New to the hobby - Skywatcher Heritage 130P or Meade LightBridge Mini 130

[BeerMe]

I found this little chart online and find it very handy when trying to remember how to work out things like exit pupil and TFOV :-)

[AbeSapien]

15 hours ago, Alan64 said:

A 150mm f/5 Newtonian is actually the closest you can get to an all-around telescope; a 130mm f/6 refractor is the other.  

[...]

A secondary obstruction in general is in effect a "cataract" in the centre of the telescope's "eye".

Okay, I see... Since I want to get the most out of it I'm rethinking my strategy here and head in the 150 f/5 newtonian direction.

Looking at the Celestron Omni XLT 150 and the Skywatcher Explorer 150P (and the DS? What's the apparent difference?) and I'm wondering where the big price difference comes from...?

15 hours ago, rockystar said:

A link to help you check sky darkness at the time of your travel: https://clearoutside.com/annual_darkness/59.33/18.07

 

Oh wow, thank you! Downloaded the app version immediately, very helpful!

This confirms the mentioned doubts a few posts earlier about it being not dark enough at that time of the year...

[JOC]

If you  are not transporting it around on your holiday does going bigger than the 150P bust your budget?  I don't think it's that much more to get the 200P on a Dobsonian mount.

[AbeSapien]

4 minutes ago, JOC said:

If you  are not transporting it around on your holiday does going bigger than the 150P bust your budget?  I don't think it's that much more to get the 200P on a Dobsonian mount.

No, not at all!, it wouldn't bust the budget.

You get the 200P in the Dobsonian mount, but it is a Skyliner, so it has another focal lenght... After reading all of this 750mm seem to fit my beginner needs really well

Though it is almost the same price as the Explorer 150P, so still pretty tempting ^^

[JOC]

7 minutes ago, AbeSapien said:

After reading all of this 750mm seem to fit my beginner needs really well

I only mention it as its often the telescope that beginners are pointed at (I've been on SGL for 5-6 months and seen it recommended more than anything else) - I had never owned a telescope before last December (had never even thought of owning a telescope!), I posted on SGL and that was advised as being something of an all rounder - it's why I bought the one in my signature - which is the same, but I got the flex-tube version as it's a bit easier to store.

[JOC]

One of these also seems to be F5 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200p-eq5.html

 

[happy-kat]

The p-ds has the mirror mounted further up the tube so will reach focus with a dslr. 200p does not suit everyone you are trading portability for aperture.

The scope you can be bothered to setup will be the scope you'll use. It should fit around your storage space and location and observing windows. Lugging a large telescope and mount down stairs for short observing opportunities isn't going to happen however marvelous the views if you could have been bothered.

[AbeSapien]

12 minutes ago, JOC said:

I only mention it as its often the telescope that beginners are pointed at (I've been on SGL for 5-6 months and seen it recommended more than anything else) - I had never owned a telescope before last December (had never even thought of owning a telescope!), I posted on SGL and that was advised as being something of an all rounder - it's why I bought the one in my signature - which is the same, but I got the flex-tube version as it's a bit easier to store.

Bummer the flex-tube 200P only exists with the GOTO system...

But hey, I'll have plenty to contemplate on for the next few days and weeks ^^

 

Ordered 3 books this morning, Turn left at orion, the Observers Sky Atlas by Karkoschka (german KOSMOS edition) and a a companion book with objects to watch out for in 2017

 

15 minutes ago, JOC said:

One of these also seems to be F5 https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200p-eq5.html

 

I was looking at this one this morning, I was comparing it to the Explorer 150P.

[JOC]

The books sound a good buy.

I saw this thread and thought of you - loads of votes for a 200P in it :-D

 

[AbeSapien]

11 minutes ago, JOC said:

The books sound a good buy.

I saw this thread and thought of you - loads of votes for a 200P in it :-D

 

I was really not sure I would find what I'm looking for regarding the title

 

I have to think a little more but I'm pretty sure I narrowed my selection down to the Explorer 150P and the Skyliner 200P... But time will tell! I'm not buying before the end of the next month, so plenty of time to over-think xD

[Alan64]

8 hours ago, AbeSapien said:

I was really not sure I would find what I'm looking for regarding the title

 

I have to think a little more but I'm pretty sure I narrowed my selection down to the Explorer 150P and the Skyliner 200P... But time will tell! I'm not buying before the end of the next month, so plenty of time to over-think xD

If within that post, and another, you're referring to these two kits...

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1013_Celestron-Omni-150XLT---150-750mm-Newtonian-telescope-on-CG4.html

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2686_Skywatcher-Explorer-150P-on-EQ3---150-750mm-Newton-Telescope.html

...both of those kits come with German equatorial mounts, which are quite heavy, and more complex than an alt-azimuth.  But they can be motorised, and for automatic hands free tracking, and where any object would remain stationary and centered within an eyepiece, for hours if you'd like.  You could then push the Newtonian up towards 300x, possibly more when observing the Moon, if the telescope is well collimated.  You could certainly travel with an EQ3-type equatorial; just keep in mind that it would take up a bit more space than an alt-azimuth, and the dissembling and assembling, then back again, could very well prove tiresome.  Also, once set up, they must be aligned with the north celestial pole(NCP), using Polaris, the north star, and in order to track objects properly.  If, during the course of an evening or night, you would like to move the mount to a more favourable spot, the mount would need to be aligned all over again.  With an alt-azimuth, you would simply lift the kit up and move it to another location, and resume observing immediately; pros and cons with both types of mounts, as you can see.

Incidentally, it is possible to convert an EQ3-type equatorial into an alt-azimuth mode of operation, and back again.  Quite a few have done so.

Here's my 150mm f/5 on both types of mounts to give you somewhat an idea of what to expect, although mine have been modified here and there, and to suit my preference...

The Celestron kit has tubular-steel legs, whilst the Sky-Watcher kit has legs of aluminum, like my alt-azimuth shown above; and with the steel legs preferred for improved stability, hence the extra cost.  In addition, the branding itself, "Celestron", is also partly responsible for the mark-up; Synta Optical of China makes both, therefore no rhyme nor reason to be had in that instance.

The "P-DS" Newtonians have two-speed focussers, which helps to achieve a finer focus.  F/5 telescopes do benefit from a two-speed, in the ability to find the sharpest focus-point more easily, but the secondary mirror is somewhat larger than the "P" series, and for imaging purposes. 

The 200mm f/6 "Skyliner" Dobsonian weighs a total of 26 kgs./57 lbs.  With an even greater aperture comes more bulk and weight, and primarily for the garden, rather than for travelling, and just as the equatorial kits with their heavier mounts.