Help me find a good scope

[AstroNtinos]

I need your help finding a new scope please. My bugdet is 300 euros. I need either an equatorial mount or an altazimunth computerized and it must be great for both planetary and deep space view. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Edited September 11, 2020 by AstroNtinos

[Peter Drew]

I think your budget will mean a Newtonian reflector if it is going to meet your planetary and deep space requirement.  You may have luck with a preowned telescope.    🙂

[AstroNtinos]

2 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

I think your budget will mean a Newtonian reflector if it is going to meet your planetary and deep space requirement.  You may have luck with a preowned telescope.    🙂

Can you please tell me the model you are thinking

[Timebandit]

 

Hello. A Nice 6" or  8" reflector would be my first choice. Probably best keeping a look out on the used market.

 

 

[Peter Drew]

47 minutes ago, AstroNtinos said:

Can you please tell me the model you are thinking

I was thinking of a new 6" Dobsonian or preowned 8" Dobsonian.  Either would meet your visual requirements.  Neither would have goto, so what!, the objects are in the same place whatever means are used to find them.  Learning one's way round the sky is one of the most satisfying pursuits.    🙂

[AstroNtinos]

33 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

I was thinking of a new 6" Dobsonian or preowned 8" Dobsonian.  Either would meet your visual requirements.  Neither would have goto, so what!, the objects are in the same place whatever means are used to find them.  Learning one's way round the sky is one of the most satisfying pursuits.    🙂

You are right, but there are some objects that they can't be seen with naked eye, despite the fact that you are in the black light pollution zone. So I need either an equatorial mount so i can find the object through coordinates or a GoTo for automatic tracking.

[Peter Drew]

I understand, but unfortunately a budget of 300 euros will not give you both of your hopes, it will be one or the other.  It is possible, at little expense, to convert a Dobsonian to "push-to" capability, might be a good compromise.    🙂

[Merlin]

Come now Peter, There's no such thing as a Dobsonian telescope. Let's be more specific and give credit to Issac Newton. As we know,John Dobson knocked up a simple push'an'pull altazimuth mounting, and he wasn' t the only one to knock one up. I always find it irritating when retailers refer to "Dobsonians", implying that Dobson invented a type of reflecting telescope, although he was a good mirror maker. 

[Peter Drew]

I agree, I actually always say that JD popularised the design rather than invented it.  I had dinner with him in San Francisco and at home with me when he visited the UK.  A rather unusual man!       🙂

[John]

1 hour ago, Merlin said:

Come now Peter, There's no such thing as a Dobsonian telescope. Let's be more specific and give credit to Issac Newton. As we know,John Dobson knocked up a simple push'an'pull altazimuth mounting, and he wasn' t the only one to knock one up. I always find it irritating when retailers refer to "Dobsonians", implying that Dobson invented a type of reflecting telescope, although he was a good mirror maker. 

You are correct of course but the term is in wide circulation throughout the astronomy world and has been for the past decade or more.

I suspect we are stuck with it

Do you have any suggestions for the original poster on suitable telescopes ?

 

 

[AstroNtinos]

10 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

I understand, but unfortunately a budget of 300 euros will not give you both of your hopes, it will be one or the other.  It is possible, at little expense, to convert a Dobsonian to "push-to" capability, might be a good compromise.    🙂

Thanks, Peter can I see how to install it

[AstroNtinos]

1 hour ago, AstroNtinos said:

Thanks, Peter can I see how to install it

Nevermind i know how to install it.

[Astrid]

A catadioptric (mak, schmidt-cassegrain), Especially the Mak127 will be amazing for the planets and the moon, and quite ok for deep sky too (but not suitable for astrophotography because of the long f/10-f/11 focal ratio and small field of view). It is very portable and doesn't need as much maintenance (collimating, cleaning); so definitely good if you're living in a city and have to transport it etc etc. But they are kind of expensive so the only one that'll fit in your budge is the Mak90 or perhaps the 127 if you stretch your buget a bit.

A refractor will be good for the planets and the moon, but you'll need big apertures (diameters) in order to see good things. And they can get pretty bulky and heavy (and have a problem called chromatic aberration that appears kind of like a halo around the object). 

An apochromatic refractor (APO) has another set of lens that correct those aberrations. They are kinda expensive unfortunately and not good for visual observations (but great for AP).

So that leads us to the last type, the reflector/newtonian. I just ordered for myself a Skywatcher 150/750 on an EQ5 (it cost 500 euros); Because of the limit of the EQ3-2 mount, in order to be able to do astrophotography on it I had to invest a bit for an EQ-5 mount, but if you only need it for visual observations, the EQ3-2 won't be a problem (https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-eq3-2.html).

Then there is the Skywatcher 150i Wifi (this one is the same OTA (tube) as the 150/750, but on an alt-az computerized , but costs a bit more) https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/sky-watcher-star-discovery-150i.html 

And another great one is the Skywatcher 130P or the Skywatcher 150PL on either an alt-az or eq mount ( the PL has a bigger focal ratio, f/8 if i'm not mistaken, which means it is extremely good for planets and ok for deep sky).  

Another great choice would be either a 6inch or 8inch Dobson. A dobson is a newtonian OTA (tube) on a dobson mount. Those are generally cheaper and good for both planets and deep sky, but not for astrophotography and are usually not computerized. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/sky-watcher-heritage-150p-flextube-dobsonian-telescope.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

Unfortunately, with 300$ you cannot get a Go-To mount, planets and deep sky (you'll have to stretch your buget a bit). The 1.5 months of research I did in order to find the best telescope for my needs taught me that lol =)).

In conclusion: I'd say go with the 200 (8inch) Dob if you only need it for visual. The good thing is that if you're deciding on starting astrophotography in the future you can buy a used EQ5, EQ6 or even HEQ5 mount. You can modify it and install a computerized system yourself (I know some people that did that). The SW 150P, 130P or 150PL are great too, but you'll need to stretch your buget a bit, and I don't think you need an equatorial mount for visual observations.

Hope this helped!

Edited September 12, 2020 by Astrid

[AstroNtinos]

13 minutes ago, Astrid said:

A catadioptric (mak, schmidt-cassegrain), Especially the Mak127 will be amazing for the planets and the moon, and quite ok for deep sky too (but not suitable for astrophotography because of the long f/10-f/11 focal ratio and small field of view). It is very portable and doesn't need as much maintenance (collimating, cleaning); so definitely good if you're living in a city and have to transport it etc etc. But they are kind of expensive so the only one that'll fit in your budge is the Mak90 or perhaps the 127 if you stretch your buget a bit.

A refractor will be good for the planets and the moon, but you'll need big apertures (diameters) in order to see good things. And they can get pretty bulky and heavy (and have a problem called chromatic aberration that appears kind of like a halo around the object). 

An apochromatic refractor (APO) has another set of lens that correct those aberrations. They are kinda expensive unfortunately and not good for visual observations (but great for AP).

So that leads us to the last type, the reflector/newtonian. I just ordered for myself a Skywatcher 150/750 on an EQ5 (it cost 500 euros); Because of the limit of the EQ3-2 mount, in order to be able to do astrophotography on it I had to invest a bit for an EQ-5 mount, but if you only need it for visual observations, the EQ3-2 won't be a problem (https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-eq3-2.html).

Then there is the Skywatcher 150i Wifi (this one is the same OTA (tube) as the 150/750, but on an alt-az computerized , but costs a bit more) https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/sky-watcher-star-discovery-150i.html 

And another great one is the Skywatcher 130P or the Skywatcher 150PL on either an alt-az or eq mount ( the PL has a bigger focal ratio, f/8 if i'm not mistaken, which means it is extremely good for planets and ok for deep sky).  

Another great choice would be either a 6inch or 8inch Dobson. A dobson is a newtonian OTA (tube) on a dobson mount. Those are generally cheaper and good for both planets and deep sky, but not for astrophotography and are usually not computerized. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/sky-watcher-heritage-150p-flextube-dobsonian-telescope.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

Unfortunately, with 300$ you cannot get a Go-To mount, planets and deep sky (you'll have to stretch your buget a bit). The 1.5 months of research I did in order to find the best telescope for my needs taught me that lol =)).

In conclusion: I'd say go with the 200 (8inch) Dob if you only need it for visual. The good thing is that if you're deciding on starting astrophotography in the future you can buy a used EQ5, EQ6 or even HEQ5 mount. You can modify it and install a computerized system yourself (I know some people that did that). The SW 150P, 130P or 150PL are great too, but you'll need to stretch your buget a bit, and I don't think you need an equatorial mount for visual observations.

Hope this helped!

Thanks Astrid. It helped a lot.

[rwilkey]

13 hours ago, AstroNtinos said:

You are right, but there are some objects that they can't be seen with naked eye, despite the fact that you are in the black light pollution zone. So I need either an equatorial mount so i can find the object through coordinates or a GoTo for automatic tracking.

Speaking about finding objects through co-ordinates, this is virtually impossible with the type of mounts generally available, you will not find this a successful method, I believe.

[Peter Drew]

With respect, this can be done successfully with a Dobsonian mounted Newtonian.  Commercially through the Orion "Intelliscope" system or an inexpensive DIY modification as outlined on this forum a few days ago.      🙂

[rwilkey]

1 minute ago, Peter Drew said:

With respect, this can be done successfully with a Dobsonian mounted Newtonian.  Commercially through the Orion "Intelliscope" system or an inexpensive DIY modification as outlined on this forum a few days ago.      🙂

Hi Peter, I agree, but the EQ mount suggested by the OP is not accurate in my opinion, it can get you to the right part of the sky but that's all

[Peter Drew]

Hello Robin, yes I agree.  My posts have been directed to the Dobsonian design which I believe to be the OP's best option.     🙂

[rwilkey]

18 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

Dobsonian design which I believe to be the OP's best option.

I totally agree, with hindsight I would have bought a Dobsonian rather than an EQ5.  However, not happy with this I changed it to a SkyTee II AZ mount which I much prefer, esp. as I became disabled on my left side after a stroke shortly after buying the EQ5.  You learn as you go along, I think.