Best Telescope for Camping

[Darth]

Hi All,

I am looking for a telescope for some amateur star gazing when traveling with kids. Has to come with a carry case and be portable.

I have a Celestron Slt 130 at home but it's too big to travel with and also probably not designed for it.

Any advice would greatly be appreciated

[Finn McCool]

A friend recently showed me an App called Sky View...try it out....I was impressed.

[4WD]

Hi All,

I am looking for a telescope for some amateur star gazing when traveling with kids. Has to come with a carry case and be portable.

I have a Celestron Slt 130 at home but it's too big to travel with and also probably not designed for it.

Any advice would greatly be appreciated

Your best bet is a Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope. Size versus robust design vs $$ it is your best bet. Unfortunately only the more expensive Meade's etc come with travel cases. There are online astronomy shops that you can order cases frome or you can just build your own. I prefer the latter as you can build it to fit your vehicle.

[4WD]

This is my 5 inch Mak that I use when camping or travelling.

[Birder]

I modified a big 80 lt travel case to take my 10" Meade SCT camping , built a frame out of 25mm aluminium and connect-it , the foam inserts it came in fit into the case and I put big wheels on the frame.

[Roberto Betta]

Telescopes can be bulky to travel with. Have you considered astronomical binoculars as an alternative? I have the Celesteron 20-100x70 Skymaster and am very happy with them.

[duncang]

I'm getting scared to go camping lately....Camp spotlights were in the news this week now this !

[4WD]

Telescopes can be bulky to travel with. Have you considered astronomical binoculars as an alternative? I have the Celesteron 20-100x70 Skymaster and am very happy with them.

The astronomical binoculars are awesome. A friend of mine makes these stands that you attach you bino to. It is so smooth and comfortable to use. This photo was taken in Feb at our star party in Leeuwenboschfontein.

[12richardk]

If you already have the 130 SLT then you just need a small Mak 90mm to 127mm which you can share on the SLT mount with your 130 , one for travel and the other for home , further the Mak will compliment your fast reflector (a F5) as most Mak's are around f12. I use an old C5 on a skywatcher go to mount (similar to your STL mount)

[Die SwartKat]

Hi All,

I am looking for a telescope for some amateur star gazing when traveling with kids. Has to come with a carry case and be portable.

I have a Celestron Slt 130 at home but it's too big to travel with and also probably not designed for it.

Any advice would greatly be appreciated

Whatever you buy, please just make absolutely sure you don't disturb other campers with it!!!

I'm willing to bet, that sooner or later you're going to have an old suurpruim tannie on your hands complaining that the thing's got thermal and X-ray vision and you're spying on her through her tent.

[Die SwartKat]

I'm getting scared to go camping lately....Camp spotlights were in the news this week now this !

My thoughts exactly!

[12richardk]

Here is the picture of the C5 SCT on a skywatcher go to mount I use a car jump battery pack to power it , which we always take anyway

[Die SwartKat]

Here is the picture of the C5 SCT on a skywatcher go to mount I use a car jump battery pack to power it , which we always take anyway

How much lumens does it emit?

We need to know before hand otherwise poor Ryan will be in trouble yet again.

[Birder]

Whatever you buy, please just make absolutely sure you don't disturb other campers with it!!!

I'm willing to bet, that sooner or later you're going to have an old suurpruim tannie on your hands complaining that the thing's got thermal and X-ray vision and you're spying on her through her tent.

Don't joke my one neighbour complained that I am spying on him. At that distance I might get his right nostril hair in the viewfinder.

[Elders]

How much lumens does it emit?

We need to know before hand otherwise poor Ryan will be in trouble yet again.

Imagine Ryan with his telescope and the camp flood light in the same camp site ...

[Die SwartKat]

Imagine Ryan with his telescope and the camp flood light in the same camp site ...

He'll be stoned and then burned at the stake!!! Nogal with that camping light of his!

[Kola]

Imagine Ryan with his telescope and the camp flood light in the same camp site ...

He should have enough light to clearly see who he is spying on.

[4WD]

I choose camp sites according to how remote and dark they are. That's why we have 4x4's

[Minime1981]

Telescopes can be bulky to travel with. Have you considered astronomical binoculars as an alternative? I have the Celesteron 20-100x70 Skymaster and am very happy with them.

Where did you buy yours?