Advice for a Budget Telescope, please

[Dash1st]

27 minutes ago, joe aguiar said:

heres my take on the 130mm heritage scope this is my opnion and may or may not be yours so read and see if its valid or not to you

first I kinda like it but it has 3 issues that I don't like (yes I also did a video on it so far not memtioned on the list  up above)

the first 2 are minor but the 3rd may be more

heres the link  https://youtu.be/ozPVjDfP_UE

1-st the shroud no big deal buy black felt clip it on and there u go $10

2-a good stable stool to put it on $40 maybe

3 biggest issue for me is price its $279 b4 taxes with taxes $325 add these 2 items I just listed and now your closer $375 cdn

The meade has a 130mm which is same ota scope f/5 parabolic BUT on a eq2 mount and tripod, so no shield or table needed. Also I think a eq mount and tripod is worth more then that mini dob base which is made from paricle chip board and vinal coating. The height is also a perfect height even at the lowest tripod setting. You get manual slow motion controls which helps a lot veres keep bumping the scope every 20 secs compared to the mini dob. later on add a clock drive so it can track.

Now on polar align if that confuses new people you don't even have to learn that part to start just point it roughly north turn the tube around and view and use the controls to track. Later if you learn how to polar align then great you only have to use 1 control.

these are my is thoughts I rather for cheaper price OHH sorry the meade Polaris 130mm is $299 so its cheaper and as I said get the tripod mount etc.

if you don't agree that's ok too but these are my thoughts

joejaguar

Thanks for reply, it again gives me (my wife) more to think about & I've just watched the first video link & will pass it on to my wife, as she's the one the telescope is for.

[Dash1st]

35 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

There is not much difference in light gathering capacity between 5.1" and 6". If you want real improvement then go for 8"

8" dob is seriously good scope and it will show you a lot. It's a bit more bulky than 6" - with 26Kg total - split into 16kg base and about 10kg scope. It has same focal length so field of view will be the same as with 6" - not much difference there.

I love my 8" dob (also skywatcher model) and it has shown me a lot.

I do have to point out that most people get underwhelmed by what they see at eyepiece if they are used to "Hubble like" images on internet - things don't look like that at all in telescope - again youtube helps a bit there:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7IPPmu76U

 

 I have got to show that video to my wife, as it puts everything in to much better perspective.....it will also end up making her want me to spend more money on something much bigger. 😵

[DaveL59]

to add to what Joe has said re going EQ mount, if your wife and daughter plan on watching together and swapping at the eyepiece to share the view of something, a tracking mount will at least keep the object reasonably well in-frame rather than the second person at the eyepiece having to track around to find it again.

 

[Raph-in-the-sky]

An advice that is often given to newbies it to get the biggest scope that:

1) You can move around (including by car if possible) without too much hassle

2) You will use most often (that's about setting up time vs viewing time)

3) You can afford without worrying too much

In many case that's a 200mm Dob

 

[Louis D]

42 minutes ago, Dash1st said:

 I have got to show that video to my wife, as it puts everything in to much better perspective.....it will also end up making her want me to spend more money on something much bigger. 😵

That video is pretty damning of some objects that view fine in smaller scopes like the Pleiades and Orion nebula.  Sure, color is non-existent, but I can see nebulosity in both and fine details in Orion from my suburban backyard.  Add an OIII filter, and Orion really jumps out at you.  Globular clusters need aperture to be resolved, and then they are spectacular.  Galaxies really do need dark skies.  The video is dead-on accurate there.  The video skipped smaller open clusters which are beautiful to look at in most scopes.  Planets are probably the most disappointing for newbies.  They are small and details are minimal.  However, Saturn's rings and Jupiter's main belts are usually visible in even small scopes and the Galilean moons are fun to watch as they dance around Jupiter.  The moon is spectacular in just about any instrument.

Just get something and get out there and observe. 😁

[Peter Drew]

2 hours ago, Dash1st said:

Thanks for the reply.

My wife has it in her head that because the 130 is smaller she won't see the thing's she'd like to. But to be fair to her she has had an interest in astronomy for years & watches regular YouTube astronomer's & she does read quite a lot about space & astronomy, hence my thinking about the 150. But we do have a big car & I don't think the weight is too much of an issue, though I personally like the idea of the smaller 130, for its grab& go ease.

Always please your wife as the first priority.        😀

[DaveL59]

How about going vintage tho, something like:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TAL-M-80mm-3in-Newtonian-Reflector-Telescope/223928563928?hash=item34232eb8d8:g:-XAAAOSwNBleVqi1

manual tracking but if set to EQ mode you'd only need to move the RA control as you swap user. Sadly this one's got a broken tube ring and no clue what the reserve is but it seems to be complete incl the original wood shipping box and given it's wee size they're not bad at all. Only thing I've not managed to source for my one is the extension tube, parts ain't so easy to come by and the broke ring might be fixable to add security to the tube when fitted. Eyepieces are non-standard 32mm rather than modern 1.25-inch.

These aren't light tho esp in the box, but that does make it easy to pack away and pop into the boot of the car  

[DaveL59]

or just for fun, suggest one of these to her

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NPZ-TAL-35-Newton-telescope-souvenir/184188387873?hash=item2ae27bc221:g:yjQAAOSwnuxeV5FZ

 

[joe aguiar]

No that's more like a collector's item or a show PC scope.

I'm sure it can show u some stuff but not really newest thing

That more like how the oringinal scope that were invented looked like

joejaguar 

[Dash1st]

Hi all,

Well a decision was made, thanks to all the advice which we received from everyone in this post. I wanted a Dobsinian Heritage type & we were looking at getting the Sky-Watcher 130P Flex, but I then thought to see if there was any in v.good condition possibly on the various secondhand sites & I found something better.

I found on eBay a Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Dobsinian, described as only used once, & it looked in excellent condition in the photo's, but the best bit was they were asking £200 or Best offer. So I made a first offer, which was refused, so I made a second which was accepted.....I ended up buying it for £165, which I personally thought was a bargain. The only downside was that I had a 2 hour drive to go get it & 2 hours back, but the fuel cost would have been roughly £30, for the round trip, making my total cost roughly £195.

I'll pop a photo on tomorrow & I'll get my wife to join the forum, as I'm sure she'll be after advice for add-ons etc.

So thank you all for your invaluable help, I know I spent more than first planned, but I know I haven't bought some rubbish, that I might well have done.

Thank you all 👍

[DaveL59]

sounds like a great buy, well done!

For sure it's worth travelling for the right scope, I drove kent to coventry for my Tal100RS and don't regret it at all. Luckily I picked up the others I have locally so it definitely is worth looking around to see what's about.

[Helen]

Your wife will have lots of fun with that 👍

Send her along here too (nice to have more female company 🤗)

Helen

[Louis D]

I drove 210 miles each way to pick up my 15" Dob 21 years ago.  Well worth it to avoid any potential shipping damage (and shipping charges for a 120 pound scope).  That, and I was able to weasel a 27mm Panoptic from the seller for $200 at the same time since he had no more use for it.

Let us know how you get on with the scope.

Edited February 28, 2020 by Louis D

[Raph-in-the-sky]

9 hours ago, Dash1st said:

Hi all,

Well a decision was made, thanks to all the advice which we received from everyone in this post. I wanted a Dobsinian Heritage type & we were looking at getting the Sky-Watcher 130P Flex, but I then thought to see if there was any in v.good condition possibly on the various secondhand sites & I found something better.

I found on eBay a Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Dobsinian, described as only used once, & it looked in excellent condition in the photo's, but the best bit was they were asking £200 or Best offer. So I made a first offer, which was refused, so I made a second which was accepted.....I ended up buying it for £165, which I personally thought was a bargain. The only downside was that I had a 2 hour drive to go get it & 2 hours back, but the fuel cost would have been roughly £30, for the round trip, making my total cost roughly £195.

I'll pop a photo on tomorrow & I'll get my wife to join the forum, as I'm sure she'll be after advice for add-ons etc.

So thank you all for your invaluable help, I know I spent more than first planned, but I know I haven't bought some rubbish, that I might well have done.

Thank you all 👍

Yay! 200mm Dob! You got a nice bargain for a great scope. Now get out there and enjoy!

[fiestazetecmk2]

Hi and welcome. 

I've own a 200p skywatcher skyliner for a few years now.

I can honestly say that I have been very pleased with it.

And will not be selling it .it has shown me so much and is in my opinion one of the most satisfying scopes there is.

I know mine is modified. But before I started to modify it the veiws are fabulous. 

The other thing is eyepieces although the std eyepieces work there not great.I then bought a set of BST eyepieces. 

Which improved veiwing .

Whatever you choose a 200p is an excellent scope.and very portable. 

And will last you a lifetime. 

Edited February 28, 2020 by fiestazetecmk2
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[joe aguiar]

A 8 inch will show u lots of stuff that can last u years enjoy. If u can travel and get it y not it probably  be the same cost to ship it anyway

Joejaguar 

[Dash1st]

Hi all,

I've had a good look over the telescope now & everything looks great, so here are some photos.

I have however spotted a small spec of dust on the big mirror (see photo). So I was wondering if someone can tell me if I might be best off cleaning it. I have cleaned camera mirrors, using either a soft brush, using air, compressed or a small bellows type blower ( which is more gentle) or using isopropyl alcohol (if necessary). 

Again any advice would be much appreciated.

[Davey-T]

Ignore dust on the mirror it would take a heck of a lot to affect the view but worth examining closer to check its not fungus / mould.

Dave

[johninderby]

Just ignore the speck of dust. It won’t affect performance at all.

[Louis D]

Just about the only two places dust affects the view is right at the eyepiece focal plane and on the outside of the eyepiece eye lens.  Some eyepieces place a lens surface very close to the focal plane where the field stop is located up inside the lower part and any dust on it will appear slightly out of focus.  Also, reticles in centering eyepieces are exactly at the focal plane, so any dust on them is highly magnified.  Dust to a lesser extent, and general grunge to a greater extent, on the eye lens will highly degrade the view through the eyepiece; so keep the eye lens on your eyepieces clean of fingerprints and other sources of grunge.

There would have to be a general coating of dust on the primary to have any effect on contrast by increasing scatter.

[banjaxed]

Mine had a bigger mark on the mirror than yours and it is still there and has never been a problem. You have made a good choice and it should give you many hours of pleasure. If you keep it in you garage or similar you might consider making a platform trolley so it can be wheeled about easily. 

[fiestazetecmk2]

As said I wouldn't worry to much about it.just get out and enjoy the views.

[DaveL59]

if you're worried that it might be fungus then an easy way to kill it off is to expose to UV/sunlight, tho not directly at the sun of course. 20 mins or more depending on how sunny a day it is but do monitor so the sun doesn't track round and cause problems  This won't remove it but at least arrest it spreading, tho bear in mind too that you'll be opening the OTA regularly for use and that'll expose the innards to whatever is floating about in the night air, so you can never fully prevent things settling on the mirror over time. 

[joe aguiar]

Yep dont worry untill it's very dirty

Too often a new person will clean the mirror for bit dust. Remember when u do this then u need to collimate both mirrors which can be really hard to somone new

Joejaguar 

[fiestazetecmk2]

Very true 

just enjoy the scope .it will do show you so much.

An excellent choice for anyone who is interested in astronamy. 

Enjoy.