New to this site

[Deadsky]

Hey everybody..

I'm new here and also to the realm of astronomy, my son has shown an interest in astronomy for quite a while now and well, he has asked for a scope for his birthday this weekend coming..

So I thought I would join him on his quest to conquer the stars, of which we are looking for a newbie scope and also at a good price, we have given him a budget of £160 and at this moment the Celestron 1000 is the only one that is looking good for the budget, I have read that this isn't the best we should look at but the Sky-Watcher is, but we can not seriously go to that sort of money.

I have told him that at the low end we have no real chance of seeing the other planets out there but to start by looking at the moon, is the Celestron seriously not worth getting ? even if it is just to hopefully capture the moon in all its glory..

Sorry if this has already been posted by another person, but I couldn't find it, if anything this could help other people to get into this hobby with very low budgets..

Thank you for any information you can pass on..

[Ags]

Can you give a link to the scope you mean? Is it perhaps this:

https://www.astroshop.eu/celestron-telescope-n-114-1000-astromaster-eq/p,7893

Many people start with these and speak quite highly of them:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

[Fey]

My first scope was the Skywatcher Heritage 100p https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-heritage-100p-tabletop-dobsonian.html This was great value at under £100.  With the supplied eyepieces I was able to get good views of both Jupiter and Saturn.  The 130p is still within your budget and will give better views.  The downside to both these scopes is that they are table top, rather than tripod mounted.

Good luck with your scope shopping.

[Davey-T]

Hi and welcome to SGL, are you in the UK ? 

I think that's what's known as a reflector scope ie it has a mirror, a better bet for a beginner would be some sort of refractor.

No reason that you cannot see planets with a "cheap" scope depending if they're actually visible.

Dave

[Guest]

welcome to SGL

[dweller25]

Hello Deadsky and son - welcome to SGL

As already mentioned,this is good....

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

If you can stretch a little more this is VERY capable....

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

[bottletopburly]

How about secondhand ,Astro buy and sell have some good deals ,how about a dobsonian http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=131826

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL 

[Ben the Ignorant]

Yeah, get the 130! All the planets save Pluto are within reach of any small scope, even a 60mm.

[domstar]

Hi and welcome. The moon looks wonderful in any telescope. With my 70mm refractor from Lidl I saw bands on Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, the Orion nebula, open and globular clusters beautiful double stars and even a galaxy or two. Even small telescopes can show a lot. My only advice is that my one try with an EQ mount left me frustrated. I'm glad I have an AZ mount- it's much easier to set up and use. Welcome to a wonderful hobby.

[Deadsky]

Yeah sorry,thank you all for your replies, I was under the impression that we would need quite a powerful scope even to get a looking on a planet like Saturn or Venus, but any how here is the link to the setup I was talking about.

https://www.jessops.com/p/celestron/ps1000-newtonian-reflector-telescope-97399

This seems to be the best for that type of money, and TBH we can't stretch anymore, especially if he all of a sudden decides he is bored..

thank you again

[Helen]

Welcome to SGL

The heritage flextube 130 linked to above will give you the same light gathering as the Jessops scope you linked to, but will be MUCH easier to set up and use.  I've got one which is currently on loan to a young friend and he loves it! and I know that a few seasoned observers on here use one as a travel scope for holiday.  So it is a proper telescope not just a starter scope  while easy to store too.

Another alternative which looks good value is https://www.firstlightoptics.com/offers/offer_celestron-inspire-80mm-az-refractor_61396.html 

I would also say to buy from a specialist telescope retailer as you'll get much better service both before and after purchase - and you won't pay more either.

Helen

[Ruud]

Hi Deadsky,

I just want to say welcome to you
and +1 to the Skywatcher 130p

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/heritage/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

[happy-kat]

Welcome

Another heritage 130p owner here. It can be used from the floor or sat on an upturned bucket, I don't actually have an outside table to use, I sit on a garden chair. If the hobby bites and you get other tripods this telescope has a standard dove tail bar so can be used on other tripods.

[saac]

2 hours ago, Deadsky said:

Yeah sorry,thank you all for your replies, I was under the impression that we would need quite a powerful scope even to get a looking on a planet like Saturn or Venus, but any how here is the link to the setup I was talking about.

https://www.jessops.com/p/celestron/ps1000-newtonian-reflector-telescope-97399

This seems to be the best for that type of money, and TBH we can't stretch anymore, especially if he all of a sudden decides he is bored..

thank you again

That's a good scope and will serve your son well as an introduction and beyond.  You don't say what age he is; if he is of secondary school age then he should be more than able, with practice, to learn how to cope with the equilateral mount (eq).  The good thing about the eq mount is that it will allow the object under view to be kept in the centre of the eyepiece.  This will become important should he ever want to take a photograph or short video - albeit photography with this particular setup will be limited (typically smart phone or web cam) but nonetheless it will offer a bit of challenge and fun. I would have no difficulty going with the ps100.  

 

Jim

[happy-kat]

I have a feeling that the Celstron P1000 sold by Jessops is also known as a  Celestron 127EQ and that is a Jones Bird design and probably best to choose something else. The telescope has what is called a barlow in the focuser which is already magnifying the image and plenty users report being frustrated by the tripod.

[cletrac1922]

Welcome Deadsky and junior Deadsky from land down under

Have a 250MM Skywatcher collapsible  dob, and use that with school/scout/guide programs with club belong to and easy to use and set up

Have also attached copy of Level 1 & 2 Scout Space badge program, and thought junior might have fun, as has craft activities as well 

John

 

Space Badge.docx

[sloz1664]

Hi and a warm welcome to the Lounge

Steve

[Deadsky]

My son is 10 years this Friday coming, but is very keen and pretty quick to pick things up..

With the Skywatcher 130p flextube would I have to buy a moon filter ?

Ok that really does look a good buy, have just read other reviews on it and well i'm quite smitten by it..

One of the reviews said about buying a 2xBarlow lens, would this be something for now or later ?

Thank you again guys..

[Charic]

Welcome to the SGL.

Please don't buy the Celestron 1000, just don't!

I had their 127EQ, it performs well on the Moon or across the local fields? but beyond that, not worth the money, plus too many controls to continually adjust just too much faffing around just to look at a single target, very off-putting for a beginner. Jupiter was not up to much either through this scope for my needs.

I have a better scope now, highly recommended, but think, look & listen to the folks here who may have had, at some time one of the smaller scopes like the 130P.

There is a Skywatcher here in the beginner scope section  https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html which is an improvement over the Celestron 1000 you mention, but there are several other scopes that will be good for your needs. Another good option is binoculars? You wont see  high planetary detail, colour shade maybe, but you should see the Moons of Jupiter.

Whatever you choose, forget Birthdays as a dateline, what you'll intend to look at will still be there next Month, next Year, so choose well based on the feedback you receive . The Planets are not well placed at present for decent observations, I can't see any from my house due to obstructions, but do  take your time.

Binoculars and an introduction to Stellarium (FREEWARE Planetarium for all formats ) should make for a good birthday present. There's so much theory involved in telescope choice that it makes your mind boggle trying to fathom out whats right, whats not.

Enjoy the sleepless nights, I mean't the process!!!!!!!

 

 

[Deadsky]

Lol Charic.

Dude warning headed, nothing has happened yet and he is willing for me to make the right choice, all the post's here have been awesome, it is going to be a very daunting experience but we will get there..

o7

[happy-kat]

You don't need a Moon filter, if you find a full Moon very bright just slip your sun glasses on to observe at your telescope but NEVER look at the sun. I have a barlow but rarely use it. Barlow might make the image bigger but it often won't look as sharp, smaller is often better as clearer.

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

Peter

[Nyctimene]

Hello and welcome, Deadsky and son, to this friendly forum!

As Charic said above, steer away from the Celestron 114/1000. The optical system (Bird-Jones; or Jones-Bird - the same) consists of a spherical mirror and a correcting built-in Barlow element, and is rather difficult to collimate even for the experts. The equatorial mount is reported as weak, wobbly and complicated in use. For beginners, a Dobsonian or Alt-Az (=up-down/right-left movements) mount type is much more suitable.

Another vote for the Skywatcher Heritage 130 P Flextube; I'm very pleased with it (bought it last summer). Excellent optics, decent mount, very easy to use, can be fully collimated; excellent value for the money. It's easy to store, to transport (to dark sky areas) and to set up. Two links are added (just in case you don't know them):

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

and Neil Englishs report:

http://neilenglish.net/a-newtonian-travel-scope/

With 5" aperture, you don't need a moon filter; I rarely use a moon filter even with my 18" f/4.5, as I switch rapidly to higher magnifications, thus the image brightness is dimmed.

Take yourself time with your decisions; read and ask here. A planisphere, the Pocket Sky Atlas or a red light torch might serve as a birthday present for your son.

Enjoy the learning process, and Clear Skies!

Stephan

 

[Helen]

10 hours ago, Deadsky said:

My son is 10 years this Friday coming, but is very keen and pretty quick to pick things up..

With the Skywatcher 130p flextube would I have to buy a moon filter ?

Ok that really does look a good buy, have just read other reviews on it and well i'm quite smitten by it..

One of the reviews said about buying a 2xBarlow lens, would this be something for now or later ?

Thank you again guys..

I'd say the 130p would be a great match for a bright 10-year-old!  No need for moon filter, and I too would leave the barlow for the moment.  Learn to use the scope with the supplied eyepieces (start with the one with larger number ie lower magnification).  If the bug bites (him or you  ) then you can upgrade eyepieces.  There are some great apps for stargazing too - eg skysafari.

Helen