Spotting Scope for Astro visual?

[pluton]

Hello,

 Anyone have using a good spotting scope for astro observations?

Hier, in a birding trip I saw a good Kowa 884 in action, what vision!!! this for day only.....

Thanks

Paulo

[Ricochet]

There are a couple of issues with using a spotting scope for astronomy as far as I am concerned:

1. Spotting scopes come in either straight through or 45° angled versions. Neither of these are comfortable for looking upwards at the high angles that many astronomical objects appear at. A dedicated astro scope with 90° diagonal will be more comfortable.
2. Spotting scopes don't use standard eyepiece fittings. Depending on the scope you may be able to use 1.25" astro eyepieces or get an adaptor that allows them to be used, but obtaining infinity focus is not guaranteed. If you can't get an adaptor then you will be limited to only those eyepieces that the manufacturer, which will be lower magnifications suitable for terrestrial viewing and might not cover the range you would use with an astronomical scope.
3. Spotting scopes don't usually have very good sighting devices. Fitting a finder may require gluing a shoe to the scope which you may not want to do.

That said, if I want to watch the ISS pass over I'll use my spotting scope, but otherwise it is the Dob every time.

[ollypenrice]

Great answer above.

Olly

[Stub Mandrel]

On 21/08/2017 at 17:14, Ricochet said:

Spotting scopes come in either straight through or 45° angled versions. Neither of these are comfortable for looking upwards at the high angles that many astronomical objects appear at. A dedicated astro scope with 90° diagonal will be more comfortable.

While I agree, I am an eyepiece struggler and I found the erect image from the 45-degree prism on my C90 Mak much more comfortable to use, the fact the movement of the target was 'logical'; it left my poor confused brain with one less thing to stress over.

I feel the need for a proper RACI thingy coming on...

[gnomus]

For the price (or even a fraction of the price) of that Kowa, you could get a pretty decent to top quality refractor, an alt-az mount, and a few eyepieces.  

[pluton]

Thanks all opinions!!

Regards,

PUL