Does anyone recognise this scope?

[Wanderers]

This scope is on sale and is described as a meade star navigator.  I'm not sure.

Also they don't know what size the mirror is. Any idea?

Finally is it any good? TIA

[Wanderers]

[Earl]

130mm i think

[mikeDnight]

I'd worry you'd spend more time, getting frustrated by messing with the gadgetry trying to get it to work, than looking through it. There are better options on FLO. 

[Wanderers]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

I'd worry you'd spend more time, getting frustrated by messing with the gadgetry trying to get it to work, than looking through it. There are better options on FLO. 

Are you referring to goto in general or this scope in particular, Mike?

[mikeDnight]

I'm not a Meade fan if I'm being honest, although I've had no direct experience with this particular scope. I bought something similar for my younger son when he was young, and it sapped the life out of the batteries in no time.  I mentioned FLO because they are incredibly helpful and you'll get sound advice. You'd also have the reassurance that you could return it if it wasn't suitable.

I've always been one of those unlucky ones who always seem to be in the wrong queue. I've spent hours waiting in line to look through goto telescopes over the years while the guy at the helm, red faced, tries to convince everyone he knows what he's doing and its just teething problems. Meanwhile, everyone in the queue for the push/pull Dob or refractor are having a great time. It's probably just me!!

Edited March 12 by mikeDnight

[Stickey]

I assumed you've checked out the seller. There have been examples in the past of scammers posting fake pictures of telescopes to try to steal money. 

[RT65CB-SWL]

It’s either the Meade DS-2114 or DS-2130... or the same models, but with an ‘S’ tagged on the end.

I have a Meade DS-2102 [refractor] and the eyepiece port is a piece of crap! I know this is a family friendly site and I could have used stronger word or expletive, but I won’t. Anyway the reason I used that word is because the two retaining screws are nylon plastic and they easily break or snap when over tightened. It happened with mine. Fortunately I asked one of my astro-society/club members if he could or replace with brass or stainless steel threaded inserts and replace the thumbscrews, as he has a lathe in his workshop/garden shed and enjoys a bit of light engineering for fellow members.

Depending on how much the seller is asking for it, I personally would give at miss... unless it is going for a silly price... ie <£50.00GBP and that is being over generous. I paid £20.00GBP for my DS-2102 [just the OTA] early last year [2023].

If you need or want to read the user manual before purchase and then decide, then the link is here... https://www.meade.com/downloadEntityFile/assets/product_files/instructions/DS2000_TS_manual.pdf

BTW... it is a discontinued model, so don’t expect any after sales support from Meade.

[Wanderers]

10 hours ago, RT65CB-SWL said:

It’s either the Meade DS-2114 or DS-2130... or the same models, but with an ‘S’ tagged on the end.

I have a Meade DS-2102 [refractor] and the eyepiece port is a piece of crap! I know this is a family friendly site and I could have used stronger word or expletive, but I won’t. Anyway the reason I used that word is because the two retaining screws are nylon plastic and they easily break or snap when over tightened. It happened with mine. Fortunately I asked one of my astro-society/club members if he could or replace with brass or stainless steel threaded inserts and replace the thumbscrews, as he has a lathe in his workshop/garden shed and enjoys a bit of light engineering for fellow members.

Depending on how much the seller is asking for it, I personally would give at miss... unless it is going for a silly price... ie <£50.00GBP and that is being over generous. I paid £20.00GBP for my DS-2102 [just the OTA] early last year [2023].

If you need or want to read the user manual before purchase and then decide, then the link is here... https://www.meade.com/downloadEntityFile/assets/product_files/instructions/DS2000_TS_manual.pdf

BTW... it is a discontinued model, so don’t expect any after sales support from Meade.

Thanks so much RC. I was attracted by the goto but did have doubts about the scope itself.  At £350 I'll steer well clear!

I guess it's back to a dob then. 

[Wanderers]

I meant RT!

[Wanderers]

14 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I'm not a Meade fan if I'm being honest, although I've had no direct experience with this particular scope. I bought something similar for my younger son when he was young, and it sapped the life out of the batteries in no time.  I mentioned FLO because they are incredibly helpful and you'll get sound advice. You'd also have the reassurance that you could return it if it wasn't suitable.

I've always been one of those unlucky ones who always seem to be in the wrong queue. I've spent hours waiting in line to look through goto telescopes over the years while the guy at the helm, red faced, tries to convince everyone he knows what he's doing and its just teething problems. Meanwhile, everyone in the queue for the push/pull Dob or refractor are having a great time. It's probably just me!!

Thank you Mike. Really appreciate your advice. 

[RT65CB-SWL]

3 hours ago, Wanderers said:

I meant RT!

If you press the '@' ['at'] key on your keyboard/keypad and start to type the username, it will show a list of possible users and highlight the one you want and will end up something like this... @RT65CB-SWL or @Wanderers 

BTW...

3 hours ago, Wanderers said:

Thanks so much RC. I was attracted by the goto but did have doubts about the scope itself.  At £350 I'll steer well clear!

I guess it's back to a dob then. 

What is your budget? - Have a read here... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html if you don't already own a 'scope. There is an eight inch Dobsonian for a little bit more [plus P&P] than the secondhand one you have shown. It will show more and will last a lifetime. Your wallet will thank you. You and your family, friends, etc., will be in awe when they look through the eyepiece. 

[Wanderers]

On 13/03/2024 at 13:53, RT65CB-SWL said:

If you press the '@' ['at'] key on your keyboard/keypad and start to type the username, it will show a list of possible users and highlight the one you want and will end up something like this... @RT65CB-SWL or @Wanderers 

BTW...

What is your budget? - Have a read here... https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes.html if you don't already own a 'scope. There is an eight inch Dobsonian for a little bit more [plus P&P] than the secondhand one you have shown. It will show more and will last a lifetime. Your wallet will thank you. You and your family, friends, etc., will be in awe when they look through the eyepiece. 

@RT65CB-SWLthanks for your help. 

I have been offered a 5 yr old 10" skywatcher skyliner px dob for £275 which seems a really good price?

I must admit I would like goto/ tracking at some point in the future. 

Is it possible to add it to a dob or perhaps I should save for a flextube goto?

[Wanderers]

 

[Neil H]

Hi what about using your phone with Astro hopper works well on any scope , so you can buy a nice dob and use your phone for target hunting

[Wanderers]

Off to Google astrohopper !

[Neil H]

You can also use stellariaum if you go into search it will give you arrows on your phone to take you to that target 

[PeterStudz]

For my 8” Dob I use the PushTo feature in an app called PS Align Pro. Finds targets within a low power eyepiece every time. I’ve even used it to find planets, eg Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars in daylight. Astro Hopper is similar but this works better than Stellariaum.

For tracking that’s good enough for visual I made an EQ platform for about £85 from these instructions. It’s easier than it looks. Then you’ll have PushTo and tracking for a bargain price. 
 

 

[Franklin]

On 13/03/2024 at 10:14, Wanderers said:

At £350 I'll steer well clear!

That's an epic dodge on your part!

Take a zero off and it might be worth a punt though😁.