Telescope

Well,

I don't usually hear much chat about the 90mm version. It seems the 80mm version is the "sweet spot" that many people find the best price/performance ratio.

If I were you, I'd use those extra $$ to buy a good eyepiece or a nice mount. I believe the Orion EQ-1 or EQ-2 will do well, and you can outfit them with an RA drive for another few bucks. I would not buy the Paragon tripod (it's just a normal camera tripod). Orion actually sells an ST90 + EQ-2 mount combo for $389. (Check it out at www.telescope.com) This is an excellent beginner package, all in one price. Don't forget, you can also motorize the mount for another small price.

Some excellent, cheap eyepieces are the Celestron Ultima series and the Meade 4000 series Super Plossls. Both are around $75 per eyepiece.

- Warren

 

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well it comes with a EQ mount (the scope with extra's package), On the site they say some additional items are good to get also with the scope like:

2x Barlow
sunfilter

And offcourse a bag

Seeing that the 90mm version would cost an additional 252 euro i'd better buy the extra stuff

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Thanks for the info all

 

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Bachus,

True, item #21305 is an ST80 mounted on an EQ-1 for $289. I don't know why I didn't see that before. The ST90 mounted to an EQ-2 (which is a sturdier mount) is $389.

Personally, I would skip the barlow lens, since I suspect it's going to be of rather poor quality. Invest in some real eyepieces. The Ultimas and Meade 4000 series are both excellent price/performance eyepieces.

- Warren

 

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Ok i will look into those eyepieces. Should i also order filters for light?

 

Bachus,

You can look at those eyepieces on astronomics.com or buytelescopes.com, by the way.

Some people swear by filters, some swear at them. You can buy a set of good color filters for planetary work very cheaply. I personally don't like filters, and don't use them.

You also won't need a moon filter on a 3" refractor. You do need one on my 11" SCT, though.

The solar filter may be very interesting to you -- I don't know. I personally would only buy a genuine H-alpha filter, like the Coronados. The neutral-density solar filters just show the sun's disk in plain white light, which I find rather boring.

You can also buy a light-pollution filter, like the Lumicon UHC (if you can still find one -- Lumicon is defunct) or the Orion UltraBlock. These help substantially in bringing out faint objects, but they're rather expensive.

It ends up that you have to choose what type of observing you'd like to do, and pick the equipment that best enables you to do it.

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- Warren

 

I ment light pollution filters (couldn't figure out the english name

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) Since i would like to see the nebula's i think they would indeed come in handy. As for the sunfilter you mentioned i think i'm getting an orion one (according to the dutch site they give natural color when watching the sun). Does anyone know a site with a pic of the sun trough a telescope?

 

You might want to save up the money for a good Zoom eyepiece. Rather than buy a dozen or so eyepieces, why not get one that does it all? Sure it's more expensive up front, but it saves you a lot of money from buying say four or five eyepieces when this one eyepiece will do anything all five of them will.

I do want to comment however, that you said you want to go after Nebulas. That is a good idea! However, if you want to go after such a target, I personally would rather have a reflector telescope. There is really no reason a refractor can't do it, it's just a personal preference of mine.

 

Xevious has one good point: aperture is king. If you're trying to do deep sky, a light bucket (big reflector) is the best instrument around.

Xevious has one bad point: I'd rather have two good eyepieces than one zoom eyepiece. Every zoom eyepiece I've ever tried has been a piece of shit (TeleVue zooms included). No zoom eyepiece made yet has been worth buying.

- Warren

 

I've personally have never had a beef with my Orion zoom. It's always given me good views, and I have had no complaints. I am useing the Zoom Explorer II, if you are curious. I'll hand you I'm a small telescope user, and that might make a difference. I imagine Chroot, that you use something much larger than my little '3 Spaceprobe.

 

Okay, well look I really want a telescope and I'm checking out the 130 EQ Reflector. I'd really like one that could see planets and nebula, stars, galaxies etcetera, but I can't find any images of what you can actually see through the scopes. Could someone make a comparison as to how much you can see through whatever they use? Like--Orion's nebula is about as large as a quarter, or Saturn is the size of an apple--I dunno, I'm a newbie, but very curious. Thanks for your help.

 

A 3" or larger telescope will show you excellent details on the planets and moon. You will be able to see about 30-40 Messier objects.

A 6" or larger telescope will additionally show you all 110 Messier objects and about 100-200 NGC catalog objects.

A 12" or larger telescope will show you the entire NGC and IC catalogs, plus more... if you're a little patient.

A 16" telescope is essentially research-grade.

A good suggestion would be to attend a star party before you buy anything. Take a good long look at many objects in many different 'scopes, then make a decision on what you want.

Generally, "aperture is king," meaning bigger is almost always better. Of course, you have to pick the sweet spot between aperture, portability, and features.

- Warren

 

How much, roughly, would you say each class costs? I can't really attend any star parties or whatever, they don't have them up heeya. Thanks.

 

Where are you? There are star parties just about everywhere -- you just have to know where to find them.

Let's see... roughly:

A 3" achromatic refractor would be around $200. A 3" apochromatic refractor, about $1000.

A 6" newtonian reflector, dobsonian mounted, would be around $400. EQ-mounted, about $500-$600. A 6" achromatic refractor, about $600. A 6" apochromatic refractor, about $4000.

A 12" dob-mounted reflector, about $900. A 12" SCT, with drive/computer, about $3000.

A 16" dob-mounted reflector, about $4000. A 16" EQ-mouned SCT, about $6000.

A 18" dob-mounted reflector, about $4500.

- Warren

 

Hey Bachus, please E-Mail me if you still want me to help you get a good telescope. It's been a month

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I'll help you get whatever you are interested in

 

Xevious,

Thanks for the offer but i found some stores in my area

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Our observitory also sells them. They sell dynosomething scopes. Or dyna something. Anyone know if those are good?

 

I recently became interested in buy a telescope as well. Any of you know any sites that do not sell telescopes so that I can learn a little bit before I buy? I'd rather have an unbiased source.

 

www.scopereviews.com
www.cloudynights.com

- Warren