Starter Telescope advice please, looking to buy one soon, poss funster star gazer meet up? (1 Viewer)

[kevenh]

The only point I would add to 'Kevenh' post above is the secondary mirror of the reflector blocks some of the light coming into the tube which reduces the effective aperture. In telescopes with 5” or less aperture the refractor is typically considered to have about a 1-inch advantage. This means that a 5” reflector and a 4” refractor would be considered about equal in light gathering ability, a key measure of the power of a telescope.

The reflectors (mirrors) are usually said to be cheaper to make then refractors (glass lens).
That means when compared together by cost you are matching larger reflectors to the similar priced refractors. That's from the comparison links in the earlier post.

I didn't go that route for my change in telescope so can only say that the above summary is generalised.

For ~20yr I had a Celestron Firstscope 80 EQ refractor. It's a 900mm tube on a bulky Equatorial Mount. I enjoy looking at sunspots & the moon. Anything else in my backyard is optimistic.
I got a blury views of the Mars solar caps once.
But it stays in the garage too much.

Last year I used some of a work bonus to get a new scope I would get out of the garage more often and would be more portable for use on motor home trips A Celestron nexstar SE 8.
It is easier to get out of the garage to use. The weather has been pants though. And trips in the motorhome to use it have been zero.

Maybe I got up sold though. The a Celestron nexstar SE 6 would be a little smaller & OK in my backyard.

 

[robnchris]

Nice scope that, do you have a power pack or just run it on batteries?

 

[kevenh]

Nice scope that, do you have a power pack or just run it on batteries?

Thanks.
From stargazers lounge forum advice I got this TalentCell battery pack.
I am very pleased with it.
Still on the 1st charge since ~29/09/2020
Which is a symptom of the lack of viewing but a good sign of charge retention. lol

On a Facebook UK astronomy site I suggested that pack & got laughed off by someone who is happy to drag around a car battery
Anyway, it suits me for now.
I may need to power a dew heater

Which is a good call out for that problem when comparing scopes. Dew was not something I though of with the old scope.
(with the SCT) I had a cold night with clear skies (around freezing point), I tend to view with eyepieces in an 'early' sitting then later return to try take pics.
My scope was completely dew'd up at the second sitting.
I don't have a dew shield or heater so maybe that dew issue is easily fixed.

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[robnchris]

My mate made one out of corrugated cardboard painted mat black, he swears by it.

Nothing like dragging a car battery to keep you fit.