dear friends,I am looking for a telescope that is easy to use, light in weight and quality optics. I guess I want everything.I have seriously considered an 8" discovery dobson, celestron nexstar5, meade 125etx, meade lx90 8 inch.......the meade ad for the lx90 really pulled me in. Then someone mention tele-vue optics are out of this world. Keep in mind I have a wife and two kids. A telescope that takes one hour to set up means I won't be viewing many stars. The more I research the more I get confused. Please help me you wise experienced star gazers!!!!!!!
what telescope should I buy???????
Started by bluemax, 07/19/2002 03:11AM
Posted 07/19/2002 03:11AM
Opening Post
Posted 07/19/2002 04:22AM
#1
John
Don't buy any for a year.
Go to a bunch of star parties--you will find plenty of other people's scopes to look through for free.
Borrow a scope (or a series of scopes) from your local club.
Then decide what you want to do.
Then decide which scope is best for you to do it with.
Alex
Don't buy any for a year.
Go to a bunch of star parties--you will find plenty of other people's scopes to look through for free.
Borrow a scope (or a series of scopes) from your local club.
Then decide what you want to do.
Then decide which scope is best for you to do it with.
Alex
Posted 07/19/2002 05:35AM
#2
Hello John,
For an idea of how DSO look like with a 4" APO (such as the Tele Vue 102), see this site.
http://members.cox.net/ronby/Palatable_4-inch.htm
For an idea of how Mars would look like through a 4" APO,
see this site.
http://panther-observatory.com/gallery/planets/doc/MarsCollage2001.htm
Mars will be even more spectacular in 2003.
For me and my lifestyle, the 4" APO has worked out for me far beyond my original expectation.
Ron B[ee]
PS Astromart ate my earlier long reply :-(.
For an idea of how DSO look like with a 4" APO (such as the Tele Vue 102), see this site.
http://members.cox.net/ronby/Palatable_4-inch.htm
For an idea of how Mars would look like through a 4" APO,
see this site.
http://panther-observatory.com/gallery/planets/doc/MarsCollage2001.htm
Mars will be even more spectacular in 2003.
For me and my lifestyle, the 4" APO has worked out for me far beyond my original expectation.
Ron B[ee]
PS Astromart ate my earlier long reply :-(.
Posted 07/19/2002 01:54PM
#3
I recommend you do the following:
1.Go to a star party.
2.Get the largest aperture scope you can confortably carry around.
3.Get a pair of binos or a small refractor either of which can be used for both learning the sky and for quick looks.
If you will be traveling with your scope (like me)then
2b.Get the largest aperture scope you can confortably travel with OR
3b.Get a 4 inch short tube refractor/5 inch SCT for travel use and binos.
1.Go to a star party.
2.Get the largest aperture scope you can confortably carry around.
3.Get a pair of binos or a small refractor either of which can be used for both learning the sky and for quick looks.
If you will be traveling with your scope (like me)then
2b.Get the largest aperture scope you can confortably travel with OR
3b.Get a 4 inch short tube refractor/5 inch SCT for travel use and binos.
Posted 07/19/2002 03:06PM
#4
John,
For what it's worth: I am in the same boat as you. Wife, 3 young children, so when I bought my 2nd scope(first was a costco Meade ds114), I was looking for something I could just pickup and move from my garage to the driveway. At the time, I still didn't know the sky very well, so I choose a Meade lx10. I build a little wheely platform that allowed me to just wheel it out, even though it was light enough to carry. After about 3 months, I started getting tired of searching for stuff in my light polluted skies. Then the 12" LX200 deal came about, so I jumped at the chance. Although I can no longer leave it setup and just haul it out when I want, it still only take me about 10 to 15 minutes to set up in alt/az. The wonder of the scope was the goto (the larger optics helped as well). I no longer had to spend an entire night searching for 2 or 3 objects.
IMHO, if portability and time are your main considerations, then either the LX90 or the 10" LX200 would be ideal. Just remember, you can get more aperature from a larger dob for less money, but portability comes into play. And, if you want a goto, you will have to add dsc's...
Don
For what it's worth: I am in the same boat as you. Wife, 3 young children, so when I bought my 2nd scope(first was a costco Meade ds114), I was looking for something I could just pickup and move from my garage to the driveway. At the time, I still didn't know the sky very well, so I choose a Meade lx10. I build a little wheely platform that allowed me to just wheel it out, even though it was light enough to carry. After about 3 months, I started getting tired of searching for stuff in my light polluted skies. Then the 12" LX200 deal came about, so I jumped at the chance. Although I can no longer leave it setup and just haul it out when I want, it still only take me about 10 to 15 minutes to set up in alt/az. The wonder of the scope was the goto (the larger optics helped as well). I no longer had to spend an entire night searching for 2 or 3 objects.
IMHO, if portability and time are your main considerations, then either the LX90 or the 10" LX200 would be ideal. Just remember, you can get more aperature from a larger dob for less money, but portability comes into play. And, if you want a goto, you will have to add dsc's...
Don
Don Spencer
http://members.cox.net/ecdon/astrophotography.html
Posted 07/19/2002 03:45PM
#5
I have a TV 102 on a Gibraltar mount with Skytour. It's easy to use, quick to set up and cool down, and provides superb views of the moon and planets. But it's only 4" of aperture, and DSO's are disappointing (though to be fair, I have never used it under dark skies). Now I'm waiting for a 10" Portaball. I wish I could keep them both, but I can't really justify spending $6K on this hobby. My advice is to go with a Dob if you must have a scope right away, they are less expensive, and they will show you more.
Posted 07/19/2002 07:19PM
#6
hi John-
I will second the advice of many others on this thread- get thee to a star party! There, you will see many types of scopes and most of the time, their owners are more than happy to discuss the pros and cons of their various scopes with you, and they are generally also glad to allow you some looks through them.
Many of us amateur astronomers who've been in the hobby for awhile end up with a couple different types of scope. No one type scope can do it all and do it all perfectly.
Dobsonians, a type of reflector with a simple, easy to use base, are great first scopes in the 10" and under range (I'd stick with 6" or 8" for a first scope, especially if your kids are younger); they give the most bang for your buck and are very easy to set up and use. Refractors are generally great for planets, double stars and brighter deep-sky objects, but they can get very expensive in large apertures. SCTs and Maksutovs are good all-around scopes (and excellent for astrophotography) but beware of the larger sized ones because they will take awhile for you to set up compared to other types, and they can get cumbersome in the larger sizes.
We may all be a bit biased as to the type of scope we prefer, but I still see many of us ending up with a reflector and a refractor, or an SCT and a refractor, or any combination thereof. Just goes to show you that your viewing options will be increased if you have more than one type of scope, but I don't recommend this for a beginner. That's why it's a very very good idea to check out as many types of scope as you can first, viz. a star party. You will not be sorry if you do a bit of hands-on research first!
You may also want to try first a pair of 7x50 binoculars, or even any old binoculars you may already happen to own. You would be amazed by how much more you can see with a pair of binoculars compared to just your two eyes. I used binoculars for many years before I bought a scope. They are cheap, easy to carry and show a lovely wide field of view. Some objects, such as the Milky Way starfields and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the double cluster in Perseus, are actually their best in binoculars.
Let us know what you decide to do, but I can't stress enough that you should check out a star party first, even if you have to drive 100 miles to do it! You will save money and time this way.
Good luck!
I will second the advice of many others on this thread- get thee to a star party! There, you will see many types of scopes and most of the time, their owners are more than happy to discuss the pros and cons of their various scopes with you, and they are generally also glad to allow you some looks through them.
Many of us amateur astronomers who've been in the hobby for awhile end up with a couple different types of scope. No one type scope can do it all and do it all perfectly.
Dobsonians, a type of reflector with a simple, easy to use base, are great first scopes in the 10" and under range (I'd stick with 6" or 8" for a first scope, especially if your kids are younger); they give the most bang for your buck and are very easy to set up and use. Refractors are generally great for planets, double stars and brighter deep-sky objects, but they can get very expensive in large apertures. SCTs and Maksutovs are good all-around scopes (and excellent for astrophotography) but beware of the larger sized ones because they will take awhile for you to set up compared to other types, and they can get cumbersome in the larger sizes.
We may all be a bit biased as to the type of scope we prefer, but I still see many of us ending up with a reflector and a refractor, or an SCT and a refractor, or any combination thereof. Just goes to show you that your viewing options will be increased if you have more than one type of scope, but I don't recommend this for a beginner. That's why it's a very very good idea to check out as many types of scope as you can first, viz. a star party. You will not be sorry if you do a bit of hands-on research first!
You may also want to try first a pair of 7x50 binoculars, or even any old binoculars you may already happen to own. You would be amazed by how much more you can see with a pair of binoculars compared to just your two eyes. I used binoculars for many years before I bought a scope. They are cheap, easy to carry and show a lovely wide field of view. Some objects, such as the Milky Way starfields and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the double cluster in Perseus, are actually their best in binoculars.
Let us know what you decide to do, but I can't stress enough that you should check out a star party first, even if you have to drive 100 miles to do it! You will save money and time this way.
Good luck!
Posted 07/19/2002 10:10PM
#7
John,
One thing that's been alluded to , but not really discussed so far are the "accessories!" In my case, I must use my glasses for viewing. I started out with a NexStar 5 and now have the 8" also. I love the GOTO, and have laerned my way around the sky as well. Set up is quick and the 5" is portable. However, I have invested in a new high performance diagonal, various filters, and several eyepieces. All of which more than equal the cost of my first telescope setup. Now I will admit I have bought mostly all TeleVue stuff, which is not the cheapest around.
The bottom line: look at your total budget and try to find a local shop that will be competitive and let you try out eyepieces.
Good Luck, Pete
One thing that's been alluded to , but not really discussed so far are the "accessories!" In my case, I must use my glasses for viewing. I started out with a NexStar 5 and now have the 8" also. I love the GOTO, and have laerned my way around the sky as well. Set up is quick and the 5" is portable. However, I have invested in a new high performance diagonal, various filters, and several eyepieces. All of which more than equal the cost of my first telescope setup. Now I will admit I have bought mostly all TeleVue stuff, which is not the cheapest around.
The bottom line: look at your total budget and try to find a local shop that will be competitive and let you try out eyepieces.
Good Luck, Pete
Posted 07/20/2002 12:06AM
#8
the LX90 is a really nice scope! Great tracking & really good goto! & it wont break the bank! The optics are nice, but probably not as good as a dob like discovery or maybee orion. I guess it depends on how much you like electronics like goto, or optics better! Dont get me wrong the optics on a meade lx90 are really pretty good, no slouch there!
I hope this helps
thanks David
I hope this helps
thanks David
Posted 07/20/2002 02:08AM
#9
To get satisfaction from astronomy, you have to make progress. Progress, requires regular observing sessions. To observe regularly, you need a convenient observing environment. The scope is at least 50% of that environment. The remainder is the observing site. Be it ever so humble/light polluted/obstructed there's no place like home; 'cause that's normally where you are when it gets dark. An imperfect scope at an imperfect observing site that will be used 3 or 4 times a week is much better than visiting the perfect viewing site with the perfect scope once a month.
The scope that has given me the most satisfaction is a Meade ETX125. The Meade has many warts, but optically it gives up little to my TV102. It's versatile. GoTo with Autostar or NON-GoTo with hand paddle. Alt-Az mount or Polar mount(using wedge) on #887 tripod are both reasonably stable. I've settled on non-GoTo operation with scope polar mounted. It tracks targets quite well with rough polar alignment. With the obstructions around the yard, a good alignment for GoTo operation would be impossible. It's mounted and ready to be carried outdoors at any time. Height is good for seated viewing, especially with a Starbound chair. Scope's moment arm is short so swinging between widely separated targets doesn't require much furniture movement to get comfortable again. Using the hand paddle the scope can be nudged into the desired position with good precision....however, the infamous ETX gear backlash IS aggravating. Because the axes are locked, there's no problem with the scope wandering off target when you change eyepieces. However, for all it's good qualities, I will probably replace the ETX with an LX90 on a wedge in the future IF an LX90 can be made to track in polar mode without a star alignment and IF it can be moved easily when mounted on its tripod. GoTo will be for showing the astro-sights to others.
Up-thread someone said that once you have had a Dob you'll never go back; or words to that effect. It wasn't true for me. My first scope was a 10" Dob because I thought it optically gave me the most "bang for the buck". However the frustration of getting it on a target and keeping it there caused me to abandon astronomy for a time (I AM a card carrying Klutz). I'm tempted by those sweet looking PortaBalls; but I know they're NOT for me. The lure of the ETX's GoTo brought me back. Then the ETX taught me how to get around the sky without GoTo. That was PROGRESS.
It's been said that the best scope is the one you'll use the most. A far-from-perfect scope turned out to be the best for this beginner.
Bob Young
The scope that has given me the most satisfaction is a Meade ETX125. The Meade has many warts, but optically it gives up little to my TV102. It's versatile. GoTo with Autostar or NON-GoTo with hand paddle. Alt-Az mount or Polar mount(using wedge) on #887 tripod are both reasonably stable. I've settled on non-GoTo operation with scope polar mounted. It tracks targets quite well with rough polar alignment. With the obstructions around the yard, a good alignment for GoTo operation would be impossible. It's mounted and ready to be carried outdoors at any time. Height is good for seated viewing, especially with a Starbound chair. Scope's moment arm is short so swinging between widely separated targets doesn't require much furniture movement to get comfortable again. Using the hand paddle the scope can be nudged into the desired position with good precision....however, the infamous ETX gear backlash IS aggravating. Because the axes are locked, there's no problem with the scope wandering off target when you change eyepieces. However, for all it's good qualities, I will probably replace the ETX with an LX90 on a wedge in the future IF an LX90 can be made to track in polar mode without a star alignment and IF it can be moved easily when mounted on its tripod. GoTo will be for showing the astro-sights to others.
Up-thread someone said that once you have had a Dob you'll never go back; or words to that effect. It wasn't true for me. My first scope was a 10" Dob because I thought it optically gave me the most "bang for the buck". However the frustration of getting it on a target and keeping it there caused me to abandon astronomy for a time (I AM a card carrying Klutz). I'm tempted by those sweet looking PortaBalls; but I know they're NOT for me. The lure of the ETX's GoTo brought me back. Then the ETX taught me how to get around the sky without GoTo. That was PROGRESS.
It's been said that the best scope is the one you'll use the most. A far-from-perfect scope turned out to be the best for this beginner.
Bob Young
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