Scope advice

[Shane]

Hello everyone,

I am after a grab and go scope, for around £250 inc all extras, and would appreciate a nudge in the right direction.

I had my heart set on a Skymax 127 AZ Goto, but have since spoken to Steve from FLO and he informed me that I will also need a power pack, a 32mm lenses for wider field of view (which is what I'm interested in, as I love the view from my Binoculars), moon filter and a few other bits.

Unfortunately this scope with all the bits is way over my budget, so Steve suggested that I make a post here and get some advice on the best scope for my situation.

Thanks in advance here’s some info:

Scope needs to be grab & go, but I will also be setting it up on my balcony, which is almost South facing and on the second floor (which also happens to be the top floor), and as mentioned above, I love the view from my binoculars (Opticron 10X40), but I would also like to be able to have a close up view, up to about 180x.

It would be nice to have something that will pack up quickly and be easy to handle down two flights of stairs so I can just grab it and go when needed. Space on the balcony is limited to 2ft X 4ft.

Also, as mentioned a wide field of view with fairly low magnification would be nice, something down to about 36x or so, but with the capability to go up to around 180/200x.

Mount can be anything that's suitable, I'm not to bothered about the Goto part now, £250 should cover everything like, moon filters and any extra lenses etc (300 at a push), I would also like to be able to use the scope for terrestrial use (with the image the right way up), but this is a secondary requirement and if this is going to cause a problem then I'm willing to leave this bit.

Any help would be appreciated as I'm going round in circles at the moment from Explorer 130 to Startravel 120 to Skymax 102 to Skyhawk 1145p amongst others, I then back again, I just want to look at some stars

Thanks in advance, looking forward to some advice from you guys.

Cheers

Shane

[Bizibilder]

As you want portability, seemingly as a priority, may I suggest a Dobsonian mounted scope. The Skywatcher 150P comes in at £179 from FLO and this would leave enough for the "extra bits". The eyepieces supplied give x48 and x120.

A 150mm scope is relativly easy to transport - none of the parts are heavy - and with a Dob you can take the scope off the mount and carry both bits easily. The scope itself will take x200 when the seeing is good enough and for that you will need either another eyepiece or a barlow lens. The latter is probably the best bet as it will x2 both your eyepieces to give x96 and x240.

Even on the balcony (not the best place to observe from!!) the Dob can easily and quickly be shifted around to allow you to get the best available views within the limitations of the site.

[robhal9000]

Hi,

One of the small Skywatcher refractors would be idea for portability. A Star Travel 102 would give nice wide views. I am using the ST 80mm on a Horizon tripod as a quick kit. Refractors have the advantage of no cool down time.

This is a steal at 130 quid and you have the same again left for accessories

http://stargazerslounge.com/sale/104487-skywatcher-explorer-130-supatrak.html

Ok it does need a powertank, but still a very good starter kit. Might be a little large for your balcony space.

[Shane]

Hi Bizbilder, I do like the look of the 150P, but can't see any legs on it, do you have to put it on a table?

& robhal9000, thanks for the heads up on the 130 but I read that they have to be aligned to North and I'm afraid thats my Kitchen if I've got the scope on the balcony

A Startravel sounds like it could be an option though, no cool down time sounds good.

Keep 'em coming guys

[yeti monster]

Could you forego the goto option? I have a 90mm skymax, and it's very good considering its aperture. I read that the 127 is a bit of a planet killer and the Maks are very compact (= portable).

[Arushin]

Hi,

check out UK astro buy & sell.

There is a Mak 127 available for £300 with a fair few extras including dew sheild & 32mm lens with a deep sky pack.

Everything you need and in an aluminium caseand you may be able to haggle. I will be in the market for this type of scope next month on a very similar budget. I have spoken to several suppliers and it comes highly recommended.

Best of luck

[thesatanbug]

Hi Shane,

I'm a new Skywatcher 150P owner and can tell you a bit about it. I wouldn't say it was exactly grab and go but I can recommend it as a beginners scope that is reasonably portable, but has the Oomph to give some decent views of the night sky.

You should find a scope and stand for £250.00 easily. I bought mine from Harrison Telescopes and can recommend them as a good supplier. I spoke to a bloke called Ed, and found him patient and informative when answering my newb questions. Email confirming order and my mails answered in minutes. Here is the link for the scope Skywatcher 150P on their site.

The scope itself is about 27" long and the mount breaks down into two parts (three if you count the accessory tray). The stand on its own 31". So you can pack it down and store in a wardrobe no problem when not in use. But it makes a nice piece of furniture if you want to leave it set up in your living room.

I'd suggest you get at least one filter and polar cope at the same time you buy one. The filter to help block out the dreaded light pollution, £20.00ish. And a Polar Scope to help centre on the pole star, £30.00ish. This screws into the mount in-lne with the polar axis and helps you line up accurately with Polaris when you look through it. Not exactly necessary but very helpful.

You get the option to upgrade this scope by adding GOTO later if you want. You can find this for £300.00 (£280.00 if you shop around). Takes about 20-30 mins to fit and adjust, and makes finding your favourite planets and stars etc... a doddle. You'll need a battery or jump starter too if you decide you must have this groovy extra.

I was initially looking at the 130P but plumped for the 150P because it gave a few more upgrade options and much better performance in a similar sized package.

Hope this helps with your decision making. Feel free to ask if you have any Qs.

[ajg]

SkyWatcher Heritage 130P

You don't get much more grab'n'go - it's a flextube so it collapses into a space about a foot square.

600mm focal length at f5 will be good for wide fields, although with higher power EPs it will be good for up to 260x. It has a proper parabolic primary, and it's sub £130, which gives you plenty of budget left over for EPs, filters and suchlike.

Downsides? The helical focuser is a bit poor. You will need to put it on a table.

[Bizibilder]

With your restricted views and conditions I would strongly recomend the Dobsonian mount, as I mentioned above. You should not need to put it on a table - the tube is about 4 feet long (1200mm) and the mount will raise this by around 6" or so (150mm). This is a very comfortable height for observing from a chair!

[thesatanbug]

So there you have it.

[Astro_Baby]

With your restricted views and conditions I would strongly recomend the Dobsonian mount, as I mentioned above. You should not need to put it on a table - the tube is about 4 feet long (1200mm) and the mount will raise this by around 6" or so (150mm). This is a very comfortable height for observing from a chair!

Yes but not through the balcony railing which he will have in front of him. A dob will have a more restricted arc of view as well due to the EP being at the front end. As a flat dweller myself I think the best solution would be a Mak or a small refractor.

Unloess you have lived in a flat and tried using a scope from a balcony its hard to imagine some of the issues but the big one is the lack of left to right motion restricting your arc of view. As the eyepieces with a DOb (or any refelector) is at the font unless your prepared to lean out over the deg of a window sill or the edge of a balcony your stuffed.

Most flats dont allow you to get close to the Zenith either because your looking straight up along the face of the building.

I;d stick with your origianl idea and get a Mak like the SKyMax 127 to be honest or perhaps a small startravel scope. You only need to align north if you use the GoTo so you could still either get a SkyMax on a manual mount OR get a GoTo version and just use it in manual mode in the flat.

I have a Celestron Nexstar 4SE which was bought for just this exact same purpose and in its role as a grab and go and use from the flat scope its as good as it gets really. Ok the views cant compete with my 4" refractor or my 8" Newtonian but neither of those are as practical as the Nexstar in a flat.

Skymaxes turn up quite often 2nd hand, stuff the like the 32mm eyepiece can be had for around £20, dewshields can be made up from anything, Maplins do 17aH powertanks for around £20 when they are on sale. So the other stuff neednet be as expensive as you may think.

[pbyrne]

I would go with the dob also, the greater aperture will be worth it, it's portable enough and light enough to be moved with ease.

[david o]

Very good points from Astro_Baby.

My balcony's much bigger, but I can still see a Dob being problematic.

I'd go for a mid sized 2nd Mak too.

[ollypenrice]

I can't see the Dob working on a balcony for the reasons Astro-baby describes. The Dec bearing is very close to the ground and as most balconies have railings... It also has no terrestrial possibilities whatever so it does not seem to meet the spec. Nor, really, does the Mak, which is not a widefield choice, is it? I haven't used one but the field is going to be bit narrow I would have thought. It might be okay, I'm not the one to advise here.

I'd go for a refractor, maybe second hand. (You could pick up a TeleVue Pronto for about £250, a quarter its original price, and it is compact, stunningly well made and gives a wide field easily. At that price the depreciation has bottomed out so it should always give you your money back. I was observing wild boar with ours yesterday afternoon and the moon in the evening.) A small refractor can sit on a camera or birder tripod, easily obtained second hand.

Olly

[robhal9000]

& robhal9000, thanks for the heads up on the 130 but I read that they have to be aligned to North and I'm afraid thats my Kitchen if I've got the scope on the balcony

A Startravel sounds like it could be an option though, no cool down time sounds good.

Hi,

I don't think it would need to be aligned North. The supertrak isn't a goto it just allows you track the target once found.

[robhal9000]

Hi.

Re aligning North. It does need to be levelled and pointed North, but I don't think you need a view of the sky to the North.

[yeti monster]

Hi,

I don't think it would need to be aligned North. The supertrak isn't a goto it just allows you track the target once found.

Unless this "supertrak" is intellegent enough to recognise what it's tracking, then it would require polar alignment to track, wouldn't it?

[ollypenrice]

If you want to spend a modest sum and also want a wide field I would say Go-To was a very low priority since, with a wide field, finding things is easy. Pay for the glass. It will last longer than cheap electroncs, too.

Olly

[Shane]

Sweet, Thanks guys

I never considered the location of the eye piece, so with a Dob or a Newt I would be hanging of the balcony (thanks Astro_Baby, you probably saved my life (and I'm not joking, I can imagine getting so engrossed in watching stuff I'd forget where I was )).

All advice much appreciated

So far it sounds like I'd be better of with a small/meduim MAK, with a refractor of some description coming close second and that it would be better to leave out the electronics.

Superb, this forum is awesome, thanks again guys.

Any more advice more than welcome.

Would be nice to get a view on some non-electronic mounts in relation to the 2ft x 4 ft space (AZ3, EQ2, EQ3-2), although I didn't realise you could use the Goto in manual mode, any chance of some more info on this?

Nice one:headbang:

[Bizibilder]

I hadn't considered the "lean over the balcony" problem!!!!! I agree the Mak/refractor route is better (and less dangerous!!).

[steve_bham]

As a apartment dweller as well my vote goes to a mak as well, easy to set up and a nice comact size.

[robhal9000]

Hi,

Not according to the manual, you know the stuff written by the people who make the 'scope. They could be wrong. Of course, it's pretty clear looking at the posted pics that the mount in question has no facility for polar alignment.

Point it N, level it. Or vice versa.

Unless this "supertrak" is intellegent enough to recognise what it's tracking, then it would require polar alignment to track, wouldn't it?

[Shane]

Hi guys

Thanks very much for all your help and advice, I'm down to the final leg now, my choice is from the following:

Evostar 120 - EQ3-2

Skymax 127 - EQ3-2 or GOTO (thanks robhal9000, it's good to know there is no need for a view of the North sky so I may go for the Goto if suitable after studying the manual.

I have also contacted a couple of people with ads on astro buy & sell. So fingers crossed.

And I have attached a spread sheet with all scopes & mounts under the £350 price range if anyone else is looking you might find it more useful to see all prices & specs in one place. I did it mainly to see how much is saved when buying scopes & mounts as a set compared to their seperate selling price, it's interesting to see that the 127 with Goto mount is the best deal.

Scope & Mount Separate Cost Saving Cost

Skymax 127 + EQ3-2 £380.00 £31.00 £349

Skymax 127 + Goto £414.00 £65.00 £349

Evostar 120 + EQ3-2 £380.00 £55.00 £325

Theres no macros in the file just a couple of formulas to work out stuff like F/Length & Max Power.

Will keep you informed, thanks again .

Any more info on the manual mode of the synscan Goto from a users perspective would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone for all your help & advice

Cheers

Shane

Scopes & Mounts.zip

[yeti monster]

Just another point re: Skymax.

My 90 sits really well on my Binos tripod, I'm assuming that the 127 has the same mounting set. This reduces the overall weight of scope and mount by eliminating the heavy EQ part. Making for a very compact and portable piece of kit, a worthy sacrifice of the EQ for Alt/Az IMO. Whilst the EQ set can be retained for when you require it.

[Shane]

Thanks yeti monster.

Thats a good idea as I've just found out that any EQ Stand will be useless as I cannot see the NCP, so choice is now down to one. The 127 on Goto mount, or back to the drawing board.

Although I do have a tripod (this does fit on the balcony but it's not very tall), for my video camera, or as you suggest I could just get the OTA and stick to on there some how, or get some really big binos (thanks step_hen), or I could just give up & take up knitting.

Cheers

Shane