Choosing a Telescope

[Merlin999]

Hi,

I've been using my trusty binoculars for a while now and I am looking to upgrade to a Telescope.

I have I think narrowed it down to three:

Skywatcher Explorer 150PL on an EQ3-2 mount

Skywatcher Skymax 127 with Synscan AZ GOTO

Celestron 130SLT with AZ GOTO

I am quite attracted to GOTO especially as I live in a city with lots of LP, although I also want to get the best optics I can for my budget (under £350)

My concerns for each one are:

150PL: Will the EQ mount be heavy and difficult for me to set up. My back garden is south facing and I usually can't see Polaris so will I be able to align the mount accurately enough? How portable and easy to store is it?

SkyMax 127: I am worried about dew forming on this telescope and the long amount of time it takes to cool down when you first get it out. I see you can buy an Orion dew shield for only £15 but I am wondering how effective these really are.

Celestron 130SLT: I am unclear how good the optics are in comparison and how good the GOTO is.

Does anyone have any advice for me on which of the three telescopes would be the best bet for me. My main criteria are:

Would mainly like to look at planets but would like to be good enough for some DSOs.

Has to be portable and easy to store.

Has to be easy to set up.

But most of all I would like good optics so i can see as much detail on planets as possible.

At the moment I feel the 150PL would give me the best optics but is bulky, heavy and lacks GOTO which is why I am leaning towards the 127. But if the optics are signifcantly better then the 150PL might be a better option. And of course there is the dew issue with the 127. Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

[coffee_prince]

Hi

I was in a similar position to you, and my budget was kinda similar. My original idea was the explorer 200 but then I realised that I didn't want the hassle of setting up a mount, the dob became a much more attractive idea, its a lot cheaper and means I can splash out on some nice eyepieces and accessories.

To be honest I'd go for the biggest aperture, in the long run it will allow you to see more than the other telescopes, you could even buy an 8 inch dob for a lot less than £350

I ordered mine yesterday

[ollypenrice]

You can set up just on a compass bearing for rough tracking but I think the Go To would need to be better than that. The various mounts do have measures in place for aligning without Polaris but you could check out this procedure by reading the manuals online.

For simplicity of setup and optics per pound most would say to go for a Dob. If you have go to on a small scope in light pollution you won't see much once you've 'gone to' and that's the bugbear.

Olly

[CGolder]

I got a 150p dob as my first scope, it is a great scope. i also owned a eq3-2 i found it a bit heavy to be considered easy to set up, you need to move it in pieces. mount/weights/tube. you would also need to consider buying a polar scope/tracking motors. this could cost your over £100 and these are rare second hand.

The mak127 is a great scope with good optics, it doesn't have the deep sky ability of the 150. the AZ mount is decent and once you get used to it, easy to set up and very portable.

with the 130 reflector, i had one before and was actually a little disappoint by it.. it lacked the focal length to make it a planet killer like the mak127 and lacked the aperture of the 150 to see those faint fuzzys'

if you are looking for a scope to be a portable set up in addition to a larger workhorse scope i would advice a 127, if you are looking for something to make you go wow.. 8" dob is a great scope and can be mounted at a later date

[Capricorn]

The 150PL would be nice but as you say bigger and it does not have goto. You could buy motors to help.

The Skymax 127 Mak is used by a lot and gets good reviews.

The 130SLT is a reflector and must be similar in size to the 150PL. Not sure of the f number of the 130 but if f/5 the view will be wide but you will be sacrificing magnification.

I would say the 127 is probably the better option. It comes with a 10mm eyepiece, usually poor but do not bother with anything smaller, even if you buy a few yourself. If you do get any then 10, 20, 30mm. A 15mm at some time could be nice to give 5mm steps.

The alignment isn't too bad. You have to know a few of the main stars and their direction from you, North, South etc. So from that aspect you do not need to accurately know North. A simple cheap compass will help.

In actual fact you do not need to point it North at all, but it helps you know where N, E, S, W are. You do have to get it all pretty level.

For either goto a good power supply helps, power tank or mains.

[brantuk]

I'd get something for around £200 and leave the other £150 for two or three mid range ep's. A manual 150P Newtonian on an equatorial mount certainly fits the bill. Get the ep's s/h and you'll save a lot of money - the supplied ones aren't usually up to much and a well collimated low end scope is well complemented by half decent ep's. E.g. I was surprised at how my 150P suddenly came to life with a Hyperion zoom (Mk 2) which can be bought s/h for around £90-£100.

Hope that helps

(Edit - add motors later - you don't need goto straight away - just use Stellarium to find stuff)

[Merlin999]

Thank you for all your very quick replies.

coffee and olly: Thanks for that. TBH I hadn't particularly looked at a Dob mount. Not quite sure why and now I've looked into it a bit more, an 8"Dob does look like a good option. I am attracted to that by the good optics and easy set-up but I am wondering how easy is it to track planets with a Dob?

CGolder: Thanks. I had wondered that the 130 wasn't as good so I am glad to have that confirmed. It was really interesting to read that you found the EQ3-2 mount heavy and difficult to set up. That has certainly been my main worry. It is reassuring that you think the MAK 127 is a good scope and easy to set up. The deep sky is not my main area of interest so the fact the 150 is better for that may not be too important, so long as the MAK gives a reasonable performance with DSO.

Capricorn: Thanks. If I do get the 127, then your advice about EPs is really great. If I do get the 150PL then maybe later I could add the motors to make it easier to use.

Brantuk: Yes, I'll definitely need to allow a good budget for EPs and your recommendation for second hand is great.

To sum up, I think I've ruled out the Celestron 130 SLT, but I have now added the Skywatcher 8" Dob to my list!!

So I now have:

Skywatcher 8" Dob for around £270

Skywatcher Skymax 127 with Synscan AZ GOTO for around £360

Skywatcher Explorer 150PL on an EQ3-2 mount for around £250

For planet watching I feel the 150PL and 8" Dob may be slightly better than the 127 Mak but not a lot in it.

For DSOs I feel the 150PL and the 8" Dob would both be better than the 127 Mak

For ease of set up the 8" Dob would be easiest, then the 127 Mak, then the 150PL on EQ3-2

For portability the 127 Mak would be best followed by 8" Dob then 150PL

For tracking, the 127 Mak would be best, followed by 150PL EQ3-2 followed by 8" Dob.

Obviously the 127 Mak is more expensive leaving me less of a budget for EPs and other bits and bobs.

Does that sound about right? Hmmm decisions decisions. I'm not sure how much closer I am to making a decision!

[brantuk]

I'd forget the Mak - small aperture, few if any dso's, and money goes on electrics rather than optics. Between the 150 and the dob it all depends on light pollution and portability really.

If your back garden is dark and you'll be there most of the time then the dob is probably a good option. If you have to drive 20 mins away maybe the 150 will fit in the car easier and transports in smaller bits.

Don't worry about set up time - yes the dobs easier and quicker but the difference is barely 5 mins including polar alignment once yur accustomed to the gear.

If you want a Mak or a Schmitt with goto later - then either will sell for a good contribution towards it. Plus they'll help with learning the sky more effectively

[Capricorn]

Make the choice by a slightly different criteria.

Which of those listed could you get and then start observing with, preferably on the same day?

Lets face it the overall purpose is to get out there and see things. The saying is: Your best scope is the one you use the most.

[coffee_prince]

From what you've listed the dob ticks the most boxes

[Merlin999]

Thanks everyone.

brantuk: I would mainly be using it in my garden (though truthfully it is not terribly dark) though I would like the option of taking it somewhere darker and perhaps taking it on holiday with us. It is reassuring to read it only takes 5 minutes extra to set up an equatorial mount once you know what you are doing: I hope I would manage to learn it quickly!

Coffee: yes the dob does look like a great telescope and I have no worries about the quality of viewing. My main concern is tracking. I have two children and would like to get them involved too. If I was looking at Saturn,say, I'd like to get them to come and have a look too, but by the time they got there, Saturn would have gone. How easy is it to track planets using a Dob?

Capricorn: I have to say that is absolutely spot on. Ease of use and a quick set-up are very important to me or I will never use it. I am a bit worried that lugging a big 8" Dob or an Equatorial mount out in the garden might mean the telescope gathers dust rather than starlight.

I'm not so worried about GOTO (as I've had binoculars for a while now, I can find my way round the sky) but I am worried about tracking an object to keep it in sight so I can easily show my children. Plus it has to be fairly easy and quick to set up and not too heavy for me to lift.

[dmahon]

Hmmm decisions decisions. I'm not sure how much closer I am to making a decision!

I've been umming and ahhing for almost a month now. I don't seem to be any nearer making my final decision - all that happens is I decide on something slightly more expensive. My budget has gone up almost 50% so far.

I suspect I need to stop thinking about it and buy something, soon!

[perrin6]

Don't worry about keeping an object in sight, I've never had a motor drive and it's never bothered me, even at 300X (about as high as you ever need to go) you only have to move the telescope every 30 seconds and if you are showing your children a planet for example, just nudge the telescope so that the planet is just entering the field of view or teach them how to move it themselves. You don't need to continually move it, just every half a minute or so. Either that or use an eyepiece that delivers 200X and nudge the 'scope every 45 seconds. 200X is high enough to see the planets in detail. Higher powers are usually only necessary on nights of exceptional clarity and with telescopes greater than 8 inches.

[johnkirkpatrick]

Get a Dob 8" or more you will love it...

[ollypenrice]

Don't worry about keeping an object in sight, I've never had a motor drive and it's never bothered me, even at 300X (about as high as you ever need to go) you only have to move the telescope every 30 seconds and if you are showing your children a planet for example, just nudge the telescope so that the planet is just entering the field of view or teach them how to move it themselves. You don't need to continually move it, just every half a minute or so. Either that or use an eyepiece that delivers 200X and nudge the 'scope every 45 seconds. 200X is high enough to see the planets in detail. Higher powers are usually only necessary on nights of exceptional clarity and with telescopes greater than 8 inches.

I'd agree with that.

Olly

[Merlin999]

I've been umming and ahhing for almost a month now. I don't seem to be any nearer making my final decision - all that happens is I decide on something slightly more expensive. My budget has gone up almost 50% so far.

I suspect I need to stop thinking about it and buy something, soon!

I can relate!! I think I am in the same place at the moment!!

Don't worry about keeping an object in sight, I've never had a motor drive and it's never bothered me, even at 300X (about as high as you ever need to go) you only have to move the telescope every 30 seconds and if you are showing your children a planet for example, just nudge the telescope so that the planet is just entering the field of view or teach them how to move it themselves.

Thanks Perrin6 that is good to know. The kids should be old enough to manage moving it themselves. From what you, Olly and JohnKirkpatrick are saying the 8" Dob could be the one. Right, I am going to try and make a decision within the next 24 hours or I am going to umming and aahing for ever!

Certainly the reviews of the 8"Dob as great. If I do decide I want to put the 8" dob on an EQ stand at a later date, is that easy to do?

Thank you so much for all your advice so far. You've definitely been a friendly informative bunch and I have really appreciated your input and time.

[johnkirkpatrick]

You can mount a dob anytime you want, But would recommend the EQ6 or better if you want to start imaging, An HEQ5 should be ok for just visual but not sure 100% on that.

[Merlin999]

Thanks John. I guess in a few years time if I decide to go into astrophotography (and I win the lottery:icon_confused:), I can splash out on an EQ6. Crumbs, this is an expensive hobby and I've not even started to look at EPs or filters yet!

I think I'll sleep on it tonight and make the decision tomorrow. Very exciting!

[Merlin999]

I've been doing a bit of searching and have come across the

Skywatcher Skyliner 200P FlexTube AUTO. This seems to negate a couple of my worries about the Skyliner 200P: namely the size and the tracking.

Has anyone used one of these? Its open design would make me worry about dew forming, has anyone any experience of this?

I don't know whether to try to persuade my OH to let me spend the extra and get this over the ordinary 200P Dob. Money is at a premium so it would take quite some convincing! But the 200P Flextube AUTO does look very good. Yikes, I seem to be taking one step forward and fifteen back trying to choose a telescope!

[perrin6]

I have a truss-tube dob and I sometimes have trouble with the secondary mirror dewing up but never the main mirror, I don't know why this is. I use a personal fan to disperse dew - one of those little portable battery ones used to cool yourself in the summer, it works OK although I want to get hold of a battery-operated hairdryer one day, as this would work more quickly, I imagine, especially in heavy dew conditions.

[johnkirkpatrick]

Picking the scope is easy, wait till you have to choose EP's lol. its crazy...

[garyscott]

Picking the scope is easy, wait till you have to choose EP's lol. its crazy...

Thats where i am right now!!! Soooo many....

[John]

Thats where i am right now!!! Soooo many....

It gets a lot easier if you own a slow scope - at F/10 or more most eyepieces work very well

[Merlin999]

Thanks perrin6: that did worry me about the dew. My OH is not exactly delighted at the prospect of us shelling out for the Flextube Auto so I think I'll have to scratch that idea.

Hmmm I am now wondering about getting two scopes : the 127Mak and looking for an 8" Dob second hand. That'd give me a scope I can easily show things to my kids and that would be portable for taking to dark sky location but also give me a scope so I can me just nip out myself in the back garden for some quality viewing.

I did say I would make a decision today, wish I hadn't now. And as John and Gary point out I then have the tricky job of choosing eyepieces.

I think I may trawl through looking for some second hand scopes before I finally make my mind up.

Thanks for the excellent advice.

[brantuk]

Merlin - a good idea would be to go to a local astro soc when they are next observing. Most are friendly and welcome visitors and potential converts lol. You'll get to see several different types of scopes and look through them to see how they perform. You'll also get a good idea of ep's and scope sizes. If you're anywhere near East Mids you'd be welcome to visit on our next "dark site" trip near M1 Jct 24

(Just click the link below for more info)