Beginner telescope advice please..

[Dave In Vermont]

I would throw this idea straight in the rubbish-bin. The eBay ad shows a refractor with an 80mm achromatic objective - which certainly is a refractor. Yet it's description reads:

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Celestron AstroMaster LT80AZ Telescope

 

BRAND NEW 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This portable and easy to assemble Celestron AstroMaster LT80AZ Telescope is perfect for celestial viewing and will produce bright, clear images of the Moon and planets. Easily observe the belts and moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn with the fine instruments, whilst the larger aperture and light-gathering ability of the Newtonian Reflector will provide breath-taking views of brighter deep-space objects like galaxies and nebulae.

A quick-release, no-tool dovetail attachment makes setup a breeze, and a rugged pre-assembled tripod with steel tube legs provides a rigid stable platform.

The telescope comes complete with The SkyX - First Light Edition planetarium software which features a 10,000 object database, printable sky maps and 75 enhanced images. This telescope combines the best in intricate technology and ease of use, and is a great telescope for any budding astronomer.

Quick and easy setup - no tools required with permanently mounted StarPointer for convenience

Includes 2 eyepieces (45x and 90x) and comes complete with The Sky X - First Light Edition astronomy software with a 10,000 object database, printable sky maps and 75 enhanced images

 

 

 

 

Product Description

Optical coatings: Aluminium Optical design: Newtonian Reflector Focal length: 700mm Focal ratio: 9.21 Eyepiece 1: 20mm; Magnification: 35x Eyepiece 2: 10mm; Magnification: 70x Limiting stellar magnitude: 12.8 Resolution (Rayleigh): 1.83 Arc seconds Resolution (Dawes): 1.53 Arc seconds Light gathering power (compared to human eye): 118x Aperture: 76mm Angular field of view: 1.7° Tripod: 1 inch steel tube legs Weight: 7.5kg Dimensions (boxed): W 105 x H36 x D 22 cm

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That's just plain messed-up! I'd hate to think what they'd deliver to your door - perhaps a box of Scorpions from Honduras.....?

"Warning Will Robinson! Warning!"

Run Away!

Dave

[happy-kat]

This is the costco link.

Link here

If you can go to the store and they have one on display then you will be able to tell if it is a refractor.  Even if there is not one on display read the box the telescope is in and look at the picture on the box. If it looks like a refractor then that is what is in the box, for that price it would start your journey.

 

[Ricochet]

It is exactly as the picture shows. They had them in store over Christmas when the John Lewis ad was stoking interest but I think they are probably web only now.

[happy-kat]

The John Lewis add one was a 60mm from memory, it was not 80mm (or even 76mm) as First Light Optics had them for sale as well. Thread here on that one.

link here to 60mm version for review

I think this CostCo one at that price in the earlier link is worth getting as a starter telescope. It wont be a toy as it is the Celstron brand.

 

[Ricochet]

I wasn't saying it was then same one, just that (at least in my local Costco) you can't go in and get one off the shelf. 

[rockystar]

it wouldn't surprise me if the guy selling on eBay doesn't actually have one of these, but will buy it from Costco for you and take £15 for himself - the mistakes between the pic and the description look strikingly similar on both adverts.

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, happy-kat said:

link here to 60mm version for review

I tried helping a couple at a star party last summer who brought a similarly sized and mounted scope.  That mount was horribly wobbly with a jerky movement.  There was no sighting device on theirs, so I sighted along the tube.  The eyepieces and focuser were terrible.  After spending 20 minutes with them and getting one bright object viewable, I recommended they walk around the field and find a telescope they could actually use and like and chalk that one up as learning experience.  Beware of cheap alt-az mounts.  Try it out before you buy.

[happy-kat]

If you have children then the tripod would perhaps not need to be fully extended and adults can sit on a chair, a shorter tripod leg extension would be more stable.

A better red dot finder could be used instead for night use and could be picked up later. But for looking at the Moon and for terestrial viewing a finder is really not needed.

Cheap telesscopes in this style from toy shops or department stores can be really rather nasty. A tripod can always be changed later on if the hobby proves it has legs for night time observing.

[snakey_75]

14 hours ago, Dave In Vermont said:

I would throw this idea straight in the rubbish-bin. The eBay ad shows a refractor with an 80mm achromatic objective - which certainly is a refractor. Yet it's description reads:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestron AstroMaster LT80AZ Telescope

 

BRAND NEW 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This portable and easy to assemble Celestron AstroMaster LT80AZ Telescope is perfect for celestial viewing and will produce bright, clear images of the Moon and planets. Easily observe the belts and moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn with the fine instruments, whilst the larger aperture and light-gathering ability of the Newtonian Reflector will provide breath-taking views of brighter deep-space objects like galaxies and nebulae.

A quick-release, no-tool dovetail attachment makes setup a breeze, and a rugged pre-assembled tripod with steel tube legs provides a rigid stable platform.

The telescope comes complete with The SkyX - First Light Edition planetarium software which features a 10,000 object database, printable sky maps and 75 enhanced images. This telescope combines the best in intricate technology and ease of use, and is a great telescope for any budding astronomer.

Quick and easy setup - no tools required with permanently mounted StarPointer for convenience

Includes 2 eyepieces (45x and 90x) and comes complete with The Sky X - First Light Edition astronomy software with a 10,000 object database, printable sky maps and 75 enhanced images

 

 

 

 

Product Description

Optical coatings: Aluminium Optical design: Newtonian Reflector Focal length: 700mm Focal ratio: 9.21 Eyepiece 1: 20mm; Magnification: 35x Eyepiece 2: 10mm; Magnification: 70x Limiting stellar magnitude: 12.8 Resolution (Rayleigh): 1.83 Arc seconds Resolution (Dawes): 1.53 Arc seconds Light gathering power (compared to human eye): 118x Aperture: 76mm Angular field of view: 1.7° Tripod: 1 inch steel tube legs Weight: 7.5kg Dimensions (boxed): W 105 x H36 x D 22 cm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's just plain messed-up! I'd hate to think what they'd deliver to your door - perhaps a box of Scorpions from Honduras.....?

"Warning Will Robinson! Warning!"

Run Away!

Dave

Cheers Dave, I like my creepy crawlies and such.... I'd be much happier with the scorpions than the scope, don't think the O.H. would be though! ?