Hello Tsula, I’ve volunteered at Pine Mountain Observatory for 8 years and enjoyed introducing the general public to astronomy. I was certified on the 15 and 24 inch telescopes. For me it was very satisfying leasing to the oohs when people see a planet or a distant galaxy for the first time. I recently repaired a damaged Meade Schmidt Newtonian and feel confident that I can repair your scope. Once repaired I’ll use it to continue introducing people to Astronomy. Thank you for all your videos. One of my favorites was the intro to the ioptron mount.
Really informative!….as always!!! So lucky to have someone like you giving such sound and practical advice, without pressure to buy! Thanks for the hard work and information you put into everything you do you it’s really appreciated🤗
Hi, first I have to express my great appreciation for you and your work on the channel and behind the scenes! Great job, which helps us amateurs learn in a pleasant and faster way. Thanks to your work, we avoid unnecessary expenses because we select equipment better and manage our time better by making first and subsequent observations. So a big, big thank you! I have a proposal and a request at the same time: I noticed that people like you publish videos in the category: "which first telescope should I choose?". And that's great, but there are plenty of people who already have their first telescope or want to buy an entire system consisting of two or three telescopes, which will constitute a system, e.g. a family one. For example, I want to order a foldable 12" Newton, because I love deep sky objects, but at the same time I want to make my wife and two children (10 and 12 years old) fall in love with observational astronomy. The 12" Dobson has no guide, so it's difficult to focus on something with several people, especially at high magnification. So I thought that I needed an additional telescope that would, on the one hand, complement the 12" Newton on the Dobsonian, and on the other hand, would be friendly to my wife and children. I live in a small town (SQM 21.37) but it takes 25 minutes to get to heaven SQM 21.80 and I have a large car, so I can take at least two telescopes. So I thought about a 4" APO on a guided mount or GoTo for viewing planets, the moon, the Sun, comets, maybe double stars and... nebulas. It should also help in amateur astrophotography. I'm leaning towards the TS Optics 4" APO 102 mm f/7 or f/11 (which one would be better?) What do you say? Maybe you have another idea that will better meet our family needs in this regard? Maybe it's worth making a RUclips video about it? Best regards and thank you in advance for your extensive answer to my topic! Przemek Jordan from Poland I'm very sorry, but only after writing this comment did I discover that you recorded such a video: ruclips.net/video/MVVmjdQyXKA/видео.htmlsi=iscSVr01vKV8Se56 Maybe there is something you would like to add about me?
No problem. And thank you for your nice comments about my videos. I appreciate it. I think a big Dobsonian along with a 4" Apo is an excellent combination. As for the TS Optics 4" Apo-- I have never used that particular telescope but that is an excellent size for your secondary telescope for your family. The focal ratio is not that important for visual use but if you are intending to use it for astrophotography as well you will definitely want f/7 and not f/11. I didn't even think they still make f/11 refractors. It would be an incredibly long telescope! Although refractors with focal lengths that long are very pleasing to look through visually. Hope that helps.
I can remember starting out and wanting to buy everything but my wallet gave a resounding NO! I did all the usual mistakes of buying cheap only to end up buying twice or thrice. Aperture fever also got me buying a telescope that was just too big for me and really needed an observatory. As the years passed i have settled on my 12" go to dobsonian, a 180mm Maksutov and a 130mm apochromatic refractor. Great video for newcomers to the hobby or anyone considering buying their first telescope.
I remember going into the Orion store years ago and wanting the goto telescope so badly but my bank account also said no and I ended up with a terrible wobbly awful reflector. To this day I cannot remember seeing a single object in that telescope.
You give very sound information. Having about a dozen telescopes up to a 6" f/12 refractor and an 18" f/5 Dobsonian reflector, I can definitely agree that if a person is going to buy a first telescope or an "only one telescope", to keep it small, portable and simple. The best telescope is the one that gets used the most. That translates into a size and weight equation. In my case, that would be a 10" Dobsonian reflector or either an 80mm f/5 APO refractor on an alt-az mount, or a 100mm f/8 APO refractor on either an alt-az mount or on an equatorial mount.
@@tsulasbigadventures A follow-up video along this line with regard to telescope mounts might be helpful to people getting into the hobby. Too often, I've seen people spend money for good optics and then cheap out on the mount. A solid mount is equally important as quality optics, whether it's an alt-az mount or an equatorial mount. This is often true with some scope/mount "package deals" I see advertised. Some of these combinations have the optical tubes mounted close to the limits of the mount's advertised carrying capacity, not taking into account the optical tube's lever moment force nor accounting for any accessories one might wish to add.
Howdy, nice report! I notice you have an Orion Astroview mount. I do as well - it was free! I found it put out on the side of the road! I cleaned it up and adjusted it and it works perfectly. It even looks nice! I use it with my classic refractors from the 1950s and 60s. The ubiquitous "logic drive", a battery powered RA motor, drives it just fine. You can get drop-in go-to solutions now.
Excellent video. I would increase the emphasis on light pollution in making a selection. I live in light polluted central Florida and that alters my preferences towards Image Stabilized binoculars and my 80mm Meade APO, as well as towards solar observing. If I lived in the West, I would add larger aperture telescopes.
Thank you. I actually revised this video after the first edit to add more about light pollution but you're right I could have said even more because I believe that most first time buyers do not spend nearly enough time learning about how light pollution will impact what they will see. I try to emphasize it in every video.
@@tsulasbigadventures No criticism intended, it's just that an APO refractor of 80-100 mm (say) is easy to move during visits to dark sky sites. And these refractors are good for viewing the moon and bright star clusters, and they are OK for viewing the planets. Their price becomes less of an issue because mobility is more important with light pollution and the quality of the views is a further recommendation for them. By the way, the 80 mm Meade Series 6000 APO refractor that I own is excellent. The company stopped selling them when the breakup with JOC optical in China took place.
Nice advice and selection Tsula. I think I have a very similar 80mm to your Orion the Skywatcher 80ED which i enjoy for visual, great little scope. Currently I'm on the SCT and refractors...oh and one Mak. There just all so god damn nice !!!!
Hi Ollie. That 80mm is a nice telescope. It only weighs five pounds. The dovetail is a little short but other than that it is great for grab and go. It sounds like you have the telescope fever. I just bought a new telescope. I either am a genius or I lost my mind.
Great video as always and this one hits close to heart. I'm looking to buy a APO refractor for my first astrophotography rig. I already have the mount so I'm looking at a 71mm scope. I already have a mak for the planets and 8" dob for scanning the sky. Life is short just buy them all!!!
That’s what I love about astronomy. There’s no “best” equipment, it’s checks and balances where if one thing exceeds at something, it lacks in another dept. where another scope will trade off for. In 2006 in high school, started out with a 10” dob. Now have a SVX130T on an CEM70G. Mainly got the funding when I sold my bike to get deeper into astronomy. Also, I always like listening to your reviews on topics, always learning new things to consider
One thing I would add is the importance of the mount you choose. Equatorial mounts require aligning with the celestial pole ,so if you don't have a clear view of the pole from your observing site,that can be a problem. Also, for a beginner the Dobsonian may get you the most aperture for your money, but when you're starting out, trying to even find objects with precision is very difficult, to the point where it actually makes people give up. A goto mount can actually get you looking at something in 20 seconds that may take you 10 minutes to find by hand, but of course they add to the cost.
I think a lot of people probably do give up after not being able to find things. I remember getting very frustrated when I got my first telescope years ago. It was manual but it was also a cheap reflector on a wobbly mount and that didn't help either. Now I love looking for things with my Dob.
When I was shopping for my first serious telescope I just had a few criteria that I was looking for. Large aperture, can easily be moved around, goto capabilities and the ability to operate the telescope manually. Then I started looking the cheapest possible scopes that satisfied any of those criteria and kept increasing the budget until I found the perfect match within my budget limit. I eventually settled on a Evo 8 SCT. First light was a few weeks ago and WOW! I was expecting to some amazing views and it did not disappoint. I am so hooked. Luckily, I don't think I will ever outgrow this telescope.
@tsulasbigadventures Yeah, I'm really looking forward to my next dark sky expedition. The only negative thing I have to say is that I found the hand controller damn near unreadable in the dark. I was getting too much glow from the buttons to make out the lettering, but that could just be me. I understand why they made it that way but I would have preferred illuminated lettering on an opaque button.
@@bassdeff8819 I had the same issue with the hand controller that came with the iOptron HAZ31 mount. I had to tilt the hand controller at an angle in order to see it and even then I had to squint.
Excellent job with a comprehensive look! I've had a golf bag of visual telescopes from an 80mm Short Tube to an 8" Schmidt-Newtonian that doubles for astrophotography. You're spot on with at least an 80mm and perhaps even a 10" Dob with emphasis on light pollution environment. My 8" f6 dob tries to pull details in the Bortle 8 sky ay home but is awash in sky glow. A 90 minute drive to Bortle 2 sky is a soul stirring experience. Recently "Cuv The Lazy Geek" went into tweaking a 6" f5 Newtonian for astrophotography. Rather than the touted 6" f8 "planet killer" or 8" dob, maybe a 6" f5 newtonian on an alt/az mount could be a very versatile future telescope. Wide field visuals for the learning stargazer yet able to mount on a second tier EQ mount such as an EQ-5.
Thank you. I thought about trying out an 8" Newtonian for visual use but when I saw that long focuser protruding from the tube and possibly requiring extenders I changed my mind. It seems like almost all Newtonians these days are marketed as "astrographs." But since I didn't buy the Newtonian I can't speak from experience. But one thing is for sure that everything looks better in whatever telescope you have if you take the time to haul it out to a dark sky site. It is soul stirring as you said.
Great video. :) Save up the money and get a 10-12 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA + mount i have owned a 10 inch and 16inch dob...and my 12 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain is the only thing i use for visual observing, depending on the mount you can switch to astrophotography as well easy to transport and set up
Another good video Tsula. I got an 8" dobsonian as my... uh... 5th telescope I think? After doing a lot of astrophotography I decided that I really wanted to do more visual work and I have been more than happy with it since I live in a nice dark rural area. However... I took it with me camping for a star party and I think it is a bit to big to pack comfortably until I get a trailer so I can pack all of my other camping stuff outside the cab of the truck. So I am now considering getting a 5 inch SCT on a manual mount from Celestron to use as a travel scope (or buying a used SCT and a manual ALT/AZ mount). This hobby has a way of keeping me poor and taking up too much room...
Thank you. I have that same issue. I have a 10" Dobsonian but it is just too big to take camping this summer. So, I have been looking into a good option for something that will fit into my car along with my camping gear. I think I have come up with a good solution. So stay tuned for a video coming soon on my solution.
Hi Tsula, Just came across your channel and like so many others I've been fascinated with astronomy all my life. Since I've been a little kid watching all of the Apollo missions back in the 60s and 70s but as life would have it other things come along other interest and so forth just Life in general. So now that I'm retired I've always wanted to buy a telescope but just didn't want to pull the trigger so to speak because That rabbit hole runs deep. So sorry for the long comments but you said in your video that I believe there is three parts but there not labeled as such unless I don't see them if you would be as so kind, what are the titles of parts 2&3 I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your response and have a great day.
Great video! I can't wait to see part 2. I was able save up and afford a used Meade SCT 10" LX200 classic. It was in great condition and came with the GoTo mount, dew tube, and additional eye pieces, total cost was $1K. I added a Bluetooth dongle and am able to control it via my smart phone w/sky Safari for point and go. Everything worked as expect. Would like to know your thoughts on the cost.
Thank you. Are you kidding me? You got a great deal! Excellent telescope. I love my Meade 10". I also bought a used one. It's a little heavy for me at my age but I plan to permanently mount it soon. Excellent choice. You made a good decision and got a great deal.
@@tsulasbigadventures thank you for the feedback. This is my first true amateur telescope, getting back into the hobby as an adult now. As a kid, I was only able to afford a no name 4" reflector type (~$100) and always knew, there's gotta be better scopes out there. Hopefully this will spark interest w/ my own kids now.
@@lindalee1743 My first scope was a terrible 4" reflector on a wobbly equatorial mount. I never saw anything in that telescope. I know you will enjoy that 10" telescope and I hope you can inspire your kids with it too. All the best.
Achromats are 2 lens not one, achromat meant "without color " since the original single lens refractors were like prisms by comparison, tons of false color in a rainbow of fringes. And proper super long focal length achromats could be visually color free, but that was an f15 60mm and as the aperture increases the required focal ratio for color free performance also increases. Thankfully we now have ED and fluorite and even a simple doublet can be apochoimatic. As for reflectors, spherical mirrors can be the same way, small 114 f8 spherical scopes can be diffraction limited, as aperture increases, so does the required focal ratio. Cheap telescopes tend to break those rules and are only usable at lower powers.
Thanks. It should be able to easily resolve the planets but the main issue with planets is to look or image on a night of good seeing. An EQ6R-Pro will easily handle that telescope which weighs 23.5 pounds. I put my Evostar 150 on an EQ6R Pro and it weighs 25 pounds. The EQ6R can handle 44 pounds of payload.
Interesting video. Well APO refractors are not necessarily very expensive. Svbony for example sells a 4 inch FPL51 F7 version with just 460 $ and a 4.8 inch triplet FPL51 F7 with just 1399 $.
Good Evening Tsula, I'm thinking of buying a dobsonian however one think that's keeping me is that the object moves out of the eyepiece fairly quickly. Is this the case?, How long will each object stay in the field of view, for a 25mm 60 degree field of view on an 8-inch 1200mm dobsonian?
I've tried to do the calculation: 1200mm/25mm = 48X magnification 60 degree apparent field/48X magnification = 1.25 degree real field 24 hours (or 1440 minutes)/360 degrees = T/1.25 degrees (with "T" being the transit time) So according to my calculation - and I could be wrong - the answer to your question is five minutes. Tsula? 🙂
I have never sat down and done the math like Watler did but the object moves out pretty quickly. I think five minutes is generous but probably pretty close to correct.
Hi Tsula! So I’m torn between getting a Celestron 7” Maksutov Cassegrain or a 8” Schmidt Cassegrain. I generally want it to view the moon and planets and I guess my question would be what would you think is better? I know that the Maksutov has a higher focal length and offers more contrast than the Schmidt Cassegrain, but do you think the 8 inches of aperture can offset the advantage in contrast that a 7” Maksutov offers? Your videos give great inside and I appreciate your help
Even though the Mak excels at the moon and planets, you will see more detail with the bigger aperture of the 8" SCT. Personally I would go with the 8" SCT for that reason if all other things are equal.
Hello, My grandson has gotten to the age of curiosity. What budget friendly telescope would you suggest that would give him some good views. I am leaning towards a dob, maybe a 6". I used to have a 10" before Katrina took it. I know what a 10" can do, just not sure about a 6".
very informative video for beginners looking for the first scope @Tsula did you tried binoviewing, I read it that once you do it once on planets and moon you never look back
Thank you. People keep telling me to try them out but so far I haven't because I would need to get some more eyepieces. One day I will try it out and see for myself.
@@tsulasbigadventuresBinoviewers are good on the moon giving a sort of 3D feeling and Also on the planets at lower magnifications. However at high magnification trying to tease out the details on the planetary surface then mono viewing wins easily. Planetary imaging and observing is what I enjoy the most and have gotten seriously into the imaging side these past couple of years.
Most astronomers recommend 7x50 or 10x50 for astronomy. But I personally prefer 10x42 because they are lighter. Your arms will get tired holding binoculars. So, it's a good idea to stabilize whatever pair you get on a tripod. You can get reasonably priced 10x42 or 10x50 binoculars made by Nikon. Some people like to get something bigger like a 15x70 but those definitely have to go on a tripod. Celestron makes the 15x70 Sky Master. I think they have improved them now. My pair suffered from horrible chromatic aberration (false colors) which I cannot tolerate. I made a binocular buying guide a long time ago. Here is the link: ruclips.net/video/HWSYT32Q4_E/видео.html It was a long time ago!
I don’t know about others, but you should get lightweight 8 and 18” dob and 80mm Oberwerk binocular. Sell all your scopes; mercilessly and get those scopes.
I love my 10" Orion Dobsonian. I love my Meade SCTs and I love my Leica 10x42 binoculars. I have no intention of selling any of those wonderful instruments. I think the 10" Meade SCT is too heavy for me but I am working on getting it a permanent home where I don't have to move it again.
Hi Tsula. I have the oppurtunity to buy an Meade 12 inch lx200 gps with mount and original suitcase for 1900$. It has been collimated earlier this year and received a new circuit board. It looks pretty good on pictures and have no scratches on the mirror according to description and functions perfectly. However it is bought first time in 2003 so it has some age. Do you have any advice on what i should think about and consider before buying such a telescope with so many years behind
Would you have the opportunity to try it out before purchasing? I think it would be OK but I would personally feel better if able to examine and use prior to making a final decision. I have never bought a telescope that old. So, I can't really give any advice based on actual experience but is there a right to return it if it has problems?
@@tsulasbigadventures Yes i told the seller i want to come and examine it before making my final decision and hopefully i will go and look at it some day this week. I dont think i have a right to return, but I can at least put the question to him and see if he is willing to give some kind of a comforting reply. Really appreciate your quick reply! this was very helpfull, thank you very much!
@@dangidang6405 You're welcome. I hope it works out for you. I know you didn't ask about it but there is the other issue about the weight of this telescope. I own a 12" Meade and it is a beast. I pull it outside from the garage onto the driveway with a JMI Wheeley Bar. Otherwise I don't think it would get nearly as much use.
@@tsulasbigadventures I have watched your videos and seen it. Very smart actually! I can see it can become a challenge with Regards to its weight. Thank you for making me aware of that, but i hope the views will be worth the pain and struggle of moving this giant around! Your review on it made me want this telescope even more, you did a really good description! I'm very excited about it.
Nice explanation but, at 3:30, you say achromatic refractors "have just one lens." Don't they have two lenses, and apochromatic refractors, three? (Curiously, too, RUclips is marking my words "refractors" and "apochromatic" as spelling errors - not exactly a comprehensive dictionary!)
Hi Walter. Thanks. Apochromats can have two, three, and even four lenses. So, you can get a doublet that is an apochromatic refractor. I own one. And achromats can have one lens and they will have an extreme amount of false colors. But you can also get achromats with two lenses-- doublets, like the SV Bony.
@@tsulasbigadventuresMost commercial achromatic refractors have a doublet now Tsula. The shorter focal lengths do suffer from pretty bad chromatic aberration and on the flip side the longer f10-f12 have a good deal less. I am like yourself and can't abide by chromatic aberration.
@@tsulasbigadventures I had the same experience with my first good microscope. Seeing details as fine black lines rather than ugly color fringes was a revelation.
Catadioptric telescopes aren't much portable than dobsonians, if you take their mounts into account. I'd even say they occupy more space on the floor ;) And for the picture quality, I haven't seen much or any difference between my SCT, and a same size newtonian+barlow, so my vote goes to any dobsonian, as a 1st scope to buy.
I guess it would depend on what mount you put the SCT on. I had my 8" SCT on an iOptron strain wave mount that barely weighed anything or took up any space but it was pretty expensive and someone stole it. I think probably a beginner would not notice the difference in the quality of the optics between an SCT and a Dob. But I'm with you and vote for a Dob for first scope too.
Please tell me Tsula you are not also a Ham Radio operator? ARE YOU SOME KIND OF UNICORN??? A girl into astronomy? And SCIENCE!? I.Am.In.Love. ;) Anyway, thank you for the information! And keep looking up, and over there, and there, and there too!
Ha ha. I think I am a unicorn. I wonder sometimes but no, I am not a ham radio enthusiast. It's dark now and I have to go outside and look for some things. Cheers!
Hello: A telescope that tracks the night sky is called a goto telescope. It's not really the telescope but the mount that you put the telescope on that is moving and keeping the object in the field of view. Some companies sell the telescope and mount as a package and those are goto telescopes. Celestron makes a very popular telescope and mount that is goto called the NexStar SE. The telescope has an aperture of 4" 6" or 8" and comes on a lightweight tripod and small mount attached to the tripod with a single arm to keep it light. The mount runs off of batteries and once you perform a simple alignment procedure the mount will point to and follow objects in the sky. I hope that helps.
Hello Tsula, I’ve volunteered at Pine Mountain Observatory for 8 years and enjoyed introducing the general public to astronomy. I was certified on the 15 and 24 inch telescopes. For me it was very satisfying leasing to the oohs when people see a planet or a distant galaxy for the first time. I recently repaired a damaged Meade Schmidt Newtonian and feel confident that I can repair your scope. Once repaired I’ll use it to continue introducing people to Astronomy. Thank you for all your videos. One of my favorites was the intro to the ioptron mount.
@@Franklin1419T Your name is in the hat
Really informative!….as always!!! So lucky to have someone like you giving such sound and practical advice, without pressure to buy! Thanks for the hard work and information you put into everything you do you it’s really appreciated🤗
Thank you, Linda. Your comment made my day.
Hi,
first I have to express my great appreciation for you and your work on the channel and behind the scenes! Great job, which helps us amateurs learn in a pleasant and faster way. Thanks to your work, we avoid unnecessary expenses because we select equipment better and manage our time better by making first and subsequent observations. So a big, big thank you!
I have a proposal and a request at the same time: I noticed that people like you publish videos in the category: "which first telescope should I choose?". And that's great, but there are plenty of people who already have their first telescope or want to buy an entire system consisting of two or three telescopes, which will constitute a system, e.g. a family one.
For example, I want to order a foldable 12" Newton, because I love deep sky objects, but at the same time I want to make my wife and two children (10 and 12 years old) fall in love with observational astronomy. The 12" Dobson has no guide, so it's difficult to focus on something with several people, especially at high magnification. So I thought that I needed an additional telescope that would, on the one hand, complement the 12" Newton on the Dobsonian, and on the other hand, would be friendly to my wife and children.
I live in a small town (SQM 21.37) but it takes 25 minutes to get to heaven SQM 21.80 and I have a large car, so I can take at least two telescopes.
So I thought about a 4" APO on a guided mount or GoTo for viewing planets, the moon, the Sun, comets, maybe double stars and... nebulas. It should also help in amateur astrophotography. I'm leaning towards the TS Optics 4" APO 102 mm f/7 or f/11 (which one would be better?)
What do you say? Maybe you have another idea that will better meet our family needs in this regard?
Maybe it's worth making a RUclips video about it?
Best regards and thank you in advance for your extensive answer to my topic!
Przemek Jordan from Poland
I'm very sorry, but only after writing this comment did I discover that you recorded such a video:
ruclips.net/video/MVVmjdQyXKA/видео.htmlsi=iscSVr01vKV8Se56
Maybe there is something you would like to add about me?
No problem. And thank you for your nice comments about my videos. I appreciate it. I think a big Dobsonian along with a 4" Apo is an excellent combination. As for the TS Optics 4" Apo-- I have never used that particular telescope but that is an excellent size for your secondary telescope for your family. The focal ratio is not that important for visual use but if you are intending to use it for astrophotography as well you will definitely want f/7 and not f/11. I didn't even think they still make f/11 refractors. It would be an incredibly long telescope! Although refractors with focal lengths that long are very pleasing to look through visually. Hope that helps.
I can remember starting out and wanting to buy everything but my wallet gave a resounding NO! I did all the usual mistakes of buying cheap only to end up buying twice or thrice. Aperture fever also got me buying a telescope that was just too big for me and really needed an observatory. As the years passed i have settled on my 12" go to dobsonian, a 180mm Maksutov and a 130mm apochromatic refractor. Great video for newcomers to the hobby or anyone considering buying their first telescope.
I remember going into the Orion store years ago and wanting the goto telescope so badly but my bank account also said no and I ended up with a terrible wobbly awful reflector. To this day I cannot remember seeing a single object in that telescope.
0:16 @@tsulasbigadventures
You give very sound information. Having about a dozen telescopes up to a 6" f/12 refractor and an 18" f/5 Dobsonian reflector, I can definitely agree that if a person is going to buy a first telescope or an "only one telescope", to keep it small, portable and simple. The best telescope is the one that gets used the most. That translates into a size and weight equation. In my case, that would be a 10" Dobsonian reflector or either an 80mm f/5 APO refractor on an alt-az mount, or a 100mm f/8 APO refractor on either an alt-az mount or on an equatorial mount.
Thanks. I agree with you on all points.
@@tsulasbigadventures A follow-up video along this line with regard to telescope mounts might be helpful to people getting into the hobby. Too often, I've seen people spend money for good optics and then cheap out on the mount. A solid mount is equally important as quality optics, whether it's an alt-az mount or an equatorial mount. This is often true with some scope/mount "package deals" I see advertised. Some of these combinations have the optical tubes mounted close to the limits of the mount's advertised carrying capacity, not taking into account the optical tube's lever moment force nor accounting for any accessories one might wish to add.
@@markihde4381 OK. Thank you for the suggestion.
Howdy, nice report! I notice you have an Orion Astroview mount. I do as well - it was free! I found it put out on the side of the road! I cleaned it up and adjusted it and it works perfectly. It even looks nice! I use it with my classic refractors from the 1950s and 60s. The ubiquitous "logic drive", a battery powered RA motor, drives it just fine. You can get drop-in go-to solutions now.
That's cool you found an abandoned one and fixed it up. I should add a motor to mine.
Excellent video. I would increase the emphasis on light pollution in making a selection. I live in light polluted central Florida and that alters my preferences towards Image Stabilized binoculars and my 80mm Meade APO, as well as towards solar observing. If I lived in the West, I would add larger aperture telescopes.
Thank you. I actually revised this video after the first edit to add more about light pollution but you're right I could have said even more because I believe that most first time buyers do not spend nearly enough time learning about how light pollution will impact what they will see. I try to emphasize it in every video.
@@tsulasbigadventures No criticism intended, it's just that an APO refractor of 80-100 mm (say) is easy to move during visits to dark sky sites. And these refractors are good for viewing the moon and bright star clusters, and they are OK for viewing the planets. Their price becomes less of an issue because mobility is more important with light pollution and the quality of the views is a further recommendation for them. By the way, the 80 mm Meade Series 6000 APO refractor that I own is excellent. The company stopped selling them when the breakup with JOC optical in China took place.
@@JamesAdams-ev6fc All good points. I had a Meade 115mm Series 6000 that had high quality optics but sadly I sold it.
Nice video...made me laugh at how you started off...
As always well presented...😊
Thank you so much. I try to make it interesting. I'm glad you like the introduction.
Great video. I find a small grab and go scope works better for me. If I can carry out a scope in one hand, I am more likely to go out.
Thank you and I agree. In the next video, part three I am going to talk about that very topic. Thanks for watching.
Nice advice and selection Tsula. I think I have a very similar 80mm to your Orion the Skywatcher 80ED which i enjoy for visual, great little scope. Currently I'm on the SCT and refractors...oh and one Mak. There just all so god damn nice !!!!
Hi Ollie. That 80mm is a nice telescope. It only weighs five pounds. The dovetail is a little short but other than that it is great for grab and go. It sounds like you have the telescope fever. I just bought a new telescope. I either am a genius or I lost my mind.
Great video as always and this one hits close to heart. I'm looking to buy a APO refractor for my first astrophotography rig. I already have the mount so I'm looking at a 71mm scope. I already have a mak for the planets and 8" dob for scanning the sky. Life is short just buy them all!!!
Thank you! Yes, if it fits in your budget, I agree.
That’s what I love about astronomy. There’s no “best” equipment, it’s checks and balances where if one thing exceeds at something, it lacks in another dept. where another scope will trade off for. In 2006 in high school, started out with a 10” dob. Now have a SVX130T on an CEM70G. Mainly got the funding when I sold my bike to get deeper into astronomy. Also, I always like listening to your reviews on topics, always learning new things to consider
That about sums it up. Thank you for your nice comments.
One thing I would add is the importance of the mount you choose. Equatorial mounts require aligning with the celestial pole ,so if you don't have a clear view of the pole from your observing site,that can be a problem. Also, for a beginner the Dobsonian may get you the most aperture for your money, but when you're starting out, trying to even find objects with precision is very difficult, to the point where it actually makes people give up. A goto mount can actually get you looking at something in 20 seconds that may take you 10 minutes to find by hand, but of course they add to the cost.
I think a lot of people probably do give up after not being able to find things. I remember getting very frustrated when I got my first telescope years ago. It was manual but it was also a cheap reflector on a wobbly mount and that didn't help either. Now I love looking for things with my Dob.
When I was shopping for my first serious telescope I just had a few criteria that I was looking for. Large aperture, can easily be moved around, goto capabilities and the ability to operate the telescope manually. Then I started looking the cheapest possible scopes that satisfied any of those criteria and kept increasing the budget until I found the perfect match within my budget limit. I eventually settled on a Evo 8 SCT. First light was a few weeks ago and WOW! I was expecting to some amazing views and it did not disappoint. I am so hooked. Luckily, I don't think I will ever outgrow this telescope.
An 8" SCT is such a great telescope to own. Good choice.
@tsulasbigadventures Yeah, I'm really looking forward to my next dark sky expedition. The only negative thing I have to say is that I found the hand controller damn near unreadable in the dark. I was getting too much glow from the buttons to make out the lettering, but that could just be me. I understand why they made it that way but I would have preferred illuminated lettering on an opaque button.
@@bassdeff8819 I had the same issue with the hand controller that came with the iOptron HAZ31 mount. I had to tilt the hand controller at an angle in order to see it and even then I had to squint.
Excellent job with a comprehensive look! I've had a golf bag of visual telescopes from an 80mm Short Tube to an 8" Schmidt-Newtonian that doubles for astrophotography. You're spot on with at least an 80mm and perhaps even a 10" Dob with emphasis on light pollution environment. My 8" f6 dob tries to pull details in the Bortle 8 sky ay home but is awash in sky glow. A 90 minute drive to Bortle 2 sky is a soul stirring experience. Recently "Cuv The Lazy Geek" went into tweaking a 6" f5 Newtonian for astrophotography. Rather than the touted 6" f8 "planet killer" or 8" dob, maybe a 6" f5 newtonian on an alt/az mount could be a very versatile future telescope. Wide field visuals for the learning stargazer yet able to mount on a second tier EQ mount such as an EQ-5.
Thank you. I thought about trying out an 8" Newtonian for visual use but when I saw that long focuser protruding from the tube and possibly requiring extenders I changed my mind. It seems like almost all Newtonians these days are marketed as "astrographs." But since I didn't buy the Newtonian I can't speak from experience. But one thing is for sure that everything looks better in whatever telescope you have if you take the time to haul it out to a dark sky site. It is soul stirring as you said.
Great video. :)
Save up the money and get a 10-12 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain OTA + mount
i have owned a 10 inch and 16inch dob...and my 12 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain is the only thing i use for visual observing, depending on the mount you can switch to astrophotography as well
easy to transport and set up
Another good video Tsula. I got an 8" dobsonian as my... uh... 5th telescope I think? After doing a lot of astrophotography I decided that I really wanted to do more visual work and I have been more than happy with it since I live in a nice dark rural area. However... I took it with me camping for a star party and I think it is a bit to big to pack comfortably until I get a trailer so I can pack all of my other camping stuff outside the cab of the truck. So I am now considering getting a 5 inch SCT on a manual mount from Celestron to use as a travel scope (or buying a used SCT and a manual ALT/AZ mount). This hobby has a way of keeping me poor and taking up too much room...
Thank you. I have that same issue. I have a 10" Dobsonian but it is just too big to take camping this summer. So, I have been looking into a good option for something that will fit into my car along with my camping gear. I think I have come up with a good solution. So stay tuned for a video coming soon on my solution.
@@tsulasbigadventures I await that upload eagerly!
Thanks tsula you certainly make things clearer litterally!
Thanks so much.
Hi Tsula,
Just came across your channel and like so many others I've been fascinated with astronomy all my life. Since I've been a little kid watching all of the Apollo missions back in the 60s and 70s but as life would have it other things come along other interest and so forth just Life in general. So now that I'm retired I've always wanted to buy a telescope but just didn't want to pull the trigger so to speak because That rabbit hole runs deep. So sorry for the long comments but you said in your video that I believe there is three parts but there not labeled as such unless I don't see them if you would be as so kind, what are the titles of parts 2&3 I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your response and have a great day.
Great video! I can't wait to see part 2. I was able save up and afford a used Meade SCT 10" LX200 classic. It was in great condition and came with the GoTo mount, dew tube, and additional eye pieces, total cost was $1K. I added a Bluetooth dongle and am able to control it via my smart phone w/sky Safari for point and go. Everything worked as expect. Would like to know your thoughts on the cost.
Thank you. Are you kidding me? You got a great deal! Excellent telescope. I love my Meade 10". I also bought a used one. It's a little heavy for me at my age but I plan to permanently mount it soon. Excellent choice. You made a good decision and got a great deal.
@@tsulasbigadventures thank you for the feedback. This is my first true amateur telescope, getting back into the hobby as an adult now. As a kid, I was only able to afford a no name 4" reflector type (~$100) and always knew, there's gotta be better scopes out there. Hopefully this will spark interest w/ my own kids now.
@@lindalee1743 My first scope was a terrible 4" reflector on a wobbly equatorial mount. I never saw anything in that telescope. I know you will enjoy that 10" telescope and I hope you can inspire your kids with it too. All the best.
Great informative video, thanks!
Thank you. Thanks for watching.
great info im sure alot people will find it handy
Thanks, Joe.
Achromats are 2 lens not one, achromat meant "without color " since the original single lens refractors were like prisms by comparison, tons of false color in a rainbow of fringes. And proper super long focal length achromats could be visually color free, but that was an f15 60mm and as the aperture increases the required focal ratio for color free performance also increases.
Thankfully we now have ED and fluorite and even a simple doublet can be apochoimatic.
As for reflectors, spherical mirrors can be the same way, small 114 f8 spherical scopes can be diffraction limited, as aperture increases, so does the required focal ratio. Cheap telescopes tend to break those rules and are only usable at lower powers.
Outstanding video Tsula. Do you think a ZWO 130mm refractor can resolve the planets and will it fit on an EQ6-R mount
Thanks. It should be able to easily resolve the planets but the main issue with planets is to look or image on a night of good seeing. An EQ6R-Pro will easily handle that telescope which weighs 23.5 pounds. I put my Evostar 150 on an EQ6R Pro and it weighs 25 pounds. The EQ6R can handle 44 pounds of payload.
Youre amazing ❤
Thank you!
Interesting video. Well APO refractors are not necessarily very expensive. Svbony for example sells a 4 inch FPL51 F7 version with just 460 $ and a 4.8 inch triplet FPL51 F7 with just 1399 $.
I guess "very expensive" is relative. But I would say $460 is pretty inexpensive for an apo.
Good Evening Tsula,
I'm thinking of buying a dobsonian however one think that's keeping me is that the object moves out of the eyepiece fairly quickly. Is this the case?, How long will each object stay in the field of view, for a 25mm 60 degree field of view on an 8-inch 1200mm dobsonian?
I've tried to do the calculation:
1200mm/25mm = 48X magnification
60 degree apparent field/48X magnification = 1.25 degree real field
24 hours (or 1440 minutes)/360 degrees = T/1.25 degrees (with "T" being the transit time)
So according to my calculation - and I could be wrong - the answer to your question is five minutes. Tsula? 🙂
I have never sat down and done the math like Watler did but the object moves out pretty quickly. I think five minutes is generous but probably pretty close to correct.
Thank you
You're welcome. Thanks for watching.
Thanks Tsula. I like your James Webb shirt.
Thanks, Ron. Someone asked me if it was a bee hive.
@@tsulasbigadventures 😊
Hi Tsula! So I’m torn between getting a Celestron 7” Maksutov Cassegrain or a 8” Schmidt Cassegrain. I generally want it to view the moon and planets and I guess my question would be what would you think is better? I know that the Maksutov has a higher focal length and offers more contrast than the Schmidt Cassegrain, but do you think the 8 inches of aperture can offset the advantage in contrast that a 7” Maksutov offers? Your videos give great inside and I appreciate your help
Even though the Mak excels at the moon and planets, you will see more detail with the bigger aperture of the 8" SCT. Personally I would go with the 8" SCT for that reason if all other things are equal.
Hello, My grandson has gotten to the age of curiosity. What budget friendly telescope would you suggest that would give him some good views. I am leaning towards a dob, maybe a 6". I used to have a 10" before Katrina took it. I know what a 10" can do, just not sure about a 6".
@@kaptkrunchfpv If you are leaning toward a Dob I would go ahead and get an 8”. You would be able to see so much more.
I really wish I had this when I started, I bought one of those cheap’o scopes that you said not to buy.
I bet many people did the same thing. In fact, so did I! My first telescope was terrible. it's a wonder I stuck with it.
@@tsulasbigadventures Good, now I don’t feel so stupid lol, It was a Celestron 127 PowerSeeker EQ, one of the most hated telescopes lol.
very informative video for beginners looking for the first scope
@Tsula did you tried binoviewing, I read it that once you do it once on planets and moon you never look back
Thank you. People keep telling me to try them out but so far I haven't because I would need to get some more eyepieces. One day I will try it out and see for myself.
@@tsulasbigadventuresBinoviewers are good on the moon giving a sort of 3D feeling and Also on the planets at lower magnifications. However at high magnification trying to tease out the details on the planetary surface then mono viewing wins easily. Planetary imaging and observing is what I enjoy the most and have gotten seriously into the imaging side these past couple of years.
Any recommendations for binoculars to use?
Most astronomers recommend 7x50 or 10x50 for astronomy. But I personally prefer 10x42 because they are lighter. Your arms will get tired holding binoculars. So, it's a good idea to stabilize whatever pair you get on a tripod. You can get reasonably priced 10x42 or 10x50 binoculars made by Nikon. Some people like to get something bigger like a 15x70 but those definitely have to go on a tripod. Celestron makes the 15x70 Sky Master. I think they have improved them now. My pair suffered from horrible chromatic aberration (false colors) which I cannot tolerate. I made a binocular buying guide a long time ago. Here is the link:
ruclips.net/video/HWSYT32Q4_E/видео.html
It was a long time ago!
I don’t know about others, but you should get lightweight 8 and 18” dob and 80mm Oberwerk binocular. Sell all your scopes; mercilessly and get those scopes.
I love my 10" Orion Dobsonian. I love my Meade SCTs and I love my Leica 10x42 binoculars. I have no intention of selling any of those wonderful instruments. I think the 10" Meade SCT is too heavy for me but I am working on getting it a permanent home where I don't have to move it again.
Hi Tsula. I have the oppurtunity to buy an Meade 12 inch lx200 gps with mount and original suitcase for 1900$. It has been collimated earlier this year and received a new circuit board. It looks pretty good on pictures and have no scratches on the mirror according to description and functions perfectly. However it is bought first time in 2003 so it has some age. Do you have any advice on what i should think about and consider before buying such a telescope with so many years behind
Would you have the opportunity to try it out before purchasing? I think it would be OK but I would personally feel better if able to examine and use prior to making a final decision. I have never bought a telescope that old. So, I can't really give any advice based on actual experience but is there a right to return it if it has problems?
@@tsulasbigadventures Yes i told the seller i want to come and examine it before making my final decision and hopefully i will go and look at it some day this week. I dont think i have a right to return, but I can at least put the question to him and see if he is willing to give some kind of a comforting reply. Really appreciate your quick reply! this was very helpfull, thank you very much!
@@dangidang6405 You're welcome. I hope it works out for you. I know you didn't ask about it but there is the other issue about the weight of this telescope. I own a 12" Meade and it is a beast. I pull it outside from the garage onto the driveway with a JMI Wheeley Bar. Otherwise I don't think it would get nearly as much use.
@@tsulasbigadventures I have watched your videos and seen it. Very smart actually! I can see it can become a challenge with Regards to its weight. Thank you for making me aware of that, but i hope the views will be worth the pain and struggle of moving this giant around! Your review on it made me want this telescope even more, you did a really good description! I'm very excited about it.
@@dangidang6405 OK. I hope it works out for you.
Nice explanation but, at 3:30, you say achromatic refractors "have just one lens." Don't they have two lenses, and apochromatic refractors, three? (Curiously, too, RUclips is marking my words "refractors" and "apochromatic" as spelling errors - not exactly a comprehensive dictionary!)
Hi Walter. Thanks. Apochromats can have two, three, and even four lenses. So, you can get a doublet that is an apochromatic refractor. I own one. And achromats can have one lens and they will have an extreme amount of false colors. But you can also get achromats with two lenses-- doublets, like the SV Bony.
@@tsulasbigadventures An achromat with an extreme amount of false color? That doesn't sound achromatic to me. 🙂
@@waltergold3457 I can't tolerate any false colors; they make me crazy. So, any false color is extreme no matter what they call the telescope.
@@tsulasbigadventuresMost commercial achromatic refractors have a doublet now Tsula. The shorter focal lengths do suffer from pretty bad chromatic aberration and on the flip side the longer f10-f12 have a good deal less. I am like yourself and can't abide by chromatic aberration.
@@tsulasbigadventures I had the same experience with my first good microscope. Seeing details as fine black lines rather than ugly color fringes was a revelation.
Catadioptric telescopes aren't much portable than dobsonians, if you take their mounts into account. I'd even say they occupy more space on the floor ;)
And for the picture quality, I haven't seen much or any difference between my SCT, and a same size newtonian+barlow, so my vote goes to any dobsonian, as a 1st scope to buy.
I guess it would depend on what mount you put the SCT on. I had my 8" SCT on an iOptron strain wave mount that barely weighed anything or took up any space but it was pretty expensive and someone stole it. I think probably a beginner would not notice the difference in the quality of the optics between an SCT and a Dob. But I'm with you and vote for a Dob for first scope too.
Please tell me Tsula you are not also a Ham Radio operator?
ARE YOU SOME KIND OF UNICORN??? A girl into astronomy? And SCIENCE!?
I.Am.In.Love. ;)
Anyway, thank you for the information! And keep looking up, and over there, and there, and there too!
Ha ha. I think I am a unicorn. I wonder sometimes but no, I am not a ham radio enthusiast. It's dark now and I have to go outside and look for some things. Cheers!
I should get a 24 in superplanetary Cassegrain that weighs 400 lbs.
If you own an observatory you should get a telescope that big. Do you have a gigantic wheel barrow to move it around?
My StellaLyra 8” Newtonian is far better quality than Meade, Orion, or Sky Watcher Newts. Bought mine from First Light Optics in the UK.
As a beginner, my question is: which telescope moves with an object, as earth moving.
Hello: A telescope that tracks the night sky is called a goto telescope. It's not really the telescope but the mount that you put the telescope on that is moving and keeping the object in the field of view. Some companies sell the telescope and mount as a package and those are goto telescopes. Celestron makes a very popular telescope and mount that is goto called the NexStar SE. The telescope has an aperture of 4" 6" or 8" and comes on a lightweight tripod and small mount attached to the tripod with a single arm to keep it light. The mount runs off of batteries and once you perform a simple alignment procedure the mount will point to and follow objects in the sky. I hope that helps.
Realize I know nothing about
No problem. I answered in the other comment you left and I am happy to answer any other questions you have.