Beginner Purchase Advice Please

[jbugman]

Hello All,

Looking to buy my wife a telescope as an upgrade for binoculars and as usual, is almost last minute dot.com

Not wanting to do astrophotograph with it, but I know she would like to be able to pick out the bands of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn, and maybe some DSO (if possible). 99% of the time will be back garden which has a light pollution level of details as noted: 

Brightness    0.877 mcd/m2
Artif. bright.    706 μcd/m2
Ratio    4.13

So doing my research, I have been able to come up with the following telescopes that i can get hold of. Could you please advise on what you think is best?  If you further suggestions, please do say:

• Skywatcher Star Discovery P150
• Orion Apex 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
• Orion XT8
• Celestron AstroMaster 130
• Zhumell Z130

Many thanks

J

 

 

[Rob_UK_SE]

You shouldn’t have too many problems seeing Jupiter and Saturn from light polluted skies. Jupiter, in particular, is often best observed during twilight anyway. With the exception of Mars (especially this October during opposition), the planets are not very well placed at the moment. Jupiter and Saturn won’t be at higher/better altitudes for another two years. You can certainly enjoy them, but they are not so accommodating to higher magnification.

It would be worth considering how important a goto (motorised) mount is to you. If your wife is happy to learn the night’s sky, then a manual Newtonian scope (such as a dobsonian) is the most cost effective. Due to its simplicity you are able to maximise the telescope’s available aperture for your budget. The goto scopes are more expensive due to their more complex electronics and motor / gearing parts. Light gathering is all about the size of the telescope’s aperture (primary mirror or lens objective size) and this will have the biggest impact on seeing deep space objects. In the most basic terms, the bigger the mirror/lens, the brighter a DSO will appear (this is of course subject to light pollution and some telescope’s design). An 8” dobsonian, such as the Orion XT8 or Sky Watcher 200p, makes many many DSOs accessible. In terms of magnification, the limiting factor is usually atmospheric conditions rather than the size of the telescopes optics.

Whichever telescope you choose, it will show you the biggest improvements when you take it to darker skies. Therefore something that can be comfortably moved/transported should also be part of your decision making. 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Rob_UK_SE

[happy-kat]

Welcome

The stardiscovery both flavours are nice but I think the 150p might be the better of the two for DSO as well as planets, both look nice. The mount has freedom find which means it can be used with no batteries and moved by hand as well as having goto and tracking if powered great for sharing the view.

Do consider where you'll store the telescope and mount and distance to observing spot in your garden as if something is too big, heavy and awkward to take outside it might not get used.

[AstroNebulee]

A skywatcher dobsonian 200p or a skywatcher heritage 150p are good choices and a staple of many on here to choose, the 127 maksutov will be a dew magnet, I have one and love it as long as you use a dew shield and longer cool down time, I'd steer clear of the astromaster 130 if I were you, the mount not that great, I used to have one until I upgraded to my skywatcher explorer 150p, the 150p would be my choice, clear skies. 

Edited August 27, 2020 by LeeHore7

[callisto]

For your first "serious" telescope I don't think you can go wrong with the skywatcher Dobs

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

 

Mark

[Carbon Brush]

Hello J. Welcome to SGL.

I agree with much of what has been said already.
Have you considered storage and carrying from storage to garden?

A 127Mak will be easy enough to carry out even on a tripod & mount.
A 150 reflector is more of a lift due to bulk.
A 200 (8") reflector is definitely two journeys.

A Mak off the tripod will easily go into a small cupboard. A big reflector, 8" mirror and 4ft long, needs more thinking about.

If you store in your lounge then go through patio doors to the observing area, you can buy as big as you like. But if you have 4 doors and two flights of stairs...You get the idea.

Whatever you buy, online or in person, get it from a proper astro retailer. He can answer questions and help with problems.
If there is a chance to visit a retailer, take it. There is no substitute for eyeball an hands rather than web page.
Amazon, PC World and department stores know nothing of scopes.

There are various threads on here discussing scope choice. also take a look here: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html

Keep asking the questions and enjoy the journey.

David.