See Through Telescope

Volans · #1 09-02-2006, 03:21 PM

G'day All,

I purchased a copy of the most recent Sky and Space magazine today and an advertisment on page 92 caught my eye.

I have seen a telescope exactly like this for sale in an Australian Geographic catalogue. The accompanying article in that catalogue on "Tips for Beginners" was so full of mistakes and Northern Hemisphere bias that I felt compelled to write a letter to AG (never got a reply - fancy that!) and in that letter I also pointed out some of the concerns I had with the truss stlye scope.

For those of you that have not seen the type of scope I'm talking about, imagine a typical 4.5" reflector on a spindly German Equatorial mount and all of that atop an even spindlier tripod. The only difference is this: instead of a tube for the telescope's optics, they are held inside a truss system.

The telescope is advertised as very easliy assembled and no doubt it is. But how is a complete novice supposed to collimate this scope once assembled? What about the huge amount of incidental light comming in through the truss? The list of things that are fundamentally wrong with this alledged telescope is quite large.

It saddens me greatly that some well meaning but mis-guided parent is going to buy this toy and they are going to have many problems with it re****ing in the children and the parents thinking that amateur astronomy is a useless hobby to get into.

I will admit that I have never looked through, nor assembled one of these items and I do hope my conclusions, based on the photos in the ad, are wrong but when you look at this thing...it really makes you wonder.

Peter.

rmcpb (Rob) · #2 09-02-2006, 03:42 PM

I think you are right as far as putting this together and the incidental light through the eyepiece as there is no baffle opposite the focuser. I would hate for a raw beginner to try to colliate it from scratch. But, boy it looks cool

janoskiss (Steve H) · #3 09-02-2006, 04:09 PM

Peter, I don't understand. Was it just an advert or and advert + a review article in S&S about the scope?

I think I know the sort of scope you mean. I saw one at York in Melbourne. It is good for a display item, because it shows people how the Newtonian telescope is meant to work. But like the cars at the motorshow with the engines sliced open, it was not meant to be driven imo.

Volans · #4 09-02-2006, 06:13 PM

Janoskiss,

It is only an advert, no test report at all. Judging by the advert, I think it is meant to be used. Up near the top of the page, in bold lettering, it sates:

"WHAT YOU CAN SEE: The moons around Jupiter, The rings around Saturn, Polar Ice caps of Mars and the craters of the Moon."

Polar ice caps - plural?? In a 4.5"??

Down near the bottom it goes on to show some small child peering through the focuser and grabbing hold of the finder (!!) with the text below this photograph stating "Ready to explore the Solar System & night sky".

This is a York advert so it is the same as the one you saw on display and yes, I do agree that it does show people how a Newtonian works. But they are selling it for $249 as a workable, useable, telescope.

Peter.

mickoking · #5 09-02-2006, 11:42 PM

I,ve seen the ad for the scope. I really don't know what to make of it unless I use it my self? It seems like a good idea for the right kid ( enthusiastic about astronomy, curious about how optics work etc)

I have seen one at the aussie geographic shop in a local shopping centre, it looks OK ????? but I dunno?????

stinky · #6 10-02-2006, 12:32 AM

York Optical have them on display. Seems ok as a scientific learning aid but expensive as far as a useable scope goes.

Eyegasm · #7 14-02-2006, 11:12 PM

Peter

I have seen this scope and advert as well. If this thing can see everything that the advert claims for $249 I am wondering why the hell I had to spend big bucks on my 22" dob. I guess the only claim missing is deep sky object!!! Perhaps the MK 2 model for $349 will do that too!!! Sorry for sounding cynical but makes you wonder how some of these adverting pricks and retailers get away with this sort of crap. They really do a diservice to astronomy.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #8 14-02-2006, 11:39 PM

I have bought the S&S issue and looked at the ad and the scope looks fine for what it is. And if the optics are good, you will see all the advert claims. You might have to wait many years to see both polar caps of Mars (one at a time) but the scope should be good enough to show them. The Meccano-ish kit form of the scope would be especially appealing to kids. It also invites tweak-and-tinkering, i.e. have a go at collimation (unlike a ready made scope).

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #9 17-02-2006, 10:34 AM

I remember seeing the ad last year and thought it would be a great toy for a kid that likes putting things together and pulling them apart...not recommended for scopes in general...if you are a kid. It would make a great learning aid for a school...and then they would just need a "real" scope to actually show the kids what you can do with a scope.

It seems like a pretty expensive way to get such a small scope...only to be disappointed with the results.