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Hi all looking for some advice , just got back  into campervaning and realised how clear the sky’s can be and looking to buy a decent starter telescope new or preowned not a problem, what shall I go for ? Regards markwithah 

R

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FWIW we use our campervan as a mobile observatory. The camper is nice and warm inside and has a reasonable supply of 12v electricity. So the mount and telescope go outside in the cold and a couple of cables connect that to a laptop inside the van. Once the rig is set up, we can come in from the cold and spend the night imaging in the warm. Even if you only want to do visual obs now and/or your budget doesn't run to imaging, you might want to consider the comfort that a camper can provide and buy equipment that can be used or upgraded for imaging later.

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Would a pair of 15x70 or 20x80 binoculars be easier to stash away in the camper?  I left a pair of Celestron 15x70's in our Bongo when we had it. Very capable under dark skies. Although i always wished i had a scope with me. A Skywatcher Startravel 102 or 120 on an AZ4 would have been fun but my wife would have done her nut. Surprisingly very little space in a camper when going away. Binoculars were the limit i found.

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2 hours ago, russ said:

Would a pair of 15x70 or 20x80 binoculars be easier to stash away in the camper?  I left a pair of Celestron 15x70's in our Bongo when we had it. Very capable under dark skies. Although i always wished i had a scope with me. A Skywatcher Startravel 102 or 120 on an AZ4 would have been fun but my wife would have done her nut. Surprisingly very little space in a camper when going away. Binoculars were the limit i found.

I guess that storage depends on the camper. A typical panel van conversion (PVC) might have an issue, but this probably isn't the case with most coachbuilts and A-classes. We're lucky as two of us rattle around in a 7m coachbuilt. However, even with a PVC, you can load up the habitation area with mount, scopes, and accessories as they'll be outside the van once you're set up on site, and can be stored in the front of the van when you're not doing astro and want to use the habitation area. That said, I agree about the binos -- we keep a pair of 8x50's in the van. We often also take an ST80 with us just in case we get a clear night when we're using the van for something other than astro. FWIW, folks were queuing to view Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon at the last couple of music festivals we went to!

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32 minutes ago, Geoff_L said:

I guess that storage depends on the camper. A typical panel van conversion (PVC) might have an issue, but this probably isn't the case with most coachbuilts and A-classes. We're lucky as two of us rattle around in a 7m coachbuilt. However, even with a PVC, you can load up the habitation area with mount, scopes, and accessories as they'll be outside the van once you're set up on site, and can be stored in the front of the van when you're not doing astro and want to use the habitation area. That said, I agree about the binos -- we keep a pair of 8x50's in the van. We often also take an ST80 with us just in case we get a clear night when we're using the van for something other than astro. FWIW, folks were queuing to view Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon at the last couple of music festivals we went to!

Space a bit limited in the bongo with two kids, awning, camping gear, food. Just about get in. lol   But an ST80 on a Giro would have been perfect. Or even an ED80 or ED72 on a Giro would be epic. All academic now sadly as the camper is no longer with us. :( 

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Im currently in the Dordogne in our 2 berth chausson 5.5m coachbuilt. With me I have my 127mak, azgti laptop and cameras along with a flight case of eye pieces etc. All powered from the van. Takes up very little space. Quite difficult finding focus after a bottle of red wsiting for darkness 🤣

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17 minutes ago, Steve Clay said:

Im currently in the Dordogne in our 2 berth chausson 5.5m coachbuilt. With me I have my 127mak, azgti laptop and cameras along with a flight case of eye pieces etc. All powered from the van. Takes up very little space. Quite difficult finding focus after a bottle of red wsiting for darkness 🤣

Blimey, you picked a week for it :)  I read it was over 41C in Bordeaux earlier this week.  I was quite relieved that we came back last weekend.

James

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29 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Blimey, you picked a week for it :)  I read it was over 41C in Bordeaux earlier this week.  I was quite relieved that we came back last weekend.

James

James Only 39C today so the bulb is dropping a bit. 😓

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1 hour ago, Steve Clay said:

James Only 39C today so the bulb is dropping a bit. 😓

That's just way too hot for me.  Maybe eight years back we stayed in a mobile home near the Gironde estuary.  We went out to eat one night and on our return at gone 10pm it was still 35C.  The mobile home had no aircon other than "nature's own".  I didn't get a lot of sleep that night, but I did learn what it feels like to be a roast chicken :)

James

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1 minute ago, JamesF said:

That's just way too hot for me.  Maybe eight years back we stayed in a mobile home near the Gironde estuary.  We went out to eat one night and on our return at gone 10pm it was still 35C.  The mobile home had no aircon other than "nature's own".  I didn't get a lot of sleep that night, but I did learn what it feels like to be a roast chicken :)

James

Having spent my whole working life in the Royal Navy flying I've spent an inordinate ammount of time in very hot dusty places. But I know what you mean.

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+1 for the Heritage 130P - it's a very capable little scope and, being dovetail-mounted, it can also be used on an Altaz (+GOTO) mount if you like (not a GEM, though: the eyepiece position is fixed and could get into some seriously awkward positions.

Not so keen on the 100P for adults - the finder position makes it very awkward to use.

However, the 130P boxed takes up quite a bit of space for a small camper. We have a Merc Vito conversion; I find 16x70 binos + monopod/triggergrip to be ideal and easily stashable out of the way.

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