is this a good scope?? It looks good but it seems to cheap to be true..! It's from Andrews Comm
Beta RE 80mm x 500mm refractor with strong camera tripod!
$299.00 AUD
Beta RE 80mm x 500mm refractor OTA (optical tube assembly). Includes strong h/d camera tripod, Plossl 10mm and 25mm eyepieces, 5x24 erect image finderscope, 45° prism diagonal, Moon filter, genuine BAADER objective lens solar filter and a nice carry case, too!!
Focuser has a standard SCT visual back adaptor with camera T-thread.
Visual back is 44mm inside diameter, thereby allowing 2" eyepieces to be utilised (when a 2" SCT adaptor is fitted). Some vignetting (obscuring of the field) may occur, of course. Dovetail bar has several standard 1/4"-20 holes. These will accept the Skywatcher 1/4"-20 (AZ3) "bridge".
do you want it for visual or a guide scope..for visual astronomy a small fast refractor will be challenging and also require premium ep's. the solar filter can be made for any scope relatively cheaply.
just seemed like a good deal with the moon filter and solar filter... i might buy it for solar viewing... you never know
Tony dont listen to me its just my personal opinion you have $300 to put towards something else. I dont know what you have now so if its a side move to solar well its prabaly a good deal to have a try and see if you like. But if its your first scope then you would be looking to upgrade in no time at all to some quality glass.
i have an 8" dob... probably gonna get a heq5 by the end of this year for possible webcam and digital imaging... just that my birthday is coming up and i wanted to see what cheap things astronomical i could get
Tony, think very carefully if you are considering Solar viewing. It is not something that should be considered lightly. You can loose your eyesight quicker than you can pull your eye away. In fact you wouldn't even feel it going. Don't risk it on a solar filter if you know nothing about it. The addvert may say "genuine BAADER objective solar filter" but do you really want to risk your eyesight if you don't know for sure.
My suggestion is, if you decide to get this telescope, when you find the solar filter, cut it into pieces and throw it away.
If by chance you find that it is an eyepiece filter that you screw into the end of an eyepiece, smash it with a hammer. Never use it.
My suggestion is, if you decide to get this telescope, when you find the solar filter, cut it into pieces and throw it away.
If by chance you find that it is an eyepiece filter that you screw into the end of an eyepiece, smash it with a hammer. Never use it.
This is the best advice given so far in this thread by a country mile.
Cheap solar filters are not an option IMO and "eyepiece type" solar filters have actually been illegal to sell in Australia for at least 20 years that I can remember.
I would avoid that telescope at all cost. Save a few more dollars and get yourself an 8" dobsonian for about $400.
Astronomics in the USA sell the Beta RE 80mm. They also run the cloudynights website and are well respected. I don't think they'd sell anything that was dangerous to use, so this is probably an okay cheap package to buy. I recall seeing one or two comments by users in the USA indicating that it is a reasonable scope too. However there are more productive ways to spend your cash IMHO:
1. Phone Sirius Optics and ask Ron how much for a Lunt 35mm H-alpha (solar) telescope. These come with mounting rings and mounting foot and cost US$500 - I'd guess about $600 to $650 from Sirius?
Tony, think very carefully if you are considering Solar viewing. It is not something that should be considered lightly. You can loose your eyesight quicker than you can pull your eye away. In fact you wouldn't even feel it going. Don't risk it on a solar filter if you know nothing about it. The addvert may say "genuine BAADER objective solar filter" but do you really want to risk your eyesight if you don't know for sure.
My suggestion is, if you decide to get this telescope, when you find the solar filter, cut it into pieces and throw it away.
If by chance you find that it is an eyepiece filter that you screw into the end of an eyepiece, smash it with a hammer. Never use it.
Strong statement. I'm sure Andrews would not sell something that would cause an injury? However the total price is not inducive of a product including a baader item. You need to ring Andrews and get some detailed specs then go over to the solar threads and ask some questions. I will be the first on here to admit I know zilch about solar observing.
Maybe not now, but they used to sell a little refractor that had the solar filter that screwed into the eyepiece (no longer sold). I'd rather not trust my eyesight to something that I wasn't confident with when "genuine Baader solar objective film" can be bought for around $50 an A4 sheet.
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However the total price is not inducive of a product including a baader item. You need to ring Andrews and get some detailed specs then go over to the solar threads and ask some questions. I will be the first on here to admit I know zilch about solar observing.
