Newbie bought first telescope.

[Madhatter]

Hi everyone, iv been looking into telescopes and astronomy for a few weeks now-and after lots of reading online i made the decision id deffinatly like too try this and bought my first telescope. I have read lots of people warning not too buy things like this but its all my funds permit at the moment and i couldent wait too get started lol.

this is what i bought..

Jessops Reflector Telescope TA800-80

800 Focal Length

80mm Objective

Electronic Red Dot Finder scope

6mm, 12.5mm & 20mm Eyepieces

3 x Barlow Lens

Tripod

This was brand new and never used but the box was a bit tatty from a house move so i got this on ebay delivered too my house for £35. I believe the telescope was only about £50 new, but considering delivery costs im really happy with it for the money.

I couldent wait for this too turn up! it arrived safely today.

First impressions was its more solidly built than i exspected, the tripod is nice and sturdy alloy- i was exspecting plastic.

I really dont exspect too see much with this telescope, i understand you get what you pay for with these things..I am hoping too get some reasonable views of the moon and thats about all i am exspecting. but i was wondering if there is any other things i might try too look for?. It looks like it might be clear skys tonight over the south uk! (fingers crossed).

I have a star pocket my girlfriend kindly bought me so that might help find things, but i have 0 exsperiance with astronomy.

The idea behind this scope is too use it just too get an idea if this is something i might enjoy, and then save my money for a skywatcher skyliner 250px parabolic dobsonian. I am a fit guy of 27, and my friend is also very interested so i am hoping moving one of these wont be a problem. Would that telescope be a good scope for long term use? if i did upgrade again id be looking too spend a bit of money and get something that will last.

Sorry for the rather long first post, any advice would be great:).

[Adamski]

my first scope was a tasco 60mm lens and 700 long. It was good enough to spark the interest.I got good views of the moon and jupiter but at the time i didn't know where other things were but i realise now you can see quite a bit with a scope that size. I recently got an upgrade and bought a 6" reflecter and i am buzzing with interst now.

welcome and good viewing to you.

Adamski

[daz]

Welcome indeed!

If it is clear tonight, you are in luck - the crescent moon is visible in the West and your scope will give some great views of it!

[david o]

Hi Madhatter, Welcome to SGL

The Skyliner 250PX Dob is a very capable 'scope, but bear in mind that it's strength lies in visual observing. If you want to do astro-photography, out of the box it'll only be able to do limited web-cam imaging of the planets and the moon.

Some book suggestions for getting started (I found these useful and can thoroughly recommend them) :

Turn Left at Orion (great book for beginnrs),The Backyard Astronomer's Guide (full of great advice) and a Planisphere (very useful for learning your way around the sky).

You seem to be coming into this with your eyes open and are aware of the limitations of the Jessop's 'scope. So hope you soon get first light - enjoy.

HTH

[Canyouguesswhoitisyet]

Saturn is in good view at the moment

[Madhatter]

Thanks for the quick replys guys, i will certainly be looking at that cresent moon tonight! if i could see saturn id be amazed really but i have just downloaded the free stellariam program i read recommended in another thread, so will have a look for it deffinatly.

Thank you for those links and advice david o , i will have a good read of those:).

This is the first time i think iv acctualy been excited about it getting dark hehe!.

[Bazzaar]

The usual issue with budget scopes of this sort is they can be very annoying to use because of design deficiencies to keep the price low. The telescope bit itself is probably ok, but the whole thing will be wobbly making it difficult to focus at high magnification, the barlow lens will cause colouration and blurry images. And it is on the wrong type of mount to follow objects across the sky easily.

Alot of people get put off astronomy caused by these problems so be aware, get past them and if your still interested your next purchase will probably blow you away!

[Gina]

I bought my first real telescope a few weeks ago and since then some extra eyepieces. I've also bought what seem a decent pair of binoculars. And both for astrophotography and general photography, a Sony A200 DSLR (second hand).

My equipment is now as follows :-

Telescope - Celestron Astromaster EQ 130 MD

Eyepieces - 20mm, 15mm, 10mm, 4mm plus 2x Barlow lens

Binoculars - Olympus Trooper 10x50 DPSI

Camera - Sony A200 DSLR with 18-70mm zoom plus 75-300mm zoom

Accessories :-

T-adapter for attaching cameras etc. to telescope focussing tube

T ring for Sony Alpha series DSLR cameras

Sony alpha to M42 adapter ring to use old Pentax lenses on camera

I used to use a Pentax Spotmatic film SLR camera and added a few extra lenses and other accessories.

Maybe I should also include an astronomy accessory that I'm finding very useful and that's a Celestron SkyScout GPS Star Locator. It can identify thousands of celestial objects by pointing and aligning it with the object and also help you find something you're looking for from a database of several thousand objects. A bit pricey but saves a lot of time and very much easier to use than star maps and planisphere, which I also have.

I had my first good viewing night last night and took photos of the crescent moon and caught my first ever real-life view of Saturn and it's rings. I used all the magnification my setup could muster. 4mm EP plus x2 Barlow giving a magnification of 325x. The seeing was excellent, locally over grass. With such conditions I believe I could use yet more magnification - Saturn was clear and steady but very small in the eyepiece. I have ordered a x3 Barlow lens. I also need to improve on the EQ alignment of my mount and probably also on the accuracy of the motor drive. The supplied drive is rather crude.

[Madhatter]

How would you rate the Celestron Astromaster EQ 130 ? i very almost bought on of ebay but was outbid.

Well a quick report on my first night stargazing, i saw some awesome views of the moon, pretty blown away by it too be honest, much better than i exspected , good detail of the craters and its pretty amazing seeing the moon as a sphere, not just a circle in the sky!

Too my utter amazement i was just about able too see saturn! (thanks stellarium for helping me locate!!) it was very small, but the rings were visable with the 20mm, and with the 6mm i could make out a gap beetwen the planet and rings, albiet slightly more blured.

the tripod altho sturdy enough needs alot of manual correction, ie-move the scope too the left abit and let it fall into place..but for £35 i never thought id see what i just have, im stoked:)

[david o]

Congrats on your first light !

[Madhatter]

Thanks david:D i even had a go at astrophotography hehe, going too just look through the pics now, but not exspecting much as it was only a digital camera held too the lense, shakey tripod, shaky hands and a auto focus camera is probably a recipe for disaster, but wanted a picture of the first thing i saw

[Madhatter]

My first photo!, views thru the telescope were much nicer and far better detail..But just for future refferance..

[Ender Of Days]

My first scope (bought back in 1988) was a Tasco 60mm (800mm)f13.3 refractor (bought from Moms Empire Stores club book )

and despite getting a letter from "Sir Patrick" telling me it would be totally useless for any type of photography I managed some amazing pictures of the moon with it,

I used a t-adapter and a 2x converter for the camera (a 35mm Praktica mtl 5b) I was more than happy with it

It also stoked the fires of the hobby until I got a better scope a few years later (an Orion optics Schmidt/newt) which cost significantly more

Good luck and enjoy it,

JJ..

[John]

..... and caught my first ever real-life view of Saturn and it's rings. I used all the magnification my setup could muster. 4mm EP plus x2 Barlow giving a magnification of 325x. The seeing was excellent, locally over grass. With such conditions I believe I could use yet more magnification - Saturn was clear and steady but very small in the eyepiece. I have ordered a x3 Barlow lens. I also need to improve on the EQ alignment of my mount and probably also on the accuracy of the motor drive. The supplied drive is rather crude.

Wow - I'm amazed that you got a clear, sharp view of Saturn at 325x with a 130mm scope, or any scope for that matter.

The max theoretical magnification for a 130mm scope is 260x and, in practice, the max useful magnification is most often around 180x - 200x.

I find 250x more than I can use on most nights with my 250mm newtonian.

I guess your viewing conditions must have been perfect.

[urbanfox]

Hey,

I have got the exact same telescope, I have had some great views of the moon, Saturn, the plaides and can recommend having a look at the orion neb. The only thing I would say is the barlow lens that comes with it is not very good, I tend not to use it.

I have had great fun with this scope although i am now at the point of looking to upgrade it, I would also recommend getting some 10x50 bins.

have fun

[Madhatter]

Glad too hear you got some good use out of your too urbanfox:) i will have too try and find those nebs!

Iv had 5 days good viewing so far, its been clear every night so i cant help but go and have a look up too the skys, have had some awesome views of the moon, great views of saturn and i found my first DSO today i think!!, the double cluster with the unmistakeable formation of stars HIP 10633,HIP 10624,HIP 10816, & HIP 10805.

Im really glad too have a found a new hobby!.