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Telescope help

kmce

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kmce

kmce

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Hi, i am wanting to get a telescope but no idea what i should get, i want one that you can actually see the planets so they still dont just look like stars, can someone please tell me which is the best one, i dont want to spend that much.

But any help please would be great, thank you

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badgerchap

badgerchap

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Hi,

From what I can see of this scope, it may be a little risky - I can't see the make, but I'm guessing it's a Seben, which, by all accounts, are awful! For a similar price, you can get hold of a SkyWatcher 130P, which is a great scope to start with. If this is your kind of budget, I would definitely advise a SkyWatcher, as they are great for beginners. They are cheap without sacrificing quality!

By the way, this isn't necessarily my own info - I went through the same bunch of questions when I started out and this is pretty much what I got told. I've been observing for a while now, and everything the guys on here tell me seems to be pretty iron clad, so I trust them a lot!

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brantuk

brantuk

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For your budget it would be a good idea to look at 5"-6" scopes in the Skywatcher range and see what you think. Celestron and Meade do similar models so you have something to compare with. Consider a Dobsonian mounted one - they tend to be a tad cheaper than equatorial for the same aperture. Also think about the second hand market - but stick to astronomy forum buy/sell sections - they tend to have well looked after equipment. :)

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brantuk

brantuk

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Celestron 4SE is a very nice little scope - albeit a tad small in aperture. If it's second hand though you need to be sure it all works, mirrors aligned, electronics intact etc. If that's another e-bay one then get to see it working before you buy.

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kmce

kmce

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Celestron 4SE is a very nice little scope - albeit a tad small in aperture. If it's second hand though you need to be sure it all works, mirrors aligned, electronics intact etc. If that's another e-bay one then get to see it working before you buy.

It is from amazon.

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kmce

kmce

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Celestron 4SE is a very nice little scope - albeit a tad small in aperture. If it's second hand though you need to be sure it all works, mirrors aligned, electronics intact etc. If that's another e-bay one then get to see it working before you buy.

And with it being small in aperture does that mean i might not see darker objects

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brantuk

brantuk

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Both nice scopes and very capable. The point about size is that the smaller the aperture the less you can see. That's why I suggestd 6" as a good all round starter scope.

Maks and Schmits are great on planets with their long focal lengths. And many come with goto and tracking. Short focal length refractors on the other hand are great for wide field views of dso's - but the optics are dearer for the same aperture.

A good compromise is a newtonian on either a dosbson base or equatorial mount. You get a larger aperture for your money and you can often upgrade them with tracking motors and/or goto at a later stage when you learn the sky. Newts also need the minimum of accessories to get going. A collimator, decent finder, and a few eye pieces and your in business.

I started with a manual 150P EQ scope wich I had for two years - it's ideal for anyone on a tight budget. :)

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Chris H

Chris H

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A Skywatcher Skyliner 150p available here Dobsonians - Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian should deliver a pretty good view of Jupiter. Something you must bear in mind is that of the 8 planets visible from earth only three will show any detail they are Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Also Mars will only show any detail when it is near to Earth the rest of the time it is nothing more than a red/orange dot. Of the other planets Mercury will show its phase, Venus the same as Mercury, Uranus will show as a small blue/green dot and Neptune and Pluto will look like a star. What I'm trying to say is that if the planets and maybe the moon are you targets you might get bored so a scope like the one I gave a link to would also be good at hunting for brighter deep sky objects such as star clusters and some of the Nebula.

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brantuk

brantuk

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The pic of Jupiter was taken with a webcam on a Skywatcher 200P scope and using a barlow lens. The planet was superimposed on the moons because of the very different brightness levels needed to capture them - hence the separate shots. The images will have been processed through stacking software as well.

It's not typical of what you will see through a scope with the naked eye unless you have extremely good optics and ideal "seeing" conditions".

That said - I have seen Jupiter and moons very clearly in a 150P - a spot smaller than in the 200P - and with a very good eyepiece - but it did shimmer a bit due to the atmosphere - so it's certainly possible in smaller scopes but not as good much below 6" :)

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brantuk

brantuk

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Yup - you'll see some galaxies with it - mostly as smudges though. M31 (Andromeda galaxy) e.g. is just about visible naked eye, and very visible in binoculars. The larger the aperture (and with judicious use of filters) the more likely you are to make out some structure.

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kmce

kmce

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o i didnt think it would be this confusing lol.

Dobsonians - Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian

Explorer 150P (OTA) 6" Newtonian Reflector

Celestron Astromaster 130EQ

so the dobsonian would be the best out of all these

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brantuk

brantuk

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It might be a good idea to visit a shop, or phone and speak to First Light Optics (the forum sponsor). You'll get great advice and it will help if you can see the scopes you're considering.

If you're anywhere near Norfolk - take a spin over to the Kelling Star Party in a couple of weeks - you'll see a lot of stuff there and get to talk with traders and astronomers for a much better idea :)

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Chris H

Chris H

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When I started looking into buying my first telescope I was overwhelmed by choice. In the end I went for a small 5" Newtonian telescope on a dobsonian mount and have never looked back in fact soon after I upgraded to a 10 inch dobsonian. Pound for pound a Dobsonian telescope delivers the largest amount of aperture for the price. You can get all singing all dancing models that will locate and track objects but for planets and many of the Messier list of objects you just need a good star chart, a red light torch and a bit of time out under the stars to learn your way around.

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kmce

kmce

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well i think i will buy the Dobsonians one tonight i am that excited lol, do you know if this one is easy to move about like is it portable and also i was watching a clip on it and the person had it on the ground does it not have a stand either

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