What scope do I choose?

[geoffers1]

Hi everyone. I have no scope at the moment and no matter how much I read and research I still have no idea what to buy.

I know what I want to achieve, I know what I want to see, I have not yet set a budget, so am looking for advice on what to get.

Here's my requirements, can you suggest anything to fit what I want to do?

1. I want to see the planets in reasonable detail; Saturn, Jupiter, the Moon.

2. I want to see the obvious nebulas.

3. I want to photograph what I see, preferably with my DSLR, but failing that I have a point and shoot.

4. I am lazy so would either need a GoTo or be able to control with a laptop and Stellarium.

5. It would need to be relatively portable as I live in a very light polluted town.

6. I want something that will keep me going outside in the cold and not leave me saying "is that it?"

It might sound a bit stupid asking this, but this is the only way I can put what I'm trying to do, if that makes sense?

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I'm really stuck on what to get.

Cheers!

[Tac]

There are a lot of scopes and mounts that fit your requirements but an idea on your budget would help further before recommendations are made.

[rowan46]

it really does depend on your budget, but it sounds like you want to do everything in one package and you can't. If you want to do imaging you need a fast scope with small apparture and a sturdy mount. unfortunately these are not very portable on the other hand if you want to see everything you need a large scope (big apparture) and these are not very portable. if you want to do both you are either going to have to compromise or get 2 systems. A price range may help us find the best compromise

[geoffers1]

Okay, if a budget needs setting then lets say £400. Although this can be flexible

[Tac]

OK let me start off by saying that I don't have a scope myself at the moment but I have done A LOT of research both on this site and elsewhere. I have very similar requirements to you and would really ultimately want to get into the imaging side of things too.

Your £400 will however not go very far for a scope and a GOTO mount. You may have to stretch it by at least another £200 and even then it could be pushing it a bit.

I would say the Skywatcher 150P or 150P DS would suit your needs scope wise but with a good mount to cope with guiding and weight it would smash your £400 budget mount alone.

I will happily stand to be corrected and am ready to be shot down in flames but that's my pennies worth.

You could think about the second hand market but Astro gear does hold it's price well.

[JamesM]

Can I start from a different perspective, especially in answer to your comment that, "I want something that will keep me going outside in the cold and not leave me saying is that it". In fact this is the most difficult part to answer.

Can I suggest that as part of your research you contact a local astro club or observing group with the aim of going along and having a look through some gear. All the statistics, aperture and configurations won't necessarily answer this question until you have set a benchmark in your mind as to what all these figures mean. When I started out I spent almost a year looking through all types and sizes of kit to help create my own internal model of what I might expect to see. I'm not suggesting that you take this same amount of time, but what is also clear from your post is that you are taking a sensible long term view of the possible different uses that you might have for it. As Rowan46 has already said, there isn't the one set up and if there was, we would all have it. Your budget of £400 is fine for a dobsonian type scope if what really matters is what you see in the eyepiece. Imaging, goto, mobility I'm afraid are requirements that might pull in opposite directions and is the reason why people have more than one set up.

James.

[kissinuk]

I have similar requirements to you, portability being one as I want to take it on holiday with me. Imaging is a 'nice to have' as I have a DSLR and wouldn't mind getting some shots of the moon with it. Planets - definitely, DSO's - certainly like to see the brighter ones.

I have come to the conclusion that I do in fact need 2 scopes.... most probably a mak 127 GOTO and a 8 or 10 inch dobsonian. With that in mind I think I will start with the mak and if still using it in 6 months time consider getting a 2nd scope.

However, just before the "all in one" door is shut, the flextube dobs from Skywatcher may be just portable enough for my needs (the 8" one anyway), and they can come with tracking for £470 or GOTO for a few hundred more. Maybe worth considering? Not great for DSO imaging but fine for planets.

[AstroJen]

Hi there everyone,

I am a bit of an amatuar as well, and am looking to invest in a scope. Someone in another forum suggested starting with bins...and that you can see the Milky Way in a certain beauty that you wouldn't get through a scope??

My heart is set on a scope, but I think, like sub dwarf, I might spend a riduculous amount of time and browsing before I find something that's right for me. To be honest, I have never even looked through a scope at the sky, and maybe if I'm going to spend time looking for a scope (I have about £200), I might as well start with bins....what do you think???

[alowen]

I started with bins, still have and use them regularly.

Al

[Tac]

I have started with bins for two main reasons. The first is that you learn the sky with bins. No fancy GOTO option on bins. Secondly they can be purchased relatively cheaply (compared to scopes) and can be used for terrestrial stuff too. Meaning if you don't stick with the hobby you still have something which you can use that didn't cost you much.

If you do go for bins I can thoroughly recommend the Revelation 15x70's.

Here Revelation - Revelation 15x70 Binocular

[ronin]

A goto mount for astrophotography means at least an HEQ5 with Synscan, or whatever it is called. That alone is past the budget you state. And that is the minimum mount recommended.

For what you have specified add another "0" on the budget.

[geoffers1]

Okay, some lively feedback which is what I was hoping for. Let's leave off the GoTo facility. Photographing what I see is still an essential as far as I'm concerned, but will compromise on the DSLR mount for a point and shoot adapter.

Would a Skywatcher Explorer 150 (EQ3-2) fit some/most/all my modified requirements? This seems to come in at around £250 and I've seen Barlow lenses with camera adapters. But what would another £150 get me?

I would love to say that money is no object, but in this day and age it really is and adding another 0 to my budget would see me in the divorce courts quicker than playing away from home would.

So, new to the pursuit of astronomy, would like to see the wonders of the universe and would like to try and photograph what I see. Oh, and a wife looking at me and working out in her head how much I could be worth dead

[ollypenrice]

You are dead set on deep sky photography? Really at the budget you mention it quite simply cannot be done. You would be far better advised to get into visual astronomy first and then think about deep sky (deep pocket) imaging.

To do photography you need an HEQ5 as a minimum mount.

I would ditch the photography and go visual. That way you can get a good setup and learn all sorts of stuff that you need to know before entering the very technical world of imaging. It is not really all that difficult but there is such a lot that you need to absorb (and buy!) before you can do it. It bears no relation to daytime photography where budget compromises don't stop you from getting a picture. In astrnomy they do.

Olly

[shepsboss]

Hi, please take a look at a post by Astropete in Imaging- Lunar (yesterday). Title is - the moon to night 10-2-11. He uses mak 127 and a Samsung compact camera. From my research, to get into Deep sky imaging will, as all the experienced members will tell you, requires very deep pockets. However my intention is to take short exposure shots of planets with my Canon 400D and or Canon Ixus 80is. I think Pete's post (with images) highlights what can be done without spending a fortune. It certainly opened my eyes to the possibilities.

[geoffers1]

Shepsboss - thanks for the heads up on that thread. Thats exactly what I want to be able to do and I think thats made my mind up on what to get.