Need Advice Please....First Time Buyer

You've probably seen this post a hundred times. I'm a amateur just getting started and I've been doing a little research for purchasing my first telescope. If someone can make a few recommendations...that would be great.

I was looking at the Celestron 5" Powerseeker 127, Orion Starblast 4.5 inch, or the Orion Skyquest XT 4.5. (The more I look and research the more my amount to spend goes up. I would like to keep it around $250 if possible.) Thanks, Don

While I'm not all that qualified, seeing as how I am also new. I personally suggest the Orion Spaceprobe 130ST: 5.1" 600mm f/5. I have gotten some amazing views with it compared to my 4.5" meade. While it's a little more then you want to spend ($269) it's more then worth the price. It also does a fair job on splitting not so tight doubles, and offers a some good views of Jupiter. I suggest a 2x barlow to double the power of the eyepieces no matter what scope you end up buying, you will find it quite handy.

Then again for another $100 you can get an 8" Antares Dob ($349/free shipping and laser collimator.)

Good luck, and welcome!

was looking at the Celestron 5" Powerseeker 127, Orion Starblast 4.5 inch, or the Orion Skyquest XT 4.5. (The more I look and research the more my amount to spend goes up. I would like to keep it around $250 if possible.) Thanks, Don
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Over the years, more experts have recommended the 6 inch Dobsonian as the all around best first scope. Certainly at the $250 range this is true.

The Dobsonian design gives you the most optical capability for your dollar but more importantly, it provides a simple, intuitive mount that is solid and free from vibration. While the mount does not provide tracking, manual tracking is easy to learn and at this price point, the increased light gathering and resolution possible with the 6 inch mirror will show you more.

The 6 inch F/8 optics are easy to collimate and cool down quickly...With the F/8 optics, the stars are sharp across the FOV.

Anacortes sells the Celestron Starhopper 6 for $249 plus shipping. I have one of the older Celestron 6 inch Starhoppers and have been enjoying even though I have several larger scopes as well. It is a nice balance, big enough to show good planetary detail and the brighter DSOs while being relatively light weight.

http://www.buytelescopes.com/product.asp?t=&pid=7413&m=1

I believe Anacortes also sells the Orion 6 inch DOB...

Someone else suggested the Orion Space Probe 130ST. This is another option, I have one of these as well but use it with a more sturdy mount. There are several reasons I would suggest the 6 inch DOB over the SpaceProbe 130ST. Probably the biggest is that the SpaceProbe mount is marginal, it really should be the next size up and even then I will not be as stable as the Dobsonian mount. Others reasons are the F/5 focal ratio make collimation considerably more difficult and of course the 6 inch mirror is a definite plus.

So, for my money, if I had $250 to spend and wanted to get the most competent scope, the one that was capable of providing many hours of enjoyment and learning, there is no doubt in my mind that it would be a 6 inch Dobsonian...

Clear skies are coming !!!

Jon

PS:
About your choices...

Starblast: A good scope but it is only 4.5 inches and very fast F/4. It is primarly a widefield scope and not optimized for all around viewing. In my view, this makes a better companion scope than a primary scope, the fast focal ratio, F/4 adds significant complexity and has significant drawbacks...

Powerseeker 127... Flimsy mount, way too small. Appears to be a Short Tube newtonian, not a good design optically, a fast mirror with barlow corrector to provide the long focal length... The giveaway is the 5x24 finder... This is guaranty that the manufacturer is cutting corners big time.

XT 4.5: This is a good scope but it is only 4.5 inches and for only $20 more you can have the 6 inch DOB, same design but gathers 80% more light, 33% more resolution, has a parabalic mirror...

I would skip the orion XT4.5 and get the XT6 if the XT4.5 is not on sale for $199 as the XT6 is only $30 more when the XT4.5 is not on sale, therefore a much better value. The XT6 is much larger but the XT4.5 will need to be put on a small table or something for an adult to comfortably use it.

Both have only 1.25" focusers (they cannot be used with 2" eyepieces) so that is not an issue and both come shipped with the same plossl eyepieces also.

The XT4.5 comes with a 6x24 correct image finder while the XT6 comes with a 6x30 NON-correct image finder.

XT6 will give you a lot more light at higher power.

So, if you want small go with the XT4.5 on sale else I would get the XT6 as it is still pretty light as dobs go but a much better value.

I would get the XT6 as you will get much better views of Saturn, etc.

Ed.

Donny,

Since you are new to this, it will be hard to tell what will be best for you since personal preferences and ergonomic and time all play factors, not just optical capability.

I started with refractors, then moved to newtonians on equatorial mounts, driven and undriven, and then on to SCTs. The 1st factor above all that affected my observing was how heavy and large the scope was. So of the group above, the SCT got the most observe time since it was so compact (it was an 8").

Next came the mount. Most of the time I ended up only roughly setting up the equatorial...i.e. aligning it to the pole. To do it with precision for photography was too much of a hassle most of the time.

Size wise I've had scopes from 3" to 8" in the past. I had a 4.25" newt and 5" sct. Ended up giving them both up because the image just was not bright enough, especially for deep sky and even more so if you live in light polluted suburbs.

Today, although I was always against them in the past, I decided to give a Dob a try. I just can't tell you how much fun that design is. Point and shoot! It's fast and fun. Much more so than the equatorials or tripod/fork mounted SCTs.

So my advice for you...since you are a beginner, is the 6" based on your price. It will serve you a long long time. And then when you want more...bump up to a 10 at least instead of an 8. But for now a 6" I feel would be perfect.

If you stretch a little more case...I'd go with the Orion XT6 Inteliquest. I used to do everything with charts and binoculars...and still do on occassion. But as work and home demand more time, I am loving the "push-to" computer to locate my targets. I can go out in the evening and inside of 3 minutes have it all aligned with the computer waiting for commands to show me where to go. It has made life very simple and fast so the only planning time is inside decidings what set of targets to observe so I know what to punch in. And when I don't know that, I just scroll thru the database going to things in close push-to range.

But, if you can't spare the extra cash, then binoculars and a good chart/book is certainly workable, especially if you live in darker areas where it's easy to see a good amount of stars in the evening in the first place so you can star-hop easily. Just means a little more patience.

So the 6" Dob should be absolutely perfect and last a long time. After that, I'm imagining your next post will be about eyepieces Then you'll be in real trouble 8)

-Happy Observing (future)

That is a bit of a rough budget.

I am 5'3" and really cannot use a 6" Dob comfortable at all even sitting down. An 8" sitting down is pretty good, I use a 12.5" F/4.8 Dob standing up just fine.

Watch the ads here, and I would bet you could get a full goto LXD55 and 6" newt for not to much more than your budget if your patient.

It would be pretty hard to improve on Jon Isaacs' advice, so I won't try. I will note that he indicates the mount as the weak point on many of the scopes you were considering. I don't think that you would go wrong with a 6" f 8 dob, and the dob mounts are really very stable.

I would also agree with Joanne Smith that the 8" f6 dob works well and is comfortable viewing from a seated position. That would be my choice for the best all around scope (about the same size and weight as a 6" f8, and exactly the same focal length). It does not quite fit your $250 budget however.

Donny,

Come join us at Frisco Park on the second Saturday of the month. It will give you the opportunity to view through a large variety of refractors, reflectors and SCT's so you can make a well informed choice based upon your personal experience using them. See www.tasobserving.org for the details of this and several other Public Outreach activities hosted by the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas! Feel free to contact me directly if you like....I'm located quite close to you!

Regards,
-Gary