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Good evening to all

ldd55uk

By ldd55uk
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ldd55uk

ldd55uk

Posted
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:hello2: Good evening to all who read this post.I have just joined your ranks. I live just outside of Arbroath (north east Scotland) in a small village. Our house is in a row of semidetached houses which are surrounded by fields. We have street lights but only at the front,we have nothing at the back. This means that we have just about as good a dark night area i can without going away from our home and this is proved by the amount of objects i have seen both with my telescope and my Binoculars like Andromeda. I have been interested in Astronomy since i was about 10 when my father bought a 4" Tasco refractor. It was white if i remember and that was when i saw the planets for the first time.We chalked uop a good deal of images from the planets to twin stars. When i left home i connot afford a telescope so we without one for years,until my wife bought me a Tasco 60mm refractor about 7 years ago. Yes beforte anyone says it ,i know it is classed as a toy telescope but that was all we come afford. With my toy i have been able to see the rings of Saturn and the two bars on Jupiter, not to mention the surface of the moon. As anyone who has come into contact with the Black Tasco 60mm(made in China) they will know that the eye pieces are .96" across and not the later 1.25".you will also know that the Barlow lens and the multiplies are both plastic low quallity, however as i have said the telescope has at least let me continue the hobby. I have in the last couple of days found that the 45deg attachment has a 1.25 to .96 reducer ring in it which i had never noticed.

I visited the Dundee Mills Observatory on Thursday with the object of gaining advice about were i can go from here regarding buying a new telescope and the type of scope required.The chap i spoke to was very helpfull but alas i still came away with as many questions as answers.It appears there is no answer to the question.Therefore i have joined your group to gain the answer ,if there is one,to the question.

What am i looking for?

I am looking for a telescope which will enable me to look at our local planets with as good a detail as possible, which will enable me to look at deep space objects such as twin stars and nebulars,the moon and also be able to attach a web cam to take stacked photo images. My budget is around £200ish so i know it is not a great deal of money for the telescope i am looking for.I have been advised to buy good lens for my Tasco but i have also been advised not to.

So there you go thats my story and i hope you guys on here can give me an idea about what i can go for because i have loked at all the website,ebay,mags etc and am going round in circles :?

Many thanks

Mick Walton

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phillc

phillc

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Hello Mick and a warm welcome to SGL. :hello2:

I've got the Skywatcher 130x900pm, and have found it to be a great little scope. But I wonder for your budget if you will be able to get the 150mm one.

May you night skies be clear

phillc :wave:

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MikeP

MikeP

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Hi Mick and welcome.

As Doc advises, don't spend any more money on the Tasco. It has served its purpose - sell it to someone else who will learn to love the sky with it.

First Light Optics is a good online store - if you give Steve or James a call and chat through your requirements, you'll get honest advice with no pressure to buy.

The scope Doc suggested is soooooo much better than your Tasco, you won't regret it.

Mike

PS Played golf at Letham Grange a few years ago - brilliant course. That's near you I think?

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scotastro

scotastro

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Welcome to SGL.

Definitely worth talking through your options with FLO.

With dark skies a 130mm reflector will give nice views of many Deep Sky Objects - they will be small as short focal length scope cannot take very high magnification (less than 200x) in the same way as a large aperture or longer focal length scope can. The planets will be visible too but again the objects will be quite small.

I reviewed the GOTO version of the 130PM - it included a list of objects visible with the scope http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,35242.0.html

Mike

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ldd55uk

ldd55uk

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Hi Mick and welcome.

As Doc advises, don't spend any more money on the Tasco. It has served its purpose - sell it to someone else who will learn to love the sky with it.

First Light Optics is a good online store - if you give Steve or James a call and chat through your requirements, you'll get honest advice with no pressure to buy.

The scope Doc suggested is soooooo much better than your Tasco, you won't regret it.

Mike

PS Played golf at Letham Grange a few years ago - brilliant course. That's near you I think?

Hi Mike

We are just 7 miles from Letham Grange and although i don`t play golf you are right in saying it is a very good course.

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Mick.G.

Mick.G.

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Hello good evening and welcome...from one Mick to another! :wave:

I have the 130 Hellios now Skywatcher, excellent scope, after a year or so, i up graded the EP,s & doubled my enjoyment with the scope over night, so to speak.

Clear sky's Mick.G. :hello2:

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Ant

Ant

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Hi Mick,

Welcome to SGL. Looks like your getting sound advice already.

I've not owned the 130, but I've had the 150 and a webcam - I got some nice results with it. Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Mercury - and of course the moon.

I had the webcam modded and started taking Long Exposure shots through it and got some encouraging results.

Ant

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ldd55uk

ldd55uk

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Thanks Ant

Thats great new because i now have my eye on the skywatcher 150 with the motor drive which i have seen for about £210.

And again thank you for all the replies as i am overwelmed by the welcome you have shown me.

Mick

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ldd55uk

ldd55uk

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:hello2: Again thank you all for the warm welcome you have shown me.I an going to start pricing up the 150 to see if i can get one.Then i cam advance my knowledge of the cosmos and that is were i want to be.

But please keep the advice coming as all is very welcome and as they say "its not over till the fat lady sings" regarding which scope i end up with.

Ant ,your photos are really good,The thumb nails are brillient.Thank you.

Mick

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ldd55uk

ldd55uk

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Ok heres one i`ve just looked at Skywatcher Explorer 130PM I know its not the 150 but it has the motor drive mounting. So im not sure if i can still use it for web cam photography.I have red a couple of reviews and it hasn`t been mentioned one way or another. I know i`m a pain but alas i`m just trying to get the right thing for the right price i can afford. thanks mick

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barkis

barkis

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Welcome to the forum of SGL Mick.

I hope you find a suitable instrument. If I might suggest that if you are working with a limited budget, then look out for decent second hand telescopes. There are often some wonderful bargains to be had, and if you stick to Astronomy Buy and Sell sites, you are not likely to get ripped. Besides, if you find something that you like, seek advice here before you commit to buy.

Ron. :hello2:

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