First scope advice – Evostar 102 v 120?

[Tiny Clanger]

4 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I have the skywatcher version on a steel tripod and AZ5 ... out last night in a strong breeze but it was really steady . Brilliant views of the moon & Plaides. ( scope is surprisingly light too ) 

I thought you'd sold that 'scope ?! I just can't keep up .... 🙂

[Stu1smartcookie]

3 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

I thought you'd sold that 'scope ?! I just can't keep up .... 🙂

I had a 102 ... its a really long story , but , basically someone wanted a 102 and an eq3 , .. he had a 120 ... we did a deal . Both of us really happy as i still had my AZ5 ... Just purchased a steel tripod to mount it on . Just looking for some really nice EP's now ... does this expense EVER end?

[Tiny Clanger]

1 minute ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I had a 102 ... its a really long story , but , basically someone wanted a 102 and an eq3 , .. he had a 120 ... we did a deal . Both of us really happy as i still had my AZ5 ... Just purchased a steel tripod to mount it on . Just looking for some really nice EP's now ... does this expense EVER end?

Ah, I thought I'd seen some combination of the digits 0, 1 and 2 and for sale, numbers mix up  easily in my head though !

Do you really want me to answer that last question ?🙂

Heather

[Saganite]

On 15/02/2021 at 17:51, domstar said:

Is there anybody here with experience of a long focal-length scope (like a Mak) on a non-goto mount as a first scope? I'm concerned that the narrow field of view would make star-hopping quite a challenge.

Hi Dom,

Not my first scope by a long way, but the first four years of use of my 5" f15 refractor was done without GOTO.  So long as it has a decent finder which is perfectly aligned with the scope,  star hopping is Ok...

[Soligor Rob]

26 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I have the skywatcher version on a steel tripod and AZ5 ... out last night in a strong breeze but it was really steady . Brilliant views of the moon & Plaides. ( scope is surprisingly light too ) 

Yes the steel legs are so much more stable than the Aluminium ones, hence me looking/waiting for a EQ6 to come up for sale.

[Stu1smartcookie]

is it just the EQ6 tripod you need , Rob?

[Soligor Rob]

It would be a good start, obviously I would like the mount but that's in the perfect world.

[Stu1smartcookie]

I was looking at an EQ6 tripod yesterday and another member on SGL had one for sale ... StevieDvd, in Stevenage had one for sale .. i had already secured an HEQ5 one before he posted ... try him mate .

[Soligor Rob]

The Op Basementboy might be interested in this scope currently on ebay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sky-Watcher-Evostar-120mm-Refractor-Telescope-EQ3-2-Mount-Accessories/313423187178?hash=item48f97a4cea%3Ag%3AY88AAOSwyVBgLac9&LH_Auction=1

[Basementboy]

1 hour ago, Soligor Rob said:

I have the Helios 120 which is the same as the Sky Watcher 120 and have to say optically it's an excellent tool for a beginner

Thanks! How so, if you don't mind my asking? Decent FOV, good for exploring the sky, that kind of thing? (I note you'd still prefer a 2" widefield eyepiece)

How is it on planets? Do you find the CA very distracting/unpleasant? 

[Basementboy]

54 minutes ago, Soligor Rob said:

The Op Basementboy might be interested in this scope currently on ebay.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sky-Watcher-Evostar-120mm-Refractor-Telescope-EQ3-2-Mount-Accessories/313423187178?hash=item48f97a4cea%3Ag%3AY88AAOSwyVBgLac9&LH_Auction=1

Thanks! Great spot. I think I've ruled out the long refractors for now – I need it to be portable. Seems like a great scope in general, though, and #cantbeattheprice 

[Sadiestorm]

On 15/02/2021 at 17:51, domstar said:

Is there anybody here with experience of a long focal-length scope (like a Mak) on a non-goto mount as a first scope? I'm concerned that the narrow field of view would make star-hopping quite a challenge.

Also to jump (late) on this question but as a complete rookie I can possibly give my thoughts. I got a Mak 127 on a AZ5 mount with one 25mm eyepiece and a decent finderscope 5 days ago.

Last night I managed to stick it up on the balcony and have a quick play before the clouds came in.  It is definitely doable - I had my moments where I couldn't figure out where I was but the more I did it, the more I got the feel for how much my scope moved when I turned the Alt/Az dials. I  also had my phone out with Stellarium on it so if I got lost, I would look at the brightest stars in my finder scope to try and find that pattern close to where I expected I was.

So my first night I found the moon easily, went straight up to Mars which was directly above it. I then found Sirius and star hopped (vaguely, also using Stellarium) to the Orion constellation moving through the brightest stars of Saiph, Rigel, up through the brightest stars of the Orion nebula to the belt (I faffed about here for a bit and got a bit lost).  I am going to save up for the AZ Gti mount as I live in London and so the light pollution isn't going to be my friend when trying to star hop using smaller fainter objects. 

TLDR: It's doable but my better-than-stock finderscope was key. And the challenge was enough that I wanted to do more rather than getting frustrated and giving up.

[Basementboy]

32 minutes ago, Sadiestorm said:

I am going to save up for the AZ Gti mount as I live in London and so the light pollution isn't going to be my friend when trying to star hop using smaller fainter objects. 

Very helpful to hear. (How'd you buy the scope? Secondhand?)

I'm also in London and worried about light pollution. But mount-wise I'm going to operate on the principle that if I can't find it, it can't be THAT impressive to look at haha. (Though I get that you're talking about navigating/starhopping, not objects themselves.)

 

[Sadiestorm]

@Basementboy

Yeah, it was a lucky find in a pawn shop who had it advertised on FB marketplace and didn't know what they had!

Hahaha. I figured I could frustrated about my Bortle 9 skies and never try. Or I could just accept that for now my best bet is the moon and planets and the brightest of objects and be grateful for what I can see. And then get my mind blown when I take my little scope set up out to dark sky areas post lockdown. 

[Soligor Rob]

1 hour ago, Basementboy said:

Thanks! How so, if you don't mind my asking? Decent FOV, good for exploring the sky, that kind of thing? (I note you'd still prefer a 2" widefield eyepiece)

How is it on planets? Do you find the CA very distracting/unpleasant? 

In case you are interested I do have a 90mm Refactor for sale on a EQ3 mount that is a lot lighter than the 120mm so much easier to move around.

[Basementboy]

8 minutes ago, Soligor Rob said:

In case you are interested I do have a 90mm Refactor for sale on a EQ3 mount that is a lot lighter than the 120mm so much easier to move around.

Thanks but I think I'm going to try to get my hands on a secondhand 3" or 4" ed doublet with an AZ mount, ideally bundled. Either that or something cheaper like a Startravel 102 or 120 that's still relatively portable with good FOV (and I'll just suck up the CA on bright objects for now)

[Basementboy]

12 minutes ago, Sadiestorm said:

@Basementboy

Yeah, it was a lucky find in a pawn shop who had it advertised on FB marketplace and didn't know what they had!

Hahaha. I figured I could frustrated about my Bortle 9 skies and never try. Or I could just accept that for now my best bet is the moon and planets and the brightest of objects and be grateful for what I can see. And then get my mind blown when I take my little scope set up out to dark sky areas post lockdown. 

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I feel like we're in a similar boat. Do you have to carry yours around through the city to get it into decent viewing locations?

[Sadiestorm]

15 minutes ago, Basementboy said:

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I feel like we're in a similar boat. Do you have to carry yours around through the city to get it into decent viewing locations?

Not yet. I live right across the river from Westminster and a lot of the parks around here are locked at night. So my go-to is my balcony or the roof of my apartment block. But my Mak is small enough to put in a backpack when I remove the finderscope. And I could easily carry the mount and tripod to a park if I wanted to. 

[Basementboy]

Just now, Sadiestorm said:

Not yet. I live right across the river from Westminster and a lot of the parks around here are locked at night. So my go-to is my balcony or the roof of my apartment block. But my Mak is small enough to put in a backpack when I remove the finderscope. And I could easily carry the mount and tripod to a park if I wanted to. 

You've got a roof, that's good – I'm probably going to have to be in the parks most of the time. I have a reasonably large garden (for London) but it's surrounded by buildings that block the view and spill a lot of light.

Speaking of which, have you considered a light pollution filter?

[Sadiestorm]

14 minutes ago, Basementboy said:

You've got a roof, that's good – I'm probably going to have to be in the parks most of the time. I have a reasonably large garden (for London) but it's surrounded by buildings that block the view and spill a lot of light.

Speaking of which, have you considered a light pollution filter?

I haven't actually looked into it a huge amount. I was sure I read somewhere that light pollution filters are a bit more limited for visual viewing so I haven't prioritised it in my budget. The first thing I need is a couple more decent eyepieces.

[Basementboy]

Hi – just wanted to let all of you who helped me in this, my original thread, know that, following some good advice, I have started with a pair of binoculars ... and had a terrific night of London stargazing last night.

I'm sure the clear conditions and full moon helped, but hey, if the fruit machine didn't pay out early then it would never hook the punters, right?

I wrote a few notes about it in the second thread that I started earlier this week – below in case of interest.

But just wanted to say thanks everyone

Chris