting for rehoming) and have found them good companions. Worth a look.

Wow! Thank you so much for that!! I had no idea Orion did a 6" f/5 tabletop...that's very interesting indeed...and a good price on their site. I will take a look how the length and weight compares to the 130P and make a decision between the two tonight!

As always, I really appreciate your wisdom! :)

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Ruud

Ruud

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I like the idea of a 6" F/5 on a table. You'd need a pretty stable table though.

However, if you put a 6" F/8 dob on the ground, or on a low flat stone, you might also like the eyepiece position and could benefit from the lesser coma that the longer tube provides.

EDIT

An added benefit of F/8 over F/5 is that the slower scope is more forgiving when it comes to eyepiece performance.

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ghostdance

ghostdance

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I like the idea of a 6" F/5 on a table. You'd need a pretty stable table though.

Before I adapted a tripod with a platform, I found an upturned builders bucket (sans handle) worked really well. Very stable 'table'! Didn't need a variable height observing chair either.

You need low fences tho.... :)

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ghostdance

ghostdance

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Be warned though that Orion don't include VAT on the prices on their own site...

Good point, hadn't thought of that. Try Amazon UK (I bought both mine via Amazon direct from Orion Europe). Absolutely no problems, pretty quick shipping too.

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ghostdance

ghostdance

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To be honest, I've been looking at the Starblast 6i as well. I have a small GOTO scope, but would like something a bit simpler but still with electronic assistance.

Ghostdance - any chance of a review some time?

No problem, though I am not vastly experienced with different scopes - both Starblasts are my only reference - nor sadly do I have a brain that copes with numbers or maths so it will be pretty subjective :)

I'll get some photos together and marshall a few (very un- technical I'm afraid) thoughts about the 6i. It has its faults (very basic focuser springs immediately to mind) but is still an impressive little beast IMHO. Is the setting up and function of the Intelliscope your main interest (so I know to give that more focus)?

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wheresthetorch?

wheresthetorch?

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That would be great.  I'm a bit worried about hijacking the OP's thread, but I guess she was interested in this option.

I currently have a Celestron 4 SE, and these are the things  I don' t like about it:

  • Noisy slewing
  • Small aperture
  • Inability to just quietly sweep the skies if I'm in the mood

Things I like about it:

  • Accurate GOTO
  • Portability
  • Good quality views

I was therefore thinking the Starblast 6I might solve the things I don't like, whilst keeping the good bits.  I appreciate it doesn't track, but I think I could live without that.

Anyway, I'd be interested in your views on the 6i (and hopefully LoneStar will too!).

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LoneStar

LoneStar

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That would be great.  I'm a bit worried about hijacking the OP's thread, but I guess she was interested in this option.

I currently have a Celestron 4 SE, and these are the things  I don' t like about it:

  • Noisy slewing
  • Small aperture
  • Inability to just quietly sweep the skies if I'm in the mood
Things I like about it:
  • Accurate GOTO
  • Portability
  • Good quality views
I was therefore thinking the Starblast 6I might solve the things I don't like, whilst keeping the good bits.  I appreciate it doesn't track, but I think I could live without that.

Anyway, I'd be interested in your views on the 6i (and hopefully LoneStar will too!).

No worries at all! You're not hi-jacking! I would also be interested in a 'real world' review on the scope....I was all ready to buy the 130 last night but something keeps pulling me toward the Orion so I'd love to hear about it too. Portability/weight...optics/quality of supplied eyepieces...anything would be great! :)

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ghostdance

ghostdance

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That would be great.  I'm a bit worried about hijacking the OP's thread, but I guess she was interested in this option.

I currently have a Celestron 4 SE, and these are the things  I don' t like about it:

  • Noisy slewing
  • Small aperture
  • Inability to just quietly sweep the skies if I'm in the mood

Things I like about it:

  • Accurate GOTO
  • Portability
  • Good quality views

I was therefore thinking the Starblast 6I might solve the things I don't like, whilst keeping the good bits.  I appreciate it doesn't track, but I think I could live without that.

Anyway, I'd be interested in your views on the 6i (and hopefully LoneStar will too!).

No worries at all! You're not hi-jacking! I would also be interested in a 'real world' review on the scope....I was all ready to buy the 130 last night but something keeps pulling me toward the Orion so I'd love to hear about it too. Portability/weight...optics/quality of supplied eyepieces...anything would be great! :)

LoneStar and wheresthetorch? - hope this is helpful :)

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/243978-orion-starblast-66i-6-f5-newt-some-impressions/

Let me know if it isn't and I'll try and be more specific! 

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