Skywatcher Skymax 102 SynScan AZ GOTO

[Paulie]

Hi everyone, I am just considering purchasing my first scope from FLO. I would like to purchase a scope that isnt going to quickly out grow me but as funds are limited I am not able to spend a lot on the scope!

I want to be able to view planets and deep space. I have no interest in photography and do not want something capable of imaging. At the minute Martin is suggesting that this scope would be ok for my budget Skywatcher Skymax 102 SynScan AZ GOTO

Does anyone own this model of scope and could you give me your thought and views on it. I would be interested to know how easy it is to use and what is capabilities are?

Any comments would be greatly received.

Best wishes

Paul R

[russ]

One concern will be its lack of deepsky capability. Due to only having 102mm of aperture coupled with a very slow focal ratio, the deepsky views will be limited at best.

Another will be whether you are fussed with a computerised mount. I only ask as a fair bit of your budget will be sunk into the mount, not the scope. If you are happy to find the things yourself, you'll get far better bang for buck with a dobsonian. The AZ Goto Skymax 102 retails for £265, almost exactly the same as the Skywatcher Skyliner 200P. The 200P is in a completely different league to the Skymax 102. It will give you a seriously good all round performance on everything. Knockout views of the planets and nice deepsky views as well.

[Space Cowboy]

You could even get a second hand 10 inch Dob for £250. If you are sure you don't want to use it for imaging.

[Paulie]

Thanks Guys for the response but now I am totally confused as to what the best scope is for my first purchase for the funds I have available Any ideas or suggestions from anyone?

[nicnac]

most people start with a 150 newt (6") either dob or EQ, they seem to be the best all-rounder, i have one and im very pleased with it.

[Hypernova]

I can vote for a medium sized newt, I have an 8 inch dob mounted 'scope and I found it an absolute joy to use. A perfect starter scope as long as you don't mind having to track the objects manually in an alt/az (two directions at the same time) motion, which is different to an eq which tracks in one direction because it is aligned to the pole star.

For around the same price as the 8" dob you can get a 6" eq mounted reflector minus a motor, this mount will make tracking a lot easier once aligned as you only need to nudge it one one direction. You can at a later date add a motor drive or goto to the mount so you can track objects without effort, good for planets at high mag and also imaging.

[stafford_stargazer]

Hi Paul

I would put all that money seriously into a skyliner 200p dob,the planetary views will be much better than the skymax 102,and you can do some serous deep sky viewing too.

I would honestly forget the goto mount as thats where most of your money is spent on the deal your looking at,without it you will also gain plenty of experience in finding your way around the sky.

Its nice to have the goto,and they do have there uses,but i think the views a you would get with the 200p would leave you stunned.

Plus i think if you get the skymax you will probably get aperture fever,it pretty common and going around like wild fire at the moment .

You would want to upgrade pretty soon if you anything like us lot

Enjoy it whatever you get.

Gaz

[russ]

Thanks Guys for the response but now I am totally confused as to what the best scope is for my first purchase for the funds I have available Any ideas or suggestions from anyone?

For your budget this is without doubt the best 'new' buy:

Dobsonians - Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian

Exactly the same price as the Skymax 102 but much, much more capable. As already mentioned, the main drawback is you have to do all the moving and finding yourself. But its better than the other way round. A mount that finds everything for you but coupled to a scope that can't see what it's found.

Or as already pointed out, you can have a secondhand 250PX for £250, the bigger brother of the 200P already mentioned. Serious aperture!

[beamish]

God that's cheap Russ !!

[Paulie]

Thanks for the help and advise guys. I would rather purchase new that way I get the guarantee.

Looks like it will be the Skyliner 200p then. Does this come with a tripod? Excuse my ignorance if this is a silly question

[johninderby]

The dob base is a very simple affair and in the case of most dobs the base is made from MDF board (think flat pack furniture) and the telescope OTA (Optical Tube Assembly) just drops onto the top of it.

With a dob you putting almost all your money into the optics. By the way a dob is actually a Newtonian telescope mounted on a Dobsonian base. They are also the easiest type of telescope to learn how to use as you really only have to get used to which way to move the OTA. And then of course it's finding out what to look for.

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

You will find plenty of people on SGL happy to answer any of your questions about choosing a telescope so go ahead and ask

John

[Ogri]

Much as I love my ST120 as my first 'scope (amongst a couple of other points, my first one had to be small enough to take on my motorbike), yep, with that budget, and the fact nearly all of the purchase price is actually going into the 'scope itself, I don't see how you can go wrong with the 200p Dob.

You can always get tube rings and mount it onto an EQ mount later if you want to.