question Skywatcher Explorer 130P SynScan AZ GOTO

[Paul6230S5]

How good is this telescope for an amateur astronomer ( https://www.firstlightoptics.com/az-goto/skywatcher-explorer-130p-synscan-az-goto.html )? I've started taken Astronomy up as a hobby due to health reasons. I have a telescope already but it's like a kids toy which I got many years ago. I know I will not be seeing Hubble style images no matter what telescope I purchase but I want to be able to see all the planets, craters on the moon and some deep sky stuff like Andromeda.

I was going to do an online course on Astronomy but I think I might be better training myself up with a few books and apps. I took a mock exam online and scored not bad so I think it might be a waste of money that I could put to better use via a decent telescope.

Will this telescope run via an iPad and the Sky Safari 5 software app....I purchased the Plus version over Basic and Pro due to the stuff included in each. Basic is well....basic and Pro is in my opinion for real professional Astronomers which has a lot more of deep sky objects etc in the 1.5gb data catalogue.

Any help or information about what telescope to purchase for a budget of about £300 - £350. I'd like the telescope to be easily transportable on foot ( I don't drive ). I live in a slightly populated area but surrounded by countryside and fields which are easily accessible on foot and light conditions are great to view the free show which is the beautiful starry night sky.

[JG777]

That looks ideal for the circumstances you describe, remember you will need to power it so a Tracer battery might be the best for portability. It will be pretty decent on planets and lunar plus it will pick off many galaxies and deep sky objects, Andromeda no problem. On its own this will not link up with your Sky Safari but others here may know if you can add a Wi-Fi unit to it. If that is essential for you there are other choices I think Celestron have some Wi Fi enabled scopes in that price bracket or you could try and find a second hand Evolution 6 but even those scopes have inconsistent behaviours around Wi-Fi. 130mm is a good starting point and F5 is great for wide field objects. For books there are many but Turn Left at Orion is a very popular choice on here. Good luck!

[ronin]

Will ask this a different way: Why did you decide on that scope?

Also what is it that you want a scope to do and what do you intend to do with one.

May be odd questions but I keep finding people buy a scope for one reason, meanwhile thinking of another aspect that the scope is ill suited for. The common one is getting a Mak or SCT as they are compact, and they have a long focal length and can (maybe) deliver high magnifications. However they are ill suited to Astrophotography and the long focal length means a relatively narrow field of view.

A goto does that, it goes to the next object. It needs data, it needs setting up, it needs the goto sytem aligning. Then if all is OK it should goto where the object is. Basically it is not fully automatic.

The scope is a reasonable first scope. My preference is refractors but they do not tend to come on a out of the box goto package.

I would not try to go down the WiFi route. Have seen it work but to an extent I can see little point. You would have to stand there and tell the Skysafari where to point the scope and then you have to go look through the eyepiece. With a handset you tell the handset where to point the scope then you go look down the eyepiece. Just doesn't seem a lot in it. Especially as you would have to buy the wifi interface and set it all up, and if I recall the wifi bit plugs into the handset anyway.

There is an Astro Club in Edinburgh, that looks like it might be the closest: http://www.astronomyedinburgh.org/

Usually the first advice is visit a club and look at the equipment that is used. You might get a surprise, I did at one I called into. The equipment used was exactly not what people implied.

Books, find a book shop and look through a selection, get one that fits you. Do not assume anything that says "Beginners..." is actually a beginners book. I have found too many where "Beginner" seems to be first year PhD.

What courses were you looking into? There are couple of OU ones, one on the moon presently and there are ones offered by Coursera, well something like that. Better point out that looking at the stars through a scope is not necessarily Astronomy. Stellar Evolution and Galaxy Formation are but not in academic circles is looking at the stars.

 

[happy-kat]

Welcome.

How portable does the setup need to be too get on foot to your mentioned fields, two trips might be needed. Adding a battery can add considerable weight unless it is such like the tracer then it adds price. It might be for observing outside of home binoculars might fit. It might be you'd need a bluetooth dongle which adds further cost if hoping to control it from a tablet, I don't know which is cheaper wifi or Bluetooth. Telescope can not be run on rechargeable AA batteries 8 of those don't carry enough power. 

Future learn do many great online courses they are free you pay for the certificate of you want one on completing on the courses I have done. The excellent Moons course is about to start.

[Paul6230S5]

You're quite right, I chose that telescope because of A to sync with Sky Safari and B because it's a goto. I read a pinned post about people purchasing telescopes beyond their need and I seen I was that type of person. I want to discover planets, craters on the moons and some deep sky objects the ' old way '. I'd like to discover things myself instead of automated so yeah I was wrong in thinking that scope was for me. I'm new to this, well telescope wise. I have spent the last hour looking at telescopes that's within my budget and think I've found 2 that seem to fit the bill ( no automation GOTO system's just delicate movements and easy tracking ). I'll have a look at the Astronomy club in Edinburgh, I've tried finding one nearer but couldn't. There is meets at The Royal Observatory in Edinburgh which I might pop too one night which shold be fun.

I wanted to do a course on basic Astronomy to learn about constellations, planets, how to use a telescope in the night sky, the solar system and beyond etc. I have a good grasp at some of the things mentioned as I read books about the Universe, watch documentaries and I have quite a few Audiobooks about different  subjects ie Black Holes, Galadies,  Exo Planets. To be honest instead of doing a course to learn I'd rather teach myself.

 

This is one telescope I though might be a good starting one https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130.html

This is the second one I thought might be better suited to myself https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-130m.html

[happy-kat]

An equatorial mount adds an unnecessary layer if just observing and extra weight to carry. If you are able to get to a local observing session or shop this will help in choosing. For observing I prefer an altaz mount which moves in simple left right up down and can point it quickly anywhere in the sky.

[Ricochet]

If you're now looking for a manual scope that can be carried fairly easily there is a new 130p on AZ5 that looks pretty light. 

[happy-kat]

That new mount does look the business with slo mo controls.

[Astro Imp]

IMO using an equatorial mounted Newtonian for observing (as opposed to imaging) is an exercise in frustration. I do know what I'm talking about as I started with a 150P on an EQ3-2 and although it got me started I wish I'd started with an AZ mount.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Paul6230S5]

Ok, so to make life easier I'd be better getting one just with an AZ Mount.

 

This is the ' Toy ' I've had for years and even a basic astronomer can tell you won't see much with it.

 

Tasco 55T

600mm x 50mm

SR : 4mm Eyepiece

H: 12.5mm Eyepiece

14 X Erecting Eyepice

 

 

[Geoff Lister]

I have (1) Skywatcher Skymax 127 Synscan GOTO, (2) Celestron Skyprodigy 70 with Starsense, & (3) Celestron Cosmos 90 WiFi. these are all basically the same mount, with different input methods to achieve GOTO, and, after a slight cut-back of the Skyprodigy's dovetail clamp's plastic cowl, the OTAs are interchangeable.

I thought that it would be nice to use my tablet for WiFi control, and use a Samsung tablet, running SkyPortal, to drive the Cosmos 90. I have found 2 major problems (1) it is almost impossible to use the "virtual" up/down/left/right touchscreen buttons whilst looking through an eyepiece (I like to feel a button as I press it), & (2) I get fed up of attempting alignment, with the chosen star smack bang centre in the eyepiece, and then having the software tell me that I am in error and to try again (no option to tell it that I know what I am looking at, and accept that I am correct).

Geoff

 

[Nyctimene]

On 26.7.2017 at 22:33, Ricochet said:

If you're now looking for a manual scope that can be carried fairly easily there is a new 130p on AZ5 that looks pretty light. 

+1 for that. The optics are really good; I'm very pleased with my new 5.1" Heritage Flextube (which would be even more compact and can be mounted to AZ mounts as well). It works well with the Seben 24-8 zoom (several clones of that), and the ES 26mmf/62° LER is giving a field of 2,5° with mag 25x, so no need for an additional optical finder.  You can crank up the mag beyond 200x. Easy to transport, setup and use, no need for more electricity other than the RDF and the red light torch. (Ok; SkySafari Plus running on the smartphone is really nice...)

Here my usual suggestions to read:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/463109-onesky-newtonian-astronomers-without-borders/

http://neilenglish.net/category/telescopes/

 

Your "toy" telescope would have been considered in those ancient times, when I started stargazing (when the devil was still a little boy) as a very decent allround scope, giving nice views of moon, planets, double stars and open clusters. The drawback are mainly the eyepieces; with an .965/1.25" adapter and modern Plössls you might be surprised. It could also be fitted to the AZ mount. Don't give it away - I'm still keeping (and sometimes using) my starter scope from 1970, a DIY 60/700 mm frac with a Unitron Fraunhofer achromat.

Start an astro diary/logbook (paper version); it's a fun to read after many years one's own astro biography.

Stephan

 

[Paul6230S5]

I found the eyepieces after moving house years ago and will definitely be giving this telescope a chance, we all have to start little. I picked up a 2nd hand Dummies Guide Of Astronomy and have just started reading that. I have to thank Ronin for what he replied which made me question exactly why I wanted the telescope I linked. I've decided to just keep saving money until I've read a few books and played about with binoculars and the telescope I have until I'm 100% sure it's going to be a hobby I will enjoy for years to come ( I don't think I will get bored of looking into the night sky with so much to see ).