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Best Scope For A Beginner?


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Hi all

Complete newcomer here

Been searching through the web for a decent scope for a beginner! Very confusing

Just wanting some experienced advice on what to look for or any recommendations?

Also any recommendations on any books, star maps etc to help me find my way around and get a better understanding/ knowledge

Cheers

Ben

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Hello Ben, and welcome,

Binoculars are quite useful, as suggested.  I have three pairs myself, but alone they quickly end up being but a finger-swipe upon the edge of a cake, then to taste only briefly.  Let's cut to the chase, and consider the "cake" itself...

First off, it would help to know the budget.  Also, do you live where the skies are light-polluted, like in a city; or dark as they would be in the countryside, or in between even?

For example, I have a 6" f/5 Newtonian, among others, and I use it under fairly-dark skies, but not as dark as I would like...

post-47381-0-08406500-1452915782.jpg

Sometimes I hold a small point-and-shoot camera up to the eyepiece, and snap a shot or two...

post-47381-0-11147400-1452916231.jpg

post-47381-0-51216800-1452916243.jpg

Among telescopes, the most common designs consist of only three: a refractor, which uses clear lenses; a Newtonian, which uses mirrors; and catadioptrics, which use both, a single lens and mirrors combined.  Here are examples on the market of each...

A refractor requires the least amount of maintenance, but is often the most expensive per inch of aperture...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/evostar/skywatcher-evostar-90-eq2.html

A refractor is what one usually visualises when hearing the term "telescope"... https://starizona.com/acb/basics/optics/refractor_scope.jpg

A Newtonian, in the following link mounted upon a Dobson-mount, utilises mirrors only, and requires the most maintenance in the form of a procedure known as "collimation", but it is also the least expensive per inch of aperture.  The greater the aperture, the brighter the images...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

Newtonians were invented by Issac Newton...

https://pikonic.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/visualtelescope2.jpg

Here is Newton with his very first telescope... https://tigrepelvar.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/isaac-newton645__786728349.jpg

A catadioptric, or a corrected-Cassegrain; and either a Maksutov-Cassegrain or Schmidt-Cassegrain, is very popular for its compact, portable tube....

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-102-eq2.html

https://starizona.com/acb/basics/optics/makcass_scope.jpg

Catadioptrics, however, are designed primarily for the higher magnifications, within the solar system mostly; whereas Newtonians and refractors are more versatile, and in observing most everything in the sky; with low power and wide fields-of-view for deep space vistas, and high power with narrow fields-of-view for observing the Moon and the planets, as well as individual stars, and close up.

Cheers,

Alan

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I guess for most of us the first consideration for a telescope is price. There are good basic beginners' options for a bit under 100 pounds  although some people jump right in and spend over 1,000 pounds right off. Quite a few people start learning about the night sky with a cheap secondhand pair of binoculars. So if you can give an idea of your available budget this would be a good begining!

The next consideration for many is size and portability. Where will you use your telescope? Do you want to travel with it in a small car? Is weight a problem or are you a professional bodybuilder? Where will you store it?

Then you need to consider what you want to achieve with your telescope. You're not going to see the spendid colour images you may have looked at on the internet or in magazines. Is the telescope for you, or perhaps you have children you want to introduce to astronomy. Maybe you're thinking of trying your hand at astrophotography? Do you want a telescope with a built-in go-to computer which will "find" the stars for you? Perhaps you have an idea that you are particularly interested in the Moon and planets, or you would like to see objects in deeper space, or perhaps you want an all-round telescope.

Have a look at this scope, a 6 inch aperture refractor on a Dobsonian mount:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? Is it too expensive, or maybe you were thinking of spending more?

Two great free computer programs are Stellarium, a map of the sky which you can program for your location, and Virtual Moon Atlas.

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Hi all

Thanks for the response

Budget wise I'm looking around £400-£500

I live in leeds West Yorkshire I've got a street light right next to my garden which I'm guessing would affect viewing as it lights up the whole garden on an evening!

We do get out a bit on a weekend camping so ideally would like to take it with me up into the yorkshire dales and Lake District etc so portability is ideal

As for what I want to see with it.........

Everything. Ha ha

hope this helps

Thank again guys

Ben

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Thank aeajr

The scope will be kept in a garage just with cover thrown over from an old bbq so it will be a case of open garage throw it in back of van and of I go

As for the camping there's a bit of both but mainly we drive to the site and park up on the campsite

Can you get carry cases for certain scopes?

Looking at your scopes Im thinking the ones on the tripod would be more suitable for me I think I may struggle with the ones that sit on a base plate

With the street light situation in my garden would I not be able to use it or are some things still visible with light pollution? Some nights would love to just sit out there exploring.

Thank again

Ben

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You will still be able to do luna and planetary observation from your garden.

Many people transport the Dobsonian scopes (Those that sit on a base as opposed to a tripod) to dark sites. The base and optical tube easily separate for just this purpose. 

In your position I would be looking at a 8" or 10" Dobsonian as I presume that you would have plenty of room in your van for your camping trips.

Have a look at Green Witch telescopes who have a branch at Batley not too far from you. http://www.green-witch.com/

Take your time and try to view some scopes in the flesh to be aware of size/weight.

Good luck.

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If I was starting out again I would go for a short or medium focal length refractor, they pretty much do everything very well :icon_biggrin: and then, when you have learned your way around the sky, and If / when,  you are blessed with darkish skies I would go for the biggest Dob I could afford / maneuver.

You will then have 2 very good scopes which will do everything you need.

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I was looking at getting some celestron upclose g2 10x50 binoculars for now? until I get more knowledge on the night sky and find my way round

I even bought turn left at Orion today!

I would also like to get my daughter involved she is only 5 so a little scope would be good for her also

Here's the ones I have briefly looked at so far

skywatcher explorer 200p with eq5 mount

Celestron 130 slt go-to

That's it so far

Like Astro lmp would like to look at some set up and get a feel etc so will check out green witch only 15minutes away!

Again thank for all your help guys

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For a strictly-visual kit, for live observations with eyepieces, this would make for a powerful yet compact and portable combination...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-ota.html

http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-az4-1-alt-az-mount-with-aluminium-tripod.html

Later, the 150mm f/5 Newtonian could be mounted onto an equatorial, an EQ5-class; for automatic, hands-free tracking of any and all objects when observing, and in addition to astrophotography; for example... 

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-ds-eq-5-pro-goto.html

The Newtonian comes with a 2" two-speed focusser, and for even finer focussing when observing or imaging.  The 150mm f/5 is also most versatile in lower-powered wide-field observations of deep space; along with lunar and planetary observations and the higher magnifications associated therewith, and with the aid of a 2x or 3x barlow.

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Would I be best going for the biggest for the budget I have then (aperture is that right?)

Which is looking at around 8inch from what I've seen so far?

Also manual or go-to mount?

Sorry to keep going on just want to make sure I cover all angles before I make the plunge

Cheers ben

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Hello Ben,

You have been given good advice already and heres my two penneth ....

1. Good book - Turn left at Orion

2. Good free software - Stellarium

3. Binoculars - I prefer 7x50 as they are light

4. An 8" dobsonian - this is a Nwetonian telescope on a simple push to what you want to see Dobsonian mount (cheap,simple and a good start if you want to dip your toes in the water) BUT the telescope can be taken off the Dobsonian mount and put onto a motorised tracking equatorial mount in the future

Hope that helps

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To put my thoughts to this thread, I have been deliberating for over a year on which scope to buy, I am still drawn to the skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonion. I am also looking at cameras, I like Nikon, but people have said on here that canon are better, I am still not convinced on this, also a decent pair of binoculars would not go amis with me, so info on these would be great as well. I live in lancashire and i am only about 30 mins from the Todmorden astronomy centre so I am lucky in that way, I can go and visit them and see what they have and use as well as ask questions.

I still would like to hear what the rest of you think though.

John

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Canon have easy support, lots of software support, are easy hackable and generally just work. Nikon reading posts are better then they used to be for the above but for known support capability and ease of getting help as a beginner I choose Canon.

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I like the idea of a go to system I would like one that I can use manually as well as computerised though

Just in case for instance your batteries died you could carry on observing without power (not sure if this ever happens but just in case)

Think for now I'm going to get some binoculars read my book and find out what's what up there

Made a start on turn left at Orion and a big thumbs up so cheers guys

Got a feeling I'm going to enjoy this

Thank again for all your help and advice

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Hi all

Thanks for the response

Budget wise I'm looking around £400-£500

I live in leeds West Yorkshire I've got a street light right next to my garden which I'm guessing would affect viewing as it lights up the whole garden on an evening!

We do get out a bit on a weekend camping so ideally would like to take it with me up into the yorkshire dales and Lake District etc so portability is ideal

As for what I want to see with it.........

Everything. Ha ha

hope this helps

Thank again guys

Ben

On that budget, if I was buying a first telescope again, I'd be tempted to go for something like the Skywatcher Skymax 127 or the Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT. 

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/maksutov/skywatcher-skymax-127-eq3-2.html

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/celestron-nexstar-127-slt.html

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I see Stellarium has been mentioned, so allow me to bring you up to running-speed on this.....

Stellarium is an excellent 'planetarium-program' which you set for your own location on planet-Earth. Then a few other easy things are added such as stars, galaxies, nebulae, and all other things of interest in the sky you'd like to be able to locate. It will then show you a very accurate view of what your sky looks like outside. Similar software-programs can cost you over £200. Stellarium is completely free. You read that right: FREE. You can print-out star-charts to take with. It will even show you the man-made satellites going over your head, and it can run computerized telescopes from remote locations. Instructions for all this are freely available, too. Sound good?

If so - here is Stellarium and instructions:

http://www.stellarium.org/
 
As for instructions, the most current one's are posted in Wiki due to there being new features & functions being created almost daily. There is also a Pdf. that's almost up-to-date, absolutely enough 'up-to-date' in all needed ways. Here's the Wiki-Link:
 
http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Stellarium_User_Guide
 
And the Pdf. is here:
 
http://barry.sarcasmogerdes.com/stellarium/stellarium_user_guide-new.pdf
 
This should help you to find just about everything under the Sun.

I'll leave you with a screenshot of how mine is set up. Note - yours won't look like this unless you tell it to. It's much more simple when you first start it.

Enjoy!

Dave

post-38438-0-00430400-1453005360_thumb.p

Click on image for full size.

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I like the idea of a go to system I would like one that I can use manually as well as computerised though

Just in case for instance your batteries died you could carry on observing without power (not sure if this ever happens but just in case)

Think for now I'm going to get some binoculars read my book and find out what's what up there

Made a start on turn left at Orion and a big thumbs up so cheers guys

Got a feeling I'm going to enjoy this

Thank again for all your help and advice

I have just got the skywatcher discovery 150mm goto and must say it is a great scope-comes in at £360(ish) pounds which will leave a bit extra for eyepieces,  battery pack etc. and yes it can be used either manually or with the goto. have posted a link o a review so you can have a look.

ww​w.youtube.com/watch/?v=mhhs65AWdCk

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Too many to choose from!

I'm leaning towards the skywatcher explorer 200p with the eq5 mount it's around the £400 mark

It's not a go to but after having a look i can eventually get a go to upgrade kit for this type

Would that be a good option or would I be better off getting a goto to start with?

Thank

Ben

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Go-to or not go-to is very much a question of individual preference and your style of observation. I personally enjoy the challenge of finding targets myself, and the "serendipity" of discovering other objects in the process. This is a relatively slow way of doing things but I'm happy! On the other hand, if you want to make the most of limited observation time, go-to speeds up the process and perhaps allows you to get more out of your session. 

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I do like the look of the skywatcher 200p some great reviews on it aswell

think I might save up some more pocket money and go all out and get it with the goto already built in

Can this be used manually aswell though?

So I get best of both

Cheers

Ben

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There are two forms of manual.

On some GOTO you can slacken the two clutches and have the ability to totally move the telescope freely by hand, and then when you engage the clutches again the mount knows where it is.

The other type manual moving means pressing the left/right/up/down buttons on the handset.

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Purely manual EQ mounts have clutches that can be tightened completely once a target has been acquired. The slo mo controls then take over for keeping the target in frame. With a clockdrive/motorised mount the drive has to be disengaged by a manual clutch before the slo mo controls can be operated. There is usually a disengagement switch for this.

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