Overwhelmed by choice and looking for advice

[robneath]

Rob - and I certainly want to know the skies better, just thinking that GO-TO might be useful.

How do you like your Skywatcher 150, and do you find the EQ3 mount strong enough for it?

How quick can you set it up?

Thanks

old_eyes

I've found the 150PL easy to setup and handle. The mount is fine. I really like the 150PL - when we get clear skies it gets used and with the use of star map and bins been able to find what I want .

[jgs001]

Bob, based on your comment in my M31 thread... then I'd suggest getting something more heavy duty than the eq3... The HEQ5 is realistically the minimum for guided imaging. The scope kit I'm using weighs 6.7 Kg, that's a Celestron version of the 80ED, and an ST80 with my SLR and a small DSI guide camera... The HEQ5 handles that weight easily, but I'm not sure any of the lighter mounts would.

Get a pair of Binoculars as well.. 10x50 are ideal, they can be had for very little money, you can't beat them for setup time (the ultimate grab and go). And I use mine whilst the HEQ5 and fracs are capturing data.

Give Steve @ FLO a call (click the banner at the top of the page) and discuss you're requirements with him. He'll sell you only what you need.

[jimhaleysscomet]

I have the Heritage 130P flex tube dob and it does in fact "just snap back out" with no collimation adjustments required.

[old_eyes]

Thanks for all the help and advice everyone. As was pointed out:

....By now you will have been told: Dob, Newtonian, Mak, Refractor, goto, motorised, manual. Bet that it hasn't cleared anything up:D:D:D:D Wonder where the Binocular boys are;)

But as I have browsed around more, people seem to have fun, see good things and create marvellous images with a wide variety of telescopes on a wide variety of mounts. Looking at images that have been posted, they are made with many different systems (although usually with a serious mount), and I would have been abolutely delighted to have produced any of them.

Perhaps it doesn't matter all that much. Get something you like and then learn to get the best out of it.

So I have started by ordering a pair of Celestron 15 x 70 to replace the old and battered (and a bit murky) bonoculars I have been using. I have noticed from your sig files that these are popular. Have some fun with those, and keep reading, window shopping and browsing Stargazers Lounge.

I'll keep you posted.

old_eyes

[RobH]

Hello Oldeyes,

If it's visual you're after, then go for a dob, especially as you say you're interested in DSO's.

Forget an 80mm apo, or 90mm ETX....they simply don't have enough aperture to see anything other than the very few brightest deep sky objects visually.

Aperture is what you need.

In your situation, I'd go for a 10 or 12 inch dob, preferably with a solid tube. If you later on decide to get into imaging, you just buy an EQ6 and put the tube on it and away you go.

The other thing you could do, depending on budget, is keep an eye open for a secondhand 10 inch LX200 Classic.

This will give you lots of light gathering power, plus it comes on a goto alt/az mount.

Its native focal length is good for small DSO's like the Ring nebula, and with a focal reducer, it'll be good for lots of galaxies etc too.

I had one of these for a while and it was a great all rounder and I regret having to sell it to fund another scope.

If you want to get into imaging with it later, just buy a wedge and you've then got an equatorially mounted scope.

Cheers

Rob

[newbie]

How do you like your Skywatcher 150, and do you find the EQ3 mount strong enough for it?

I have a SW 150PL on an EQ3-2 mount - easily strong / stable enough for the scope. People will probably advise that you need a better mount for imaging though if you are looking to get into that...

[jimhaleysscomet]

old_eyes.....

You have pointed out something so true! It is more important to get to know what you have (or purchase) and how to use it to the max then it is to purchase any given item. Aperture is great! It really brightens up the view and the focal length can increase an items size. Still, we can do a lot with the naked eye. From a dark site we can see at least a few dozen objects including one of every major type of deep sky object plus several planets! Binoculars add dozens of objects more. Telescopes add hundreds or thousands more and makes them brighter and larger.

Visit skymaps.com each month for a list of fun things to view.

[old_eyes]

...You have pointed out something so true! It is more important to get to know what you have (or purchase) and how to use it to the max then it is to purchase any given item.

Thanks for the comment. I'll follow the step-by-step approach and try and get the very best out of what I eventually buy. I still might do something mad. The family have promised me a mid-life crisis if I want one, and I never did like motorbikes ;-)

old_eyes

[old_eyes]

Hello Oldeyes,

If it's visual you're after, then go for a dob, especially as you say you're interested in DSO's.

Forget an 80mm apo, or 90mm ETX....they simply don't have enough aperture to see anything other than the very few brightest deep sky objects visually.

Aperture is what you need.

In your situation, I'd go for a 10 or 12 inch dob, preferably with a solid tube. If you later on decide to get into imaging, you just buy an EQ6 and put the tube on it and away you go.

The other thing you could do, depending on budget, is keep an eye open for a secondhand 10 inch LX200 Classic.

This will give you lots of light gathering power, plus it comes on a goto alt/az mount.

Its native focal length is good for small DSO's like the Ring nebula, and with a focal reducer, it'll be good for lots of galaxies etc too.

I had one of these for a while and it was a great all rounder and I regret having to sell it to fund another scope.

If you want to get into imaging with it later, just buy a wedge and you've then got an equatorially mounted scope.

Cheers

Rob

Rob,

Agree aperture is key to visual deep-sky, although I might be cautious with the first scope. 12" reflector sounds like a big heavy tube, and I don't want something that I will be reluctant to tote around.

10" LX200 sounds great, but possibly a bit rich for me at this stage. I don't know what a second hand one might go for, but the new price certainly caused a sharp intake of breath.

old_eyes

[old_eyes]

Nick R kindly invited me over to his place last night to play with his Meade ETX 90 PE.

I was impressed how easy it was to set up and how easy to target specific objects.

Clouds rolled in whilst we were playing, but I did get a personal first - Jupiter with clear bands and three of the moons. May be trivial to many of you but really exciting to me. Also nice interesting view of the edge of the moon.

We didn't get to see any nebulae, galaxies or clusters because of the cloud racing in but Nick tells me he has seen a wide range of objects.

Enjoyed the chance to try a Go-To scope and see a littel of what it can do.

Thanks Nick

old_eyes

[jimhaleysscomet]

If you like GOTO for visual you will probably like a dob PUSH TO even better. It is faster, only requires a 9V battery, and can have more aperture for your ££££.

While a 10" or 12" dob can be bulky and heavy, I easily pop my 8" Orion XTi out (across conservatory threshold) for quick views. I used to do the same with my 11" dob, but not now that I am almost 50. 8" aperture is SOO much brighter than 3.5" aperture.

[acey]

What do you need the 9V battery for? Fan? Dew strip? I manage happily without either on both my 8-inch and 12-inch dobs. Only power I need is the battery in my red light.

[George Jones]

What do you need the 9V battery for?

For the push-to feature, which is less expensive than go-to. After alignment, push-to indicates the direction in which the dob should be pushed in order to locate an object selected from its database.

[acey]

Ah, now I get it. I thought "push to" was maybe just a cute way of referring to old-fashioned arm power.

How accurate do you find it?

[Nick R]

Nick R kindly invited me over to his place last night to play with his Meade ETX 90 PE.

I was impressed how easy it was to set up and how easy to target specific objects.

Clouds rolled in whilst we were playing, but I did get a personal first - Jupiter with clear bands and three of the moons. May be trivial to many of you but really exciting to me. Also nice interesting view of the edge of the moon.

We didn't get to see any nebulae, galaxies or clusters because of the cloud racing in but Nick tells me he has seen a wide range of objects.

Enjoyed the chance to try a Go-To scope and see a littel of what it can do.

Thanks Nick

old_eyes

More than welcome Richard , just a shame the cloud came in so early

[old_eyes]

For the push-to feature, which is less expensive than go-to. After alignment, push-to indicates the direction in which the dob should be pushed in order to locate an object selected from its database.

I haven't come across that yet. It sounds neat. I'll look it up.

old_eyes

[old_eyes]

If you like GOTO for visual you will probably like a dob PUSH TO even better. It is faster, only requires a 9V battery, and can have more aperture for your ££££.

While a 10" or 12" dob can be bulky and heavy, I easily pop my 8" Orion XTi out (across conservatory threshold) for quick views. I used to do the same with my 11" dob, but not now that I am almost 50. 8" aperture is SOO much brighter than 3.5" aperture.

Is the push-to object locator unique to Orion Intelliscopes, or do other manufacturers have similar systems?

old_eyes

[old_eyes]

Step 1: Celestron 15x70 binoculars arrived today. Look fine looking at daytime terrestrial objects. Unfortunately, thick cloud this evening and I am off on a couple of days business trip eary tomorrow. Curses!

old_eyes