Telescope focal lengths

[milkyjoe]

For £350 with GOTO and imaging capabilities (planets) Skymax 127 is the one you want! If you want to view DSOs in any detail then its got to be at least an 8" Dobsonian....they are about £270 new but you could easily get a used 10" for less than £350......BUT you wont have tracking for imaging or GOTO.

Its all very well experienced members saying don't get a GOTO because its wasting money but for a beginner it makes a huge difference. What good is a wacking big scope if you can't find anything??????

I do like the idea of a GOTO scope, but then I'm going to need a power tank to power it I guess... unless I buy a million AA batteries, that is! Realistically though, how long can I expect the motor drives to last on say, 8 AA Duracell batteries; what about Energizer Lithium AA's (I use AAA lithiums in my laserpen)?

So you think the Skywatcher Skymax 127 Synscan AZ GOTO is better than the Celestron 127 SLT?

Thanks.

[milkyjoe]

I agonized over my first scope for a long time, and worried for months afterwards that I may have made a mistake. Now I am happy with my 4se. I think you would be too. You would also be happy with any of the other telescopes you are looking at! They are all good - at least, members of this forum own them and are happy with their purchase...

Just go to the FLO website blindfolded and keep clicking until your credit card starts smoking! ;-)

Hey, that's an idea.. although I'd be a bit screwed if I ordered a tal for 2k!! lol

[Ogri]

"What good is a wacking big scope if you can't find anything?????? "

Well Stellarium combined with a pair of binoculars (I use my cheap old Russian 7 x 50's with no problem, but dad's Clearance / Pre-Owned - Celestron Skymaster 15x70 seem to be even better) and a small compass, will easily get you into the ballpark area to look with a bigger 'scope, and an initial low magnification EP.

As Olly logically said, anything with a small aperture guided with a goto, isn't going to get you to stuff that's going to be hard to find anyway? Plus too many things you will be pointed at and tracking in the right place, then not able to see anything when it is there?

By the way, I think this whole achromat refractor fringing/CA issue is way overblown. I haven't found it to be a problem that detracts from the views at all with my ST120, which is an f5 as well.

Heck some people seem to be able to take rather nice astro pictures with them even.

[ollypenrice]

[quote

Its all very well experienced members saying don't get a GOTO because its wasting money but for a beginner it makes a huge difference. What good is a wacking big scope if you can't find anything??????

Yup, okay, and I guess you are probably referring to my post. I do know what you mean. However, I did confess that I would like GoTo on a whacking great big scope. It is on a small one, which won't reveal the object when it has been 'gone-to,' that I would have my doubts. (I have a big manual Dob and sometimes my neck is screaming by the time I have found some damnable little horror in the middle of nowhere!)

Few would argue that GoTo is a waste of money. It is not a waste of money but a questionable priority when the budget is very tight.

As I said, I really don't thnk there is an answer to this kind of question.

Olly

[fatwoul]

You can allways get a slow scope and use a focal reducer for those times you want a fast scope. E.g. A slow f10 scope can be turned into a faster f6.3 scope with a reducer. Quality optics will be important though if you do that.

Hope that helps

I'm considering getting a focal reducer for my new little 80ED, but will it be able to use it on my Mak Newt, too? Or will that just make an impractical combination in some way?

[ollypenrice]

I'm considering getting a focal reducer for my new little 80ED, but will it be able to use it on my Mak Newt, too? Or will that just make an impractical combination in some way?

I guess you are talking about a flattener-reducer for the ED80? In this case the flattening is more important than the reducing for most imagers, though the reducing helps with speed and FOV.

I very much doubt that it would work in the MN but I'll stand corrected (and flattened!) Anyway since the MN is already very fast I can't see what it would achieve. Two great scopes you have there and unbeatable at the price.

Olly

[brantuk]

I think the point about "goto" electronics is that - if you are on a tight budget it will consume money that may be better spent on the optics.

No point having goto if you can't see the object because of poor optics or insufficient aperture.

And a 40,000 object database is mostly redundant if the optics are only capable of a viewing a couple of hundred of them.

[Polar Bear]

Its all very well experienced members saying don't get a GOTO because its wasting money but for a beginner it makes a huge difference. What good is a wacking big scope if you can't find anything??????

I am very new to scope viewing and disagree somewhat with your comments on GOTO mounts. Surely it would be wise as a beginner to learn a little of the sky as I am doing with the naked eye and binoculars. As Olly says would it not be better on a limited budget spending the majority on the scope and mount ? At least that way you would get some stunning views when you do find what you want to see and lets be honest with software like Stellarium finding your way about isn't too difficult.

I had a budget of £0.00 for my gear as funds are tight so bought 3 second-hand outfits off ebay , made one good outfit and sold the rest on. I have ended up £50.00 in profit and have the gear in my signature and some . Already I have had some wonderful views of the night sky especially of Jupiter which in itself was just reward.

Whatever you decide Joe it will be a compromise at £350.00 but the main thing is to buy something and get looking. I still enjoy looking at the moon with a Tasco Galaxsee 60mm refractor that cost me £5.00 on a car boot and has a half decent 20mm eyepiece . It may of been only £5.00 but Gallileo would have given his right arm for the views I get from it.

There are lots of quality bargains in the for sale section, http://stargazerslounge.com/sale/110033-sale-orion-optics-europa-10-telescope-eq4-mount.html that is amazing value with change for an imaging system. Surely a better way to go ? (not too portable mind)

Paul

[Polar Bear]

I think the point about "goto" electronics is that - if you are on a tight budget it will consume money that may be better spent on the optics.

No point having goto if you can't see the object because of poor optics or insufficient aperture.

And a 40,000 object database is mostly redundant if the optics are only capable of a viewing a couple of hundred of them.

+1

I think its called 'marketing' but then I'm an old cynic (apparently)

[dph1nm]

May I say that I have an SLT102 and it is a fantastic scope. Pin-sharp images, and capable of taking high magnification, but with a great wide field. Visually, so called fringing is a non-issue as far as I am concerned - can't see any. Oh, and you can do DSO astrophotography with it.

NigelM

[barkis]

I think teaching oneself to find objects using star maps and pointer stars is a good thing, even if it is only a few of the popular ones.

It will stand you in good stead at some time, when the Goto blows a raspberry, and the expectant guests are waiting for to be shown an object promised. You've been an amateur for a couple of years and that you are unable to locate the thing without Goto isn't going to go down too well. How embarrassing .

I'm not knocking Goto scopes, their time is here, and I own one myself. All I'm saying is navigating the sky without it, is going to make you feel good, and you don't do it to impress your guests, you do it because you can.

Ron.

[Specman]

Well I purchased the NexStar 4SE over the 102SLT on the recommendation of Steve at FLO and I have not regreted it for a minute. The GOTO is superb and views of the planets, moon and sun fantastic! You can get a whole host of accessories for it for playing about with astro photography including T-Rings, T-Adaptors Solar filters etc., etc. You can wedge align for polar alignment and with optional GPS tracking is spot on!

You get a lot for you money IMHO and its a great first scope and plently to be going on with to cut your astro teeth on. If you upgrade it will still be a good grab and go.

I would recommend the external power pack over the on-board battery compartment and the Revelation Photo Visual Eye piece set to get you started.

Good luck in your selection!

Clear Skies!

Mark

[Specman]

Just got the following book for my birthday. Covers the use and specifications of all the Celestron Nexstars. It even gives examples of pictures taken with each scope and what to expect from each model. The superb picture of Saturn taken with the NexStar 4 SE gives me hope!

The NexStar User's Guide Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Swanson: Books

Its American but don't let that put you off, its packed with tips and ideas on how to get the best from your Nexstar. If you are unsure which way to go this will surely help you and once you have made your purchase it will be far better than the instruction manual!

Clear skies

Mark