Budget of £200 for my first scope

[Zoomer]

How do I spend it?

I'm bambuzzled at the amount of scopes and equipment that is available to be honest and reading though threads and reviews hasn't helped in making a desicion.

I think most of my star gazing will be done from my back garden which is well shaded at night and I do have a pretty good view all round my area.

Being a complete newbie at this I'd like the scope to be as user friendly as possible, ideally I'd like to gauge what other people have and the pros/cons of the set ups.

I think £200 is a reasonable amount to spend considering this will be my first foray into my 'about to be' new hobby.

[carastro]

You're not going to get a lot for £200. However if you only regard this as a starter scope and all you want to do is observing, and you don't need tracking or GOTO, then you could get a reflector, this gives more aperture for the £:

this one does track in RA

Sky Watcher EXPLORER-130EM 130mm (5.1") f/900 Newtonian Reflector with RA motor drive

Even more magnification a dobsonian, but this would have to be moved manually, some people swear by them.

Optical Vision Skyliner 150 6" Parabolic Dobsonian telescope

It all depends on what you think you want to do. If you think you might want to progress to imaging, you'll need to spend a lot more dosh.

You asked what other people use:

Well I started with a scope like the first one I mentioned, and it was a good introduction, but it did not have a motor drive and so I then sold it and got an ETX105. This has excellent optics (I still keep it for observing), but is only good enough tracking for planetary and Moon Imaging. I have now spent a packet on imaging kit. Since you don't mention imaging I won't go any further.

You can also get good bargains on UKAstroBuySell

Carole

[Revs]

Yup, the 150P Dob will give you the best views for your money

EDIT: Just be aware you'll probably be wanting so nicer eyepieces and maybe a Telrad viewfinder before long

[Orion_the_Hunter]

Yup, the 150P Dob will give you the best views for your money

I agree, this Dobsonians - Skywatcher Skyliner 150P Dobsonian will give you the most aperture and ease of use for your money.

[Zoomer]

You're not going to get a lot for £200. However if you only regard this as a starter scope and all you want to do is observing...

This is very much my thoughts for now, something I can learn on without getting too serious too quick and end up wasting money.

Even more magnification a dobsonian, but this would have to be moved manually, some people swear by them.

Swear by them or swear AT THEM?!

Would the Dobsonian give better/clearer views over the reflector? How easy or difficult would it be for a new user to get along with?

[ollypenrice]

The Dobsonian is a reflector, a Newtonian. The Dob part refers to the mount. John Dobson invented a way of making very simple, smooth, stable mounts using wood, now often replaced by particle board.

These mounts really are very stable and vibration free (important!). They need no aligning to the pole nor do they need counterweights. You put 'em on the ground and go! Best of all, they are cheap to make and leave the rest of your budget for the important part, the optics, which is what you wanted to start with. If you go for a more fancy equatorial on a budget it will tend towards the cheap and nasty and not be in the same league as a Dob for stability. The Dob is cheap and not nasty. And if you go for an electronic GoTo mount it will go to thousands of objects that the tiny telescope it carries cannot reveal them when gone to!

Honestly in my view, on a tight budget, it is clear as day that the Dob mount wins. You might say, ah but I could upgrade a budget equatorial to a motor drive later but you wouldn't really do that, you would want a better mount altogether.

You may be getting the impression on this thread that the mount matters. It does! That is why there are people on here with ten thousand pound mounts.

Enjoy your choice, whatever you go for.

Olly

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/

[John]

Would the Dobsonian give better/clearer views over the reflector? How easy or difficult would it be for a new user to get along with?

A dobsonian is a reflector. It's a newtonian reflector mounted on a simple up-down-left-right mount that was invented buy a guy called John Dobson - hence "dobsonian".

They are the easiest scopes of all to use in my opinion - just put it down, point it (using the finder scope) and observe.

Edit: Olly and I posting at the same time there !.

[MaxLux]

Hi Zoomer,

Welcome to SGL. I can totally relate to your problem, I was doing a lot of head scratching myself just a couple of months ago. I simply couldn't believe the amount of choices that had to be made in making a first scope purchase. I came close to purchasing a Skywatcher 130 reflector as Carole suggested above, but after a lot more homework decided against this purely for personal reasons as it didn't tick all the boxes for me. But for your budget you would be hard pressed to do much better (new anyway).

One thing to be very aware of, once you start, it is hard to slow the merry-go-round down as you will want more and better kit. I only ordered my scope 6 weeks ago and spent about £260 initially. The astro bill for my new hobby is now sitting at over £600 and I'm about to buy another EP for £95. It can get very addictive:o

Good luck with your decision and enjoy your new scope when you get it;)

[russ]

Secondhand will open a few more doors, such as the Skyliner 200P. Your budget is more than enough for one of those but secondhand is off course a possible minefield.

[jasperuk]

I would say for that kind of money you will get something useful but if you get hooked as most people do it will be on ebay within a few months once you realise you needed to spend more like £300 in the first place, the question is do you really want to throw money away selling a second hand scope in the not too distant future....

Do you not know someone you can go and see who already has a scope you can try out, maybe a local astronomy club can help there are always people there willing to show off there monsters ???

Dobs seem to be the cheap options for starter and very highly recommended.....

[junior]

I bought a Skywatcher Heritage 130p back in January and have been very pleased with it.

However i am now at the point after buying some new eyepieces where i would love to get a bigger scope so that i can see more. For a starter scope i would recommend this scope however as people have said that if you do get hooked you will want to go bigger.

I would also recommend getting a dob as this will get you used to handling and using the scope first before you get drawn into the equitorial mounts etc.

Hope this helps.

[Adamski]

Hi,

For just £239 you can get a brand new skywatcher 150p or 150pl, eyepieces, mount and tripod are all included and very good quality. First light optics are very prompt and reliable, thats where I got mine and it took only 3 days from ordering to delivering. I couldn't beleive how big it all was when I opened the boxes.

Have fun,

Adamski

[caerus_sam]

The Dob 150P description states that it has a direct SLR connection. Does this extend to DSLR's too.? In addition, can a motor be sought to track DSO's or "local" planetary objects.?

Please accept my apologise for hijacking your thread Zoomer.

[Zoomer]

I could push the budget out a bit if something better would fall into the sub -£300 category - but that would be my absolute limit just now.

Thanks for the replys anyway, my eyes have been some what opened but the knowledge on these pages!

I don't know of any clubs in my area but if someone can point me in the right direction I'll certainly go along to see what other people have and get a feel for it.

[ollypenrice]

Here are lots of UK clubs.

Federation of Astronomical Societies - Member Societies

Sam, because it is not equatorially aligned a Dob cannot track the sky photoraphically for long however it is motorized. Yes it can be made to follow an object but the object will slowly rotate in the view. However, fast frame (webcam) cameras can be used on moon and planets.

Zoomer, at 300 pounds I would still personally go for a Dob - a bigger one!!

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

[caerus_sam]

Sam, because it is not equatorially aligned a Dob cannot track the sky for long however it is motorized. Yes it can be made to follow an object but the object will slowly rotate in the view. However, fast frame (webcam) cameras can be used on moon and planets.

Thanks for that, Olly. For casual observing I assume it's ideal.

[Zoomer]

Please accept my apologise for hijacking your thread Zoomer.

Not a bother.

Here are lots of UK clubs.

Federation of Astronomical Societies - Member Societies

Thanks for that.

Zoomer, at 300 pounds I would still personally go for a Dob - a bigger one!!

Olly

ollypenrice's Photos

How about a smaller one and some extras?!

What happens on a typical night at a club meet? Think I'll contact the nearest one and gate-crash the next night and see how they take to me!

[Astro Imp]

Hi Zoomer,

Please allow me my two-penn'orth

I know the choice is confusing but please bear in mind when considering your budget that the scope and mount is only the start.

You will probably want to invest some of your budget in books/star charts, possibly a different finder and maybe upgrade some of the eye pieces.

Bear in mind that most of the accesories you buy will still be useful/needed if you upgrade your initial scope.

Try and see some or all of the scopes you consider in the flesh and take your time.

HTH and good luck.

[ollypenrice]

Not a bother.

Thanks for that.

How about a smaller one and some extras?!

What happens on a typical night at a club meet? Think I'll contact the nearest one and gate-crash the next night and see how they take to me!

Most clubs are welcoming. They have different styles, some being more hands on and others more theoretical with academic speakers. But they all have amateur astronomers for you to meet.

Good point about budgeting for star charts etc. I like SkyAtlas 2000 which is big enough to see in the dark and very well thought out. But downloading specific charts for your targets from Stellarium is a good idea too.

Olly

[stick]

I'm new to this as well mate and it can be a bit daunting

I got a Skywatcher 130PM which is a great starter scope and relatively easy to set up / use.

Got it second hand off a mate, so dont discount second hand gear although be careful....if you know the seller and the conditions its been kept in, you will probably be safer than the gamble that is ebay etc

You may also then be able to afford some extra eyepieces to add to your range

best of luck

Stick

[BAZ Senior]

If you are considering a Dob, then by chucking an extra £67 at it, it will get you the 8" version, which although only 2" bigger, gets in 77 percent more light.

Dobsonians - Skywatcher Skyliner 200P Dobsonian

This will not need to be aligned or powered, and is one that you have to move by hand to find the object, the benefit is that all the cost goes towards the optics, so you get the biggest bang for your money.

If you get one second hand, I would strongly advise going to see it and have a look at it, it may be a bit of an inconvenience, but at least you get to see what is on offer, and if it's what you want, you can take it home with you and saves on delivery!

[twotter]

Although I'm biased, I would also suggest the Skyliner 200P dobsonian. It's big enough to give lovely views of just about everything, simple to use, and easily upgradeable (even putting the OTA onto an equatorial mount ).

Two eyepieces included, a 9x50 finderscope, just add Stellarium (free download) and Turn Left at Orion is available in your local library. Really all you need is clear skies and you're off

I think I used mine as standard for quite a few months before slowly changing and upgrading...different eyepieces, red dot finder replacing the finderscope etc...

[Jiggy 67]

I would use extreme caution and do a lot of research. I bought a SW 130 approx 3 months ago for what seemed a bargain. It is a good scope but bill so far:

EQ5 MOUNT (cos the EQ2 supplied is to unsteady) = £200

Upgrade eyepieces (cos those supplied arn't good enough) = £100

Upgrade Barlow Lens (as above) = £35

Finder Scope (cos I didn't like the red dot finder supplied) = £35

Books = £20

Alluminium case x 2 = £40

Total = £430!!!!.....and thats without the initial outlay of the scope

And I know that within 6 months I will want to upgrade my scope (though I do think the SW130 is good)......expecting a right row with the wife.....but I won't be able to stop myself!!

[carastro]

One further thought. There are a number of sky camps about to start, if you live near one, you might want to pop along as there will be lots of Amateur Astronomers there with their kit.

Kelling Heath (Near Sheringham Norfolk starts on Friday (some people are already there) and goes on to beginning of next week.

UKAI have one at Stonehenge from 15 - 17th April

http://www.stonehengecampsite.co.uk/

SGL has it's own this weekend as well which is in Hereford:

http://stargazerslounge.com/sgl-announcements-events/129144-sgl6-star-party-booking-now-open.html

Make sure you have any torches covered with red film to cut out blinding light and don't drive the car with lights on near the camp fields or you might get strangled.

Carole

[Parus major]

As others have said a dob is the same as the newtonian on a different mount. I'll also big up the 150p dob since it's actually the same tube as mine. With it saturn is lovely and clear, jupiter blows my mind.

Dobs are a good step, if you get on then buy a big mount and later a new big scope. It's a cheap way to get on the ladder.