Telescope on e-bay

[maddownunder]

I'm saving for a new telescope, one I got just now not really up the the job. Seen this one on e-bay http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160022187820&ssPa geName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006 (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160022187820&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006)
The seller reakons it's worh nearly $800, but have seen it for sale elsewhere for $375 reduced from $430. Oppinions on whether it would be any good, what I could realisticly hope to see with it and how long I'd have it before wanting to upgrade again. The seller has sold a few of this kind of telescope, all the buyers seemed reasonably pleased with what they got. But whether they were the ones really into Astronomy is another matter. Feed back would be greatly appeciated. Thx.

[Gama]

Save your money, get a nice 10" Dob.
Anything smaller than a 10" will mainly dissapoint. The border line size is 6", but your much better off with a 10". You wont need to upgrade for a while, and its still small enough to transport around easy.
Better still, go to a Astronomy club or to someone you know that has a range of scopes, and look thru them yourself.
I started this upward trend back in 1982 with my first real scope.. a 6" reflector, then an 8", then a 8" SCT then a 10"SCT then a 20" Dob. Now i have a 14" RCX plus to top it a 22" Fork mounted newtonian.
Never ends, so good luck.

[janoskiss]

Leave it be unless you want to find out first hand what experienced astronomers refer to when warning against dept store scopes and ebay scopes.

If you want to buy a good useable scope, let us know your budget and expectations and we'll point you in the right direction. ;)

[[1ponders]]

Don't do it to yourself MDU. You won't find a rickettier (I'm sure it's a word) mount around. Check out some of the scopes a www.andrewscom.com.au and www.myastroshop.com.au or www.bintel.com.au

Steer clear of anything that is on that flimsy mount head.

[janoskiss]

I have to respectfully disagree. I have seen people practically in tears looking at Saturn for the first time through an 80mm scope. A small scope disappoints only if you expect it to perform like a big one. Binos are also small yet very useful and anything but disappointing. Large scopes are fantastic but there is lots of fun to be had with small scopes too (and there are some things only smallers can do). ;)

[janoskiss]

... just augmenting Paul's list (more or less in order of my preference):
www.aoe.com.au
www.staroptics.com.au
www.sirius-optics.com.au
www.astro-optical.com.au

[maddownunder]

Thanks guys ! Hard to know what's a good deal and what's not with so little experiance. Just shows how valuable these forums are.
I'm looking to join a club, I live in new gisborne in Victoria, so looks like the nearest clubs would be melbourne or Snake valley. Just not sure about the travel time just now. Would like to hear from any other astronomers that are in my area. Thx again guys.

[RAJAH235]

Hi maddownunder.. Contact either Darren in Melbourne or Ken in Snake Valley from here (http://snake-valley-astro.homelinux.org/)
There is an upcoming Astro Camp in Snake Valley.. see here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=12072)..
:D L.

[janoskiss]

Wish I could say we Victorians have regular meetings like the Sydneysiders do, but we do not. :( But I for one am keen to see that change... You live in a pretty good spot and I guess your skies are better than average, and you certainly have excellent skies just a short drive away.

I am yet to join the ASV (www.asv.org.au) but I expect it will be worthwhile doing so.

Do come along to the Snake Valley camp if you can. See link in Rajah's post above.

[jjjnettie]

I had a similar one, a Saxon 130mm, lent to me for a few months with an option to buy.
It didn't take long to decide against it. The OTA (tube) itself was ok, but the eyepieces were of poor quality and the rest of the scope was altogether too wobbly and easily shaken, spoiling the view and frustrating the hell out of me.
For only a little more money you can pick yourself up a nice scope with a larger apeture and better quality eyepieces thrown in for the price.
I bought mine from Andrewscom.com.au.
You're doing the right thing by researching before buying.

[netwolf]

Get yourself some 10x50 binos and learn the sky first. Its amazing what you can see with binos, and its amazing how many newbies dont know the sky. Save your money and buy a better scope, my friend was given that very scope thats up for auction. And belive me its not worth it, its to wobly the focuser is crap, the EP's are crap. If you want something small and easy to use look at the Meade ETX series these are small portable and has built in tours to let you see more of the sky. However these start around 1000$ for a 90mm, for half that you can get a 10" (250mm) dob plus a good skychart. But the 10" will let you see much much more detail an is good for planetary and deepsky. The ETX's are Mak-Cas setups and are great for planetary, and some deep sky. The problem with the Mak-cas is the smaller field of view means you will see a small portion of the deep sky object, and not the whole as with a 10" dob.

Dobs are light buckets mostly for visual use, imaging is possible but limited. Also limited in that you need to know where to point. You can add Digital Setting Circles (push to) which gives you direction to push to the object you want to see. The best here is Argo-Navis, but you can DIY some, and other cheaper ones come up 2nd hand.

Regards

[ballaratdragons]

Hi Madd,

You are more than welcome to join the Snake Valley Astronomical Association. You don't have to live here. We have members in Melbourne, the other side of Melbourne and even one in Perth!

We meet monthly for observing so it's not like you have to travel every week.
And the group nights aren't taken up with committee meetings. There's viewing to be done, why muck it up with meetings. And some don't come every month.

That's the good thing, you don't have to come every month. You please yourself when you want to come. But the facilities and book & accessories library is available to you to use.
And our Friendship :thumbsup:

Which ever Club you end up being a part of, It is a great way to learn which scopes you like and help with learning more about Astronomy.

Try to make it up to our Astronomy Camp in November and you will get to sample all sorts of scopes.

[johnno]

Hi All,

Some very good advice in the above posts,

WELL,worth listening to.

Larger Scopes,are great,
An awful lot can be seen well,in
Smaller GOOD one's,AND Binoculars,Smaller instruments have their place in Astronomy Too.
well worth remembering.

Regards.
John

[Gama]

I think maybe those people are still swinging from trees ! (Dont feed the monkeys).
Anyone in there right mind would pick a 10" dob over a 80mm, even an APO for those faint objects where brute aperature is required..
The other people buying larger scopes are out of there mind, and im one of them.
Maybe those people who were in tears, was because of the lack or both resolution and light grasp ?.
A decent 10" would out resolve the best 3 and 4" APO's, further those fuzzies would not even register on the "What the hell is that thing" Register.
I use a 102mm Acro refractor on my setup as a guidescope.

Better images of saturn thru a 80mm will not stand if you use the same power. Cant compare 80X to 160X etc.
In any event, he specifically said how long he needed to wait before upgrading.. Thats the bug talking.. so hopefully the 10" will ease the hunger for those inches.

[OneOfOne]

I am a member of the ASV and our dark site is north of Melbourne, and not that far from you. We have regular viewings up there every month, general meeting near the Shrine. You should be able to find people there who will give you some sound advice, I expect a lot of them are already members of this forum and have probably already offered some!

[ving]

take the advise of the people above because its good advise. if you feel the burning desire to by fromthat ebay shop (and kyou are better off not caue there are better deals out there) then his 6" dob would be alot better. :)

hey, welcome aboard :)

[mickoking]

My rule of thumb for minimum aperture for Astronomy;

Refractor, 80mm (3.1")
Reflector, 150mm (6")I have 3 'scopes 300mm, 120mm, 80mm they all get used and have their stengths and weaknesses. There is nothing wrong with a smaller telescope if it is well made, you use good eyepieces and you have realistic expectations of their limits.