Hi from Essex, Taking the plunge finally, so your help is appreciated greatly NEEDED :)

[ScifiMan1966]

Hi
****SORRY FOR THE LONG OPENING MESSAGE, HOPEFULLY I WOULD ANSWERED MANY OF THE BASIC QUESTON****
I'm from Essex and no not part of the towie brigade.
I've had an interest in astronomy for so long now but gone to take it to the next level a few times over the years but then I would read, then see the conflict of ideas and I suppose like a lot of newbies and novices thought where do I go.
I've seen people on here saying what should I do well for me the 1st thing is post and ask for your help
I've been reading the difference between tripods and stands, then motorised and not but of course I am guided by you and your finer knowledge.
Then the various different kinds of scopes where of course everyone has their own personal view which is the beginning of my journey and I am not fixed on one or the other, again looking for guidance.
To answer the question of what would I like to do, well for me to start off with it would be nice to see the planets and moon as clear as possible, obviously based on budget, size and locality, I'm not looking to do astral photography but like others maybe in the future or if there is a combined option maybe a little earlier.
To answer those points, I've seen people say up to £100 or in that vicinity as a starting budget then up of course, for me I think from £200+ up to say £400 or nearby.
As for size and portability, I imagine would be good looking from an open upstairs bedroom window and then at other times in the garden, so I'm not that worried about weight, so as long as it can be moved I'm fine.
My garden is surrounded by other homes but all of the main street lights go off at midnight allowing a better level of darkness, I've seen planets by eye the moon clearly and of course many stars quite clearly after midnight just by sitting in the garden but would like to take that further.
So yes it would be nice to see deeper into space but for now I'm happy to look at the moon hopefully the best I can, planets and stars and so on, I'm not expecting massively deep space yet but of course if there is a happy medium scope that shows planets and deep space great.
I'm not stuck on motorised as I do see people saying they can be a pain but then if otherwise I'm happy to look at one.
So in closing budget say up to £400, I cant see the for sale part of the forums because of the rules yet, realise I should go to a decent shop and dealer, not overly worried about size as I am happy to move and it will bit at home for now.
So yes a total beginner with a little bit of research but then looking for the great knowledge and experience that you all have.
Look forward to reading your replies and hopefully very shortly taking the plunge.

Edited November 15, 2021 by ScifiMan1966

[Dave scutt]

Hi and welcome to SGL 

[ScifiMan1966]

4 minutes ago, Dave scutt said:

Hi and welcome to SGL 

Hi Dave Thank you, that's appreciated and also any knowledge you can put my way

[Dave scutt]

Hi scifiman1966.

I'm new to all this but maybe an6" or  8" dob if you have a place to store it. I think it should be in your price range I'm sure someone will be able to give some better advice 

[ScifiMan1966]

6 minutes ago, Dave scutt said:

Hi scifiman1966.

I'm new to all this but maybe an6" or  8" dob if you have a place to store it. I think it should be in your price range I'm sure someone will be able to give some better advice 

Thanks for taking the time to put a few ideas, do you have any equipment yet or are you will waiting to take the plunge like me ?

[Dave scutt]

I started with an 12"skywatcher dob for the faint dso's  and I've just purchased a 127mm refractor. 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by Dave scutt

[banjaxed]

Hi and welcome to SGL. Using a scope through an open window can cause problems if there is a temperature difference so outside is usually best. My first scope was a 200mm Dobsonian and I still use it as often as skies permit, it is also recommended by a lot of our members as a first scope.

[Mr Spock]

Hi, welcome to SGL 

Most people will recommend a 200mm Dobsonian as a starter. This one https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stellalyra-telescopes/stellalyra-8-f6-dobsonian.html is terrific quality such that it will last many years without need for upgrade. The 150mm version is only £249 though.

Eventually you'll want to add more eyepieces, so that's an additional cost you need to prepare for. 

[barbulo]

Hi and welcome to SGL

[Sunshine]

Welcome to SGL! as mentioned above, looking through an open window is usually more trouble than it is worth especially if it happens to be warmer inside than out as heat will leave the window and cause a severe shimmering effect. Having said that, I would second what was mentioned about a 6 or 8" dobsonian, they are just about all one could ask for with respect to versatility and, ease of use. One more suggestion would be the book "Turn left at Orion" which can be had from Amazon, this is the beginners bible and will surely set you on the right foot. Enjoy your new found hobby and friends (us) 😃 and be sure to fill us in on your journey. Now I find myself all excited about you ordering your first scope, as I remember mine so fondly.

Edited November 15, 2021 by Sunshine

[Floater]

Welcome. Hope you have lots of fun and enjoy the learning curve. 🙂

[cajen2]

Welcome SFM.

I'm biased because I've just bought one, but you might consider the Skywatcher 150p Flextube Dobsonian. Its aperture is large enough for some great observations (though obviously a 200mm is even better) but it's relatively light, so taking it into the garden is easy, it slides shut to half its length, making is easy to store and it's well within your budget, allowing you to get much better eyepieces down the line.

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by cajen2

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome. I started with a Dob but soon realised my mistake as I became interested in imaging. I suggest that you really think about what you want to be able to do in a year or so before buying anything.

[ScifiMan1966]

20 hours ago, Dave scutt said:

I started with an 12"skywatcher dob for the faint dso's  and I've just purchased a 127mm reflector .

 

How did you find the 12" skywatcher worked for you and what made you move form that to you current one?
What are the model numbers?

[ScifiMan1966]

19 hours ago, banjaxed said:

Hi and welcome to SGL. Using a scope through an open window can cause problems if there is a temperature difference so outside is usually best. My first scope was a 200mm Dobsonian and I still use it as often as skies permit, it is also recommended by a lot of our members as a first scope.

Hi Thank you
The 200mm one what was the make and model?
i  never realised that temperature affected viewing?
What do you ave now and what made you choose it?

[ScifiMan1966]

19 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

Hi, welcome to SGL 

Most people will recommend a 200mm Dobsonian as a starter. This one https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stellalyra-telescopes/stellalyra-8-f6-dobsonian.html is terrific quality such that it will last many years without need for upgrade. The 150mm version is only £249 though.

Eventually you'll want to add more eyepieces, so that's an additional cost you need to prepare for. 

Hi and Thank you
Can you tell me why most would recommend the 200mm scope?
What is the difference between a 150mm and 200mm as i what can you see and not see?

[ScifiMan1966]

18 hours ago, barbulo said:

Hi and welcome to SGL

Thank you
Any pointers and experience you can give would be greatly appreciated

[Dave scutt]

28 minutes ago, ScifiMan1966 said:

How did you find the 12" skywatcher worked for you and what made you move form that to you current one?
What are the model numbers?

I find the 12"skywatcher dob brilliant to use but it's on the heavy side and very big having a trolley to move it around helps.

I've brought but still waiting delivery the 127mm refractor for solar, Lunar and planet's 

[Mr Spock]

The 200mm is a manageable size for most. Once you start going beyond that scopes become very large and heavy.

It's also an ideal size for planetary viewing. It's large enough to show plenty of detail and small enough to be less influenced by poor seeing.

Compared to a 150mm a 200mm has 1.78 times the light gathering capacity and 1.33 times the resolution. If you are looking at Skywatcher Dobs the 150mm and 200mm both have a focal length of 1200mm, which means although the 200mm is larger diameter, they are both the same length. Of course the longer focal ratio of the 150mm does make it more tolerant to collimation issues.

If you can manage to move a larger scope around then the improved light grasp and resolution makes them worth it. I'm limited to a 250mm Flextube Dob due to back problems. I recently tried to help someone move a 400mm Dob and my half was way too heavy for me!

[Alan White]

Hello @Sci Fi Guy and welcome to SGL, taking th efirst plunge into the hobby is a big step and one that so many of us get wrong.
Asking lots of questions, before spending lots of money is a very sensible order of doing things.

I am a fellow Essex resident and belong to one of the Asttronomy Clubs in the area CPAC.
I would suggest it worth a visit or two to one of the local clubs if you can as they have a reservoir of knowledge tapped into.

Several of our newer members had bought scopes and struggled, came along and are now up and running,
it might be an on your own hobby some of the time, but it can be helpful talking with those who have gone before you.

Have a look at the clubs link on this forum, CPAC amongst others are listed.

 

[wookie1965]

A warm welcome to SGL 

[banjaxed]

1 hour ago, ScifiMan1966 said:

Hi Thank you
The 200mm one what was the make and model?
i  never realised that temperature affected viewing?
What do you ave now and what made you choose it?

I chose my Skywatcher 200P Dobsonian because I listened to the advice given by the very helpful members of this site and have not regretted it for a moment. I also have a Skywatcher ST120 and a Skywatcher 127 Mak.

[Nicola Fletcher]

Welcome to the Lounge!

Im sure you will get some great help and advice - people here are so friendly and willing to help people getting to grips with the hobby. I’m sure you will enjoy it and SGL is a massive reason why I am so obsessed with astronomy.

I went to my first Astronomy Society (Birmingham Astro Society, while I was working in Birmingham, which was excellent) for a while before I bought my first scope. They had an 8” Celestron SCT and I had the opportunity to view various targets through it before buying my own telescope. I had lots of advice but ended up taking the advice of one of the members and buying a 127 Mak on a GoTo mount. I loved it and had it for many years - it came everywhere with me as I moved back and forth between the UK and Ireland. It was super portable and so much fun to use. I’ve since upgraded with help and advice from SGL members and am still really enjoying the hobby. 
 

I know it can be overwhelming when you look at the variety out there and you don’t know what to choose but there are lots of options that will give you many enjoyable nights under the stars. The one thing I have learned is to enjoy choosing equipment as well as enjoy using it. Best of luck!

 

[Elp]

Welcome.

A dob or Newtonian will provide good large aperture (for light gathering) per £, aperture size is key for looking for fainter astro targets.

A longer focal length will be good for planetary and magnified lunar viewing, think maksutov or Schmidt cassegrain (SCT).

Refractors tend to be setup ready to go (no collimation required) though quality glass (apochromatic and coated) and aperture costs money, they do offer very sharp optics if you get quality.

Your mount (what you put the telescope onto) will probably be the most important part of your purchasing, many people me included have learned the hard way that under mounting can be detrimental to your experience due to vibrations from wind or focus adjustments or pointing. As a start a sturdy tripod and an alt azimuth mount would be good for point and go for all scopes other than a dob which has its own type of alt az mount.

A more realistic budget would be closer to £1000 which would include the mount but this greatly depends on what equipment you'd be looking to purchase, buying used from fellow astro people will save you loads.

My first quality scope that I decided to keep after trying a few budget options, I still have is a William Optics Z61, 61mm refractor 360mm focal length. Did my research and suited me, wide field, short focal length, small, light, quality glass, suitable for photography etc. I've used it for planetary, solar (with the right filters), deep space photography, it's so useful I don't think I'd ever sell it. Along the way I've also bought others for different uses. Started with a basic alt az, now use a motorised goto az gti (one of the best purchases in my opinion).

Another option for you would be a large aperture set of binoculars and mount it onto a tripod so it's rock steady, this may be the most budget friendly way to start, once you get a feel of what you like to do you can upgrade.

I always say this but the best equipment will be the one you are most likely to use, think ease of setup etc.

Be forewarned - you will always be looking for the next upgrade...

[paulastro]

Some good advice here already ScifiMan. 

I agree with Nicola, the best favour you could do yourself is to find a local astronomy group, and get along to an observing session where members bring along their own telescopes.

You will have an opportunity to find out what the view is like through the different scopes, but just as important you will see how big they are and what they are actually like to use. The actual experience of  using a telescope varies greatly depending on the type and size of them.  

Be aware that all of us have our own views of telescopes, so there is no  'best' telescope that will suit everyone. Try and talk to people who are experienced in using various telescopes and observing the types of objects you feel drawn towards.

Above all, have fun!