Looking to buy a nice telescope for my father

[Pixies]

here's a review of the  reflector one:

 

[pointedstick]

Great video. It looks perfect. Manually moving the scope is fine; what my dad really wanted was the helping hand of some software to locate objects. Seems like this unit gives you that with a super simple one step alignment procedure and tolerance for being bumped or moved. I bet my kids will like it too.

Apparently the included eyepieces are not very good, and I would be willing to upgrade immediately if you folks have some recommendations.

[Louis D]

Upgrade to either a decent zoom or some Starguiders or Paradigms (depending on where you buy them from).  The 5mm, 8mm, and 12mm would be my choices of that line.

[pointedstick]

Thanks for the suggestion. If I get an 8-24mm zoom and attach a Barlow, we'll get effectively 4-12mm zoom, right? If I'm doing the calculation correctly, that will get us 54x - 162x without having to switch eyepieces.

Does such a thing seem reasonable?

[Dark Vader]

With a 2x Barlow that's exactly it. Divide the scope's focal length by the eyepiece focal length = magnification.

So for an 8-24mm zoom in my Skywatcher 200p with a 1200mm focal length 1200÷24=50, 1200÷8=150. With a normal 2x Barlow would be 100x - 300x

[Cosmic Geoff]

12 hours ago, pointedstick said:

One update: we're actually thinking the DX 102AZ might be better as it is a refractor that won't ever require collimation.

Would the 4" refractor version produce worse views than the 5" reflector version?

Note that some entry level reflectors now have fixed primary mirrors so that newbies who buy them do not have to worry about collimation. I don't know if this applies to the one under consideration.  (And expensive premium quality refractors DO have collimation adjustment, so it's not simply a matter of refractors - good, reflectors- bad).

Collimation is akin to servicing your car and checking the tyre pressures - it needs doing, but not something to worry about every time you use the equipment.

Given that the 4" refractor does not have a central obstruction and the 5" reflector does, there is unlikely to be a marked difference in performance, and other factors like the different focal ratios, chromatic aberration in the refractor, and choice of eyepieces  all enter into the equation.

[M40]

+1 for the zoom eyepiece. You find something on the lowest magnification, then zoom in, focus, zoom in etc. With a manual non-tracking telescope on high power magnification things move very fast so that little extra ease of use in a zoom eyepiece makes all the difference. 

[Second Time Around]

The StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ seems like a good fit.  The app is very easy to use.

However, Celestron have just brought out 5 and 6 inch SCTs equipped with Starsense Explorer and these are worth investigating.  They're now in stock in the UK, but you'll need to check whether they're available yet in the States. 

I also agree that a zoom eyepiece would be perfect for your father.  If you do a search here you'll find lots about them.

[pointedstick]

2 hours ago, Second Time Around said:

The StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ seems like a good fit.  The app is very easy to use.

However, Celestron have just brought out 5 and 6 inch SCTs equipped with Starsense Explorer and these are worth investigating.  They're now in stock in the UK, but you'll need to check whether they're available yet in the States. 

I also agree that a zoom eyepiece would be perfect for your father.  If you do a search here you'll find lots about them.

Thank you so much for this information! the 6" SCT version was exactly what I was hoping to find but hadn't yet found, probably because it isn't available at any of the USA-based websites I was looking on. I just placed an order for one from FirstLightOptics, along with a Baader Hyperion zoom eyepiece. My dad and I am really excited about this! It seems like exactly the right telescope. It's gotten me interested in astronomy too, and shown me a whole new side of my father that I've never seen before. We've been geeking about about telescope stuff and astronomy together for the past few days in a way that we've never been able to do about anything else.

Thank you so much for all your very helpful help, everyone!

[Starslayer]

4 hours ago, pointedstick said:

Thank you so much for this information! the 6" SCT version was exactly what I was hoping to find but hadn't yet found, probably because it isn't available at any of the USA-based websites I was looking on. I just placed an order for one from FirstLightOptics, along with a Baader Hyperion zoom eyepiece. My dad and I am really excited about this! It seems like exactly the right telescope. It's gotten me interested in astronomy too, and shown me a whole new side of my father that I've never seen before. We've been geeking about about telescope stuff and astronomy together for the past few days in a way that we've never been able to do about anything else.

Thank you so much for all your very helpful help, everyone!

Loving this thread and has given me a total new outlook on what I may purchase.  Have you got a link for the 6” you ordered please?

Edit - found it. 6” SCT £699? 

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by Starslayer
Update

[pointedstick]

Yup, this thingummy: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/telescopes-in-stock/celestron-starsense-explorer-dx-6.html

Edited May 2, 2021 by pointedstick
typo

[Starslayer]

Looks great. Clearly the phone will need a powerpack of some sort. Big drain on battery would think.  My only concern with this over the 130 is that the latter is tried and tested and well reviewed.  The SCT is SO new. 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Starslayer
Update

[M40]

16 hours ago, pointedstick said:

, along with a Baader Hyperion zoom eyepiece

Excellent choice 👍 When you get your feet under the table with the hobby, have a close look at the Hyperion Zoom, you will find it has a thread adjacent to the eyepiece. By adding an adapter you can then connect a DSLR type camera direct to the eyepiece and take a photo of what you have been observing. Enjoy.

[Cosmic Geoff]

3 hours ago, Starslayer said:

The SCT is SO new.

The package is new, but the SCT is a 40 year old tried and tested design and large numbers have ben sold packaged with other mounts.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Cosmic Geoff

[pointedstick]

7 hours ago, Starslayer said:

Looks great. Clearly the phone will need a powerpack of some sort. Big drain on battery would think.

Yeah, but those are common and cheap on the open market, so I didn't see thew need to buy Celestron's branded version. I think my mother already has one anyway.

[JOC]

FWIW I've got a Skywatcher 200P on a Dobsonian mount and it is the one with the Goto motor on it.  I also have the wifi unit attached which actually is a vast improvement on using the handset and it is far easier to control via the mobile phone app. than using the handheld goto unit.  However, you do need to be in WiFi range of something like a hotspot or the home system.  The advantage of the Skywatcher is you don't have to use the Goto unit the telescope can quite happily be pushed to targets or partially pushed and partially computer driven or completely computer driven once set-up and so you have the best of both worlds along with the capable 8" Dobsonian mounted Skywatcher 200P.  I have been very happy with mine and if buying again would get the same again.

[Starslayer]

Does anybody with knowledge of the Starsense explorer models know / or confirm that the phone can actually be connected to a power bank whilst in the cradle on the scope and in use?  I have googled extensively but cannot find the answer to this.  Thank you. 

[pointedstick]

45 minutes ago, Starslayer said:

Does anybody with knowledge of the Starsense explorer models know / or confirm that the phone can actually be connected to a power bank whilst in the cradle on the scope and in use?  I have googled extensively but cannot find the answer to this.  Thank you. 

Celestron sells their own branded external power pack that they recommend using with this telescope, which means the device's USB or Lightning port is accessible, which means that all 3rd-party ones will work fine.

[Starslayer]

26 minutes ago, pointedstick said:

Celestron sells their own branded external power pack that they recommend using with this telescope, which means the device's USB or Lightning port is accessible, which means that all 3rd-party ones will work fine.

Thank you.  I have managed to zoom some video close ups of set up etc on youtube and it appears that there is a large aperture for this.  Just wanted to be certain for obvious reasons. I think some 3rd party options will be far cheaper and far more powerful than the celestron ‘GO’ option.  Looking at 3 x the mah for the same price as Celestron offer and well recommended. 

[Alan64]

A 6" Schmidt has a focal-length of 1500mm, and a bit difficult with which to find one's way in the sky with a manual mount, although with the "StarSense" feature in addition, that should make things a bit easier.  

You may want a 32mm Plossl, and for the lowest power and widest view of the sky...

https://agenaastro.com/gso-32mm-plossl-eyepiece.html

It's not discontinued.  It simply sells out often, then replenished.

I finally got one myself...

Schmidts, and Maksutovs, due to their longer focal-lengths, need a bit of help to guide them.  This will be the largest view of the sky, through the 32mm, as the telescope comes...

Not a lot of real estate to be seen at the lowest power(47x), but these types of telescopes do allow for greater ease in realising high-powered views of this and that, up close, and that's what having a telescope is all about.  Else, you'd use a pair of binoculars. 

There is also Celestron's focal-reducer, which will reduce the focal-ratio from f/10 to f/6.3, also the focal-length from 1500mm to 945mm, and for lower-powered and wider views...

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/202121-REG/Celestron_94175_f_6_3_Reducer_Corrector.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvr6EBhDOARIsAPpqUPFVjD1t72csdblt8vRn7qo_9aRe9bVS3zoycStWcTDRvvdEzOEloI8aAvljEALw_wcB

There is also this third-party alternative... https://optcorp.com/products/antares-f-6-3-sct-focal-reducer?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvr6EBhDOARIsAPpqUPFsImu7s9zUVW6AKO1iLavDhjaeXzueuiDoNt9rT5uUXnu3DDmna4AaAuFZEALw_wcB

Still, it is at the higher and highest powers of which a telescope's aperture is capable where gasps of "Wow!" and "Look at that!" are heard. 

A dew-shield is not an option, but an absolute necessity, and to the point where they should be included with the kit, or to be suggested within any listing at minimum...

https://farpointastro.com/shop/farpoint-dew-shield-celestron-6se-sct/

I got one for my 127mm Maksutov straight away...

Now, there in New Mexico, dew may not be a problem so much, as it is here in my region, but the dew-shield will not only protect against wind-blown soil, sand or other, but will also shield the front of the telescope from stray, artificial, and natural(the Moon), sources of light whilst observing.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Alan64

[pointedstick]

Great point about the dew shield. It is indeed so dry here in New Mexico here that condensation is rarely ever a problem with anything, but you're absolutely right about wind-blown dust. I'll pick one up.

I think we'll wait until we actually have the telescope before getting any more eyepieces. Maybe what we have will be good enough with the smartphone targeting system.

[Tiny Clanger]

19 minutes ago, pointedstick said:

Great point about the dew shield. It is indeed so dry here in New Mexico here that condensation is rarely ever a problem with anything, but you're absolutely right about wind-blown dust. I'll pick one up.

I think we'll wait until we actually have the telescope before getting any more eyepieces. Maybe what we have will be good enough with the smartphone targeting system.

Wise decision to wait and see with the eyepieces, you may well find you want something wider field than the zoom, but it may be that the 40mm eyepiece which comes with the telescope will be fine. It might surprise you how many times you actually want low magnification to see all of a large feature !

It may also be that you find the Moon dazzlingly bright in the 'scope , some folk do , some don't, so as with the eyepiece I'd say give it a try, and only if you need it, buy  either a Moon filter or one of the variable filters which are made up of two polarizing filters you rotate to change how much light gets through.

A dew shield is a good idea , I made one from 3mm closed cell foam and some velcro , they are not complex items.

The only other accessory you absolutely need is a red light torch , which affects your eyes light adaptation less than a white light one.

Heather

[Spile]

I would agree with the advice about taking things slowly and not buying upgrades until you have got used to your telescope. I would also check out why the Dobsonian keeps getting recommended. 

These are my thoughts.

 

[Alan64]

20 hours ago, pointedstick said:

Great point about the dew shield. It is indeed so dry here in New Mexico here that condensation is rarely ever a problem with anything, but you're absolutely right about wind-blown dust. I'll pick one up.

I think we'll wait until we actually have the telescope before getting any more eyepieces. Maybe what we have will be good enough with the smartphone targeting system.

No, there's no need to rush out and get extra eyepieces and accessories, not in the beginning.  Choosing eyepieces is not that far removed, as when getting prescription-eyeglasses.  Each should be carefully considered before purchasing, and with the telescope's characteristics and the user's needs in mind.

Eyepieces are fully one half of the experience.  You can't use a telescope without them, nor the eyepieces without the other.  The goal is to ensure that there are no weak links within the optical path, and for the clearest, sharpest images possible.  You shouldn't need a barlow, but a 150mm aperture can realise up to 300x, if conditions are right, and for glimpses of what few people have ever seen.  Up to 150x to 180x should be routinely possible, as it has been with my 150mm Newtonian.

At f/10, the telescope will not require corrective and expensive eyepieces; for example...

https://agenaastro.com/eyepieces/1-25-eyepieces/shopby/agena_wa.html

Why, I got this 8mm eyepiece, salvaged from a pair of binoculars, for less than $10...

I then took this afocal-shot of the Moon through it, through a difficult f/5 reflector.... 

Although, the live view, with the eye, is always sharper than that through a camera.

Observing the north star, Polaris, is good practice, as it doesn't move, there in the sky.  There is its much smaller, dimmer companion to discover and see.  The larger planets will make for a fine show throughout the coming summer.  The latitude ranges from 31° to 37° north there in New Mexico.  Here, I'm at 34° to 35°, and the planets rise well up above the horizon for a good showing.  The southern sky in the summer makes for excellent hunting, and for a variety of objects.

Then, there will arise the desire to take snapshots of this, that and the other through the eyepieces, with a "smartphone" or other.  Great fun, that is; of the Moon and other, brighter objects.

[pointedstick]

The telescope finally arrived!!

Unfortunately my father is away right now, so we can't take it out together yet. And anyway, today is one of those rare cloudy days! Phooey.

So far I'm pretty impressed though. The telescope gives me some good views of terrestrial objects in the meantime. I got to see a nice up-close view of the top of the mountain in front of my house. And I found out that one of my distant neighbor's roof has has a re-shingle job done the lazy way by simply adding more shingles on top. Tsk, tsk.

The 40mm and 10mm eyepieces that come with the telescope seem reasonably good, at least to my layman's eye during the day. They actually give slightly brighter and sharper pictures than the Baader zoom lens I ordered when it's at its widest or narrowest settings (again, during the day). I guess because the light is just going through more glass? The Baader zoom seems quite convenient, but I hope it wasn't a mistake to buy.

The included tripod is wobbly when anything is touched at all. But the it settles down quickly enough and whole ensemble is very lightweight and portable, so that seems like a reasonable trade-off. I really like the fine adjustment controls. They're very intuitive.

The included red dot sight is junk. It doesn't have enough elevation to actually align it with the telescope! So it's pretty much useless. I guess I need to replace it. Luckily it's not that important with the app navigation.

Speaking of which, the app navigation is really cool. Again I haven't actually gotten to see anything in the sky with it, but I've gone through the alignment process. It's a snap, it takes like 10 seconds. I really, really like this technology. It is just so cool and (seemingly) easy to use. I'm hoping to try it out for real on Wednesday.

Thank you again, everyone!