Help needed please

[hadyn42]

Hello All

Could someone please help me with Wild Life and Astronomical viewing question?

I would like some advice on buying a telescope suitable for wild life viewing and star gazing. I would like the scope to have great portabilty as we are of to the USA around the Yellowstone Park in August to do some wildlife viewing and some star gazing.

I would like the scope to be about 80mm and be only about 300mm in total length. My budget would be between £200 to £300. I have my own portable tripod.

Thanking you in advance

Kindest regards, Hadyn - Isle of Man

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Hi Hadyn,

This one Maksutov - Skywatcher Skymax 102 OTA fits your requirements, but I'm not sure that it will fit on your tripod.

This telescope is great for Terrestrial/nature observing and the Moon and it will give reasonable views of Planets.

Ed

[oldfruit]

Hi Hadyn, with the budget that you have mentioned have you considered a large pair of binoculars? 15x70 or 20x80. You would also be able to afford a tripod with your budget.

[rowan46]

Just a thought, but would it be possible to buy whilst you are in the usa as the prices are a little keener you will have to pay duty on the way back but no shipping charges?

[ronin]

How about this from Telescope Service.

Would seem to do what you want, think it said 329 Euro, but have forgotten. The details are just after the range of TS scopes.

Taken from the TS site:-

TS ED spotting scope 19-57 x 66mm - high quality apochromatic system for magnifications up to ca. 125x

complete apochromatic spotting scope for nature observation, photography and astronomy

7-21mm zoom eyepice for 19-57x magnification

High quality aluminium case with fitting internal foam parts (ext. dimensions 40x30x2cm)

Technical details:

Objective: ED APO objective with 66mm aperture / 400mm focal length

Length: 30 / 37.7cm (retracted / extended dewcap)

Ball-beared metal focuser with 1:11 micro transmission

Weight: 1.9 kg

Tripod connection: via saddle plate with 2x 1/4" thread

[great_bear]

I have my own portable tripod

Are you sure it's good enough?

Unless designed for astronomy, most portable tripods are so wobbly under high magnification that they are literally unusable.

They are so bad, that you can't even "make do" with them.

[Glider]

If it is just for general stargazing the Skywatcher Star Travel 80mm on an EQ3 mount might suffice. It comes in an astro and terrestrial version by virtue of different diagonals.

I think.

[nicnac]

hows this

Orion GoScope 70 Backpack Refractor Telescope | Orion Telescopes

you could buy it while your there, it might end up being cheaper for you!

[nicnac]

or this

Orion TrailHead 85mm Spotting Scope Bundle | Orion Telescopes & Binoculars

its fully multi coated and bak4

[Glider]

And if you do get into astro both would get used as a grab and go or a guide scope depending where your interest goes.

[nicnac]

indeed

well said

[great_bear]

or this

Orion TrailHead 85mm Spotting Scope Bundle | Orion Telescopes & Binoculars

its fully multi coated and bak4

The trouble is that scopes with a fixed 45 degree diagonal are a pig for stargazing.

[nicnac]

The trouble is that scopes with a fixed 45 degree diagonal are a pig for stargazing.

they can be, i totally agree

having said that though, i suppose it can be eased by extending the legs on the tripod.

i do something of the same with my horizon

good point though

[hadyn42]

Hello all.

Thank you all very much indeed for all your kind advice. I will have plenty of time to view all the options you mentioned. I just retired from work last Friday and are busy planning our USA trip as I type.

I am loooking at both the Skywatcher scopes and the Orion scopes in detail now. Its all down to length weight etc etc guys. It would be good too to attach my Canon 350 onto the scope too for some close up wolf watching etc.

Very Kindest Regards,

Hadyn - Isle of Man