First scope help £400 budget

[Foggy147]

Hoping to get some advice. I really would like to get a decent telescope to do some star gazing with. I've been looking at various sites to try gauge a good beginner telescope but it's a minefield. Budget is around £400 max and just want to make sure I get the best I can for my money.

I mainly want to view planets/galaxies if possible, nebulae just the usual sort of stuff as clear as possible. Would maybe like to branch into the photography side as well if possible so one with the option to upgrade would be good.

I've never had a scope before so have nothing to compare against. 

[bottletopburly]

 http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=134259 

[HEXZ0R]

for £400 u can easily afford skywatcher dobsonian 8" f/6 ,its really good scope

[Foggy147]

Would I ever better of going for one that can find the stars etc on its own with the program? 

[happy-kat]

What about the following all lead to help choosing what works for you.

Observing site, local, garden, light pollution.

Storage, upstairs, outside, shed, garage, front room.

 

[HEXZ0R]

1 minute ago, Foggy147 said:

Would I ever better of going for one that can find the stars etc on its own with the program? 

u talk about GoTo mounts ,and they're expensive , a decent GoTo Mount is around £300

[Foggy147]

Most of the viewing would be from conservatory/back garden. Not to bad on light pollution there is a train line at the back of house the has low lighting at night but we are not overlooked with loads of street lighting from the back.

 

I do maybe like the idea of having the option to put it into car for when we go away etc. 

[happy-kat]

The skywatcher star discovery is within budget and is Got To and is decent sized telescope. The mount also works without power handy if it goes flat.

[JemC]

6 minutes ago, Foggy147 said:

Would I ever better of going for one that can find the stars etc on its own with the program? 

If only it was that simple 

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

A key choice is whether to get a GoTo telescope outfit, which (once set up) will find objects for you.  Or go to the other extreme, and get a Dobsonian outfit, which will give you a lot more aperture for the same money, but leaves you to do all the finding and tracking yourself, totally manual.  Or get an equatorial mount which will follow objects with one-axis hand or motor tracking.

Be aware that astrophotographic and visual outfits have very little in common, and if you want to do both well it means buying twice.

If (understandably) you have little idea what would suit you, the best thing to do is just get something small, good quality and easy to manage (such as a Maksutov on an alt-azimuth mount) that you can re-purpose as a holiday or portable telescope later.

[HEXZ0R]

just want to add something about telescopes without GoTo - Its such a satisfaction when u finally find the target you looking for.I think just for me is more exciting xD
thats why Dobsonian all the way baby ! 

[iPeace]

My advice is to start simple. (You may decide to keep it that way for the pure joy it gives.) Just get something for use in the back garden that can let you see a lot.

Something like this.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

Very simple to set up and intuitive to use. It gets you started and may well be all you'll ever need. Well within budget, you can add a nice collimation tool and after a while a couple of nice eyepieces.

It doesn't contain a motor or a computer - so less stuff to fail or baffle you. You'll quickly learn how to point it at what you'd like to see - start easy for maximum enjoyment and gradually progress.

[Foggy147]

10 hours ago, iPeace said:

My advice is to start simple. (You may decide to keep it that way for the pure joy it gives.) Just get something for use in the back garden that can let you see a lot.

Something like this.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

Very simple to set up and intuitive to use. It gets you started and may well be all you'll ever need. Well within budget, you can add a nice collimation tool and after a while a couple of nice eyepieces.

It doesn't contain a motor or a computer - so less stuff to fail or baffle you. You'll quickly learn how to point it at what you'd like to see - start easy for maximum enjoyment and gradually progress.

I think this is what I'm going to go for. Might find it frustrating at first but do like the idea of having to learn it myself.

 

Any advise on useful accessories to purchase with it at the same time to get me going? Thank you.

[happy-kat]

Cheshire collimator I think.

[Foggy147]

Ok i've got the 200p in my basket along with:

 

Moon Filter

Light Pollution Filter

2 x Barlow Deluxe Lens

Would this be a good start?

 

[iPeace]

8 minutes ago, Foggy147 said:

I think this is what I'm going to go for. Might find it frustrating at first but do like the idea of having to learn it myself.

 

Any advise on useful accessories to purchase with it at the same time to get me going? Thank you.

 

Yes.  First, watch this:

 

 

Now, you should have a pretty good idea of what collimation means in practice. There may be more to it, and there are certainly more detailed guides out there on how collimation works etc. but this video got me over my initial qualms and I'm sorted.

Then, find and order a collimation tool similar (or: exactly) like the one they're using in the video.

I got this one:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p164_TS-Optics-LA2-1-25--Newton-Justierlaser-fuer-genaue-Newton-Kollimation.html

It looks just like the one they're using in the video, and it works exactly the same (easy!). I can't comment on other types of collimation tools, but there's plenty of help to be had here on SGL if you're curious as to what other options there are.

After you've been using your scope for a while, you may wish to upgrade your eyepieces. Check back in with us.

 

[iPeace]

1 minute ago, Foggy147 said:

Ok i've got the 200p in my basket along with:

 

Moon Filter

Light Pollution Filter

2 x Barlow Deluxe Lens

Would this be a good start?

 

I would suggest you wait a while with the filters. Just get started, and see how it goes. Filters can come later - if at all.

Barlow: maybe. Again, you can wait with this and get one later on, once you get an idea of how stuff works in practice.

I'd say just get the 200p and a collimation tool and get started. Extra stuff is easily ordered and swiftly delivered, you won't regret waiting with that.

[Cosmic Geoff]

I suggest you wait before buying the filters. Some people (including me) do not use a moon filter. And many local authorities are installing LED lighting.  Light pollution filters don't work with sources that emit a continuous spectrum, such as white LEDs.

[Sunshine]

GET A DOBSONIAN!!!!! you won't regret it, 8 inch will do the trick nicely.