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PLEASE HELP ME - Im completely confused and New to Astronomy


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:)

Hello anyone out there who can give me some guidance, please!!.

I have been given a Celestron 675 Telescope for Xmas which I now know is not the best due to reading various forum's. It is unopened and will be returned for a full refund of £178.

I therefore am going to add some money to it to get something a little better,

(everyone keeping up, this is a bit long winded, sorry), the trouble is I have seen so many conflicting views over which is the best for around £250. The telescopes that are in my thoughts are a Konus Digimax 90, a Skywatcher Skymax 127 SupaTrak Auto and also a Skyhawk 1145P SynScan crept in there at some point too.

Basically I want to be able to set up quickly and put away quickly as I dont want my 2 year old boy with his grubby fingers all over it, I need to press a button and it does the finding of stars, planets etc. I dont want anything too big and complex but dont want to compromise on quality.

I had kind of settled on the Skymax 127 for around £260ish, was just about to order one and i noticed several different versions of the skymax 127.

Please somebody put me out of my misery!!! Im confused and tired.

Could you let me know which is the one to go for, or the differences between them. THANKS!!

I have seen the following models (the first is the one i was going to order)

http://www.harpersphoto.co.uk/product/skywatcher_skymax_127_supatrak_auto_telescope/

http://www.harpersphoto.co.uk/product/skywatcher_skymax_127_synscan_az_goto_telescope/

http://www.f1cameras.co.uk/shop.php?id=282&level=

Yours Hopefully

MrGlen :scratch:

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The SkyMax 127 suptrak isnst GoTo - The SkyMax 127 with Synscan is but if you only have £250 to spend its going to be out of your price range. I'd seriously suggest talking to Stsve at FLO as recommended and see what he suggests. He's a good guy and wont give you duff info.

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Sorry - dont know anyone who has a Konus scope at all - they never seem to get reviewed and I haven't seen anyone post here ( or elsewhere ) on Konus. That itself might tell you something ( or not ) I cant say as I just dont know.

Perhaps someone else here can comment.

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If anyone has a suggestion on what scope to buy that is good quality, compact and easily stored away with the GOTO tracking for between £250-£300 that would be great.

Although I will ring FLO in the morning as suggested.

Thank you

Glen

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If I was starting out, and had your budget, I would forget about Goto, and buy a scope with as much light gathering power as my money would buy. In my estimation, being able to see objects easily, thanks to a larger objective, would outweigh my desire for a goto system.

And I would buy this one. Of course I stress that this would be my own choice.

Ron. :)

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=200eq5

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MrGlen,

I am in the same boat as you, trying to decide which scope to get AAAAARRRRRGHHHHH.

I want a goto as well, I understand I can get more for my money without goto, but as I know next to nothing about what I am looking at then trying to find them will just lead to frustration.

I think I am going to stick with a goto for my first scope and then when my knowledge improves, sell it and buy a meatier scope.

I did choose my scope. which was this one

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

....but the following was pointed out to me and now I am back to square one.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=skywatcher_skymax_127_az_goto

I think I will just buy this one and get my life back, rather than countless hours "research".

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3834541/Trail/searchtext%3ETELESCOPE.htm

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Another vote for a non-GOTO scope here. For your budget any scope on a GOTO mount will be small in aperture - you may not even be able to see the things the mount will point it at !. Even GOTO is not just "press a button..." - you need to align it properly before it will work accurately each time you use it. A scope like the one barkis (Ron) has pointed out is so simple to use - you can use a paper or computerised star atlas to find some things to point it at - of course the Moon is easy to find an seriously impressive in a scope like that :)

John

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Thank you both,

do you think that this is a scope that would suit my needs?

I know what you are saying regarding the aperture which means better quality but

I really want to be able to put this away from the kids (until they are old enough to use it themselves of course) so it would need to be easily collapsed and stored and not too big. Also I literally will only be able to pop out in the back garden every now and then and would probably spend hours trying to set the thing up to get a decent result.

What about something like this: Skywatcher Explorer 130P SynScan AZ GOTO £244

I appreciate your helpThank you

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DECISION MADE....

I am going to get the Skywatcher Explorer 130p Synscan AZ GOTO.

I have heard nothing but good reviews and this seems to be the most consistently recommended scope.

As soon as I buy it I will find something else and then spend a few days agonising over the decision. I never knew buying a scope was so time consumning.

I remember the conversation with the wife.

Me. "Honey, I think I will buy a telescope so I can spend a few evenings sat out the garden staring into space whilst you watch Eastenders and Corrie."

Wifey. "Ok, have fun"

Me. "I will spend a hour choosing a scope and will be back when I decide, I wont spend more than £300.

Wifey. "Ok - Give me a shout when you find one so I can put the tea on".

This was almost 2 weeks ago and I still havent bought one.

AAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHH

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WalterP, i know here your coming from my friend, my wife just keeps catching me looking at another website with a different telescope on it and just sniggers.

I am addicted to watching the universe programs on the History channel and find it very interesting, although some of my work colleagues think im a bit mad keep quoting all these universe and solar system facts and figures. I may just continue to watch those again and again, the images are great from that Hubble thing.

I will get a scope though, im determined.

Cheers :hello1:

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The 130p is a decent size scope to enable good views and it is not that big.

The scope itself is only 65cm long and only 5" in diameter so not the end of the world.

The mount is not that heavy so set up will be about 5 - 10 mins once you know how to do it and take down the same.

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I have just come in from outside and the stars are nice and bright, but i havent got a telescope to look at them and my eyes are a little tight.

Seriously though, there is a star or something in the east, quite low in the sky really twinkling and i can see lots of different colours, reds blues whites. WHAT IS THAT?

Anyone know?

Glen

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