Thoughts on Skywatcher 4.5 inch Newtonian on EQ mount

[Mountain_Wanderer]

Hi guys, keen to get your thoughts on the Skywatcher SW450, 4.5 inch Newtonian on Equatorial mount EQ 1/2 with motor drive.

This is a cheap telescope and I'm a beginner on a budget. I already have 70mm binoculars which are awesome. I would love to get an 8 inch dobsonian but don't have the cash.

My question is mainly about how good is a 4.5 inch aperature? I want to see the main deep sky objects at a decent level of detail. Will I be wasting my money on 4.5 inches of aperature? Is it decent enough?

Other question is regarding the mount. I want the telescope to track objects accurately. I understand this mount won't be good enough for astrophotography, but don't mind that. I just want to locate and smoothly track planets and galaxies - visual astronomy is my priority. Is this mount good for the job? What are the problems with it, if any?

[raymo]

Hi, Mountain Wanderer. This question is like asking how long is a piece of string. The 4.5" would be fine for some people, and disappointing for others. It all depends what your expectations are. With the rig you
mention, the deciding factor would be the mount rather than the scope.
The EQ1 and 2 are not really stable enough for any serious viewing
with the 4.5". Are you familiar with aligning an EQ mount so that it will track quite well? It's not just a matter of plonking the scope down and
switching on the motor. If your primary interest is in viewing deep sky
objects, you will soon tire of 4.5. The SW450 with motor drive would
surely cost nearly the same as an 8" dob. You could get a used 8" dob
for around $300, possibly less. Keep your eyes on the classidieds here.
raymo

[Steffen]

Even a new 6" Dob ($299 from Andrews at the moment) would be better than a 114mm Newt with all-plastic fittings and spherical mirror on a jittery EQ mount.

Cheers
Steffen.

[Mountain_Wanderer]

Thanks for the feedback, people

[dannat]

what state do you livein -r u in a big city? 4.5" is fine but i live in country i a fairly dk area -in Melb 4.5" reflector i find pretty useless (except for moon/planets)

it helps when you're starting out to find someone local to show you a couple of scopes -or look up the state astronomical society

[brian nordstrom]

:) There is a Bintel 150mm f8 dob for sale on Gumtree now in the Sydney area for only $200 a great buy , have a look if you are close.
Brian.

[ZeroID]

HI MW, I started with a 4.5" f8 on a cheap EQ2(?) mount and it was surprisingly good. But it only cost me $50 so not a problem. But it did get me hooked and I built a 10" f5 not long after. The 4.5 is now with my granddaughter and in a dark sky area where they live. Still impresses me how well it does when I visit.
But I'd still advise going with at least 8" and preferably 10", the visual difference is considerable.