To buy or not to buy this is the question?

[GazofCorra]

Right here we go, i have just returned our Meade ETX80 as the whole thing seemed more like a toy, the gimmicky built in barlow and especially the flimsy tripod.

I have decided that if we want a quality setup then we need to spend more money as you get what you pay for.

My requirement are for observation use only as i am not interested in astrophotograhy at the moment, Most looking forward to viewing our moon and planets as well as DSO's, i want a super quality image with ease of use, portabilty, fast setup and low maintenence.

I do prefer GoTo systems as i want to be able to view straight away, but i am also leaning with books and charts to get to know my way around, but this takes a lot of time as most of you will already know, i think by combining the 2 makes for a more enjoyable experience.

Now to the nitty gritty, i have selected 5 telescopes that interest me and would love to hear your thoughts on my choices (pro's & cons) especially if you own or used one of them, they range from £600 to £900 and this is the most i can afford at present.

1. Meade ETX125AT F/15 Maksutov GoTo telescope?

2. Celestron Nexstar 6 SE GoTo?

3. Skywatcher Evostar 80ED DS Pro & EQ3 Pro GoTo mount?

4. Skywatcher Explorer 150PDS & EQ5 Pro GoTo mount?

5. Skywatcher 200P Flextube Auto Tracking Dobsonian (no GoTo system for this scope)

Cannot wait to hear from you all, remember that portability is a big issue for me as i want to take it away with us when we set off caravaning around the UK.

[Kai]

What do you want to look at ? , Planets / Lunar or Deep Space ?

[stardad]

You state that you are interested in viewing only at the present yet dont say what your wanting to see. This will help choose what to go for......

[Orion_the_Hunter]

DOBSONIAN

Pros: biggest aperture/£ spent, ease of use.

Cons: no photography of DSO, not very portable.

[GazofCorra]

You state that you are interested in viewing only at the present yet dont say what your wanting to see. This will help choose what to go for......

I will clear this up what i meant was i want a telescope just for observation not astrophotography.

I am most interested in our moon and the planets as well as deep space objects.

Cheers

[Mark-mck]

i'm by no mean's qualified to offer advice but if i had £900 to spend on visual use then be going for as much apprature as possible. if you have another £34 you could go for the 200p on HEQ5.

i have the 250pds and the views are awe inspiring, plus with an eq mount it opens up the possibility of AP should you wish to go down that route at a later date.

just my 2p worth.

Mark

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Now that I know what you want to observe, I might have gone for the 6SE. I had a similar dilemna, this post might help:

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/130388-8-dob-6se-8-dob-6se-8-dob-6se.html

[rowan46]

I would choose the nexstar over the meade. they are both the most portable systems there but imo the nexstar is the better system.

the skywatcher 80 eds is a great imaging scope but is too small as a visual scope only and on the eq3 doesnt cut it as an imaging package.

the explorer 150 pds on the eq5 gives good apparture and with a few extras you may be able to some good dslr pics the heq5 syntrek will give you more options on imaging though and that can work as goto through eqmod and a laptop. probably the least portable as those eq mounts are big and heavy

skywatcher 200p big apparture but the only imaging you can get off it really is webcamming. also not sure how easy it is to lift through a small caravan door and down a big step, but visually witthout a doubt its the best visually.

[Deneb]

If you want observing only, go for the Dobsonian.

Nadeem.

[lukebl]

Probably going against the grain here, but I would go for the Skywatcher Explorer 150PDS & EQ5 Pro GoTo mount.

People often say to go for the biggest DOB you can afford as a beginnner, but a faint fuzzy blob in a smaller scope still looks like a faint fuzzy blob in a bigger one, but a smaller scope with at least some capabilities for imaging will give you a start in the world of imaging and you would be surprised at what you can capture, objects which you just can't see visually with anything but a huge scope. I suspect a lot of folk drift away from the hobby when they realise that they ain't going to see most DSOs as anything but a grey blur.

[John]

I don't think any of those, or any scope that I know of to be honest, would satisfy all the criteria you list. Which would you be prepared to compromise a bit on ?:

- low maintentance ?

- fast setup ?

- portability ?

- ease of use ?

- GOTO capability ?

- Good for deep sky objects ?

- Good for planetary / lunar viewing ?.

I think possibly the Nexstar 6SE with a focal reducer to allow lower power / wide field use or the 8" Flextube Auto dob come closest. But the cool down time and collimation needs compromise the fast setup / low maintenance aspects a bit.

I don't think my wife would be too happy if I packed an 8" dob into our caravan either - and collimation would be a must at journeys end !.

I reckon you have a 2 scope set of requirements here possibly !.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

If this helps, I opted for an 8" solid tube Dob, & I have enough left in my budget to get a 5" goto Mak for 'out and about', when it gets a bit warmer.

[stardad]

Going to through a spanner in the works here with this.....

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 200P OTA

A 200 would give you great viewing of planets and DSO while with the EQ5 pro Goto gives you what you want. At £674 its at the bottom end of your budget so leaves room for Ep's and filters as you want. I will double up for Astro imaging if you want to go down that route at a later point.

Snags with this is size and its not really a starter scope to see if you like astronomy.

[rowan46]

going to nail my flag to the wall, last time I posted I didn't know you had no intention of imaging. I would get the nexstar its portable easy to set up good focal ratio for planets and moon so it will take magnification, its easy on eyepieces. The sct system has lots of compromises all of which go to make it a fairly talented all rounder. Its not the best at anything but it does most things well at least visually. If you are going portable its the most portable system it will be fine for webcamming planets and set up is a breeze. I have a nexstar 5 its a good scope but the 6 is better

[GazofCorra]

People often say to go for the biggest DOB you can afford as a beginnner, but a faint fuzzy blob in a smaller scope still looks like a faint fuzzy blob in a bigger one. I suspect a lot of folk drift away from the hobby when they realise that they ain't going to see most DSOs as anything but a grey blur.

Very interesting posts so far and some good eye openers too (like the post off Luke) and also off jahmanson regarding finding a scope that meets all my requirements probably was pushing it a bit.

• So to sum up so far the Dob for it's light gathering ability - only downside is portability especially as it would need collimation after being in the shaky caravan, plus it is quite large.
  
• The explorer 150 or 200 on a EQ mount again might be to large for caravan transport, but could also be used for Astrophotography at a later stage.
  
• It looks as if the Nexstar 6SE will be the telescope that meets most of my requirements, though not them all.
  

But this is what i was after as you guys have a lot more knowledge than i do on this subject, so thanks alot. Maybe later on i will buy a large dob for use at home.

I would love to hear some reviews on the Nexstar 6SE off you guys if you own one or have used one.

Cheers

[stardad]

As a mad idea have you thought of asking FLO on here there thoughts.......

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Plenty of comments from 6se users here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/130388-8-dob-6se-8-dob-6se-8-dob-6se.html

[Nexus 6]

Hi Gaz, I voted for the 6se as I used to own one, it will not do everything you are wanting but is a great scope for many reasons, quick set up, small footprint, nice optics, portability, mine was taken to France , holds collimation well, over the 18 months I owned it I did not need to bother, that was an opinion given by an experienced astronomer to me on its optics at the time.

Major drawback aperture! It will leave you wanting more

Hope that may help

[John]

Here is a review of the Nexstar 6SE:

Celestron Nexstar 6 SE (N6) - Review

[nightfisher]

think i would choose 6se out of your list, if its any thing like my 140 you will be pleased to say the least

[nicnac]

observing only....... go for the dob

[Mr Spock]

I'd go for the 200mm. No matter how good a smaller scope is you can't beat extra inches

[Patrick1948]

Go for a manual Dob and spend the goto money you save on eye pieces. It will (IMHO) be more worthwhile star hopping and learning your way round the stars by nudging the Dob around than pressing buttons and letting it do it all automatically. I have a 250 PX solid tube and find no problems lugging it about (and I'm 62!!!)....Whatever you decide, I wish you clear skies and many years of enjoyment.

[BazMark]

If I wanted portability then it would be the 6SE.

If portability wasn't an issue then the 200p flextube.

[ollypenrice]

I think Dobs are portable. They will stand vertically and take up only their footprint, but don't put any optics in a caravan because they bounce like crazy. Put them in the car. Tripods, counterweights and EQ aligning are a bit of a faff.

The key thing is to have the right expectations but the antidote to your first experience of gimmicky toys (and I agree with your assesment) would be aperture above all else. Much of the pleasure is learning the sky so don't deny yourself that. There is no instant gratification in astronomy once you have seen Saturn! The rest needs more input from the observer.

Olly