I need some help choosing!

[FLO]

Hi Lotte

SGL is the best forum for information gathering and informed opinion, but then I am biased, I joined SGL myself soon after taking up astronomy and most of what I know today was learned here :salute:

[Lotte]

uh oh, Lotte, I'm not an expert, sorry. Ultimately, you are the person that knows your fella. The dob is like a good sharp chef's knife, the supatrak is more like an entry level food processor. What would he prefer?

Love the analogy

My boyfriend is definitely a sharp chef's knife man. Literally, he would always use a good knife over a food processor!

[Astro_Baby]

What about http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=skywatcher_explorer_130p_AZ_goto

Its got the venerable 130 tube which everyone loves plus a GoTo that should be pretty hot. Its probably just about portable as well if a little on the large side - pretty much the only extra you;d need would be a red light torch really.

[ONSLOWE]

I would suggest that the "good sharp knife" would be the best quality refractor that your buget would allow, on an Alt / Az mount. Therefore you could go for the highest quality refractor that you could afford, though I also think the Skywatcher 127 (never tried one) looks like a bargain. I had a Skywatcher 200 Dob and I could not get along with it. They are quite large to store, it didn't look too clever in my living room, and handle and although I found the optics to be good the motion on the Azimuth was sticky no matter what I tried (probably just me as I have little experiance). The refractor would require no collimation (though my Dob never needed it) and could always be useful as a grab and go scope if you boyfriend gets the bug and upgrades to a much larger scope. Good luck choosing,

Martin

[Tiny]

What about http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=skywatcher_explorer_130p_AZ_goto

Its got the venerable 130 tube which everyone loves plus a GoTo that should be pretty hot. Its probably just about portable as well if a little on the large side - pretty much the only extra you;d need would be a red light torch really.

Having just brought one I find this scope on this mount amazing value for money. The kit even includes a Barlow which isn't mentioned in the write up!

[part timer]

What about http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=skywatcher_explorer_130p_AZ_goto

Its got the venerable 130 tube which everyone loves plus a GoTo that should be pretty hot. Its probably just about portable as well if a little on the large side - pretty much the only extra you;d need would be a red light torch really.

For £250 that gives all the advantages of the larger aperture of the skywatcher 130 with the goto capability. I suspect that this is heavily based on the celestron slt which has a pretty good reputation.

It will never compare with an 8" dobsonian for good views but it will probably be more portable and it will track objects so they don't keep moving out of the field of view.

[burningbarricade]

Hi guys,

Found this forum whilst trying to choose which telescope to get - I'll definately be visiting often from now on. I read this post and from the advice you have given to lotte - whose requirements are similar to mine - it looks like a choice between Skywatcher Skymax 127 SupaTrak or the [/]Skywatcher Explorer 130P SynScan AZ GOTO.

Which one would be best?

thanks

[/]

[philsail1]

Hello and welcome to "Stargazers Lounge Forum" "burningbarricade!"

Both scopes you mention are excellent scopes to start off in this fascinating hobby!

Sometimes choosing a scope depends as much on your lifestyle needs, as well as optical performance desires.

Before buying a scope you need to ask yourself thinks like:-

1. Have you got a suitable (dark and light pollution free) space in your garden to set up a telescope.

2. Have you got plenty of spare time to sit in the garden (for several hours sometimes) gazing into the night sky (through your telescope of course!).

3. Do you have some where to store your scope when an observing session is over).

4. What part of Astro Observing is important to you at this moment, and do you envisage your interest developing to a point where you may want to take Astro Photos.

If you are short on being able to spend time observing, on storage space for your scope, and you don't have a suitable place in your garden to set up your scope, than perhaps you should go for a scope which is easily transported, set up, and put away again. (The Skywatcher Skymax 127 Maksutov would be the better choice).

If you do have all of the above - especially a good place to set up your scope in your garden, and have a good place where you can store your scope when not in use, then perhaps the Skywatcher 130PM would be better, with it's slightly bigger mirror, and equatorial mount.

But as I said earlier, either scope is a good buy. (The skywatcher 130PM will need a little more strorage space, and the mount is slightly heavier than the Skymax 127).

Best wishes on your choice - I'm sure you will receive plenty of advice on SGL.

Regards,

philsail1

[peeceeTal2M]

Lotte, you mentioned you lived in a city, why not check to see if they have a local astronomy club and go along one evening, the members are bound to have a variety of scopes and you'd have a chance to look through several different types/sizes which might help in your descision.

Phill

[Lotte]

Lotte, you mentioned you lived in a city, why not check to see if they have a local astronomy club and go along one evening, the members are bound to have a variety of scopes and you'd have a chance to look through several different types/sizes which might help in your descision.

Phill

Now why didn't I think of that!

I have googled and have found some details for Preston & District Astronomical Society, with a name and phone number.

I may brave it and give the guy a ring

Thanks for that - sometimes the obvious things just don't come to mind!

[Lotte]

I just wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who's given their advice here, and Steve at FLO for answering my incessant questions!

I made my choice and bought this one: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=SW127SupaTrakAUTO

I went for the transportability option, as I think we're going to see more away from the city centre.

I also got a year's subscription to the Sky at Night to get him started.

I'll give him the address for this site too, as I think he'll get a lot more out of it that way.

Thanks again

Lotte

[themos]

It's a better scope than my starter scope, it looks great and it's had good reviews. Well done.

[TheThing]

Good choice. Your boyfriend will be very pleased and happy!

[beamish]

Oooh good choice-preferable to your 1st 2x !! Do hope your boyfriend really appreciates it !! XLNT Xmas gift

Karlo

[Astro_Baby]

Do nag him to come here and say hi and also give his views on it - You are a great partner to do this amount of research for him.

[part timer]

Now that one is a good scope. I've never used the mount but the scope it's self has wonderfull optics!

[The Warthog]

Lotte, I don't have much to add that you haven't already heard. Astronomy is one of the places where you usually get what you pay for. Aperture is the greatest consideration, and when you decide what kind of scope suits you best, you should get the largest aperture that you can afford. Consider transportability and storage here, too, of course.

I generally advise beginners to not buy a smaller scope than 90mm for a refractor, or 125mm for a reflector or catadioptric.

There's nothing wrong with getting a goto scope, but don't buy the cheapest. I recently saw a Meade goto refractor that was the junkiest scope I've seen in some time. I wouldn't have recommended it to anyone. Sorry, can't remember the model, but it was selling for less than £50, and was a 100mm scope.

Konus has an excellent reputation on this side o't pond. Celestron is generally better respected than Meade, although their Schmidt-Newtonians have a very good rep.

Anyway, both Steve and Adam Hinds will not steer you wrong.

Best of success with your new scope, whatever you choose.