Advice for a beginner

[Lusca]

Hi All, Just wondering.....

I was looking into buying a telescope for the first time and saw this one advertised Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ.

Can anyone tell me if this would be a worthwhile purchase please.

I was hoping to view stars obviously and maybe do some research on the night sky around my locality with possible links to local celtic myths.

Thanks for any advice

[richbyers]

seems like a good starter scope. you say view stars- do you also want to see planets and galaxies? 127mm is a decent aperture to begin with as it will allow you to see a fair bit

how much was it ad for?

rich

[Lusca]

Hi Rich,

It's retailing for 215 euros.

I'll be looking out for anything until I get the hang of it and know where to look and what to look for.

Has this apparatus many capabilities do you think?

Cheers

Paul

[Rui]

Well, 127mm is not much, but has the advantage of being easily transportable. Sometimes people buy a big scope and then it spents more time in the garage because it's heavy and bulky.

Already thought about a pair of inexpensive 10X50mm binoculars? They are cheap, always ready to use, have a wide field of view (The chunk of sky it shows) and are a nice way to start knowing the sky.

A first scope can be tricky when you don't know where to point it... you get desappointed very soon.

To get to know the sky, download the reeware Stellarium (www.stellarium.com). It's very handy to know what the sky will look at any time.

[MarkF]

215 Euros seems a bit expensive for a discontinued model, but I guess it depends which country you are in. A quick scan of the net for this model shows its alright but not exactly the best out there. See what prices you can get a Skywatcher 130 for which is an european equivalent and one I know people on here have started with and say its very good.

I am a bit wary of cheaper Celestrons having had one many years ago and I still read about thick grease on the mounts to hide the sloppy gears. A wobbly sticky mount is not going to make it easy for a first time scope.

I see you are in Ireland, not sure what shipping charges are but take a look on this page for an idea of what else is out there http://www.firstlightoptics.com/products.php?cat=28

[ngcpeeper]

Hello,

I would have to agree with Rui, if your viewing will be casual or for wide field viewing such as the Classical Astronomy method for Celtic Myths, Binoculars are the way to go.

One of the most outstanding books I ever read on classical astronomy methods is:

SIGNS AND SEASONS by JAY RYAN. It has a Christian theme to it but you will be hard pressed to find a better book on the subject. Using the tools Jay describes how to use, you could easily adapt it to your needs.

Just a thought. Clear Skies!