Scope as a gift...

[PrideKnight]

I'm hoping this thread doesn't invoke wrath, I kinda get the feeling giving a Telescope as a gift might be akin to gifting a fluffy animal, but anyway here we go...

I am wanting to get a telescope for my partner's birthday in May. We have discussed the proposition of getting one for ages (we are both massive space nuts) and it will compliment his joke present nicely (can't see your martian plot without a telescope!!).

As I am very fresh to all this I am somewhat getting my head around things and just need some general information.

I am leaning towards a refractor with azi-alt, though the fact my partner is into photography leads me to GEM. Alternatively the dobsonians look like they are favoured by many, but seem to be quite clunky, and we would want to take it camping etc.

As far as object viewing, primarily planets and nebulas, so I am guessing I will need to get something fairly all-round.. so what I am asking for is some pointers and advice. There are a couple that I am looking at on Andrew's, but I just wanna get some ideas first/

Cheers
PK

[acropolite]

Chris, you seem to have a grasp of the equipment and terminology, but with those choices there are budget considerations that need to be addressed.

For sheer bang for your buck you can't go past a dob setup, particularly if your going to use it for visual.

Refractors are expensive for any reasonable aperture.

The GEM route is expensive, your budget for semi decent mount (Heq5 or EQ6 as a minimum) and OTA & related accesories is likely to run to over $3000.

If you can manage it, an 8 inch dob or an 8 inch SCT would give you reasonable portability. An 8 inch dob would cost less than 15% of the price of something like a Meade Lx90 SCT, but the Meade will have tracking and Go-to capabilities.

[Kevnool]

Chris .....size matters....if you go to small you and your partner may not get hooked but there is alot of great viewing in the night sky but if your apertures to small you may miss it and lose the interest.
Please give it a good thinking over....cheers Kev.

[Jen]

how much have ya got to spend :D that always helps :thumbsup: then we will go shopping ;)

[PrideKnight]

I'm thinking bang for buck is probably the most important, and can see how getting hooked would be a good pre-requisite, anything stu wants to buy himself after the initial snag is on his own bat. Jen I am looking probably from $200 up to about $600 at absolute max, I know that limits my options somewhat, but its not even a big birthday, so he can suffer :)

[mark3d]

it sounds like a dobsonian or GEM mounted reflector of 6" or so would be good :)

forget astrophotography unless you made a mistake and left a zero off your stated budget .. seriously.. (from what i read anyway) :)

[PrideKnight]

lol, well like I said, anything after the initial scope is off his own bat. i think I'm more and more leaning to the dob, probably about 6 or 8".

thanks for your advice so far folks

[Ford Prefect]

With that budget, go for the biggest dob you can afford ;)

[JethroB76]

On that budget, go the Dob..

[PrideKnight]

sweet as, well i think I will go with the collapsible Dob 8" from Andrew's. Reckon thats the best offer I can see.

Thanks again all!!

[rmcpb]

Good choice BUT if astrophotography is a long term goal a collapsible scope will not be able to be mounted on a GEM, you would need a solid tube scope for that.

Now, you will need to get a couple of other things along with the scope. A collimating eyepiece is essential otherwise the views will surely disappoint. A red torch to stop night blindness when using sky charts and a stool so you don't have to bend down all night and get dobber's back.

[PrideKnight]

so "Dobsonian" is more about the mount than the scope? If I get a solid "dobsonian" scope I can take it off the mount and put it on a GEM later?

already got the torch, nice little led one, i might hold off on the stool, i'm a sadist and like the thought of hurting his back (we actually have a perfect height porch which will make a great viewing platform).

[rmcpb]

On a porch will cause problems because you can't get all around the scope and any vibrations will be greatly magnified. The stool does not have to be fancy, I often use one of those little fold up camp stools.

[Jen]

:hi: Hi Chris ok lets go shopping a dob it is :thumbsup:

PS if he dosnt like your pressie just thought i would let you know that
I LOVE PRESSIES :P;) :lol:
:D

[Ford Prefect]

Yes. The Dobsonian mount is a cheap alt-az rocker base on which your telescope will sit - the low cost of the mount means you can spend more on the telescope itself. I bought a 12" dob for $1000, there's no way I could afford even a 10" scope on a decent GEM. The dob mount is kinda like a big lazy-susan with trunnions.

http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Dobsonian.jpg

Providing you don't get bigger than a 10" dob, you can later buy mounting rings and put your scope on a GEM. You could do it with a 12" dob, but it would cost a bundle.