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thinking of buying a telescope

stevelcfc

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kniclander

kniclander

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imho best scope in that price range for a Leicester City fan would bean 8 inch newt on a dobsonian mount. Simple and very quick to set up and the most aperture for your £££.;)

the longer answer is, it depends what you want to look at and if you ever want to use it for atsrophotography and how "portable" it needs to be (and whether you're a bit lazy and want goto):)

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albedo0.39

albedo0.39

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Hi Steve - welcome to SGL. At your price range, you have a wealth of choice. I'd recommend you look at some of the refractors in the 5-6" range

See here for a good example. Our forum sponsor - First Light Optics are highly recommended and will be able to give you some excellent advice.

Alternatively, if you would like to increase the aperture size at the expense of some convenience, then you might consider a dobsonian - here for more information. The extra 2" of aperture might help you hunting for deep sky objects but both scopes are extremely capable.

Good luck with your search - at this price range you can find some great scopes at not a lot of money

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stevelcfc

stevelcfc

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imho best scope in that price range for a Leicester City fan would bean 8 inch newt on a dobsonian mount. Simple and very quick to set up and the most aperture for your £££.;)

the longer answer is, it depends what you want to look at and if you ever want to use it for atsrophotography and how "portable" it needs to be (and whether you're a bit lazy and want goto):)

thanks mate i just want something to see the moons of jupiter ,rings around saturn,things like that ime sure i would have a few years before i needed to upgrade

portability isnt a problem (as long as i can pick it up)

astrophotography is something i would love to try,but i think thats for sometime in the future

ps i am a leicester city fan

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stevelcfc

stevelcfc

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Hi and welcome to SGL Steve, you wont go far wrong with a scope like this, and if you could stretch the budget a bit get an extra eyepiece or 2 as well ;)

http://firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=dobsky200

thanx that looks like it could be the one i will be getting what eye peices do you suggest i get

will let you know how i get on

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Capricorn

Capricorn

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Steve, I would advise you to find out all the negative points behind each scope first.

When this is asked it is nearly always go buy a dob, and yes they do have a nice big mirror for the cost, they also need to cool down more and being a faster f number will require you to collimate it at regular intervals. You do of course know how to collimate a newtonian scope. You may well be able to pick it up to transport it but that incorporates taking it to bits, minor, and a small reassembly. Guess what happens to the collimation? Dobs have usually a small f number need better quality eyepiecess = more money.

Refractors basically end up with a smaller aperture and cost proportionately more, but are easy to transport and relatively maintence free. They can suffer for condensation on the objective but all else being equal have a sharper image. You will not see as much in the line of DSO's owing to the smaller aperture(less light collected). They need a mount.

The "standard" 6 inch newtonian on an EQ mount falls between the two. It will need colliamating but not so often - bigger f number. Smaller aperture then the Dob, bigger then the refractor. Again needs a mount. Cool down time shorter as the mirror is smaller. Being usually a larger f number they can get away with less expensive eyepieces.

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kniclander

kniclander

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Steve, I would advise you to find out all the negative points behind each scope first.

When this is asked it is nearly always go buy a dob, and yes they do have a nice big mirror for the cost, they also need to cool down more and being a faster f number will require you to collimate it at regular intervals. You do of course know how to collimate a newtonian scope. You may well be able to pick it up to transport it but that incorporates taking it to bits, minor, and a small reassembly. Guess what happens to the collimation? Dobs have usually a small f number need better quality eyepiecess = more money.

Refractors basically end up with a smaller aperture and cost proportionately more, but are easy to transport and relatively maintence free. They can suffer for condensation on the objective but all else being equal have a sharper image. You will not see as much in the line of DSO's owing to the smaller aperture(less light collected). They need a mount.

The "standard" 6 inch newtonian on an EQ mount falls between the two. It will need colliamating but not so often - bigger f number. Smaller aperture then the Dob, bigger then the refractor. Again needs a mount. Cool down time shorter as the mirror is smaller. Being usually a larger f number they can get away with less expensive eyepieces.

I'm sorry but there is so much nonsense in this post, I don't know where to start... (and MOTD2 is on in 9 minutes). Capricorn, did someone beat you with a dob when you were little?

Leicester City fan, by all means do your research but why do you think so many people recommend dobs?

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Rossco72

Rossco72

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Whether you agree or disagree with the points made, the objective of a forum is for everyone to voice an opinion. No one persons opinion should be treated as right or wrong, it's just their opinion.

For little money, and sadly £300 is little money in this game, a Dob probably does make sense, but a refractor on an Alt-Az mount is equally as easy to use and has less maintenance.

Read up, ask questions, buy informed (and second hand if you can may help your money go further)

Many a scope has been bought in haste and lay dormant for years. The best quote I see often in here is that the "best" scope is the one you will get the most use out of.

Cheers

Stuart

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kniclander

kniclander

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Whether you agree or disagree with the points made, the objective of a forum is for everyone to voice an opinion. No one persons opinion should be treated as right or wrong, it's just their opinion.

Stuart

I'm sorry but i don't agree - if something is factually wrong or misleading, it doesn't make it not wrong to say it's just a opinion and there were a number of points in that thread that were wrong or misleading.

Having said that, if I made my point too strongly - apologies.

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Rusty Strings

Rusty Strings

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Hi Steve

Wwelcome to the forum.

If I were in your position, I'd go for 200mm dob. They can be set up in minutes and will give great views of moon, planets and deep space stuff. I got my 200mm newt after advise suggested it was the best all rounder and I still don't disagree. If there is a down side, it's the cooldown time for the mirror which reduces the scopes "grab n go" element.

John

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red dwalf

red dwalf

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you`ve started something now Steve, LOL

all scopes have a cool down time usually the bigger the mirror the more time it takes to cool, unless you leave it in the garage or somewhere like that, i do sometimes covered over and it`s all ready to go, as for scopes in that price range either the 6" newtonian or the 8" dob will be fab, the bigger the mirror the more you can see, if you want to track an object for a while can i surgest the Skywatcher 130p autotrak,

good price tracks great and very easy to handle, i`ve had great views of planets and some nebulas, jupiter, saturn, venus, moon and m42 the orion nebula to name a few.

it is a bit of a mine field but any of the above scope would be amazing and any of thenm would sell well on the second hand market if you ever want to go bigger.

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glowjet

glowjet

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Hi Steve,

A warm welcome to SGL, from the foregoing you may already have made up your mind what type of scope you intend to purchase, if you are still hesitating then read as much as you can on the subject, if you can find your way around the night sky, thats good, if not then invest in a good pair of bins and a star map and work up from there. You may then have a better understanding of what lays ahead, have a look at our bins section.

John.

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johninderby

johninderby

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There are many good reasons that an 8" dob is so often recommended for beginners. It has that combination of reasonable aperture, not too big to move about or store, is fairly cheap and an absolute beginner can have it set up in minutes and be looking up and seeing something right away as there are no electronics to figure out or alignment to be done. Also the 8" mirror cools down fairly quickly.

The SkyWatcher 8" dob is only an f/5.9 so it doesn't require expensive eyepieces and keeps collimation very well so it shouldn't need collimating that often. The eyepieces that come with it aren't that great, but the SkyWatcher SP Super Plossls are only £19.95 each and will work extremely well in this scope. Other not too expensive eyepieces will also work well. BTW the 10" dob comes with the Super Plossls. Also the OTA is very suitable for mounting on an EQ mount later on if you want.

My advice would be to speak to Steve at FLO and ask him for his recommendations.

John

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TheThing

TheThing

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For little money, and sadly £300 is little money in this game, a Dob probably does make sense, but a refractor on an Alt-Az mount is equally as easy to use and has less maintenance.

Apologies Stuart, but I disagree!

£300 for a beginner is perfectly adequate to start with. You can plenty of good scope for your money for far less than this - the Skywatcher 130pm being a prime example. Endorsed by Sir Patrick, no less.

This will leave plenty from the budget for an extra couple of EPs, planisphere, Turn Left at Orion (if you cannot borrow from your library), S&T Pocket Sky Atlas, moon filter and a lovely wooly hat to help keep you warm.

the 130 is a cracking scope. Not too big to be unwiedly. the motorised mount will keep things in view once you've found them, nice f ratio etc etc.

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kniclander

kniclander

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the 130 is a cracking scope. Not too big to be unwiedly. the motorised mount will keep things in view once you've found them, nice f ratio etc etc.

An 8" scope will show you a fair bit fainter stuff and a little more detail than a 5" (it's mirror is 2 and a half times as big); it's probably quicker setting up the dob (as there's no aligning required) but tracking with the dob is less easy (as you have to nudge it along as the object moves across the FOV). Fair?

ooh, it's like an M69 derby ;)

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Rossco72

Rossco72

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Apologies Stuart, but I disagree!

£300 for a beginner is perfectly adequate to start with. You can plenty of good scope for your money for far less than this - the Skywatcher 130pm being a prime example. Endorsed by Sir Patrick, no less.

This will leave plenty from the budget for an extra couple of EPs, planisphere, Turn Left at Orion (if you cannot borrow from your library), S&T Pocket Sky Atlas, moon filter and a lovely wooly hat to help keep you warm.

the 130 is a cracking scope. Not too big to be unwiedly. the motorised mount will keep things in view once you've found them, nice f ratio etc etc.

My point is that when you can spend £600 on one eyepiece, £6000 on a scope, £3500 on a good ish mount, £2500 on a CCD. When taken in context, £300 isn't a lot. I still think though that as a beginner you are better looking second hand, you will find many members (such as yourself) willing to help beginners out with their own older or beginner scopes as they move on up. I passed on my first scope and as you know have recently purchased an Orion Dob for a beginner second hand for £60.

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jgs001

jgs001

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Guys... I think this might be better as a discussion in the equipment forum... rather than in a welcome post.

Steve, welcome to SGL. Within your budget you will be able to get a decent scope that will work great for visual use. A couple of factors to consider..

1) Size - You have to store it somewhere, and lug it out to use

2) Is your observing site nearby or do you have to travel a ways to get to it

Having a monster scope is great (I'd love one) but if it doesn't get used, it's not worth the money. You want something that you can use and get enjoyment out of. I've only ever used 2 different 80mm refractors and a 102mm Mak and they are great.

Something else to look into, would be a set of Binoculars. You can see a lot with just a pair of 10x50's and you can pick up a pair of reasonable ones for about £30. They cannot be beaten for grab and go either, and you'll still get use out of them even when you have a scope. Also great for learning your way around the sky.

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