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Telescope for beginner

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  • 05-02-2009 9:10pm
    #1
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭


    hi. i was just wondering what kind of a telescope would be a good choice for a beginner, maybe around €150. i already have a pair of binoculars and i'd like to start seeing the moon and planets in more detail. i was thinking of getting one online, because they seem to be a good bit cheaper, maybe something like one of these on ebay...

    Astromaster 130 EQ

    Explorer-130P

    i dont really know what to be looking for, or if them telescopes are any good for the price, any help would be appreciated, thanks :)


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    #2
    Linguo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,127 ✭✭✭Linguo


    I have the Celestron 90eq it's a great starter scope, perfect for looking at the Moon, I'd highly recommend it!Love it even though I have a big one now too.

    90eq is 200-ish...


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    #3
    Linguo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,127 ✭✭✭Linguo


    Also remember you should go for a lens scope not a mirror scope as a same size mirror won't be as good and a lens one means you can use it for nature watching too!


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    #4
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭koolkakool


    Linguo wrote: »
    Also remember you should go for a lens scope not a mirror scope as a same size mirror won't be as good and a lens one means you can use it for nature watching too!

    i dont really plan on using it for nature but cant the 130 eq be used for that too. It says on the celestron website "Erect image optics - Ideal for terrestrial and astronomical use"

    What about the aperture? I read that the aperture is one of the most important things to look for and the 130 eq has a bigger aperture... but then again i dont really know much about any of this so i could be wrong...


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    #5
    Linguo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,127 ✭✭✭Linguo


    the 130 does have a bigger aperture but because it uses a mirror it loses some of the light that the lens on the 90eq won't.

    For example a 90 refractor would be one and a half times better than a 90 reflector!


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    #6
    dbran
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 2,094 Mod ✭✭✭✭dbran


    This is not true.

    Given a similar quality of optics a reflector and reflactor of 90 will each gather the exact same amount of light.

    But a refractor will cost more then a reflector for the same amont of apeture.


    DB


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    #7
    Linguo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,127 ✭✭✭Linguo


    Well I work with them, have pretty good idea of all the different scopes in stock and their pros and cons!

    But decision is totally up to you of course:D


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    #8
    Clif7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭Clif7


    koolkakool wrote: »
    i dont really plan on using it for nature but cant the 130 eq be used for that too. It says on the celestron website "Erect image optics - Ideal for terrestrial and astronomical use"

    What about the aperture? I read that the aperture is one of the most important things to look for and the 130 eq has a bigger aperture... but then again i dont really know much about any of this so i could be wrong...

    Reflectors give you a flipped and inverted image, but yes you are right, you can get image erecting diagonals. You'll only need one though if you plan to use it daytime too. The moon upside down is still a disk, inverted, still a disk and so on. The only problem will be you will have to learn the positions of things upside down :)

    And yes the aperture size is the all important thing, but with mirrors (reflectors) not all the light gets in. The secondary mirror will block roughly 20% of the light from getting in. On top of that, if the scope isn't properly collimated, your image will also suffer. Lenses (refractors) require much less maintenance and you won't need an extra diagonal if you want to go bird spotting :)
    Linguo wrote: »
    the 130 does have a bigger aperture but because it uses a mirror it loses some of the light that the lens on the 90eq won't.

    For example a 90 refractor would be one and a half times better than a 90 reflector!

    Spot on! In fact Sir Patrick Moore believes that the difference is actually closer to 2 X the difference. I'd say 1.5 myself too Linguo ;)
    dbran wrote: »
    This is not true.

    Given a similar quality of optics a reflector and reflactor of 90 will each gather the exact same amount of light.

    But a refractor will cost more then a reflector for the same amont of apeture.


    DB
    This is not true... except for the price bit. (And the reason it will cost more is that the optics are more difficult to manufacture, especially when the size gets bigger. A 10 inch mirror is far easier and cheaper to manufacture compared to a 10 inch lens!!)

    OP, I would also recommend the 90 eq. It's a great starter scope!


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    #9
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭koolkakool


    hi, thanks for the help everyone. :D I was also just looking up them dobsonian telescopes, which a lot of websites seem to be recommending, like the Orion Skyquest XT4.5 and the Orion Skyquest XT6. Does anyone here have any experiences with telescopes like these? And would they be good for a beginner? Thanks again for the help... im still considering the 90 eq aswell :)


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    #10
    Clif7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭Clif7


    koolkakool wrote: »
    hi, thanks for the help everyone. :D I was also just looking up them dobsonian telescopes, which a lot of websites seem to be recommending, like the Orion Skyquest XT4.5 and the Orion Skyquest XT6. Does anyone here have any experiences with telescopes like these? And would they be good for a beginner? Thanks again for the help... im still considering the 90 eq aswell :)

    Dobs are definitely an affordable way to get a big aperture. They are generally BIG scopes physically though :) Avoid like the plague if ultra portability is one of the things you'll need! Not something you can take on the bus with you very easily :) They are much more hands on too in terms of usage. At high magnification it can be tricky keeping objects in your field of view (I found that anyway!!) Of the two you mentioned, i'd say go for the XT6 for sure. If you set your heart on a dob, i'd even suggest going for an 8 or even 10 if you could afford it.


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    #11
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭koolkakool


    Hi. I couldnt seem to find an Orion XT6 that could be delivered to ireland for a decent price, but i found something that looks very similar.(as far as i can see). Is there much of a difference between this Skyliner 150 and the Orion XT6? Thanks again for all the help everyone :)


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    #12
    Clif7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭Clif7


    koolkakool wrote: »
    Hi. I couldnt seem to find an Orion XT6 that could be delivered to ireland for a decent price, but i found something that looks very similar.(as far as i can see). Is there much of a difference between this Skyliner 150 and the Orion XT6? Thanks again for all the help everyone :)

    Same type scope alright, just a different manufacturer. 150 stands for the aperture size in mm, which is just about 6 inches, same as the Orion. Not too familiar with Skyliner but from the quick look I had at the link you posted, seems to do exactly what it says on the tin. :) Hope you enjoy whatever you end up getting!


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    #13
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭koolkakool


    Clif7 wrote: »
    Same type scope alright, just a different manufacturer. 150 stands for the aperture size in mm, which is just about 6 inches, same as the Orion. Not too familiar with Skyliner but from the quick look I had at the link you posted, seems to do exactly what it says on the tin. :) Hope you enjoy whatever you end up getting!

    Thanks Clif7, i have one of them ordered and hopefully it'll come in a few days, :)


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    #14
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,895 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    koolkakool wrote: »
    Thanks Clif7, i have one of them ordered and hopefully it'll come in a few days, :)
    How much was the postage to ireland on that and is it a good scope?


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    #15
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭koolkakool


    Thargor wrote: »
    How much was the postage to ireland on that and is it a good scope?

    Hi.its my first telescope so i dont have anything to compare it to, but it seems very good to me so far.i've already seen venus, saturn, the orion nebula and things like that, havent seen the moon yet though. I got it from sherwoods-photo, but their prices have gone up a good bit since i ordered it. Postage to ireland was 30 pounds


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    #16
    Clif7
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭Clif7


    koolkakool wrote: »
    Thanks Clif7, i have one of them ordered and hopefully it'll come in a few days, :)

    Hope you are enjoying the new scope man :)


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    #17
    koolkakool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 74 ✭✭koolkakool


    Clif7 wrote: »
    Hope you are enjoying the new scope man :)

    yep, its great :). ive already seen the moon, saturn, venus,the orion nebua, and the andromeda galaxy(i think???:D... it just looks like a grey blob)


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    #18
    mysterious
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,133 ✭✭✭mysterious


    koolkakool wrote: »
    yep, its great :). ive already seen the moon, saturn, venus,the orion nebua, and the andromeda galaxy(i think???:D... it just looks like a grey blob)

    i'm willing to buy a good telescope for 350, could I see these planets in more detail with a certain telescope?

    I'm obsessed with Orion, and with our standard telescopes, looking at these stars is not going to make any difference.


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