Helping some beginners

[carastro]

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Is there a reason you havent suggested a Dobs?

Yes I did discuss a Dobsonian with them, but they didn't fancy having to collimate and especially as they would be taking the scope to dark locations in their old VW Campervan so there would be a fair amount of bouncing around.

Also they are keen on having a GOTO that they can also move manually.  Having looked at a video on You Tube and I thinking the GTi is their best best with a nice Cassegrain on it.

Thank anyway.

Carole 

Edited July 30, 2020 by carastro

[knobby]

Might be worth a shout ! London too ... https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=164193

Or Chelmsford https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=164179 newer and cheaper !

Then look out for a mount ?

Edited July 30, 2020 by knobby

[knobby]

Sorry 🙂 this made me laugh ...

[carastro]

Thanks for those links.  The 127 is a good £100 less than the new price.

I will let her know.

Carole 

[carastro]

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Sorry  this made me laugh ...

£15,000 !!!!

Got to be a typo, this isn't Ebay.  Lol.

Carole 

[Jiggy 67]

26 minutes ago, knobby said:

Sorry 🙂 this made me laugh ...

What!!!!!!.......£17 postage!!!!???!!

[carastro]

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What!!!!!!.......£17 postage!!!!???!!

OMG I didn't notice that.

Carole   

[carastro]

Quote

Or Chelmsford https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=164179 newer and cheaper !

Thanks for the link Knobby, I have been in touch with the seller and he's willing to throw in some extras, and now it is up to the Beginners to decide.

I think this would be ideal for them placed on either a GTi mount or a manual mount depending on their choice.  the GTi combi is a bit over their budget, but I have a feeling that will be the one they go for.

Carole 

[carastro]

Update:

Quote

Or Chelmsford https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=164179 newer and cheaper !

Thanks for the link Knobby, I have been in touch with the seller and he's willing to throw in some extras, and now it is up to the Beginners to decide.

I laid the ground work for them on this with the Seller, but by the time the weekend came and she was off duty and made contact it had already been snapped up.  

I however managed to find them another Maksutov 127 which they have bought. 

So scope sorted and they have now decided to go for a manual Alt/Az mount.   Still looking for the right one, but one of my Astro Society members has lent us two Manual Alt/Az mounts so they can have a try, and one is for sale if they would like to buy it afterwards.

We are having an observing session this evening with their new scope and borrowed mount, socially distanced etc.

Carole 

 

[Andy38416]

Hi Carole,

if there new scope is anything like the 127 celestron SLT, you can’t move it by hand manually, but you can use the hand controller buttons (up, down, left, right) straight away from turning it on without doing anything.

so while not fully manual, you can at least not have to worry about aligning or anything.

though if it’s nothing like the celestron version it might be different. Gutted I couldn’t sell you mine when we spoke a few weeks ago, I got stung big time on EBay and PayPal fees. Never mind.

[carastro]

Just thought I would post an update.  

As stated above they bought a Skywatcher 127 Maksutov for £160 (2nd hand) as said previously and then I managed to find them a manual Alt/AZ mount like this (below) 2nd hand from one of my Astro society chums who let them have it for £100 as he is also a retired policeman, so he did mates rates.

So they got it all for a total of £260 plus they now have more eye pieces than they can cope with coming from various places, and they just ordered a Barlow.

They have seen the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars and have even done a demo for others with it.   They sound well happy.   Plus they have done me a couple of favours in return. 

Edited September 7, 2020 by carastro

[Starwatcher2001]

That sounds like a brilliant result all round. Well played. I think it's always nice when someone comes to the hobby via personal contact and help, and that they are more likely to stay with it. Thanks for the update, I've been following this thread with interest.