1st Scope - Present for wife.

[EA2007]

EmpGamer:

To get paragraph spaces then just hit return, however if you post something using the 'quick reply' feature having modified a sentence higher up in your reply it can cramp everything together, likewise if you post something then modify it afterwards it does the same.

Dunno if the mods know anything about it yet though, its a bit of a pain, I like to write with spaces in, seperating makes it easier to read.

[Helen]

The tripods are here http://www.firstlightoptics.com/products.php?cat=68 they are under accessories/tripods rather than mounts.

I'd add a red dot finder - that was the best single purchase I made. With it you know where you are in the sky and it makes finding things much easier (and also means that if you stumble upon something when viewing you can see where you are in the sky and then look at a chart to see what you're looking at ).

A chat to Steve would certainly be very useful though!!

Helen

[Empgamer]

Thanks. I've got quite a good pan/tilt tripod that I bought with a video camera a couple of years ago (what a waste that was - barely used - camera that is). I wonder therefore if the mounts on offer will be a better option if they are reduced as part of the bundle?

It's still a case of deciding which scope. The C80ED-R or the C6S XLT.

Funny, I'm hitting return but nothing seems to happen.

[dweller25]

Hello Again,

Having thought about this for the last couple of hours .......

I would choose the 80mm refractor - no collimation or cool down issues compared to the SCT.

I would initially put it on a alt-az mount (total cost around £420) and then when the enthusiasm grew would put the refractor on an equatorial mount with GOTO.

Also see this thread ...

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,35757.0/topicseen.html

Hope that helps.

[Empgamer]

Thanks Dweller. I see that FLO have the C80ED-R with the CG5 mount at about £340 whereas there is an OTA at D Hinds for £240.

http://www.telescopesplus.co.uk/moreinfo.php/Telescopes/Discounted_Celestron_Telescopes/Celestron_80ED_Refractor/3160

With a AltAz mount it would be about £320. Wonder if that is a better option (would the CG5 be needed if going for a GoTo/Driven) or do I go for the deal at FLO, by an eextra Alt Az and then get a GoTo to upgrade the CG5 in due course???

[ONSLOWE]

I think the C80ED for portability, durability, usability, ease of storage and its a scope that you will probably keep for good, buying possibly a large dob to complement it for deep sky. Get it from FLO for £219 and get an Alt/Az mount to complement it. The fact that it is the best of the scopes for solar means that it has genuine daytime capability and summer use with the correct filters, the other scopes do not have the same flexibility and an 8" dob can be a pain to get through doorways or in the car if you want to travel to another site.

Regards

martin

[dweller25]

Thanks Dweller. I see that FLO have the C80ED-R with the CG5 mount at about £340 whereas there is an OTA at D Hinds for £240.

http://www.telescopesplus.co.uk/moreinfo.php/Telescopes/Discounted_Celestron_Telescopes/Celestron_80ED_Refractor/3160

With a AltAz mount it would be about £320. Wonder if that is a better option (would the CG5 be needed if going for a GoTo/Driven) or do I go for the deal at FLO, by an eextra Alt Az and then get a GoTo to upgrade the CG5 in due course???

Onslowe has hit the nail on the head.

May I also suggest that for now you consider the C80ED mounted on a Vixen Portamount (Alt/Az) - both good bits of -kit.

Then take your good lady and check out the weight of a CG5 with GOTO at a later date.

Regards,

D25

[dweller25]

BTW,

You will really enjoy the view of Saturn through the C80ED ..... and wait until you get to the Moon, oh and Orions nebula will be visible just after Christmas too. Great stuff.

[themos]

all this talk makes me want to go and grab myself one of these C80EDs...

[jgs001]

I'm using the C80ED now, and I have to see, the views are breathtaking. I know it's seriously overpowering it in theory, but using my 5 mm Hyperion with both tuning rings gives 240x mag, and I've never seen the moon surface looking so nice. Just been capturing some webcam video thought it and I'll post the results once processed,

[Empgamer]

Many thanks for all your help. C80 ED on Vixen Portamount it is (can't see the mount at FLO - any suggested GOOD online retailers AND is there just one make/model?). My wife enjoys birdwatching too and, if the the foray into astronomy is shortlived, she will have an outstanding twitcher scope.

Now then, any ideas on SPECIFIC bits (e.g. make/model) I need to go with it? I've seen when I was looking at the Dob that a 2" Antares eyepiece is a good idea, plus, presumably:

Red light (head) torch

Moonfilter

[themos]

Buying bits for your scope is one of life's pleasures, do you want to deprive her of that?

[jgs001]

The one thing I would suggest you get is a 90 degree mirror diagonal. The 80ED comes with a 45 degree prism diagonal, which is fine for twitching but the angle is wrong for astro use. The 25mm Plossl that comes with appears to be a very nice eyepiece.

[Empgamer]

Which diag would you recommend? Don't want to deprive my wife of bit buying but I do want it to be usable first day.

[jgs001]

It'll be usable as is, but will be more comfortable I think with a 90 degree one. I'll let others recommend though, as I'm using a cheap diagonal, that I got from Barkis, which I think was a kit one from his Meade.

[Empgamer]

Thanks. Given I am getting her this refractor first will she need some 10x50 binos as well or are they more essential for Dobs/Newts?

I've just got to find that Vixen Portamount.

[russ]

You can buy the Porta from Orion Optics or the Widescreen Centre.

http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/MOUNTS/portamountpage.html

or

http://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/Products/Vixen_Porta_Mount.html

Both do it for £199 delivered. Or there is one in the For Sale section of this forum for £190 with modifications. It's a great mount and won the Sky @ Night review. For once i could see why they put it as the winner.

Another added bonus is the Porta will take a 150 Newtonian no problem. And FLO sell the Skywatcher Explorer 150P tube for £87.....mega bargain.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=SW150Pota

So you could have a two scope setup for your £500 budget. The 150 adding a bit extra aperture for deepsky observing.

Just doing some quick sums for you. And by estimation you could get your wife a knockout setup for £500:

Vixen Porta - £199 - from Orion Optics

Celestron C80-ED - £210 - from FLO

Skywatcher 150P - £87 - from FLO

Bresser 10x50 - £12 - from Lidls

Total cost - £508

[dweller25]

Hello again,

Flo does the C80ED, but not the Portamount - try Google for that.

Eyepieces - this scope takes 1.25" eyepieces and will go upto about x150 max useful magnification.

You can work out the magnification of an eyepiece by dividing the scopes focal length by the focal length of the eyepiece.

This scope has a 600mm focal length and is supplied with a 25mm eyepice which gives a magnification of 600/25 = x24, this would be a good low power for sweeping the sky (or birdwatching).

The max magnification of the scope would be from a 4mm eyepiece 600/4 = x150 so you might like to consider one of those - I would not go higher than this as it will be pushing both the limits of the scope and the alt/az mount. This will be a good eyepiece for the Moon and Planets.

I would just try that for now and maybe buy an eyepiece between 4mm and 25mm later when you have built some experience.

I would also recommend a book - "Turn left At Orion" is very popular - it tells you what can be seen through the different seasons.

Then all you need is some warm clothes and you are good to go.

A nice simple but capable setup - something most experienced astronomers end up with !!!

[Empgamer]

Thanks. Final queries:

1) I see that Vixen can be bought with a plate. Presume she does not need that??

2) Does she need a red dot finder? If so, do you mount it in addition to the one supplied or instead of?

3) Would a head mounted torch be a better option?

4) Not sure what I'm looking for with the eyepiece. Barlow or ??????? I'll speak to FLO soon so sure they can help

5) Any recommended compass (or will any do)???

6) No Moon Filter needed?

I've already ordered Turn Left at Orion, Phillips Planisphere and Moore's Guide to Stars and Planets. I've also downloaded Stellarium for her laptop.

[russ]

The C80 comes with a finderscope which has a universal dovetail foot that will fit a whole load of other scopes. So there's no real need to buy a red dot straight away or at all.

You won't really need a moon filter with the C80.

There are a couple of good starter eyepiece sets for under £100. They include a number of eyepieces, a barlow and filters (worth noting that the Explorer 150P i spoke of comes with a 20mm, 10mm and 2x barlow). That would give you an eyepiece set of 25mm, 20mm, 10mm and barlow. And not too mention a second scope for less than the eyepiece set. Then save up and buy some really nice eyepieces later.

You won't need the plate for the Porta when using the C80 as you can rotate the diagonal so the eyepiece is the right way up.

[themos]

I can't imagine you'd need a moon filter for an 80mm aperture scope.

About finders, how good is her eyesight? The problem with the red-dot finders is that they don't enhance the image at all so if your light pollution is significant, there won't be many targets visible through the finder. You'd get the planets and maybe 30-40 stars. You also need to use your glasses with such a finder. So, it's great for the bright targets but not so great when you're trying to locate fainter objects. That's where an optical finder comes in.

Head mounted torch is a great idea and very cheap. I have this one, has the option of white or red.

[Empgamer]

Thanks. Where was torch from. Will use Fleabay for that I think with some degree of faith ;-)

[themos]

I got it from my B&Q

http://tinyurl.com/6gekk3

[Helen]

Got my torch from B&Q too. Make sure you get the one which has a switch which goes one way for white light and th other for red - you don't want to have to go through white to get to red....

I would get a cheap red dot finder. You've got good skies, but even without I find the red dot really good for getting you close to where you want to be even if you can't actually see what you're looking for. You can judge from a star chart how far below a bright star you need to be and then place the red dot there. If you've got a finder which magnifies too then you'll have the best of both worlds . (and thinking about it, get a few spare batteries as its very easy to leave the red dot finder swithched on.....just off to the obs to turn mine off from last night ).

You're wife will have a great set up there, for both day and night

Helen

PS Russ you've got me thinking about that 150P hmmm

[Empgamer]

In a fit of madness the order is placed:

Celestron 80 ED

Baader Hyperion 68 degree eyepiece (8mm and 24mm)

William optics 2" Dielectric Diagonal with CF Body and SCT Adaptor

Skywatcher Aero ED SWA 2" eyepiece

Baader Neutral density (moon) filter

Baader 40mm Super Sky Surfer V Red Dot finder

Celestron Ultima DX 10x50 Porro bins[/]

Figure some of this stuff may be well OTT at this stage BUT it would all be usable across a range of scopes, should cover every angle now (skyscapes, high mag planet viewing and birdwatching) and I'd rather by any of this only once.

Just off to order the tripod