Advice please on cheap scope

[june (June)]

Originally Posted by Coen

As the saying goes, aperture rules but then again so does ones budget.

Thought I'd share my experience: I have a soon to be 14 & 12 yr old and a 9 yr old. The soon to be 12 yr old is the most interested although the 14 yr old will have a peek especially at open clusters.

I have been interested in astronomy for close to 30 years (sad how quick that number comes) but budget is what budget is when it comes to kids and priorities. Anyway recently bought the 70x900 refractor on the EQ1 after my 60mm refractor finally died after 25+ years of service. Yes the mount is not set in concrete stable but it works for the price. Assuming you know how to set it up it tracks well enough to get the power up when the conditions suit.

My two oldest kids have rapidly learnt how to use it (i.e. it did not take much, unlock these two nuts, swing around to what you want to look at and re-tighten, the reason for the at first odd way is to compensate for the Earth's rotation etc.). In particular my 12 yr old is very adept at zipping around the sky and loves looking at globular clusters. The optics on the scope are fine and I get lovely views of clusters, double stars and the brighter nebulae such as M42, Eta Carina, M8, M20, M16 etc. I've also bagged a number of the brighter galaxies such as NGC5128 (can see the dust lane with patience and conditions suiting), NGC253, M65, M66 etc. Basically pretty much all of the Messier objects are doable (assuming the right latitude). All of this from outer suburbia. The scope is also fine for bagging about 5 of Saturn's moons and watching the shadow transits of Jupiter's principle four moons (Io is a challenge). It is also straight forward to safely project the Sun onto white paper to check for spots (boring at the moment). I have also managed to introduce many new people various nice objects as the scope is readily portable (can lift with one hand and carry around). The telescope also helps with training yourself to observe and see rather than a quick glance and move on.

So get as big an aperture as you can afford (I'd love to get an 8 inch reflector and will do so one day but on an EQ mount - that is just me) as you will get better views but don't dismiss the smaller scopes as cheaper introductions to the hobby as the optics these days on brands such as Skywatcher are more than reasonable.

Above all enjoy and check out scopes at astronomy clubs open nights to give you a sense for how big they are and how they work.

Hey Coen, I hear you matey an 8' on an EQ mount yes well that just sounds like a lovely option. One day...but kids and mortgage do come first and I'll get there eventually. I'm looking at an 8' Dob and with the weather taking a bad turn here in Melbourne that will buy me some time, I can't wait, I'm so excitied I feel like a little kid...hahahahaha. Well you and the have a safe and fantastic easter break, thunder is cracking down...best sign off now...cheers matey

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by june

Hey Coen, I hear you matey an 8' on an EQ mount yes well that just sounds like a lovely option. One day...but kids and mortgage do come first and I'll get there eventually. I'm looking at an 8' Dob and with the weather taking a bad turn here in Melbourne that will buy me some time, I can't wait, I'm so excitied I feel like a little kid...hahahahaha. Well you and the have a safe and fantastic easter break, thunder is cracking down...best sign off now...cheers matey

If you ever decide you want to move the tube unit from the dob mount to an EQ mount, that can be done without much difficulty (just some $s!)

[june (June)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

You're most welcome June.
Please keep us posted about your purchase. We definitely need more of the fairer sex on this forum.

I totally agree with you there, I've always loved astronomy just never crossed my mind to purchase a scope until our eldest son took interest in astronomy, he asked one day why we didn't have a telescope to look into spaceI was going to purchase us a national geo one and then found IIC....it has been a love affair to blossom nowooohhh better get off now, storms are getting louder and our animals are getting plus I don't want to get sparked in the middle of typying....hehehehe, well take it easy and cheerio

[june (June)]

Originally Posted by erick

If you ever decide you want to move the tube unit from the dob mount to an EQ mount, that can be done without much difficulty (just some $s!)

yes well it always comes down to the $$$ doesn't it...hahahaha. My question..which probably sounds pretty stupid because I can't see it being possible but can you mount a collapsible Dob onto an EQ and which is better tube or collapsible?

[Coen]

Yes you can mount collapse-able onto EQ if you have the skills and the dollars - is it worth it: probably not. The collapse dob is designed that way for portability.

An alternative to an EQ mount for the dob is a wedge-plate underneath. There are some fancy ones around or you can make it yourself (essentially fits under the base of the dob and puts it at the right angle for your latitude). I assume it works better at higher latitudes than lower.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by june

.....which is better tube or collapsible?

Solid tube - unless you have a desperate problem with storage space in house/garage and transport space in car!

Don't try to mount a collapsible (truss or strut) on an EQ mount. As Coen suggests, an equatorial table would give you tracking for a dob so you can follow the movement of the stars. But it's not a cheap option. I see one listed for US$615 plus shipping from USA

My humble views.................

[june (June)]

Finally made my first payment on our first Telescope..WOOHOOO!!!!! It is almost another year and I'm sick and tired of procrastinating about it, I've been on here enough and asked for all the advice I can get and researched as much as I can.

I picked myself up and pulled myself out of the rut and would like to thank you all so much for your sound advice and knowledge on this matter.

I've gone for the Guan Sheng 8' Super Deluxe, they have a pretty good package going at the moment at Andrews Communication and I thought with my freelance money I can make payments and have it in time for christmas, so thats covered. I'm so excitied and happy I waited as I think I've made a wise decision in my purchase.

Now I'm a real novice in this department so I barely know the basics, I did have my partners friend say that if would be no good in our backyard as it has too much light pollution, so I said to my partner, well until I speak to the experts then I'll wait to make that decision.

I know, I'm rambling, anyway, I spoke to a lovely chap at Andrews named Luke and he said that I could always get filters as I get into it, now in my brain kicked in the expensive part of it all but I figured well, we don't go out, we very really eat out, I've given up smoking and everything else so SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!!!!!!

So I would be happy and open to anyone with any advice and knowledge about where I can take it from here, plus I know bugger all so it will be good to go back to MR Smarty Pants (Partners mate) and tell him well I know for a fact, this, this and that because my mates at IIS told me

[erick (Eric)]

We'll show Mr Smarty Pants! Even with light pollution around, there are things you can see through the 8" scope that will be fantastic. Detail on the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn. Phases of Venus. Lovely open star clusters and double stars. And, with care and persistence, you can pull in some globular clusters and nebulae!

[june (June)]

thank you Erik I knew I could rely on the IIS community for help, I just can't wait to get it in my hands and have a go, so in the meantime I'm go to go through the site and read up some more and ask more questions so that when our Dob arrives I at least have some clue as to what is going on