Advice Wanted on a telescope

[AlexP]

Is the "Sky Watcher" D=80mm F=910mm telescope a good buy for R900. ?

It is on a really solid aluminum tripod, and has a spare eye piece.

I tried looking it up on the internet, but could not find any info, leading me to suspect that perhaps it is an older model.

Am I correct in assuming that the D=80mm is the diameter of the lens?
What does F=910mm stand for?

[vstromPE]

F = focal length

[Andrew Leigh]

What do you want to do with it?

Generally you would have two divisions for the not too serious amateur. The first would be planetary work and the second would be deep sky. For the former a refractor (lens based) telescope would be OK. This telescope your refer to is a refractor. Reflectors are generally used for deep sky work (star clusters, nebulae, galaxies etc.). As many of the planets are bright the smaller 80mm objective lens would work but not ideal. Anything bigger than this becomes far too expensive.

The moon would be awesome but you would need to choke the objective lens to avoid burning your retina.

So if you want to do deep sky work the telescope is wrong and so the price is moot.

The focul length is important. When you buy a eyepiece it too will have a focul length. Eyepiece focul length / Scope focul length = Magnification

[AlexP]

What do you want to do with it?

Generally you would have two divisions for the not too serious amateur. The first would be planetary work and the second would be deep sky. For the former a refractor (lens based) telescope would be OK. This telescope your refer to is a refractor. Reflectors are generally used for deep sky work (star clusters, nebulae, galaxies etc.). As many of the planets are bright the smaller 80mm objective lens would work but not ideal. Anything bigger than this becomes far too expensive.

The moon would be awesome but you would need to choke the objective lens to avoid burning your retina.

So if you want to do deep sky work the telescope is wrong and so the price is moot.

The focul length is important. When you buy a eyepiece it too will have a focul length. Eyepiece focul length / Scope focul length = Magnification

Hi Andrew,

Many thanks for your informative reply to my query.
I have pondered about getting a telescope for many years, and the expensive costs have stopped me.
I would like to look into deep space, and possibly one day even try take a photo.

Even though this particular telescope is under R900, I do not want to spend the money, use it twice, find out that it is the wrong telescope and it forever thereafter gathers dust in my gazebo.

[Andrew Leigh]

Then I would suggest that the scope you are discussing is wrong for you.

I made my own 8" Newtonian Reflector as cost was a factor. This is really a cheap alternative to get into astronomy. Deep sky typically would want the larger size mirrors with a f4 to F5.6 focul length. If you could build a a 10" you would be well pleased.

To do photography the scope needs to have a tracking function. There are hundreds of articles on how to motorise scopes so all this is possible in a DIY sense.

If you are moderately handy in the garage then a telescope is well within your means. See if there are telescope making classes in your area.

Perhaps read the following article.

http://oneminuteastronomer.com/choos...ope-astronomy/

[vstromPE]

Sounds like this is more what you looking for.

Newtonian Telescope with EQ5 Tripod and Auto Guider,
https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-other-el...nt=app_android

Price: R 9,700

Download the application from the Google Play Store.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...bay.gumtree.za

[John Lindsay]

More suitable - https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-other-sp...40910149827509
This is a good beginner telescope at a very good price. Good for deep space objects and it works nicely for planets and the moon as well.

[jfh]

Nice for beginners but for Astrophotography it will struggle with deep sky objects.

I have basically the same setup and I'm a bit disappointed. Moon and Sun is easy but even Jupiter is a challenge.

If you are only going to view then it will work.

But nebula will be a challenge.

I will recommend that you save a bit and get something better.
BTW most beginners are disappointed to find out that everything will be in black and white.

[Andrew Leigh]

When it comes to faint objects there is no substitute for lens objective size, resolution is dependent on it.

It took me 18 months to complete my scope, mahogany veneer, brass fittings and focuser to give it that old school look only to find out the astronomy for me is incredibly boring. There is a little faint in some star clusters and planets but for the most part yip, all is B&W. So if you are like me, expect hubble type images think again, ain't going to happen, at best you will see faint smudges and images in the sky when looking at deep sky objects with smaller scopes. Like I said, you really need to start at 10" reflector and a 2" ocular.

Hubble pictures are all B&W and re-coloured later.

However I can look at the moon for hours, it is simply fascinating at high power.

My scope I donated to Randburg Hoer Skool for use in their astronomy club.

[JCMostert]

When I was interested in buying a telescope, I phoned the Wits (Johannesburg) Planetarium. They give superb advice, they also use to sell telescopes, not sure if they still do.

You can also look on their website.

http://www.planetarium.co.za


Best telescopes and some buying advice:

https://www.space.com/15693-telescop...ing-guide.html

[12richardk]

That Refractor is for terrestrial use , has a 45 deg correct image diagonal and an alt/az 3 mount , It can be used for astronomy but I would recommend changing the diagonal to a 90 Deg one otherwise anything close to zenith (vertical) will be difficult .
For R900 its a good deal and being alt/az mount easy for beginners to use
Just remember that the max magnification on most scopes is the diameter of the objective , in your case 80mm so around 80-90x will be it depending on atmospheric conditions .so your shortest eyepiece will be 10mm for 90x mag.which is ok , but for detail view of the planets one needs 200+. There are a lot of clusters etc one can see with that scope but one need fairly dark sky.

Good astronomy shop is www.technopro.co.za

Good luck

[AlexP]

Wow. Thanks to everyone, and all the useful information.

Jhf.
You are quite correct. I would sorely be disappointed finding the depths of space devoid of colour. But it makes sense now that I think about it.
The chance of actually seeing something that very few people have seen is probably the biggest attraction for me.

Andrew.
Years and years ago as a kid, I remember my cousins and I making a rudimentary telescope in cub scouts.
I too can spend hours looking at the moon through my camera, and I have some amazing photos.

VstromPE.
Sorry boet, completely out of my league.... If I had a spare nine grand lying around, I would either upgrade my camera or buy a kick-ass lever drag fishing reel for my boat.

JCMostert & 12richardk.
Great sites both of those. I have spent hours looking through both.
Although I do not own a telescope, often I click onto the NASA International Space Station site, and I keep track of the various meteor showers visible in our skies.... Perfect time to book a quick break in one of our National Parks.
And another interesting site is Orms Cameras when browsing for different equipment.

[4WD]

Hi Alex

All of the above advice is good. One of the best things to do is to contact your local astronomy club and go look through their scopes. You will very quickly get an idea of what you can see with what type of scope. It will save you a lot of disappointment and money. Reach out to Piet Strauss. He is the Chairman of the Durban branch of ASSA (Astronomical Society of Southern Africa) - http://www.astronomydurban.co.za/


Astrophotography is a dark and very expensive pit. First get to know your night sky with a nice pair of binoculars, look though other peoples scopes, decide if you still like being up at two in the morning in the freezing cold and then buy your first scope. DO NOT BUY YOUR FIRST SCOPE NEW! You will find nice second hand scopes on Gumtree and OLX. If you see something you like ask us for an opinion. Your local ASSA branch will also be more than willing to help!

With a bit of patience this is a lovely hobby shared with friends and family!

Kind Regards
Marius Reitz

[AlexP]

Hi Alex

All of the above advice is good. One of the best things to do is to contact your local astronomy club and go look through their scopes. You will very quickly get an idea of what you can see with what type of scope. It will save you a lot of disappointment and money. Reach out to Piet Strauss. He is the Chairman of the Durban branch of ASSA (Astronomical Society of Southern Africa) - http://www.astronomydurban.co.za/


Astrophotography is a dark and very expensive pit. First get to know your night sky with a nice pair of binoculars, look though other peoples scopes, decide if you still like being up at two in the morning in the freezing cold and then buy your first scope. DO NOT BUY YOUR FIRST SCOPE NEW! You will find nice second hand scopes on Gumtree and OLX. If you see something you like ask us for an opinion. Your local ASSA branch will also be more than willing to help!

With a bit of patience this is a lovely hobby shared with friends and family!

Kind Regards
Marius Reitz

Hi Marius,

Thank you for the contact details and advice.
If I remember correctly there is an astronomy club at the local Marist Brothers school, that is very involved with ASSA.

I am reading up on the night skies, and learning.

Thank you again.
Alex

[lanties]

Hi Alex

All of the above advice is good. One of the best things to do is to contact your local astronomy club and go look through their scopes. You will very quickly get an idea of what you can see with what type of scope. It will save you a lot of disappointment and money. Reach out to Piet Strauss. He is the Chairman of the Durban branch of ASSA (Astronomical Society of Southern Africa) - http://www.astronomydurban.co.za/


Astrophotography is a dark and very expensive pit. First get to know your night sky with a nice pair of binoculars, look though other peoples scopes, decide if you still like being up at two in the morning in the freezing cold and then buy your first scope. DO NOT BUY YOUR FIRST SCOPE NEW! You will find nice second hand scopes on Gumtree and OLX. If you see something you like ask us for an opinion. Your local ASSA branch will also be more than willing to help!

With a bit of patience this is a lovely hobby shared with friends and family!

Kind Regards
Marius Reitz

Hi All, Most probably not the place to say Hallo but this is my first post on this forum, so Hallo. A fellow CF member (Family_Dog), who I have known for many years from another forum, drew my attention to this thread. I think I may contribute a small bit here.

^^^This is excellent advice. Do not buy until you know what inspires you to spend your available money without hesitation. Like Marius said, ASSA meetings and members are excellent sources for information. Star parties in your area would be even better. Remember there are vast differences between what you need for viewing and photographing the night skies. I have bad astigmatism and for some reason this makes it very difficult to look through eye pieces etc. I know there are options but it is just too much of a pain. I have settled on astro photography and have been doing this for just over a year. With astro photography you spend all your money on a good quality mount that can track the skies well. You then save up some more money and by the telescope, cameras etc. There are also a lot of DIY possibilities for the electro-mechanical enthusiasts.

Gumtree becomes and excellent source for great 2nd hand gear once you have a good idea what you would like to buy. Avoid Black Friday specials on telescope. They are only good to look at your upside down, naked neighbour, at night. Unfortunately I have only had bad experiences with SA astro shops and cannot recommend any (There maybe some good ones). I however do buy everything from overseas shops. Cost and service have been superb.

Below is a recent image of the Rosetta Nebula (NGC 2244), taken from my home in a very light polluted suburb in Cape Town.
Total exposure time was 20 hours:-
Hydrogen Alpha (Ha)=6 hours
Sulfur 2 (SII)=6 hours
Oxygen 3 (OIII)=8 hours




Here are some technical details about this image

Imaging telescope or lens:Skywatcher Esprit 100 Triplet Super APO
Imaging camera:ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool
Mount:SkyWatcher EQ6 Pro
Guiding telescope or lens:Skywatcher Esprit 100 Triplet Super APO
Guiding camera:Starlight Xpress Lodestar X2 Loadestar 2
Focal reducer:Skywatcher Esprit 100 F5.5 flattener
Software:PixInsight, Astro Pixel Processor, RawTherapee
Filters:Astrodon SII 5nm Astrodon, Astrodon 5nmHA Astrodon, Astrodon OIII 3nm Astrodon
Accessories:ZWO OAG, MyFocuserPro
Resolution: 4204x3350
Integration: 19.9 hours
Flats: ~50
Flat darks: ~50
Bias: ~50
Astrometry.net job: 2334680
RA center: 97.898 degrees
DEC center: 4.996 degrees
Pixel scale: 1.413 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 55.779 degrees
Field radius: 1.055 degrees

[Mr Bounce]

Nice photo Lanties, I need to get into astrophotography.
Re the comments on only b&w through the eyepiece, must admit I too was under-whelmed by this. However, with assistance from a brother in USA and $300, I acquired a Revolution Imager kit which bolts onto my 10" Meade LX200. Basically a security camera which replaces the eyepiece and transfers the view through some clever software onto an 8"tablet. And there is no need for "lights out"! Even Swambo is impressed

, and it is a hit for visitors.
I've attached a couple of "photos of the photos", the first is M42 Orion nebula, the second M51, the whirlpool galaxy. The quality as can be seen is average at best, but you get what you pay for I guess.
A "go-to" telescope is a must for viewing DSOs (deep sky objects) and I've seen the occasional Celestron 5 and 6 inch scopes on Gumtree - probably ideal for the beginner.

[dirtshark]

Is the Celestron Astromaster a decent telescope for general stuff?? They have it at Dion Wired on special for R2200.

[12richardk]

Is the Celestron Astromaster a decent telescope for general stuff?? They have it at Dion Wired on special for R2200.

The 130 is ok the Red Dot Finder is not good but its a nice wide field view telescope , the 114 is not its a Bird Jones derivative thats difficult to colimate and does not give good views

For that price I assume its the 114 one so no

[dirtshark]

The 130 is ok the Red Dot Finder is not good but its a nice wide field view telescope , the 114 is not its a Bird Jones derivative thats difficult to colimate and does not give good views

For that price I assume its the 114 one so no

Thanks, it was sold out, usual BS story they only had two that went that morning.
I researched a bit and am probably going to go with either Meade Mini114/Orion Starblast 4.5/Zhumell Z114 - I am going to the UK in two weeks so I will get it there as its a fair saving over the SA prices.

[4x4Superman]

Hi everybody.

Was reading through this thread and must say, much more technical and interesting than I thought Totally confused.

Swambo mentioned she wants to get a telescope for her birthday....which is 3 weeks away. Where on earth do I start?
She is in the environmental game and have al these apps on her phone with galaxy views and star identification and all those fancy stuff.
I did some searches and OMW im totally deurmekaar.
Celestron looks like a good name from what I can read, or any other recommendations perhaps please?
It will purely be for amateur viewing some nights when we sit outside having a glass of wine. Don't know if the telescopes with the laptop attachments and all those fancy stuff is necessary, or is it? I got no idea. LOL

Obviously working with a budget, I see scopes from 2k to 150k for beginners. What will be a good allrounder telescope for her to use at home?
I also see you get some attachments for the telescope and carry bags and and and.
My budget will be around the 10k mark for the full setup. Will that be OK or am I totally out with it to get a decent telescope for her birthday?

All advice and recommendations will be highly appreciated and please keep in mind I got no idea what im talking about so technical stuff will confuse me even more Just the best telescope for her for my budget I guess.