Help with Helios Telescope - which one?

[Sirius_Starseed]

I don't know, call me paranoid etc, but there seem to be two Helios scopes for sale on ebay at the moment very like the second one above, apparently one in Leicester and one in Redditch - but it looks very much to me that the photos were taken in the same room! Two different sellers too...hmmm! Possibly the same scope, just turned around..hmmm, bit strange!

I'd check it out to be honest before parting with any money!

Sorry, not trying to be a 'scaremonger', but....!

Doc

Wow, really! I will have to take a look. That does seem strange Thank you for letting me know. I would be more than gutted if I got done on my first ever telescope

[haitch]

I don't know, call me paranoid etc, but there seem to be two Helios scopes for sale on ebay at the moment very like the second one above, apparently one in Leicester and one in Redditch - but it looks very much to me that the photos were taken in the same room! Two different sellers too...hmmm! Possibly the same scope, just turned around..hmmm, bit strange!

I'd check it out to be honest before parting with any money!

Sorry, not trying to be a 'scaremonger', but....!

Doc

I've had a look just and I think it's just the fact that nearly new houses in the UK are nearly identical. The skirting looks different between pictures and only one has sockets on the wall (could just be a different angle though for that). I think the bottom line is if you were going to defraud you'd probably pick a more valuable item. Also whoever buys this will probably go for cash on collection so you'll see the scope before handing over the readies.

That said I doubt the Redditch one is a year old like he says - they've haven't been branded Helios for a lot longer than that!

[Space Beagle]

Yep, looking again Haitch, you are right, sorry Sirius Starseed!

Doc

[Daveb3650]

I've just had a look too..... it's all a bit iffy to me.... I've had quite a bit experience of Ebay both as a buyer and a seller over the years and there are a lot of similarities between the pictures. Its isn't the same image reversed - as the text on the main tube isnt visible. The room looks the same,the walls look the same, the skirting and the carpet sure look the same.

It's very odd to get TWO identical looking scopes on at exactly the same time.

Also, have a look at the Completed Listings and to be honest there isn't an awful lot of them and not two the same.

I don't wish to cast doubt as it could all be genuine.....

PS.... Have a look at the sellers feedback....both of them...

SELLER 1 has lots of feedback for motor parts including HONDA spares.....whereas

SELLER 2 has lots of feedback for motor parts including SUZUKI spares....

ER....confused and now suspicious.

It could be OK but as the Dragons say on TV......."im out"...

[Rossco72]

Simply agree payment on collection, little risk in that...

[haitch]

Simply agree payment on collection, little risk in that...

So long as you take a few of us heavies round with you!

[Rossco72]

So long as you take a few of us heavies round with you!

I guess I'm going on the principal that they aren't going to invite you to their home to try and steal £50 from you!!

[haitch]

I guess I'm going on the principal that they aren't going to invite you to their home to try and steal £50 from you!!

You're probably right Rossco but I've had one or two slightly unnerving experiences collecting things I bought on Ebay. One was North London and t'other Gateshead. Living in W. Mids I didn't know either of these areas and guess I was venturing into areas where the police tend to avoid when possible. Both turned out ok but I wouldn't have wanted to have been a woman on my own going to collect. The poor spelling on the latter reminds me of one of those ads.

[Wobbly Bob]

Sirus, Please DONT be guided by the word MAGNIFICATION, this is the most common question most newcomers ask. For planets YES magnification is a must, but for those faint fuzzies up there (the Orion nebular etc) you need to gather light (photons) and for that one needs BIG objectives or mirrors. A good sturdy mount and low to medium power eyepieces are what you need. Tal was mentioned earlier, these scopes a Russian and built like brick poo houses, the optics are very good. I picked up a Tal 1 a few years ago for £30.

There is nothing worse than buying you first scope only to find it wobbles and the eyepieces are dreadfull.

Give us your MAX budget and lets see if one of us can find something for you.

[Wobbly Bob]

PS, where do you live as I still have the Tal 1.

[Daveb3650]

What do you mean ........ Gateshead......it's only a few miles from me and it's a quaint little place.........

Well.... compared to The Bronx..........

PS...Just kidding....it is OK there..

[Daveb3650]

The spelling and grammar is on the poor side...

Here it is...

"HI I HAVE FOR SALE IN EXELENT CONDITION TELESCOPE WITH PARAMETER D=114 F=1000mm COATED OPTICS & TRIPOD.COLECTION ONLY IS VERY HEAVY FOR POST.COAST ME BRAND NEW 180£ ONE YEAR A GO.ANY QUESTION PLEASE CALL 07784947070.THANK YOU"

Me think ....Back to Skool for this seller

[haitch]

What do you mean ........ Gateshead......it's only a few miles from me and it's a quaint little place.........

Well.... compared to The Bronx..........

PS...Just kidding....it is OK there..

Loved the groovy blue lights in the public toilets until someone informed me they were so junkies couldn't see veins to shoot up in there!

Actually everyone I met turned out to be real friendly - just unnerving where I wound up and not knowing the place. The London one was worse - I think it was a squat.

[haitch]

COAST ME BRAND NEW 180£ ONE YEAR A GO.

Yes...that's a funny way of spelling over 5 years ago (it's been Skywatcher for at least that long I think).

[Sirius_Starseed]

Yeah, I thought the same thing. However, I've contacted the seller and they said cash on collection is fine. They also think it's very spooky that the pictures look nearly identical. They've been very helpful with me though, so here's hoping everything will be aboveboard. I can't see it not being though if it's cash on collection, can you guys?

Thanks everyone for the concern!

I've just had a look too..... it's all a bit iffy to me.... I've had quite a bit experience of Ebay both as a buyer and a seller over the years and there are a lot of similarities between the pictures. Its isn't the same image reversed - as the text on the main tube isnt visible. The room looks the same,the walls look the same, the skirting and the carpet sure look the same.

It's very odd to get TWO identical looking scopes on at exactly the same time.

Also, have a look at the Completed Listings and to be honest there isn't an awful lot of them and not two the same.

I don't wish to cast doubt as it could all be genuine.....

PS.... Have a look at the sellers feedback....both of them...

SELLER 1 has lots of feedback for motor parts including HONDA spares.....whereas

SELLER 2 has lots of feedback for motor parts including SUZUKI spares....

ER....confused and now suspicious.

It could be OK but as the Dragons say on TV......."im out"...

[Sirius_Starseed]

My max budget is £70 and I live in Nottingham but can travel to pick up as long as it's not too far.

I've also put a wanted ad up Astro Buy & Sell.

I'm really swayed towards the Skywatcher brand, either the Skyhawk 114 or Explorer 130. I know the Helios brand (the one I like on eBay) has now been taken over by Skywatcher and these 'scopes are pretty much the same - just slight adjustments and different colour.

I've also learnt that I definitely want an EQ mount.

Sirus, Please DONT be guided by the word MAGNIFICATION, this is the most common question most newcomers ask. For planets YES magnification is a must, but for those faint fuzzies up there (the Orion nebular etc) you need to gather light (photons) and for that one needs BIG objectives or mirrors. A good sturdy mount and low to medium power eyepieces are what you need. Tal was mentioned earlier, these scopes a Russian and built like brick poo houses, the optics are very good. I picked up a Tal 1 a few years ago for £30.

There is nothing worse than buying you first scope only to find it wobbles and the eyepieces are dreadfull.

Give us your MAX budget and lets see if one of us can find something for you.

[Sirius_Starseed]

Can anyone tell me why I can't find the buy & sell section of this forum? I have 50+ posts but still can't seem to see it

[Helen]

It can take a little while for the permissions to kick in....

I hope you find a suitable scope, its worth taking a bit of time and ensuring you get a good mount as well as a good scope (if it wobbles or is hard to adjust to follow objects you'll get frustrated very quickly!!)

Helen

[Space Beagle]

Hope you find a scope soon, I can certainly recommend the Sky-Watchers as I have two now and am more than happy with both build quality and performance.

Definitely have a look in the buy & sell section of the forum when you can as there are some very good deals to be had an nearly all the kit has been very well looked after!

Doc

[haitch]

Patience is a virtue - if you hang on long enough the right one will come up at the right price.

I'd much rather buy a scope off someone on here than off Ebay - you know it's been owned by a proper enthusiast and has a much better chance of being well looked after (and maybe even improved from its original spec)

Do you have a local astronomy society you could visit/join? Maybe observing with them through their scopes would take the edge off the wait?

[Sirius_Starseed]

Yep, looking again Haitch, you are right, sorry Sirius Starseed!

Doc

I think you may have been right. Check this out - HELIOS 6" Newtonian Reflector Telescope on eBay (end time 31-Aug-10 13:18:40 BST)

Looks like the same room to me, same carpet, same colour walls, but only now we're near to a door. All seems a little too weird if you ask me, not to mention it's another Helios (6" this time though).

I have a bad feeling so I won't be bidding on any of these. I've definitely decided on a Skywatcher - either the 114P or 130P.

Does anyone else think this is really strange?

[Sirius_Starseed]

Thanks Helen. I now have access Like you said, it just took a little while. I thought it was my laptop playing up lol.

I really am glad I've waited and not bidded on those eBay 'scopes. I never knew how much there was to buying your first 'scope, and in my case it's more difficult as I'm on a tight budget.

Thanks for the heads up.

It can take a little while for the permissions to kick in....

I hope you find a suitable scope, its worth taking a bit of time and ensuring you get a good mount as well as a good scope (if it wobbles or is hard to adjust to follow objects you'll get frustrated very quickly!!)

Helen

[haitch]

I think you may have been right. Check this out - HELIOS 6" Newtonian Reflector Telescope on eBay (end time 31-Aug-10 13:18:40 BST)

Looks like the same room to me, same carpet, same colour walls, but only now we're near to a door. All seems a little too weird if you ask me, not to mention it's another Helios (6" this time though).

I have a bad feeling so I won't be bidding on any of these. I've definitely decided on a Skywatcher - either the 114P or 130P.

Does anyone else think this is really strange?

Ok so this is a 6"? Well it should be on an EQ3 - that's a smaller mount than an EQ3 and isn't sturdy enough for a 6". My Helios short tube 6" is 1000mm focal length - I wasn't aware of a 1400mm.

That sounds more like the spec of one of those nasty Ebay one's like Seben and the mount looks about right for one of those too.

Is someone rebadging?

[Sirius_Starseed]

Patience is a virtue - if you hang on long enough the right one will come up at the right price.

I'd much rather buy a scope off someone on here than off Ebay - you know it's been owned by a proper enthusiast and has a much better chance of being well looked after (and maybe even improved from its original spec)

Do you have a local astronomy society you could visit/join? Maybe observing with them through their scopes would take the edge off the wait?

Yes, it's definitely worth waiting. I'm learning that now. Though I must admit, it's very hard when all I want to do is get out there and start planet hopping! I just want to be able to join in with everyone else, talking about my equipment, etc. Aww, I feel all left out :)

I've had 2 very nice people PM from the East Midlands Stargazers group. I've been invited along and very kindly been offered help and to look through some of their 'scopes whilst I wait on getting mine I going to take the offer up.

Regarding the 3 Helios 'scopes on eBay. I seriously think there's something not quite right going on. As you've stated also, the specs don't seem right either Hmmmmm....

[Sirius_Starseed]

Hope you find a scope soon, I can certainly recommend the Sky-Watchers as I have two now and am more than happy with both build quality and performance.

Definitely have a look in the buy & sell section of the forum when you can as there are some very good deals to be had an nearly all the kit has been very well looked after!

Doc

Thank you. I currently have wanted ads on here, Astro Buy & Sell, and another forum which I can't remember the name of. I need to update them though, as I'm now only looking for the Skywatcher 130P (not the 114P). My budget has moved up to £100.00 also. It's had to. I can see this being one expensive hobby lol.