hello all

[metz]

im at a loss here folks feel dizzy already , im a complete novice at star gazing , however i want the very best from a tight budget of £300 , do i go for a go to refractor all singing computer ? or do i go for a skyline 250 which offers a much bigger bang on stargazing for the money ......any help from you all would be very helpful indeed many many thanks for your ideas and views . and can you use a webb cam with a skyline excuse my ignorance lol

[simon84]

Welcome to SGL! You've made your first step into finding an excellent astro resource by joining SGL.

With a budget of £300 I would recommend going the dobsonian route if visual astronomy is your thing, this instrument will give you the biggest aperture for your money and is an excellent tool for learning the night sky with.

This coupled with a Telrad finder and either Stellarium or Carte du Ciel on your computer and you'll be finding targets in no time.

With a big dob you can also use a nice widefield lowpower EP and go spacewalking....

You could probably get away with an afocal setup for pictures of a bright moon as your exposure times will be short, I've never tried webcam imaging with one but would think anything more than 30 seconds and you'll start having troubles but I'm sure someone in the know will help you out with that.

[metz]

many thanks simon thats really really helpful as im new to all this it can be really really confusing in making the correct decision and its really helpful to hear from peeps loads more experienced

[metz]

one more thing ? does a refractor telescope require collimation ...oh dear didnt relise telescopes need this lol lot more easy metal detecting lol

[NGC 1502]

Hi metz, generally speaking refractors are factory collimated and don't require

adjustment by the user, reflectors do need collimating by the owner, but I wouldn't

let that put you off.

With a budget of £300 the best bet is a Dobsonian ( a Dob is a Newtonian reflector

on a simple altazimuth mount ) You could do short exposure pics of the moon, but

not much else imaging wise, a Dob is a visual use telescope mainly.

Regards, Ed.

[metz]

many thanks ngz , oh blimey a skyline needs collimation ?? im only a novice lol skyline 200 is or was right up my street till i found all that out lol may look like i may need a refractor now , id never be able to to work out how to move the mirrors on a skyline 200 wouldnt even try , many thanks ........looks like its gonna be a refractor go to now... theres goes the light

[BAZ Senior]

Hi Metz, welcome to the forum.

The Dob will suit nicely, and you will have some nice views through it, and from a dark site, there will be lots to see with it.

Don't be put off by collimation, once you get the hang of it, you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

There are a number of way's to do this, including using a laser or a Cheshire eyepiece. Have a read up and see what you think.

Here's a good place to start, compiled by another SGL member.

Enjoy!

Astro-Baby Telescope Help

[metz]

omg Bazz i read all that lol many thanks but thats deep to deep for me to take in , after reading that its deffo going to be a refractor lol shame that, i didnt realise that was so involved phew

[simon84]

Hi again Metz. Collimation takes practice, we all felt like you do now, I'd bought my 12" Newt and had it setup for a few weeks before I even bothered to read the manual, its was only then that I found out what collimating was.

With the Hotech laser, if memory serves me right, you pop it in the focuser and adjust the secondary mirror with a small screwdriver until the red dot sits inside the white circle in the middle of the mirror, once thats done you stand at the end of the scope and then adjust the bolts on the mirror, either in or out, until the red dot is in the middle of the target on the laser, once you've done that you have a look in the tube to make sure the dot is in the middle of the white circle again and if it is, bingo, your done.

After my first go I got it down to about 2 minutes to collimate my 12" Newt.

Its really not that difficult and if you can manage to learn it you will enjoy the views a big 10" dob give you over a little 4" frac, because if your going for a goto mount with only £300 I bet that dosnt give you much frac for your money.

Take your time, get yourself down to a shop and get someone there to show you how to collimate, reading it is scary, was for me, but actually watching someone do it will make you realise there isnt a lot to it. If you ask me though its easier to collimatge a big mirror over small mirror.

HTH.

[metz]

cheers simon , still not made the leap yet , although i have in my possession a new unopened syncan 130p goto explorer , however i still think the bigger bang for bucks for me is the skyline 200 however being a complete novice it really is a scary do i dont i lol, i can just see myself swinging it to and fro cross the night sky lol i tell you this though making a decision on astro gear is a real headache lol plus and minus points everywhere you look ,many thanks for the advice and tips great help........didnt even realise refractors suffer from C.A a tropical disease me thinks lol

[simon84]

Best bit of advice I can give you is slow down, take your time, you can only spend your money once so get as much information, advice, and hands on as you can get, go to an astro shop, your closest one might be a drive away, mine an hour by car, but a quick phonecall up front and they may be able to arrange a demo for you.

Find a local astro club, get yourself down there and have aplay on one of there open nights.

You'll get there.

[Jdavies]

HI and welcome to the hobby, it can get expensive from here lol

[metz]

Tell me about lol im now looking at the startravel 120 az3 refractor in black and white , unless someone puts a spanner in the works .........gordon bennet theres loads to sort from

[metz]

skyline 6 inch dob 150p thats gonna do £180 ....order today as for collimation at different intervals cant really see a prob after reading up on the star travel 120 on here im leaving it, thats it im done im only a newbie and the 150p will suffice i will slap some photos on here later ,over and out ! many thanks for replys on my quest for holy grail lol been a freakin long road .... eyes like golfballs reading up on this stuff.