Best Telescope Under 500$

[Interstellar_Explorer]

Hello everyone! As the title says, which is the best telescope under 500$? BTW, the reason I'm going much higher than my original budget (which was 80 euros as some of you may know) Is because i found out that i can pay monthly for a much better telescope! Anyways, thank you all for reading and I will be looking forward to your responses!

Clear Skies,

- Jason

Edited October 28, 2019 by Interstellar_Explorer

[PeterCPC]

You will have to provide a bit more information I think. Best as regards what? Observing or imaging and, if imaging, planets or DSOs. Nothing in Astronomy is simple.

Peter

[RolandKol]

Also, 
with or without a tripod/mount?

[Interstellar_Explorer]

2 minutes ago, PeterCPC said:

You will have to provide a bit more information I think. Best as regards what? Observing or imaging and, if imaging, planets or DSOs. Nothing in Astronomy is simple.

Peter

Observing and Imaging! (I'm beginning to really like astrophotography!)

[joe aguiar]

well this is too vague tho

some pople best means most expensive

some it will mean most portable scope

others best image quailty

some best for deep sky

others best for the planets

some will say best for imaging 

others will say visual

first tell us if your new to hibby or not we know your bujet what do you want to see?where do u live city, big city small town country? is portabililtyan issue if you live in condo apy or multi-plex house where u have to carry it down and out?

[Interstellar_Explorer]

With a tripod/mount!

[PeterCPC]

I would suggest a short focal length refractor to start you off like a an ED80 maybe but you also need to consider the mount especially if you want to start imaging.

Peter

[joe aguiar]

Just now, Interstellar_Explorer said:

Observing and Imaging! (I'm beginning to really like astrophotography!)

ok so if this is your first scope forget imaging for now as imaging becomes expensive the mount alone will be more then the 500 not to mention camera guilder or auto guilder scope.

just do visual for a 1 or 2 get to know how scopes work slow motion controls eq mounts. learn how the sky moves and maybe the constantallions stars etc before jumping to AP

joejaguar

[Interstellar_Explorer]

Just now, joe aguiar said:

well this is too vague tho

some pople best means most expensive

some it will mean most portable scope

others best image quailty

some best for deep sky

others best for the planets

some will say best for imaging 

others will say visual

first tell us if your new to hibby or not we know your bujet what do you want to see?where do u live city, big city small town country? is portabililtyan issue if you live in condo apy or multi-plex house where u have to carry it down and out?

OK,

1. I'll be moving to toronto soon (which unfortunately means lots and lots of light pollution!)

2. As I said above (For observing and for astrophotography)

3. No, i'm not a beginner

4. Portability will kind of be an issue 'cause I will be living in an apartment

[Interstellar_Explorer]

2 minutes ago, PeterCPC said:

I would suggest a short focal length refractor to start you off like a an ED80 maybe but you also need to consider the mount especially if you want to start imaging.

Peter

OK thank you!

[Interstellar_Explorer]

3 minutes ago, joe aguiar said:

ok so if this is your first scope forget imaging for now as imaging becomes expensive the mount alone will be more then the 500 not to mention camera guilder or auto guilder scope.

just do visual for a 1 or 2 get to know how scopes work slow motion controls eq mounts. learn how the sky moves and maybe the constantallions stars etc before jumping to AP

joejaguar

This won't be my first scope! in fact it will be my 3rd! I know how the sky moves and some of the constellations, as I said before i'm not that new to the hobby (probably been in it for a year or so)

[joe aguiar]

ok gotch u say Toronto funny I live here

I agree to start with  a skywatcher 80mmf7.5 apo is a good start with a heq5 seems to be what most get as a mount but you probally can do it with a avx or lxd85 mount since the scope is so small and light. the heq5 is 1500 cdn before taxes ($1700) where the avx and lxd85 is about $1100 ($1250 with taxes)

for visual tho the 80mm is abit small cept for the sun moon and few bright planets. If you want to see more you may need a bigger ota, the good news is you can use the same mount.

Since Toronto is a huge white zone (4 million pop) not to mention all the surrounding citys makes the LP worse.

Anyway maybe get a used 8"sct or a 6 or 8" f/5 reflector will help you see more stuff, while the 80mm apo will be your imaging scopes and maybe quick grab and go scope.

Just saw u said you will be living in an apt then I think the heq5 is too big so it may have to be the other 2 BUT I have the lxd85 and with a scope auto guilder laptop for imaging you will need a cart or something I cant see anyone doing all that in one shot. 

I also live in apt but im just just visual and just taking a eq3 with a scope tripod /mount and weights with a backpack with some accessiors is hard carrying it outside and about 100 metters away from all the building lights. I cant imagine anything better like the lx70 or lxd85 with all the gear. I guess that's y iam thinking of selling and moving out by spring to a townhouse with a backyard I just cant do observing from an apt anymore.

joejaguar

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by joe aguiar

[Raph-in-the-sky]

Do you have a car? If so, I would say don't focus on astrophoto for the time being. Buy a 8'' or 10'' Dob and keep some money in your budget for a few eyepieces.

[Interstellar_Explorer]

4 minutes ago, Raph-in-the-sky said:

Do you have a car? If so, I would say don't focus on astrophoto for the time being. Buy a 8'' or 10'' Dob and keep some money in your budget for a few eyepieces.

Not yet, but I will get one shortly after I arrive there. Also, are these 2 telescopes good enough? And if so which one's better?

https://optcorp.com/products/orion-skyquest-xt8-classic-dobsonian-telescope-kit

https://optcorp.com/products/sky-watcher-classic-200p

Clear Skies,

Jason

[Interstellar_Explorer]

10 minutes ago, joe aguiar said:

ok gotch u say Toronto funny I live here

I agree to start with  a skywatcher 80mmf7.5 apo is a good start with a heq5 seems to be what most get as a mount but you probally can do it with a avx or lxd85 mount since the scope is so small and light. the heq5 is 1500 cdn before taxes ($1700) where the avx and lxd85 is about $1100 ($1250 with taxes)

for visual tho the 80mm is abit small cept for the sun moon and few bright planets. If you want to see more you may need a bigger ota, the good news is you can use the same mount.

Since Toronto is a huge white zone (4 million pop) not to mention all the surrounding citys makes the LP worse.

Anyway maybe get a used 8"sct or a 6 or 8" f/5 reflector will help you see more stuff, while the 80mm apo will be your imaging scopes and maybe quick grab and go scope.

joejaguar

 

 

 

1500 CAD$ is a bit too much! But thank you for your suggestions!

Clear Skies,

Jason

[Raph-in-the-sky]

16 minutes ago, Interstellar_Explorer said:

Not yet, but I will get one shortly after I arrive there. Also, are these 2 telescopes good enough? And if so which one's better?

https://optcorp.com/products/orion-skyquest-xt8-classic-dobsonian-telescope-kit

https://optcorp.com/products/sky-watcher-classic-200p

Clear Skies,

Jason

Good, so you should be able to fit this scope in your car and go away from city lights (which I highly recommend).

To be honest, the difference between these 2 scopes is marginal at best so accessories might define what makes the cut.

The SW comes with a 9x50 straigh finder which is perfectly usable but you might want to upgrade to a RACI (corrected, with a 90° diagonal) for comfort, a 25mm Plossl eyepiece which should do a decent job for wide field/low mag and a 10mm Plossl which has short eye relief and is not very comfortable to use.

The Orion comes with a red dot finder which is and will remain useful ... you will probably want a RACI finder on top of some kind of red dot (like rigel quickfinder or Telrad). It also comes with a red light, again useful and a decent barlow (you might be ok with this one for quite some time).

If I were you I would go for the Orion based on the fact that accessories will be useful for a longer time but keep in mind that you will have to buy eyepieces straight away (ie. you will not be able to use the scope as it comes). The SW come ready to use but you will want to upgrade, at least the eyepieces quite quickly.

Edited October 28, 2019 by Raph-in-the-sky

[Rob Sellent]

17 minutes ago, Interstellar_Explorer said:

i found out that i can pay monthly for a much better telescope

I don't want to sound like a preacher but...... if this monthly payment comes as a third party loan more often than not it will accrue interest charges, so effectively the scope will cost more than it would in the first place. Personally, I just don't think it's worth it. Usury is not a game I'd like to play - on either end of the table.

Instead, having a budget and sticking to it, saving bit by bit means that you won't be paying interest, won't be stealing time and labour from your tomorrow, won't get stressed with debt payments or bad credit records and give yourself plenty of time to research. The only time I think debt is possibly a good idea is when there's an investment going on. Such as getting into debt to buy property, or one's education. But a telescope is rarely an investment and as you have already stated, this will be your third scope in a year, so you'll likely be making loss upon loss.

My advice is try to find a club which has open nights, imagers and the such. Check out the gear, ask about costs and weight. I may be mistaken but I don't think you're going to find a portable, imaging/visual telescope, mount, imaging gear and the such for under $500. I may be wrong but....

There's no need to rush, as you already know, the stars and DSOs aren't going anywhere, the decent planets for visual and imaging (Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) won't be back until way into 2020 which gives you time to save, time to move, and time to inform yourself.

Apologies if this sounded a bit preachy

[Raph-in-the-sky]

Also, you should consider buying second hand. There is great deals to be had... I was able to buy a 1 year old 10'' dob with a case full of eyepieces and a planetary camera for 400 EUR, I estimate the value new to be close to 1100 EUR!

[joe aguiar]

18 minutes ago, Interstellar_Explorer said:

1500 CAD$ is a bit too much! But thank you for your suggestions!

Clear Skies,

Jason

1500 is the heq5 mount only and that's before taxes. iam not even talking about scope and all the other stuff for imaging.

in my other suggestion I added since u said apt maybe the avx or lxd85 is best bet BUT even these 2 mounts is 1250 with taxes new. U sometimes find the avx used for sale on Canada astro buy and sell for $799 but this is probally the min mount u want for imaging. iam not sure a reglar eq5 will do for imaging unless you try a used lxd75 or used asgt but iam 100% sure how these are for imaging.

these being close to 10 to 15 years old  you can find these cheap sometimes on the used market. I found a used working Meade LXD75 mount tripod and weight of course with goto for $300 cash on astro buy and sell but u don't see them come up too often since they are older and not too many left out there working.

I don't want to put anyone down but if you are planning on doing visual and imaging here in Canada even the skywatcher 80mm evostar apo is $1100 BEFORE taxes I don't think even the ota falls in your budjet tho. The only way it can work if if u find the old gold SW pro which is same scope just older like 10 to 12 years old. that one used probally be $500 to $600 used. then a used mount after that.

I think your gonna have to do it 1 thing at a time 

1-80mm apo

then mount

 then if you want visal 8" sct or 6 or 8" reflector

then the imaging gear I cant see doing everything, even 500 UK is about $800 cdn which helpes

if you only do visual you can get a 6'f/5 reflector on eq3 for $475 or so and up if its new

joejaguar

[joe aguiar]

37 minutes ago, Interstellar_Explorer said:

Not yet, but I will get one shortly after I arrive there. Also, are these 2 telescopes good enough? And if so which one's better?

https://optcorp.com/products/orion-skyquest-xt8-classic-dobsonian-telescope-kit

https://optcorp.com/products/sky-watcher-classic-200p

Clear Skies,

Jason

Jason if you are moving to Canada there's no point looking at the American market or prices. we Canadians pay least 30% on top of these us prices. and if you oder from there thers always customs duties and breakage fees on top the 30%. So there are store in Canada to look.

also these scopes are ok good size but are all manual meaning u push and pull them. there are NO slow motion controls u CANT do imaging either. if visual is what you want then its ok. me personally I would get a 6" reflector on eq4 typr over 8" dob but that's me.

joejaguar

[joe aguiar]

https://focusscientific.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/14/products_id/212

this is whata 8" dob cost in Canada that's BEFORE taxes so  $609 before shipping too.

joe

[Raph-in-the-sky]

5 minutes ago, Rob Sellent said:

I don't want to sound like a preacher but...... if this monthly payment comes as a third party loan more often than not it will accrue interest charges, so effectively the scope will cost more than it would in the first place. Personally, I just don't think it's worth it. Usury is not a game I'd like to play - on either end of the table.

That is good advice. Unless you know at what rate you are borrowing, your interest rate is probably above 9% pa...

[Raph-in-the-sky]

9 minutes ago, joe aguiar said:

https://focusscientific.com/product_info.php/manufacturers_id/14/products_id/212

this is whata 8" dob cost in Canada that's BEFORE taxes so  $609 before shipping too.

joe

When he said he had a budget of 500$ I assumed 500 USD... Canadians really should use CAD, if you us $ it will be very confusing for all of us

[joe aguiar]

when are you moving to Toronto? since I live here I can help when u get here and look on the used market for u?

joejaguar

Quote

Quote

 

 

 

[joe aguiar]

13 minutes ago, Raph-in-the-sky said:

When he said he had a budget of 500$ I assumed 500 USD... Canadians really should use CAD, if you us $ it will be very confusing for all of us

I thought he was talking about euro tho since hes in Greece right now.

using $ is used by both countries tho so its not exclusive to them, we use it to you can also look at where they posting from. before joining this site most people are using UK money since its a UK site I just googled what CDN to UK just to get an idea whats the difference. which is about 1.60% or 60% as a general rule.

I always put cdn in my prices cause some think it should always be usa prices which I disagree. I don't follow the usa money exchange I have enough to worry about with my own countries currency lol also since I don't live there no point.

joejaguar

Edited October 28, 2019 by joe aguiar