newbie

[brad74]

hi just wanted some advice been looking at telescopes on e bay just new to this what are some good starter telescopes so many on  there a bit lost anyway been interested in  astronomy don't want to end up with a lemon lol cheers

 

[Knighty2112]

18 minutes ago, brad74 said:

hi just wanted some advice been looking at telescopes on e bay just new to this what are some good starter telescopes so many on  there a bit lost anyway been interested in  astronomy don't want to end up with a lemon lol cheers

 

Probably best to start off by telling us the budget you want to spend on one. 

[Galactic Wanderer]

GIve us a clue on your budget!  If youre looking for something £100-200 check this very popular beginner telescope 

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-celestron-astromaster-130eq-reflector-telescope/p1533221?mkwid=stnfjaurk_dc&pcrid=89741394179&kword=&match=&plid=&gclid=cnkb0k_hyswcfcsp0wodrguevg

Celetron astromaster 130EQ

[Floater]

Yes. More info, please.

Just off the cuff, e-bay may not be the best place to go. Have a look at FLO's site (click on the banner at the top of the page) and get an idea of what's on offer there. They have a good section on starter scopes.

Apart from that, welcome.

[brantuk]

Here's a list of beginner scopes - have a read then come back and ask questions about any of them so we can advise further as you refine your requirements. Also helps if you can give us some kind of budget you're aiming for. Welcome to SGL

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL. Good advice given above. It is much safer to deal with a reputable shop than EBay. You will certainly get better after sales service.

[Galactic Wanderer]

3 hours ago, brad74 said:

hi just wanted some advice been looking at telescopes on e bay just new to this what are some good starter telescopes so many on  there a bit lost anyway been interested in  astronomy don't want to end up with a lemon lol cheers

 

Yes, don't go with the easy and cheap option of buying form ebay. FLO is good and rother valley optics are as well. If not just by from your local retailer. Mine in London is the is the Widescreen centre. When I bought it from them, I had a few problems and they solved them for me right away. (As good as SGL is, it really helps having one-one help with your problems)

 

[brad74]

hi thanks for all getting back to me not sure maybe 100 to 150   don't have a clue about telescopes they are some good ones on e bay with some of the research I've done in to telescopes but you never know what condition there in i don't know a lot just  you tube reviews and googled i need one i can use some you have line them up  mirrors i think  but i am in the right place to learn  thanks

[Putaendo Patrick]

You can sometimes get a bargain on Ebay, but it's also a place to dump lemons and there are also a handful of frauds - personally I would avoid it to buy a first telescope.

If you can, try to visit a viewing session with a local club - generally members will be very helpful and you will be able to look through a range of different telescopes. I think the Boulton Astronomical Society is quite near you  http://www.boltonastro.co.uk/

Basically there are three types of telescopes and three types of mount:

Telescopes can be reflectors which use mirrors to capture the light, refractors which use lenses, and a combination of both (Maks and SCTs). The third type is probably outside your budget.

Mounts either have a tripod and a mechanism which either goes up-down and left-right (Alt-azimuth) or follows the movement of the stars as they cross the sky (Equatorial). Or a simpler system is the Dobsonian where the telescope is supported on a base on the ground which allows up-down and left right movement.

Personally I would not recommend cheaper Equatorial mounts - they are not very stable or precise.

As a starting point for you to consider, look at a 6" Reflector on a Dobsonian mount, for example:  https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

Althouh a little over you budget, this is a telescope which will give excellent performance. Second-hand is a good option too, as many people eventually upgrade to larger telescopes.

 

[brad74]

hi mate thanks 175 is not out my budget its just being new i didn't want one whats tricky to get working  to advanced  i had some good things of e bay my macbook pro    never had a problem with it  not all bad . thanks

 

 

[happy-kat]

Things to help with making a choice.

How portable does it need to be.

Will It be stored up a flight of stairs.

[brad74]

hi I've been tempted by the meade Etx 80 looks pretty good mainly because computer controller .cheers

 

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

When Meade's Etx 70mm (now discontinued) came out, followed by the Etx 80, they rapidly gained quite a following as an affordable version of the very rare and expensive Questar. Overall they were considered to have good optics and a dependable goto system, and their compact size really does mean you can take them anywhere. Since then, the market has expanded and there are other competitors.

Whether an Etx is an ideal first telescope, however, is open to question.

First, it's worth noting that goto is expensive (probably accounting for at least half the total cost of the package). Without goto, you could buy a much better telescope for a similar price, for example an 8" (200mm) Dobsonian reflector which is something of a standard in amateur astronomy, and possibly the only telescope you will ever need.

Second, the Etx telescope has both a small aperture (80mm) and a short focal length (400mm). The packaging of this telescope is (or was) full of wonderful photos and Meade promises a maximum magnification of x280. Take both of these with a large pinch of salt - the photos come from the multi-billion dollar Hubble Space Telescope! And a general rule of thumb for magnification is to double the aperture in millimeters (thus approx x160). Small aperture also means the telescope will gather less light, so it won't pick up fainter objects. Short focal length means the telescope will work well for wide views at lower magnifications - but will make the eyepiece "do more work" to achieve higher magnifications. A 10mm eyepiece in a telescope of 1000mm focal length will give x100 magnification, but the same EP in a scope with only 400mm focal length will yield only x40. With the Etx 80, a 5mm EP with the inbuilt Barlow will provide x160 - which is certainly a very acceptable level for lunar and planetary observing - but you may be struggling a bit.

A definite minus on the Etx 80 is the lack of a finder scope. This is a small very low magnification telescope (or red dot etc) which allows you to align your main telescope to known objects in the sky. This means it is not always completely simple to set up the goto, and does need a bit of practice.

If you do really want goto, you might consider these two:

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

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-90-virtuoso.html

Both are "table-top", but many people place these on an upturned bucket etc. The first is a smallish reflector which benefits from a slightly larger aperture and focal length. The second is a Maksutov design which has a much longer (1,250mm) focal length. Both have red dot finders, and the mount on both can be used for limited photography.

I'm not knocking the Meade - as I said it has a very substantial following of happy users, especially in the United States - but I personally feel it makes an excellent grab-and-go second telescope rather than a good all-round starter telescope.

[brad74]

hi thanks for the info i have  not decided yet  i am just trying to learn more and hopefully make the right choice i was just impressed with goto witch i am thinking is g.p.s. so i need one with larger aperture witch will let in more light . don't  quote me on this but length is not as important as aperture? i am sorry i always do loads of research before i buy thanks

 

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

Some goto systems incorporate gps, which essentially provides accurate time and the location of the telescope. With other gotos, you have to key in this information manually. GPS was an expensive feature but is now becoming much more common.

In general, the more aperture the better a telescope will be able to capture fainter objects and reveal detail for visual observation. It also increases the theoretical limit of magnification. How much aperture you need depends largely on what you are trying to observe. You can get very acceptable views of planets, the Moon, and a ton of stars, nebulae etc. with a small telescope. Other objects, especially Deep Space Objects (DSOs), require more aperture. But remember, too, good viewing also depends on good conditions. If you are observing from a big city with heavy light pollution, no amount of aperture is really going to help you!

Focal length has more to do with how your telescope works best. Short focal lengths provide wide views, ideal for many DSOs for example, while longer focal lengths give narrower views with the possibility of more detail and higher magnification, great for lunar and planetary observation. But also remember that atmospheric conditions limit realistic magnification - often in the UK x200 or x250 is the maximum on a good night.

It's often said that the best telescope is the one which is most used, and Happy Cat's advice is important. Large aperture telescopes can be heavy, difficult to move, take time to set up, need space to store etc. And if that results in them not being used frequently, you've defeated their purpose!

[brad74]

hi mate thanks i live in a aren with more countryside so its pretty good if theres a clear sky some now i am going to pick my telescope and send for it thanks for all your help cheers