Getting started looking, for a scope and mount under £600

[op975]

Hi everyone,

I have just started to get into this hobby and have been looking at getting  a new scope for under £600. I am looking for something that is quite portable ( going on holidays etc) but can still get good views of dos and planets. I understand that a dob is probably the best bang for your buck but unfortunately that is out of the question just because of how big they are. I am also looking to have go to with the scope.I already have some eyepieces that were given to me from a friend so I don’t have to include that in my budget.any help would be appreciated. 

[mikeDnight]

I'd avoid goto like the plague on a £600 budget. Buy a star atlas and learn to star hop, - it's easier than you might think, and that way you'll never be tied down by the need for power supplies or batteries. 

It's difficult to pin down one particular type of telescope as each has it's own advantages and disadvantages. Probably a StarTravel refractor around 102 or 120mm would be a good scope for admiring star fields and nebulae etc, or if the Moon and planets are more your thing, a longer focal length refractor around 102mm may give a lifetime of enjoyment. However, a 130mm to 150mm reflector would equally be a serious scope choice. And if you want to keep things compact, a 125mm Maksutov would be a worthy contender.

A simple AZ4 or AZ5,  or an EQ5 mount would be good choices.

[Elp]

Are you looking to view nebulae as star clusters and the odd bright messier object may be your only options in very dark areas, this is why people choose larger aperture scopes for viewing as they "capture" more light.

I wouldn't discredit goto completely as an azgti is fairly affordable and offers goto plus is ultra portable which fits your criteria, but it is weight limited by what type of scope you can put onto it (5kg), longer scopes also don't do so well unless it's on a very sturdy tripod. For viewing you will need a very sturdy tripod which dampens vibrations well (or one which is included as part of a mount package), this is very important for viewing probably more so than the scope itself, have you factored this into your purchasing plan?

For simplicity a refractor is usually a good start for beginners, apochromatic will give you sharper less colour shifted views maybe more important for imagers or those that want the best views though acromats are also good. A scope 60-80mm would be a good start and within your budget especially if you look around the used market. 100mm plus would be even better but you'll have to start reassessing the mount sturdiness if you haven't invested in a good one to begin with. A Newtonian or dobsonian will also be good options.

 

[Toltec]

I started up again late last year and ended up buying a Skymax 127 on an Allview mount. It was used for about £300, it didn't have any eyepieces, but I bought 3 basic ones used for £15 which got me going. 

The Allview will take a 102mm refractor, but struggled a bit with a 2" 23mm eyepiece attached unless rebalanced. 

A key reason for going for the mak was the relatively low cost for the aperture and portability, the other big thing was not having to worry about collimation checks. I bought the refractor to get wider fov, but it cost significantly more than the mak and mount did. 

I'd say keep your eyes out for a used setup that will start you off, see if you have a local astronomy society, mine has monthly observation evenings which are good to go and see some kit and chat with people. Don't stress too much about your first telescope, if you really get into this you will upgrade as you find what types of astronomy interest you most. If you buy used well known kit you can likely sell it again with little loss once you grow out of it. 

Not that I have yet, though I should having just acquired a third mount and ota within six months. 

[Cosmic Geoff]

3 hours ago, op975 said:

I understand that a dob is probably the best bang for your buck but unfortunately that is out of the question just because of how big they are.

This is a misconception. A Dob mounted scope can be any size you want, from a table-mounted mini dob, to one so big you need a tall ladder to reach the eyepiece.

If you want GoTo, that's fair enough, as it is a personal choice whther you want to let the hardware find objects for you - especially useful if like most of us you live under light-polluted skies, or prefer to find things by the traditional methods.

But if your budget is £600, that guarantees that the scope and GoTo mount are going to be relatively small and portable.  If buying new, there are plenty of GoTo outfits in this price range.  Just be aware that whatever you buy will be a beginner outfit rather than a "Telescope for life" and once you have figured out how to use the scope and the mount, and discovered in what direction you want to take your new hobby, you will probably be looking to buy some different kit.

I won't try to recommend a particular outfit - so long as you buy one of the major brands and from a specialist astronomy dealer, it matters more that you buy something and get started.

You can save money by buying used, but for the novice this carries the risk of buying a 'dog' because of knowing too little about telescopes.

Forum sponsor FLO has a range of beginner telescopes.

[IB20]

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/sky-watcher-skymax-127-virtuoso-gti.html I read a review for this today in Astronomy Now. It sounded pretty darn good to be honest. Portable, go to, fairly decent aperture, cost room for an eyepiece upgrade..Would tick a lot of boxes.

[Louis D]

Talk it over with @Olli who just went with a Sky-Watcher SkyMax-127 AZ GTi after starting the below thread trying to replace a Dob: