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Travelscope: Saxon, Celestron or Binoculars?

James9

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James9

James9

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Hello All,

I am going to work in Africa for a time and plan to take one of these with me. So Safari is likely to be a second use. The skies should be dark so I am happy to sacrifice aperture for portability.

It begain when I got an advertising flyer through my door from a new local shop who are selling the Saxon Refractor Telescopes (Model 705AZ3) for £50 (RRP £139.99). It is on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004QGXOI4

After doing some research, it seems this is the Australian brand of the Skywatcher Mercury (705 AZ-3) but with different finderscope and accessories (and maybe mount). It is on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skywatcher-Mercury-705-AZ-3-Telescope-Refractor/dp/B00CYHT0Y4

(the picture on the flyer looks more like this one than the Saxon brand above)

While looking on Amazon, I saw this Celstron Travel Scope:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-Travel-Scope-Refractor-Outfit/dp/B006MCYAH4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_421_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=416Y3SlDDrL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0W44XNZMT8XS0RY406TV

A little more than £50 but it may be better.

However, I already own Skymaster 15x70 binoculars so are there any significant reasons why any of these scopes would be better? i.e. more focal length means you will get.. etc etc.

So, should I:

a) be the first in the queue at 9am on Friday when the shop opens to buy the Saxon (Skywatcher Mercury) for £50

B) spend a little extra and get the Celestron Travel Scope for £67

c) stick with the Skymaster 15x70 binoculars I already own as the benefits of a and b will be marginal at best.

Thoughts on this would be very welcome. Thanks!

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Knighty2112

Knighty2112

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I have the Celestron 70 Travelscope. It's quite a decent scope, but is let down by the tripod a little for astronomical use. The Skywatcher/Saxon mount is far better suited to astronomy, especially with the slow motion controls. Not going to be very good to use on any safari, where binos will be better, so if you want to mainly do some astronomy then one of the scopes will give you a much great range than binos. In saying that with good dark skies you should be able to see plenty of fuzzy deep sky objects easier with a decent pair of binos, especially 15 x70's.

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Knighty2112

Knighty2112

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Hello All,

I am going to work in Africa for a time and plan to take one of these with me. So Safari is likely to be a second use. The skies should be dark so I am happy to sacrifice aperture for portability.

It begain when I got an advertising flyer through my door from a new local shop who are selling the Saxon Refractor Telescopes (Model 705AZ3) for £50 (RRP £139.99). It is on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004QGXOI4

After doing some research, it seems this is the Australian brand of the Skywatcher Mercury (705 AZ-3) but with different finderscope and accessories (and maybe mount). It is on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skywatcher-Mercury-705-AZ-3-Telescope-Refractor/dp/B00CYHT0Y4

(the picture on the flyer looks more like this one than the Saxon brand above)

While looking on Amazon, I saw this Celstron Travel Scope:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Celestron-Travel-Scope-Refractor-Outfit/dp/B006MCYAH4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_421_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=416Y3SlDDrL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0W44XNZMT8XS0RY406TV

A little more than £50 but it may be better.

However, I already own Skymaster 15x70 binoculars so are there any significant reasons why any of these scopes would be better? i.e. more focal length means you will get.. etc etc.

So, should I:

a) be the first in the queue at 9am on Friday when the shop opens to buy the Saxon (Skywatcher Mercury) for £50

B) spend a little extra and get the Celestron Travel Scope for £67

c) stick with the Skymaster 15x70 binoculars I already own as the benefits of a and b will be marginal at best.

Thoughts on this would be very welcome. Thanks!

BTW: is this store in the UK? If so I'd snap up one of those scopes with the stand for that price too if they are still available just for the stand for my own personal use too! :)
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James9

James9

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Thank you all for your posts. My binos seems to be the best bet all things considered.

But it is still tempting! If I had somewhere to store the scope while I was away (I am dropping my junk on friends and family as it is :D ), I think I would get one but I think I will have to give this one a miss.

@knighty2112

The store is in the UK: boyes.co.uk though I can;t find the telescope.

Though the Xmas leaflet on the website is different to the one I have got through the door and doesn't have the telescope on it: http://www.boyes.co.uk/home/home_client_img/leaflet/2015-11/XMAS-LEAFLET-2015.pdf

I think they must adapt the leaflets to local stores or do selected promotions

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MAN or ASTROMAN

MAN or ASTROMAN

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The ST80 fits in hand baggage and coupled with a video tripod makes for an extremely capable travel set-up!

Paul

I've just purchased an ST80 on the Eq1 Table Top mount from Rother Valley Optics.

 I haven't tried it on the table top mount yet,but it fits well enough on my Ravelli Photo tripod to make a sturdy but lightweight 'Grab and Go' combo.

 I bought the Table top set up rather than the OTA only, because,at only £4 more than the OTA,the set included a 90 degree diagonal,which I prefer for Astro work (the OTA  comes with a 45 degree diagonal).

 Also the little table top mount may present possibilities.

  For the £100.95 (post free) that I paid,it seems good value for money.

  The ST80 certainly has it's fans- Neil English certainly sings it's praises on his website.

    Check out his 'Gallus Beastie' article about it.

      'First Light' was supposed to be in the early hours of this morning,but unfortunately my back has 'gone off'(the wife had me sorting the loft out yesterday,and it's left me aching all over!)

 PS:- The November issue of 'Astronomy Now' has an article by Neil English on Travel Scopes,including short tube 80mm Refractors.

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dick_dangerous

dick_dangerous

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I've just purchased an ST80 on the Eq1 Table Top mount from Rother Valley Optics.

I haven't tried it on the table top mount yet,but it fits well enough on my Ravelli Photo tripod to make a sturdy but lightweight 'Grab and Go' combo.

I bought the Table top set up rather than the OTA only, because,at only £4 more than the OTA,the set included a 90 degree diagonal,which I prefer for Astro work (the OTA comes with a 45 degree diagonal).

Also the little table top mount may present possibilities.

For the £100.95 (post free) that I paid,it seems good value for money.

The ST80 certainly has it's fans- Neil English certainly sings it's praises on his website.

Check out his 'Gallus Beastie' article about it.

'First Light' was supposed to be in the early hours of this morning,but unfortunately my back has 'gone off'(the wife had me sorting the loft out yesterday,and it's left me aching all over!)

PS:- The November issue of 'Astronomy Now' has an article by Neil English on Travel Scopes,including short tube 80mm Refractors.

Under a dark sky, my ST80 performs amazingly well. I need to find the time and money to drag my wife to the Southern Hemisphere so I can have a play with it down there. One of my few regrets in life is that I didn't have a telescope with me the three times I ventured south of the equator, although binoculars and naked eye is good enough under those dark Southern winter skies!

Paul

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MAN or ASTROMAN

MAN or ASTROMAN

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Another thing worth mentioning.

 The Table top ST80 set up comes with a really well designed carrying bag,that will take the whole shebang,and probably a S&T Star Atlas too!

 The whole lot is ideal for hand luggage travel.

  Even the missus has commented on how good it is-I fear she has designs on it for when we holiday! :laugh:

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Knighty2112

Knighty2112

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Thank you all for your posts. My binos seems to be the best bet all things considered.

But it is still tempting! If I had somewhere to store the scope while I was away (I am dropping my junk on friends and family as it is :D ), I think I would get one but I think I will have to give this one a miss.

@knighty2112

The store is in the UK: boyes.co.uk though I can;t find the telescope.

Though the Xmas leaflet on the website is different to the one I have got through the door and doesn't have the telescope on it: http://www.boyes.co.uk/home/home_client_img/leaflet/2015-11/XMAS-LEAFLET-2015.pdf

I think they must adapt the leaflets to local stores or do selected promotions

Thanks. Going to see if I can get there tomorrow afternoon and maybe bag one. Cheers! :)

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Knighty2112

Knighty2112

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Thanks James9. Managed to get to the new store this afternoon on my way back from work in Romford today and get one of the Saxon scopes for £50. Was kind of expecting them all to be snapped up by the time I got there, but there where quite a few on the shelves none the less. Got home earlier and set it up and I am seriously impressed with it. Just been out to view M31 with it and got a great view for the brief period I was out with it (that wind is icy cold! Brrrrrrr......,). From what I can see the AZ3 stands that goes with the scope is exactly the same as the Skywatcher AZ3 stand I was going to buy early next year. The cheapest I had yet seen this stand on its own was £93, so with postage this would have been £100+. So I have the same stand for less than half price, plus a new 70mm refractor to go with it too! I am over the moon! Hehe! Cheers! :) :) :)

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  • 4 weeks later...
Balok

Balok

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I second the binonocular motion but would add size consideration.

15 x 70s are quite large for hand held recreational use.

Maybe your dual use plans call for a smaller pair of binoculars  more easily held for extended periods?

Predatory events can last for hours.

I find the 15 x 70s strain up the forearms pretty quickly without a tripod.

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