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Hello from Blackpool!

Bravescope

By Bravescope
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Bravescope

Bravescope

Posted
Posted

Hi there,

Im Tom from Blackpool (North West of the UK). I have been interested in astronomy for a while now and often read New Scientist and other magazines to get a glimpse of what is out there.

I have recently been finding myself browsing the vast collection of images from the Hubble website and this has inspired me to get a scope and take a look for myself.

Im currently looking to get my first scope and have looked at 2 in particular but I am having a hard time deciding, my budget is £400.

  • Celestron Nexstar 4 SE
  • Celestron NexStar 102 SLT

I would love some advice! MANY thanks in advance.

BB

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barkis

barkis

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Posted

Hello Tom, and welcome to the SGL Forum.

You will receive plenty of help and advice here.

I can understand your frustration on deciding where, and how to spend your budget.

There are many types of telescope, and when you are just starting out, it can be a daunting prospect. The two Instruments you quoted in your post, are excellent as a starter scope, but I would suggest that a lot of the money is tied to the electronics built in, which will make it easier to find objects in the sky, because I know it is difficult trying to locate them physically.

However, my personal philosophy, has always been to concentrate on the size of the objective, that is the heart of an instrument, the Mirror, or lens.

You may be a refractor person, one who prefers a lensed telescope, where others prefer Reflecting scopes, with a mirror as the light collecter. The more light you collect, the more you see as far as the brightness of a star for example.

Your budget is fairly substantial, and brings a good range of instruments into the arena for you.

Just wait a while until you have had more replies, then have a look around at what is on offer. You have waited a while now, so no need to rush things, you want your spend to do a good job for you, and provide a scope that will give you years of return for your money.

Good luck.

Ron.:D

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Bravescope

Bravescope

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Hello Tom, and welcome to the SGL Forum.

You will receive plenty of help and advice here.

I can understand your frustration on deciding where, and how to spend your budget.

There are many types of telescope, and when you are just starting out, it can be a daunting prospect. The two Instruments you quoted in your post, are excellent as a starter scope, but I would suggest that a lot of the money is tied to the electronics built in, which will make it easier to find objects in the sky, because I know it is difficult trying to locate them physically.

However, my personal philosophy, has always been to concentrate on the size of the objective, that is the heart of an instrument, the Mirror, or lens.

You may be a refractor person, one who prefers a lensed telescope, where others prefer Reflecting scopes, with a mirror as the light collecter. The more light you collect, the more you see as far as the brightness of a star for example.

Your budget is fairly substantial, and brings a good range of instruments into the arena for you.

Just wait a while until you have had more replies, then have a look around at what is on offer. You have waited a while now, so no need to rush things, you want your spend to do a good job for you, and provide a scope that will give you years of return for your money.

Good luck.

Ron.:)

Right on. I have spent the last 3 hours sat here reading and looking at the massive amount of posts here. Some fantastic reading content.

The main reason I have aimed for a computer controlled scope is because my knowledge of placement is very sparse and although I would love to be able to learn it myself, time is not always plentiful, especially with Summer quickly approaching.

One thing I have learnt is to stay away from Telescope planet and stick with First Light Optics :D

Thanks for the response. I will be sticking around!

BB

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Bravescope

Bravescope

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Just thoughts I would add a few answers to some other questions I have found on similar posts:

Would you like to take images with your scope ?

Yes.

Are you physically fit enough to handle a scope into the boot of a car if you had to ? - i.e. is portability critical ?

Won't be travelling with the scope.

Are you starting from scratch or do you have some of the essential accessories (atlas, torches, eyepieces etc) ?

I am starting from scratch.

Would you be willing to consider 2nd hand ?

Yes, as long as it included setup instructions to get started.

What do you wish to observe ? Star Fields, clusters ? Galaxies ? Planets ? The Moon ?

Mainly Galaxies, and Nebulae.

Thanks in advance.

BB

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Brinders

Brinders

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Posted

Hi Tom and welcome to SGL.

You'll find (as I think you already realise) plenty of advise and info on this very friendly forum.

I'm also in Blackpool (Bispham).

I wouldn't like to give advise on which is the better of your prospective choices. I understand why you wish to go for a compterised mount, it does make finding objects easier, but inevitably, it will be a compromise. Apeture rules and if you can do without the goto mount, a larger scope may be better (an 8 or 10" dobsonian, for example or a 6" newtoniain on a driven EQ mount if you fancy asto prhotogrpahy of glalaxies and nebula as some point). If on the other hand you wish to stick with either of your choices, then I'm sure they will be fine.

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will enjoy this fascinating (but expensive) hobby.

Brinders

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Bravescope

Bravescope

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Hi Tom and welcome to SGL.

You'll find (as I think you already realise) plenty of advise and info on this very friendly forum.

I'm also in Blackpool (Bispham).

I wouldn't like to give advise on which is the better of your prospective choices. I understand why you wish to go for a compterised mount, it does make finding objects easier, but inevitably, it will be a compromise. Apeture rules and if you can do without the goto mount, a larger scope may be better (an 8 or 10" dobsonian, for example or a 6" newtoniain on a driven EQ mount if you fancy asto prhotogrpahy of glalaxies and nebula as some point). If on the other hand you wish to stick with either of your choices, then I'm sure they will be fine.

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will enjoy this fascinating (but expensive) hobby.

Brinders

Don't get me wrong, I would love to get a larger lens then I could get some deeper shots but its all a time vs hobby kind of thing. I run a full time company and have to pet the wife once in a while so its more of an hour a day kind of thing, and im ready to jump into it right away.

I have spotted a 5SE going on the sales board here for £325 which I might go for if the pictures look good and he can deliver.

If not, I think im going to go ahead and get the 4SE and a Samsung NX10. Either way, hope to have some shots up soon!

BB

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Ronseal

Ronseal

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Hi Bravescope & welcome, I'm quite a newcomer here too, fantastic resource & friendly people,

I'm just outside B'pool, but decided to stick with binoculars until I learn the constellations - currently tracking down Messier objects.

I'd definately get some 10x50's or 15x70's so you can scan a larger field of view & learn the relationship of objects and constellations, good luck!

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david o

david o

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Hi David,

Iv not really explored the Maksutov series much. What would be the pros and cons of this scope compared to the 5SE?

...

The Maksutov-Cassegrain ('scopes like the Skymax 127) and Schmidt-Cassegrain (like the 5SE) designs pretty much have the same pros & cons.

The only practical difference between the 127 and the 5SE is that the former has a longer focal length, thus a higher (slower) f ratio.

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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Hi Bravescope,welcome SGL

My 1st scope was celestron 6se,

as you may only have limited time to do any observing then I would recommend something similair, as I found, the quick set up and go approach was really handy. As long as you put the scope you choose out for at least 45 mins before you use it then your away.

plus it was portable,I took to france last year!

Clear skies

Alan

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