Advice for alternative beginner scope

[Jakerm1995]

I made a previous post similar to this, I was recommended the 'Skywatcher Skyliner 200P' for the type of use I am looking for.  I am looking to observe deep space objects as well as planets and other closer objects. However everywhere I have looked at buying a Skyliner 200p has been out of stock and I was informed by one of the shops that this is due to the coronavirus situation and the particular company of skywatcher not being able distribute that model atm as they are a Taiwanese/Chinese company. 

Now I could either wait until China have sorted their situation out or look for an alternative scope of similar or better specs? The Skywatcher skyliner 200p is around £300 and I would not want to stretch far beyond that but I am open to suggestions

Please feel free to recommend any models you feel would be suitable for what I am looking for  

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Jakerm1995

[John]

I think all scopes of a similar type and budget are made in China or Taiwan so will also be subject to such supply restrictions currently.

Orion Optics in the UK make an 8 inch dobsonian but they are much more expensive.

Have you thought about buying a used one ?

 

[johninderby]

The Skyliner 200p is in stock in German shops but works out to about £370.00 delivered to the UK so not worth it. For a few pounds more you could move up to a better spec dob like the  Bresser 8” which is in stock in the UK.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

Edited April 14, 2020 by johninderby

[Jakerm1995]

9 minutes ago, John said:

I think all scopes of a similar type and budget are made in China or Taiwan so will also be subject to such supply restrictions currently.

Orion Optics in the UK make an 8 inch dobsonian but they are much more expensive.

Have you thought about buying a used one ?

 

Hey, thanks for the response. I thought about getting a used one but they worry me as I am a complete beginner and do not know what to look for.. 

[Jakerm1995]

6 minutes ago, johninderby said:

The Skyliner 200p is in stock in German shops but works out to about £370.00 delivered to the UK so not worth it. For a few pounds more you could move up to the Bresser 8” dob which is in stock in the UK.

 

Hey thanks for that, could you explain why it is better than the Skywatcher Skyliner 200P?

[johninderby]

Think of the Skywatcher as a basic but good value scope that has been a favourite for many, many years and given good service but things have moved on and the new Bresser is a a step up in quality and better equipped. 

The Bresser dob is aboit £100.00 more but you getting a lot more than £100.00 worth of improvements including a great focuser, proper alt bearings, 6 point mirror cell etc. etc. and being mounted using tube rings can be moved up or down for balance or the tube can be rotated so the eyepiece is in the most comfortable position. Great fit and finish.

Being mounted on tube rings means you can simply remove the alt bearings and screw on a dovetail bar and fit it to an EQ mount so gives you more options.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

Edited April 14, 2020 by johninderby

[Jakerm1995]

9 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Think of the Skywatcher as a basic but good value scope that has been a favourite for many, many years and given good service but things have moved on and the new Bresser is a a step up in quality and better equipped. 

The Bresser dob is aboit £100.00 more but you getting a lot more than £100.00 worth of improvements including a great focuser, proper alt bearings, 6 point mirror cell etc. etc. and being mounted using tube rings can be moved up or down for balance or the tube can be rotated so the eyepiece is in the most comfortable position. Great fit and finish.

Being mounted on tube rings means you can simply remove the alt bearings and screw on a dovetail bar and fit it to an EQ mount so gives you more options.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

Thanks for all the information there, that is very helpful! I htink I will go with the Bresser. Could you reccommend any eye pieces that I should be buying separately also filters..? I am a complete noob so I don't really know how any of that works tbh  

[johninderby]

I like the Starguider line of eyepieces. Very good eyepieces but not too expensive. The 26mm eyepiece that comes with the Bresser is actualy fairly good and quite usable.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/search/for/starguider/

A variable polarising filter is good for the moon and also helps a lot with Venus.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/astro-essentials-variable-polarising-moon-filter.html

Good idea to check the for sale section on the forum. Some good buys and good people to deal with.

Edited April 14, 2020 by johninderby

[Jakerm1995]

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

I like the Starguider line of eyepieces. Very good eyepieces but not too expensive. The 26mm eyepiece that comes with the Bresser is actualy fairly good and quite usable.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/search/for/starguider/

A variable polarising filter is good for the moon and also helps a lot with Venus.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/astro-essentials-variable-polarising-moon-filter.html

Good idea to check the for sale section on the forum. Some good buys and good people to deal with.

Okay thanks for the tips. Would I need the 1.25" or 2"? Please excuse the nooby questions XD 

[johninderby]

For the filter either size would do. For situations where you would use the polarising filter 1.25” would do as you would be using them with a 1.25” eyepiece but you could fit a 2” filter to the bottom of the 1.25” to 2” adapter in the focuser so that if you changed eyepieces you wouldn’t have to bother switching the filter from eyepiece to eyepiece. Not much difference in price between the sizes for the polarising filter. 

For eyepieces usually you would have 1.25” for the medium to high power ones and a 2” for a low power eyepiece for the widest field of view but that is something for later on. 

I’d suggest an 8mm eyepiece for now and wait until after you have used the scope a bit before getting any more. Perhaps a 2x barlow next as that would then with the 8mm and 25mm eyepieces give you a ramge of 4mm, 8mm, 12.5mm and 25mm.

Always best to add things a bit at a time  based on what you find usefull as you go along.

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by johninderby

[Ricochet]

7 hours ago, johninderby said:

but you could fit a 2” filter to the bottom of the 1.25” to 2” adapter in the focuser

Unless they've changed the design, the standard 2"-1.25" adaptor included is not threaded for filters. However, if you upgrade the focuser clamps at some point, i.e. to Baader clicklocks, then this might be a possibility. 

The first eyepieces that I bought for my 8" dob were the 8mm and 12mm Starguiders. 

Also, with respect to the Skywatcher situation, it was their UK distributor who was closed, but they reopened yesterday and so their scopes will be available again shortly. However, John has made some good points about why you might still want to go for the more expensive Bresser. 

[johninderby]

The adapter on mine has filter threads.

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by johninderby

[Ricochet]

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

The adapter on mine has filter threads.

 

It looks like they have completely changed the adaptor since I bought mine. That one looks a lot better. 

[johninderby]

Yes I looked at the product photos Bresser is using and they show a flat topped adapter but in photos of scopes recently bpught it shows an adapter with a sloped top like mine.