Parents are the gatekeepers and they're incompetent at it. The death knell of millions of tiny, potential nerds 'We will just get this cheap one, to see if you are even going to stick with it'. 15 years later, its $10 at a garage sale, still in the box. When I was shopping for a microscope for my nephew, I went to an optics shop and looked at some new budget scopes and then shocked the entire staff - I asked to see some used ones and some slides to view. I ended up getting a scuffed up 70s Boreal lab scope, like I used in highschool. Same price as the new 'budget' scope and handily outperformed it in every aspect but the paintjob.
astrophotography only accounts for a fraction of nerds in out world also astrophysics just has so much stuff that it is a real headache to understand for many of us . . . even tough it's cool . it's still not worth it for many
Less than two minutes in and I can't pull myself away from the screen! There's an earthquake happening outside, but it will have to wait until I've finished watching.... Best content on the planet!
Found a junk store 60mm vixen era refractor for $9 Canadian. Popped in decent eyepiece, put on old tripod. Best Jupiter views ever, sharp belts, shadows, colours, more. Once on a solid mount they’re little wonder scopes.
One of them most revelatory things ever happened to me was swapping out a horrible old Huygens eyepiece on a 60mm refractor and replacing it with a Celestron ortho. Amazing.
My first official telescope was the Celestron 70MM travel scope. I thought I had to make the focus as big as possible to see things. I knew so little about astronomy at the time. Now, I know how to work it perfectly and found out that the mount I used to use was the primary issue with the telescope's capabilities. Exactly one year ago (because today is my birthday) I got a Gysker 90mm telescope. It's an amazing scope and I highly recommend it, because the EQ mounted 90mms are cheap and aren't worth your time.
The tripod makes a HUGE difference. It's why I returned the celestron telescope last Christmas. I couldn't track the sky easily and everything was shaky.
Can confirm, I bought a Celestron 70mm travel scope for my sister to use for astronomy. To put it into perspective, I have seen the same tripod (Brateck Universal Camera Tripod) for sale at a large retailer for AU$6 (US$4). Even at THAT price they are still sitting on the shelf, and it's not even on clearance! I bought a Vivitar VPT-3662 62" tripod as an upgrade for AU$50 and it's so much better it's not even funny. Can't recommend the travel scope anymore though. The price was hiked up by almost 40% since 2021 and it's not worth that much. You can get a great pair of 7x50 binoculars for the same price.
@@jimtekkit Hi can you recommend a good starting scope kit to buy in Oz for around $500. i would like the 11 and 5 year old to maybe have an interest too. Thanks Again
@@flyingwhiteindian Sky-Watcher Heritage 130p Dobsonian is best value for a starter scope. I have one and it's easily my favourite within that price range, it does everything very well. Also got a Celestron StarSense 80AZ refractor but it's overpriced for what you get.
I bought my first telescope used and under 100$ and it gives me so many emotions looking in the night sky! I share with friends and feel so thankful... It is so incredible!
I can't help but grin with joy when watching an Astrobiscuit video, although I will say I think this was more of a best planetary scope for under £100 test, and I think the results would vary depending on the object viewed. One of the big problems with the Firstscope et al 76mm Dobs is that they're an f/4 scope supplied with Huygen's eyepieces designed in the 17th century for f15+ scopes. Pop a simple Plossl in front of the shaving mirror and things do improve a little. The Heritage 100p is much better but it's no planetary scope at 400mm focal length f/4. A long achromat will always win on Jupiter over a table top tiny Dob, but the mount is super important and the Dob's have the stability and ease of use for general astronomy. This is coming from someone who is historically mad about classic refractors so I'm not unduly biased towards the above.
That's true, but if you see a a Jupiter like that using a refractor, there are more chances that, you will be more hooked to astronomy. This was the way I started too, using a small refractor and seeing Saturn.
Hi mate recently tested like 12 nights this autumn a small refractor 40/400 vs heritage 100 and maksutov telescopes, the heritage 100 with a 2.25 Barlow it performed better than the small refractors, even the small maksutov, aperture really helped
I was going to mention eyepiece choices. Many of the cheap eyepieces that come with inexpensive scopes are total junk, and even those included with identical scopes are of varying quality. I'd say to compare optics of different telescopes, the exact piece should be used for every one being tested. When I just recently got a small "grab and go" scope to compliment the 4.5EQ and XT8 I already have, I chose to skip the Travel Scope 70 and 80 simply because of the horrible tripods. I chose a FirstScope because it's a table top Dob, and I already have a set of Plossls. It's easier and less costly to replace an eyepiece or three than purchasing a solid tripod and mount. (and the one I just bought is "Open Box New", never used, for $42 on ebay, including the $12 shipping.) ...I'm going to take my 4.5 EQ off it's shaky Orion base and put it on a sturdy tabletop Dob base.
I also recommend the 70mm Astromaster refractor , it does very well on the planets. Some people wouldn't believe it can do planetary with a good mount of course, but pop a barlow 2X with a planetary camera and try your best with focusing and you can get some decent shots of the planets and the moon! I also 3d printed telescope clamps for it and screwed it on a vixen shoe mount , the original on it was contributing to the shaking and moving. I also got an older Meade 50mm narrow tube refractor - for free , someone wanted to throw it away - which was made in Japan in the 80s or 70s, the optics are fantastic on it. Just can't beat those Japanese stuff!
I have the astromaster 70mm as well. it was given to me as a package deal when I bought an ETX 90 from a guy, which is an amazing small maksutov. the astromaster needs a good mount. but wow ! very sharp moon and planets. stunning really. these can be bought used for less than 50 bucks
My hubby got me a 40 quid scope for xmas this year. It's still thrilling to see the little speck of Jupiter with Ganymede and Callisto even if they are faint dots. Your videos have me so so so excited to upgrade sometime next year! But for now loving my very very basic setup.
I think The Heritage 100/400 is the best scope from all the bunch, the 100 aperture makes the difference, and i think it can beat the smaller 60 mm refactors on Lunar and Planetary captures using a decent Barlow lens, and having the same seeing conditions. and not having chromatic aberrations, is suitable also for deep sky astrophotography. Also If you do not test the telescopes in the same time on planetary captures is hard to get a reliable result, especially if the seeing conditions changes rapidly
Thats sold as the Sky-Watcher Heritage-100P and costs £120. Includes VAT and extra costs due to consumer protection laws. £120 isn't less than £100. Unfortunately it looks like thats what the scope in the bottom left is...typical of mr biscuit and his magic pricing he always seems to be able to buy equipment at crazy low prices. Top left looks like "home made" using magic lense no one can really buy. Covid turning the market upside down and prices skyrocketing seems to have passed Mr Biscuit by. He certainly hasn't updated the prices on his website. "Out of stock due 15-20 working days" on all major retailers lol!
@@backgammonbacon Yeah pricing and delivery have gone crazy lately, Last year I purchased a Celestron Evo 8 with StarSense. Ordered in July and I think it arrived in October. Delivery seems to be an issue for a lot of scopes and accessories. I waited Months for some extra eyepieces too.
There is not a better feeling than enjoying one of Astrobiscuit videos with a cup of coffee. Also, getting the notification of a new video never fails to lift a smile. Definitely the best (and most underrated) RUclips channel out there.
I have an 80mm long tube Celestron that I bought 20 years ago which never saw much use - this video has motivated me to pull it out of my closet. Subscribed!
Watching this reminds me of the Prinz Astral 500 Dixons scope my bruv bought me many moons ago, Amazingly I still have one with its well made EQ mount, counter weight and slow motion drives, but now have an adapter for better eyepieces !! The 60mm objective lens was pretty good for late 70s, my mates and I used to hang with some beer in my mums back garden just to get a glimpse of Jupiter, the moon etc, I was indeed a nerd, even now near 60 I'm still a nerd and love to get my rig out to image, the fascination never goes away, in fact I've just bought a pole master cos my knees are giving up 😂😂.. You go careful on that blasted roof of yours, nice vid👍..
thank you very much I've been looking to buy a telescope for so long but looking at the reviews they didn't inspire much but seeing all of them tested that's really nice
Your videos are the all-time BEST when it comes to being a nerdy astronomer. And your musical repertoire just takes that onto a whole NEW LEVEL. I find your cinematography/editing the most creative out there I've seen so far. Thank you for being.
Oh my god IM HOOOOME! Where have you been my whole life Biscuit? Im a huge nerd that suffers surrounded by lower life forms (working in the drilling industry is depressing). Loved the vid and ill be looking into you more thoroughly cheers!
That was brilliant!! Turn up the volume and dance to the tunes of Riktenstein's D'n'B, as the celestron 60mm refractor did very well for a budget scope! Biscuit man didn't put up with any of Bunny's attitude in this one lol! Great video! 😃👍
Great video, I was looking for a telescope for under £100, and all of the scopes you reviewed I have looked at but was not sure what the best of the lot was. Now I know!!...
Love your videos. It's interesting to see the differences between your videos and the ones done by other astrophotographers. There are others that I also follow but you really have your own style. Apart from being incredibly knowledgeable, you are often on the move, going to meet someone face to face or online and your videos are both educational and hilarious. I'm hooked!
Got me with the thumbnail preview, it was like I was hypnotized and watched the whole video. Now I know why my telescope is garbage. I know what to look for and I have a new mirror for shaving. Thanks!
The celestron FirstScope telescope was the first telescope I ever got back when I was 8 years old. Its the main reason I got so invested in space. Those cheap telescopes really are a gateway drug lol.
Another great video, thank you! As someone who started observing too long ago when all I could afford was a pair of tripod-mounted binos, I think it is fantastic to get a decent scope for ~£100.
I don’t know how this ended up on my feed, and I am not into Astro photography or anything like it, but I love your videos. Great stuff. * I think I am fascinated by watching people who are passionate about their interests. Beat of luck to you.
I have one of these long thinny Japanese-made 60/600 refractor from the Eighties. I dusted it off during last year's lockdown, added a modern USB camera and boom I became a astro-nerd. Now I have this huge Skywatcher Newtonian reflector and spend all my nights out in the freezing cold making nerdy images. 😀
Make a video on things to consider before buying telescope Like what is dia, focal length and f-no. Lens type etc Like what is the difference between 80x400 f5 and 80X900 f11 etc
Would just like to say thankyou. Found your channel when running a search for Telescopes and Astronomy. I've always loved taking pictures of the moon, and wanted to expand a little. Your videos on budget buys have stopped me from jumping in feet first, and making a mistake with the first purchase. Once I get used to everything, I will hopefully have even better moon shots, and then move out further from there.
Cheap scopes I've found in real life: Original Celestron NexStar 4GT - $29.99 at a thrift shop Orion Skywatcher 90EQ (they call it the AstroView now) - $29.99 at the same thrift shop a few months later Orion XT4.5 - $50.00 off Facebook Marketplace 11/9/2021. Celestron Star Hopper 8" Dobsonian - $100 in 2017 after the Eclipse off Craigslist. Mirrors were dirty, turned out fantastic. Stupidly sold it but bought an identical one for $200 last month, came with nicer finders, the difference in those accessories alone nearly made up the price difference. Celestron branded 80mm f/5 achromat... I've bought two of these on EQ1 equatorial tripods, they averaged to $50 each. One I passed along to a friend, the other now has a vixen dovetail and gets used for terrestrial spotting and solar mostly. Orion XT6 Dobsonian - $100 off Craigslist. Someone was using it for outreach, had written "free" as the price of looking through the scope all over it, people were offended thinking he was trying to make $100 off a freebie telescope. Joke's on them, I resold it for $250 after a thorough cleaning... I'm an 8" f/6 kind of guy for midsize scopes. Orion Starblast 4.5, a 114mm version of the tiny Dobs from this video. $100 off Facebook Marketplace. This one will use an eyepiece as short as 4mm in focal length to pull in Cassini Division and surface details on Jupiter. This unseated the 80mm f/5 in my inventory. Skywatcher 250p flextube Dobsonian - $100 and included a Meade 5000 82 degree 8.8mm eyepiece, which is worth more than the asking straight off the top. Honorable mentions: I paid $150 (which is just slightly over the 100 pounds in conversion) for a vintage Celestron 90mm f/11 Maksutov, on an equatorial tripod mount. I really like this telescope but don't use it much since putting the Starblast on rings. I've bought SEVERAL other 6-8" Dobsonians for $200 and less. My Skywatcher 300p flextube Dobsonian was sub $500 used. My Meade LX200GPS was essentially $500 out of pocket, and that cost is mostly on the battery pack, carry bag and a replacement handset. Bought it as an estate clean out and sold off everything else to basicaly break even. The list goes on. I cruise used listings all the time and buy scopes that need a little refurbishment to be perfect, and then sell them if I already have something that fills that role, or keep if I don't. I don't generally sell anything that I wouldn't personally use, and to back that up every used scope I sell gets at least one session under the stars so I can give direct information to that buyer to know what they are to expect. If there's an eyepiece of higher quality beyond a stock Kellner or Plossl, I generally keep it or resell separately... this practice eventually left me with a complete 82* field of view eyepiece set from 4.7 to 30mm in focal length, mostly Explore Scientific with a Meade or two tossed in. Oh, and the most used astronomy item in my inventory is the adjustable height chair (Starbound brand I believe) that was $75 used. About $100 less than retail. The 60mm AstroMaster is a scope that I'd never pay anything close to $134 for (the current exchange to 100 pounds).
I bought one of those small Telescopes (Red one at 7:52) it was kinda hidden under a bunch of other things at a store and they didn't even know that they had it and thought it was old so they sold it to me for 50 bucks. For the size of the scope it's pretty good, especially with some good lenses!!
Here in the Philippines, I got a Svbony 70mm scope that's probably exactly like the Celestron travelscope. Available only online though for the equivalent of 45 quid. Of the known brands, only Celestron sells on the shelves through a specialty store. The Firstscope is available, while the next would probably be the Powerseeker 60 AZ for 79 quid and the 70 AZ for 107 quid. Not that many choices in a not-so-nerdy country.
I chanced upon an old Vixen 70 f/10 in a surplus store...it was very,very good..belts of Jupiter are clean as in CLEAN.I should have bought the other scope it was with,a Kenko ,same specs...also $50.
I'm so glad you still do these videos for lower budget stuff, my telescope has sat in my room for 3 years never used it in case I'm dissapointed and will never try it again.
Two minutes in, where did you get that cap? Great video, really enjoy what you do for the rest of us! I get up every morning at 5am and take my dog for a walk. I see the night and morning sky as it appears through the year, and the phases of the moon as it rises earlier every day. And to watch the planets do their laps around the sun over the course of years is amazing. Your vids add to those experiences. Great work!
Didn't know that astronomy was something for me. Learned I was wrong. Just bought my first used telescope from ebay. Thank you for sending me into this rabbit hole.
Brings me back.. My first scope was a 60/700 achromat with a few some cheap Huygenian eyepieces. The clearity wasn't great, but I loved seeing Jupiter for the first time. The tripod, though, was an absolute nightmare! It was an alt-az U-mount and I had to unscrew a metal rod to re-orient the scope. The wobble was atrocious and wasted a lot of time messing with the mount. But I didnt let that get to me. I quickly upgraded to an equatorial mount with motion cables. What a blessing! To anyone considering the purchase of a first scope, get one on an equatorial mount. They aren't difficult to learn how to use, and the user-friendliness is worth the extra money.
I have one of these f3.7 Newtonians and a Plossl improves them so much as someone else said in a comment I can’t locate. It works like a charm on wide field star clusters - used mine exclusively on the Coathanger for days! Having said that Mr. Biscuit has saved the day and for that, we are grateful
The comparison is fair: Which entry level scope will show what _unmodified_? A traditional slow FH design is pretty forgiving in terms of adjustment, although it is possible to screw up even that, but chances are it will be great on planets out of the box. Fast FH designs are great widefield scopes, but suck on planets. A super fast newton is a hell to adjust and fails as expected without very precise collimation, independent of the mirror, plus it really needs an open mirror cell. Now if you become a nerd and revise these scopes, most will show more (the spherical mirror being the exception), but first need to get infected by the astro virus.
So, I'm am American and occasionally watch some high budget, British science shows. Your videos are absolutely on par if not better than those high budget shows. Your narration, various panning video clips of the equipment and then when you're on video and speaking in the video is exactly the same as British shows I've seen but yours are SO much better. I apologize for the language but I was in the US Army and foul language is a regular part of my vocabulary. Anyways, I absofuckinglutely, without a shadow of a doubt, love your videos. My first scope was and is a Meade that I paid $800 for. I've been able to see some phenomenal things with it but your videos have helped me see more!
I'm not really in to star watching by any stretch of the imagination but your videos are very well done and I like how you present your videos with so much enthusiasm. Well done. I'll make it a note to look up more often! Thanks for inspiring!
I’ve never seen a Celestron FirstScope that I have liked. The main problem is the spherical f/4 mirror, which is a non-starter. I have also inspected some in stores that obviously have the secondary improperly installed. I’m wondering if you checked the collimation of the other mini-newtonians before testing them, or if you used them right out of the box.
Celestron is a shadow of it's former self, when they built high end scopes in California. In the budget line they are just a China brand name drop now. I have some very old Celestron scopes and they are brilliant. A newtonian analog and a NexStar SE computer motor mount. Comparing them to new ones is like seeing through cataracts.
ahh the drum'n'bass trap! I have fallen into one myself once or twice! thank you for warning people about how bad scopes lead down the D'n'B path! Very very important
I'm very surprised the astromaster outperformed the 10cm dob. It is known that reflectors are worse than same-aperture refractors because of the middle obstruction and it is also known that longer scopes create less errors but that's a huge aparture difference we are talking about here. Was the dob acclimated and collimated perfectly? Consider me shocked lol.
My guess is that the cheap eyepieces included with all of the dobs are to blame, but indeed collimation and cooldown need to be considered as well. Should have easily outperformed the reflectors. I used a
@@Astronurd The challenge was less then 100 quid so an eyepiece upgrade would have exceeded the amount. Of course switching to better tripods was cheating!
Great video! So, you used a 6mm eyepiece. That's basically the max magnification for that scope I think. But did you use a filter to avoid the bright ball I see with my scope? Also, did you need to remove the 90 degree reflector, or was it a straight throught view to avoid the distortion from that component? Would love the tips as I desperately want to improve my viewing.
Wondering exactly the same thing ... how he can view Jupiter so big with the stripes and colors with this scope. I have the same scope and jupiter is a tiny bright white circular spot, I can see 3 satellites, but I can't see the stripy texture of Jupiter at all. Now I'm using a basic 10mm Plossl EP. I don't know what kind of eyepiece I don't think it's the one that comes with the scope. Or maybe you're right, he's not using a diagonal and maybe he's using a filter ...like you I really would like to know.
noob question for the alpha nerds: were those newtonians collimated and does that have any effect on image quality? Asking because i'm researching for my own first scope =)
The manufacturer will collimate them and transport will change that. If the mirrors are adjustable and the primary has a centre mark, new collimation is a matter of a few minutes when using a laser collimator.
I am surprised! Definitely thought the Dobs would do it. My own journey has looked like this in the first 12 months: 1. Celestron Deluxe 127mm (Equatorial mount, reflector) $200 on sale. (watch a bunch of RUclips vdeos, read online forums like Cloudy Nights) 2. Maxvision 254mm (Dobsonian mount, big reflector) $500. I took my profile pic with this scope and I would say the 8 inch (200mm) version would be the perfect starter scope if you "only" have $300 to spend. 3. Skywatcher Flextube 305mm (Dobsonian mount with motors, tracking. Very big reflector.) $2000. All of mine were good reflectors but cannot match any of the ones you've shown on price. My newest scope can support binocular viewing which is simply superb. Using 2 eyes instead of 1 adds a whole new level of immersion- and my non-geek friends agree.
The Dobsonians should have done it but I doubt they had been colimated properly. While Newtonians are colimated in the factory knocks and bumps during shipping and temperature changes will cause the colimation to go out of alignment a little bit which is all that's needed to ruin the view.
@@snarkymatt585 Yeah you're right, could be miscollimated. On the other hand a beginner just looking through a telescope for the first time isn't going to re-collimate. That's a big advantage for the long refractor right there.
You should know that my five-year-old thinks this is the best telescope video period. We’ve watched it several times and he asks for it by the name he calls it: “The Dancing Mover” for the little bit of dancing you do in the beginning. He’s memorized things the way only a 5 year old can, including not only words but Riktenstein’s music. And he helped me open a present to myself today: an 80mm acro just like the one you mention in the video! All the best!
I appreciate potential nerd as a title because I've been debating buying one for many years. But I'm a musician, But I love space/watching you all nerd out about space. I would like to join the club someday
I am a HAM radio nerd and interested in space too. The thing I fear about buying a scope is that I will never be satisfied with the resolution and range. So for now it has to be studying the subject here on RUclips. Beside its freaking cold here in the Nordics, so staying outdoors in the winter is not for part time nerds :)
High grade production quality entertainment that educates! Can you do one on the most compact/portable yet powerful such as Sarblue Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope 60?
Oh crap! I am pretty sure I have the same exact telescope you identified as useless. But I already figured that much since the tripod is super flimsy and only 18" tall.
Love Astrobiscuit! Getting me stoked for my third foray into Astronomy. Started out with a 3.5" Meade Newtonian when I was a kid. Had a 10" in my 30's, and now I'm going to finally go for an AP setup! Only trouble is that no matter how I slice the numbers it's at least a $3K "investment" for what I want with all the computer stuff. Currently leaning towards a RC 51 & ZWO ASI183MC (wide field & solar), with a tracking scope/cam on either a AVX or HEQ5, and trying pick some sort of f/10 scope (~100mm refractor or SC like a 6SE, for planetary/galactic targets).
Thank you Astrobiscuit! I bought the 70mm version of this scope + a 2x barlow lense after watching this video. This morning at 3:30 am from the top of Malvern Hills I saw Jupiter with my own eyes for the first time in my life in enough clarity to see it's bands! Amazing!
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
you’re doing a great job of making amateur astronomy less gatekeepy. i appreciate your work
Parents are the gatekeepers and they're incompetent at it. The death knell of millions of tiny, potential nerds 'We will just get this cheap one, to see if you are even going to stick with it'. 15 years later, its $10 at a garage sale, still in the box.
When I was shopping for a microscope for my nephew, I went to an optics shop and looked at some new budget scopes and then shocked the entire staff - I asked to see some used ones and some slides to view. I ended up getting a scuffed up 70s Boreal lab scope, like I used in highschool. Same price as the new 'budget' scope and handily outperformed it in every aspect but the paintjob.
@@springbloom5940 tbh they don't really know how good telescopes can be either otherwise they would be nerds too
astronomy was never gatekeepy, like just look up bro
Thank you so much for having me in the video Rory! It was so much fun 🤣
Haha. Great DnB moves!!
Cracking Collab you two!
Twisting some funky shapes there! 🤣
Oh my Helena! You really kicked his video quality up a notch! Too funny. Dr B from Manitoba, 🇨🇦
Very fun cameo!
I still remember the day, RUclips suggested me your one video and i ended up watching them all..haha.. you are awesome Astrobiscuit
Sometimes YT does good. Binge watched them all too. Learnt so much so far, getting an itch to get a scope.
DITTO!! I first thought Astro Biscuit was some sort of delicacy sold in the shops like an intergalactic Ritz?
Definitely some of the better produced videos out there. Wish he put them out a little more often. Great stuff!
Lol yup.same m here 🤣
astrophotography only accounts for a fraction of nerds in out world
also astrophysics just has so much stuff that it is a real headache to understand for many of us . . . even tough it's cool . it's still not worth it for many
You're enthusiasm is infectious. I was tired just watching you go up and down the ladder to your roof observatory. Brilliant video, thanks.
We're the real winners - a new Astrobiscuit video!
haha
IKR
Took words out me mouth. Was looking y/d thinking it been awhile
Absolutely. It's been way too long to wait.
high quality video production takes time but worth the wait
Less than two minutes in and I can't pull myself away from the screen!
There's an earthquake happening outside, but it will have to wait until I've finished watching....
Best content on the planet!
BBC quality as usual... I kept hoping that some day we will see you on the TV... Great work 👏
BBC of old, terrible absence of this quality of production these days.
Dude, who is watching TV nowadays ?
What's a TV?
Wasnt he on the gadget show.
I don’t own a tv I love it
Bbc doesn’t get any of my attention and they can’t brainwash me
Found a junk store 60mm vixen era refractor for $9 Canadian. Popped in decent eyepiece, put on old tripod. Best Jupiter views ever, sharp belts, shadows, colours, more. Once on a solid mount they’re little wonder scopes.
good find
One of them most revelatory things ever happened to me was swapping out a horrible old Huygens eyepiece on a 60mm refractor and replacing it with a Celestron ortho. Amazing.
Love the crocodile Dundee quote. "that's a shaving mirror. That's a telescope mirror. Fantastic 🍪
My first official telescope was the Celestron 70MM travel scope. I thought I had to make the focus as big as possible to see things. I knew so little about astronomy at the time. Now, I know how to work it perfectly and found out that the mount I used to use was the primary issue with the telescope's capabilities.
Exactly one year ago (because today is my birthday) I got a Gysker 90mm telescope. It's an amazing scope and I highly recommend it, because the EQ mounted 90mms are cheap and aren't worth your time.
The tripod makes a HUGE difference. It's why I returned the celestron telescope last Christmas. I couldn't track the sky easily and everything was shaky.
What about nebula and galaxies?
Can confirm, I bought a Celestron 70mm travel scope for my sister to use for astronomy. To put it into perspective, I have seen the same tripod (Brateck Universal Camera Tripod) for sale at a large retailer for AU$6 (US$4). Even at THAT price they are still sitting on the shelf, and it's not even on clearance! I bought a Vivitar VPT-3662 62" tripod as an upgrade for AU$50 and it's so much better it's not even funny.
Can't recommend the travel scope anymore though. The price was hiked up by almost 40% since 2021 and it's not worth that much. You can get a great pair of 7x50 binoculars for the same price.
@@jimtekkit Hi can you recommend a good starting scope kit to buy in Oz for around $500. i would like the 11 and 5 year old to maybe have an interest too. Thanks Again
@@flyingwhiteindian Sky-Watcher Heritage 130p Dobsonian is best value for a starter scope. I have one and it's easily my favourite within that price range, it does everything very well. Also got a Celestron StarSense 80AZ refractor but it's overpriced for what you get.
Finally a new Video it's been too long to enjoy a biscuit, an Astrobiscuit :)
I bought my first telescope used and under 100$ and it gives me so many emotions looking in the night sky! I share with friends and feel so thankful... It is so incredible!
I can't help but grin with joy when watching an Astrobiscuit video, although I will say I think this was more of a best planetary scope for under £100 test, and I think the results would vary depending on the object viewed. One of the big problems with the Firstscope et al 76mm Dobs is that they're an f/4 scope supplied with Huygen's eyepieces designed in the 17th century for f15+ scopes. Pop a simple Plossl in front of the shaving mirror and things do improve a little. The Heritage 100p is much better but it's no planetary scope at 400mm focal length f/4. A long achromat will always win on Jupiter over a table top tiny Dob, but the mount is super important and the Dob's have the stability and ease of use for general astronomy. This is coming from someone who is historically mad about classic refractors so I'm not unduly biased towards the above.
The only problem is that it's not possible to collimate, and it's an f/4 spherical.
That's true, but if you see a a Jupiter like that using a refractor, there are more chances that, you will be more hooked to astronomy.
This was the way I started too, using a small refractor and seeing Saturn.
Hi mate recently tested like 12 nights this autumn a small refractor 40/400 vs heritage 100 and maksutov telescopes, the heritage 100 with a 2.25 Barlow it performed better than the small refractors, even the small maksutov, aperture really helped
@@Mrcloc the secondary mirror can be collimated and the small primary mirror is fixed in the correct position
I was going to mention eyepiece choices. Many of the cheap eyepieces that come with inexpensive scopes are total junk, and even those included with identical scopes are of varying quality. I'd say to compare optics of different telescopes, the exact piece should be used for every one being tested. When I just recently got a small "grab and go" scope to compliment the 4.5EQ and XT8 I already have, I chose to skip the Travel Scope 70 and 80 simply because of the horrible tripods. I chose a FirstScope because it's a table top Dob, and I already have a set of Plossls. It's easier and less costly to replace an eyepiece or three than purchasing a solid tripod and mount. (and the one I just bought is "Open Box New", never used, for $42 on ebay, including the $12 shipping.) ...I'm going to take my 4.5 EQ off it's shaky Orion base and put it on a sturdy tabletop Dob base.
I also recommend the 70mm Astromaster refractor , it does very well on the planets. Some people wouldn't believe it can do planetary with a good mount of course, but pop a barlow 2X with a planetary camera and try your best with focusing and you can get some decent shots of the planets and the moon! I also 3d printed telescope clamps for it and screwed it on a vixen shoe mount , the original on it was contributing to the shaking and moving.
I also got an older Meade 50mm narrow tube refractor - for free , someone wanted to throw it away - which was made in Japan in the 80s or 70s, the optics are fantastic on it. Just can't beat those Japanese stuff!
I have the astromaster 70mm as well. it was given to me as a package deal when I bought an ETX 90 from a guy, which is an amazing small maksutov. the astromaster needs a good mount. but wow ! very sharp moon and planets. stunning really. these can be bought used for less than 50 bucks
My first scope was a Celestron 80 mm and it was cheap, but it gave me the most amazing views of the moon and planets. It is a wonderful scope.
My hubby got me a 40 quid scope for xmas this year. It's still thrilling to see the little speck of Jupiter with Ganymede and Callisto even if they are faint dots. Your videos have me so so so excited to upgrade sometime next year! But for now loving my very very basic setup.
I think The Heritage 100/400 is the best scope from all the bunch, the 100 aperture makes the difference, and i think it can beat the smaller 60 mm refactors on Lunar and Planetary captures using a decent Barlow lens, and having the same seeing conditions. and not having chromatic aberrations, is suitable also for deep sky astrophotography. Also If you do not test the telescopes in the same time on planetary captures is hard to get a reliable result, especially if the seeing conditions changes rapidly
But he didn’t say Jupiter was the best in that one
I love how you're able to make the viewer care about a topic they might not've ever thought about!
Love the vids!
I’m thinking the Orion SkyScanner 100mm reflector. $139 in USA. About £100 pounds.
Thats sold as the Sky-Watcher Heritage-100P and costs £120. Includes VAT and extra costs due to consumer protection laws. £120 isn't less than £100. Unfortunately it looks like thats what the scope in the bottom left is...typical of mr biscuit and his magic pricing he always seems to be able to buy equipment at crazy low prices. Top left looks like "home made" using magic lense no one can really buy.
Covid turning the market upside down and prices skyrocketing seems to have passed Mr Biscuit by. He certainly hasn't updated the prices on his website. "Out of stock due 15-20 working days" on all major retailers lol!
I think the F70076 can be a good choice?
@@backgammonbacon Yeah pricing and delivery have gone crazy lately, Last year I purchased a Celestron Evo 8 with StarSense. Ordered in July and I think it arrived in October. Delivery seems to be an issue for a lot of scopes and accessories. I waited Months for some extra eyepieces too.
British sterling is most valuable currency in world 😵💫
What I like about you Rory is that you help make astrophotography affordable for those of us who aren't ;made of money. Thank you!
There is not a better feeling than enjoying one of Astrobiscuit videos with a cup of coffee. Also, getting the notification of a new video never fails to lift a smile. Definitely the best (and most underrated) RUclips channel out there.
I have an 80mm long tube Celestron that I bought 20 years ago which never saw much use - this video has motivated me to pull it out of my closet.
Subscribed!
Watching this reminds me of the Prinz Astral 500 Dixons scope my bruv bought me many moons ago, Amazingly I still have one with its well made EQ mount, counter weight and slow motion drives, but now have an adapter for better eyepieces !! The 60mm objective lens was pretty good for late 70s, my mates and I used to hang with some beer in my mums back garden just to get a glimpse of Jupiter, the moon etc, I was indeed a nerd, even now near 60 I'm still a nerd and love to get my rig out to image, the fascination never goes away, in fact I've just bought a pole master cos my knees are giving up 😂😂.. You go careful on that blasted roof of yours, nice vid👍..
thank you very much I've been looking to buy a telescope for so long but looking at the reviews they didn't inspire much but seeing all of them tested that's really nice
Your videos are the all-time BEST when it comes to being a nerdy astronomer. And your musical repertoire just takes that onto a whole NEW LEVEL. I find your cinematography/editing the most creative out there I've seen so far. Thank you for being.
Oh my god IM HOOOOME! Where have you been my whole life Biscuit? Im a huge nerd that suffers surrounded by lower life forms (working in the drilling industry is depressing). Loved the vid and ill be looking into you more thoroughly cheers!
That was brilliant!! Turn up the volume and dance to the tunes of Riktenstein's D'n'B, as the celestron 60mm refractor did very well for a budget scope!
Biscuit man didn't put up with any of Bunny's attitude in this one lol! Great video! 😃👍
Great video, I was looking for a telescope for under £100, and all of the scopes you reviewed I have looked at but was not sure what the best of the lot was. Now I know!!...
Your videos seem to pop up when I’m having a shit week, and, hence, manage to boost my mood. Thanks!
Not often then.
Astrobiscuit needs to have a spot on Sky at night on BBC with this sort of information. Brilliant and informative.
Love your videos. It's interesting to see the differences between your videos and the ones done by other astrophotographers. There are others that I also follow but you really have your own style. Apart from being incredibly knowledgeable, you are often on the move, going to meet someone face to face or online and your videos are both educational and hilarious. I'm hooked!
Thank you for all your time, effort and truth telling. You've got a watchable and likable disposition.
Thank you for this. I've been looking for a starter telescope for my kids and I so this was a great help. Top job.
I love the Russell Davies style Doctor Who-esque music in the background 😆
Can't wait! I reckon the Heritage 100p will win this, or maybe the vintage Towa/topic refractor looking thing top left?
Everything other than that skywatcher on a yoke mount is a good beginner scope
Heritage reflector for sure…. Long refractors on thin tripods…. Nope!!
Got me with the thumbnail preview, it was like I was hypnotized and watched the whole video. Now I know why my telescope is garbage. I know what to look for and I have a new mirror for shaving. Thanks!
The celestron FirstScope telescope was the first telescope I ever got back when I was 8 years old. Its the main reason I got so invested in space. Those cheap telescopes really are a gateway drug lol.
Guys, the discord server is flipping awesome!!!! Outstanding nerding you space travelers!!!!
I'm really excited to see something new from you
I'm already a nerd, but gonna be buying that Celestron just to see if I can improve my nerdiness even further! 👍
Yes! Very excited for this one!
Dude! You made me buy my first telescope! Thanks for the awesome and helpfull videos.
Another great video, thank you! As someone who started observing too long ago when all I could afford was a pair of tripod-mounted binos, I think it is fantastic to get a decent scope for ~£100.
Life is much easier with astronomy 🔭 and mega nerds like you.
You are awesome and funny.
Thank you 🙏🏻!
Holy effing crap!!!
He’s back!!!
I don’t know how this ended up on my feed, and I am not into Astro photography or anything like it, but I love your videos. Great stuff. * I think I am fascinated by watching people who are passionate about their interests. Beat of luck to you.
I have one of these long thinny Japanese-made 60/600 refractor from the Eighties. I dusted it off during last year's lockdown, added a modern USB camera and boom I became a astro-nerd. Now I have this huge Skywatcher Newtonian reflector and spend all my nights out in the freezing cold making nerdy images. 😀
There's nothing like a Newtonian.
Do you upload them to your channel?
Make a video on things to consider before buying telescope
Like what is dia, focal length and f-no. Lens type etc
Like what is the difference between
80x400 f5 and 80X900 f11 etc
Looking Forward to this Rory.
Would just like to say thankyou. Found your channel when running a search for Telescopes and Astronomy. I've always loved taking pictures of the moon, and wanted to expand a little. Your videos on budget buys have stopped me from jumping in feet first, and making a mistake with the first purchase. Once I get used to everything, I will hopefully have even better moon shots, and then move out further from there.
Cheap scopes I've found in real life:
Original Celestron NexStar 4GT - $29.99 at a thrift shop
Orion Skywatcher 90EQ (they call it the AstroView now) - $29.99 at the same thrift shop a few months later
Orion XT4.5 - $50.00 off Facebook Marketplace 11/9/2021.
Celestron Star Hopper 8" Dobsonian - $100 in 2017 after the Eclipse off Craigslist. Mirrors were dirty, turned out fantastic. Stupidly sold it but bought an identical one for $200 last month, came with nicer finders, the difference in those accessories alone nearly made up the price difference.
Celestron branded 80mm f/5 achromat... I've bought two of these on EQ1 equatorial tripods, they averaged to $50 each. One I passed along to a friend, the other now has a vixen dovetail and gets used for terrestrial spotting and solar mostly.
Orion XT6 Dobsonian - $100 off Craigslist. Someone was using it for outreach, had written "free" as the price of looking through the scope all over it, people were offended thinking he was trying to make $100 off a freebie telescope. Joke's on them, I resold it for $250 after a thorough cleaning... I'm an 8" f/6 kind of guy for midsize scopes.
Orion Starblast 4.5, a 114mm version of the tiny Dobs from this video. $100 off Facebook Marketplace. This one will use an eyepiece as short as 4mm in focal length to pull in Cassini Division and surface details on Jupiter. This unseated the 80mm f/5 in my inventory.
Skywatcher 250p flextube Dobsonian - $100 and included a Meade 5000 82 degree 8.8mm eyepiece, which is worth more than the asking straight off the top.
Honorable mentions:
I paid $150 (which is just slightly over the 100 pounds in conversion) for a vintage Celestron 90mm f/11 Maksutov, on an equatorial tripod mount. I really like this telescope but don't use it much since putting the Starblast on rings.
I've bought SEVERAL other 6-8" Dobsonians for $200 and less.
My Skywatcher 300p flextube Dobsonian was sub $500 used. My Meade LX200GPS was essentially $500 out of pocket, and that cost is mostly on the battery pack, carry bag and a replacement handset. Bought it as an estate clean out and sold off everything else to basicaly break even.
The list goes on. I cruise used listings all the time and buy scopes that need a little refurbishment to be perfect, and then sell them if I already have something that fills that role, or keep if I don't. I don't generally sell anything that I wouldn't personally use, and to back that up every used scope I sell gets at least one session under the stars so I can give direct information to that buyer to know what they are to expect. If there's an eyepiece of higher quality beyond a stock Kellner or Plossl, I generally keep it or resell separately... this practice eventually left me with a complete 82* field of view eyepiece set from 4.7 to 30mm in focal length, mostly Explore Scientific with a Meade or two tossed in.
Oh, and the most used astronomy item in my inventory is the adjustable height chair (Starbound brand I believe) that was $75 used. About $100 less than retail.
The 60mm AstroMaster is a scope that I'd never pay anything close to $134 for (the current exchange to 100 pounds).
Have you ever had the figure on your 8"s touched up? I had an old Celestron 8" F4.5 refigured by Swayze and wow what a difference!
This is probably the single most entertaining review videos Ive watched! Subscribed
i get scared when u climb the ladder to the roof with a telescope in your hand, im afraid your gonna fall
Not to worry guvner. He wood just fall onto the next roof. Chep scope, so much light pollution....no wonder nothing looks good.
I bought one of those small Telescopes (Red one at 7:52) it was kinda hidden under a bunch of other things at a store and they didn't even know that they had it and thought it was old so they sold it to me for 50 bucks. For the size of the scope it's pretty good, especially with some good lenses!!
Here in the Philippines, I got a Svbony 70mm scope that's probably exactly like the Celestron travelscope. Available only online though for the equivalent of 45 quid. Of the known brands, only Celestron sells on the shelves through a specialty store. The Firstscope is available, while the next would probably be the Powerseeker 60 AZ for 79 quid and the 70 AZ for 107 quid. Not that many choices in a not-so-nerdy country.
I chanced upon an old Vixen 70 f/10 in a surplus store...it was very,very good..belts of Jupiter are clean as in CLEAN.I should have bought the other scope it was with,a Kenko ,same specs...also $50.
I'm so glad you still do these videos for lower budget stuff, my telescope has sat in my room for 3 years never used it in case I'm dissapointed and will never try it again.
As always, a great video. But the real winner for me was this really great cheap telescope. For the price, you can't beat it.
Surprisingly entertaining, I watched the whole thing and for a moment I forgot this was a RUclips video, the production is really really good
Two minutes in, where did you get that cap? Great video, really enjoy what you do for the rest of us! I get up every morning at 5am and take my dog for a walk. I see the night and morning sky as it appears through the year, and the phases of the moon as it rises earlier every day. And to watch the planets do their laps around the sun over the course of years is amazing. Your vids add to those experiences. Great work!
Didn't know that astronomy was something for me. Learned I was wrong. Just bought my first used telescope from ebay. Thank you for sending me into this rabbit hole.
enjoy the universe my friend.
I got my first scope in ‘86. It was good enough for me to see moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. It was truly a religious experience.
Ordered this little telescope. The weather completely changed as soon as it arrived 🥲
What was the first telescope you recommended that sold really well but is now about £125? Id also be interested in that one too
Drum and bass and telescopes.. Never thought I would hear the two in the same sentence haha! Love it! Love the content also! Thank you.
I’m surprised there were no clouds having all of those scopes out
Surprised by your results....thank for lugging all that to the roof👍👍
Great video! Cheers from Brazil! 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Oi só do brasil
Brings me back.. My first scope was a 60/700 achromat with a few some cheap Huygenian eyepieces. The clearity wasn't great, but I loved seeing Jupiter for the first time. The tripod, though, was an absolute nightmare! It was an alt-az U-mount and I had to unscrew a metal rod to re-orient the scope. The wobble was atrocious and wasted a lot of time messing with the mount. But I didnt let that get to me. I quickly upgraded to an equatorial mount with motion cables. What a blessing!
To anyone considering the purchase of a first scope, get one on an equatorial mount. They aren't difficult to learn how to use, and the user-friendliness is worth the extra money.
Excellent information. Although as a drum n bass loving nerd, one feels like a Venn diagram outlying placement opportunity.
Be well and stay safe.
yeh we all luv a bit of drum and bass really...
@@Astrobiscuit try a bit of Suad it will make you smile. Man's a one man mobile club. Ahoooy!
I listen to it while watching the stars. Will that blow something up?
@@Astrobiscuit buy for me a nice old 6inch dobsonian like Edmund scientific
I'd like to join astronomy in a serious way
Drum and bass in ya faaace! 😍
Those tracks are so good!
Haha, thanks!
@@Riktenstein it's a honour receiving your reply! Awesome music, thanks for that!
Greetings 😁
For my first scope I actually got an XT8I Intelliscape. Beautiful equipment. Definitely not less than $100 however lol
I have one of these f3.7 Newtonians and a Plossl improves them so much as someone else said in a comment I can’t locate. It works like a charm on wide field star clusters - used mine exclusively on the Coathanger for days!
Having said that Mr. Biscuit has saved the day and for that, we are grateful
The comparison is fair: Which entry level scope will show what _unmodified_? A traditional slow FH design is pretty forgiving in terms of adjustment, although it is possible to screw up even that, but chances are it will be great on planets out of the box. Fast FH designs are great widefield scopes, but suck on planets. A super fast newton is a hell to adjust and fails as expected without very precise collimation, independent of the mirror, plus it really needs an open mirror cell. Now if you become a nerd and revise these scopes, most will show more (the spherical mirror being the exception), but first need to get infected by the astro virus.
So, I'm am American and occasionally watch some high budget, British science shows. Your videos are absolutely on par if not better than those high budget shows. Your narration, various panning video clips of the equipment and then when you're on video and speaking in the video is exactly the same as British shows I've seen but yours are SO much better.
I apologize for the language but I was in the US Army and foul language is a regular part of my vocabulary. Anyways, I absofuckinglutely, without a shadow of a doubt, love your videos. My first scope was and is a Meade that I paid $800 for. I've been able to see some phenomenal things with it but your videos have helped me see more!
awesome big man thx🤣
Not another telescope I'll need to buy!
thankfully I had bought his previous favourite so I don't think I need to buy a new sub £100 one. Great video Rory
I'm not really in to star watching by any stretch of the imagination but your videos are very well done and I like how you present your videos with so much enthusiasm. Well done. I'll make it a note to look up more often! Thanks for inspiring!
cheers fella
I’ve never seen a Celestron FirstScope that I have liked. The main problem is the spherical f/4 mirror, which is a non-starter. I have also inspected some in stores that obviously have the secondary improperly installed.
I’m wondering if you checked the collimation of the other mini-newtonians before testing them, or if you used them right out of the box.
Celestron is a shadow of it's former self, when they built high end scopes in California.
In the budget line they are just a China brand name drop now.
I have some very old Celestron scopes and they are brilliant. A newtonian analog and a NexStar SE computer motor mount. Comparing them to new ones is like seeing through cataracts.
ahh the drum'n'bass trap! I have fallen into one myself once or twice! thank you for warning people about how bad scopes lead down the D'n'B path! Very very important
I'm very surprised the astromaster outperformed the 10cm dob. It is known that reflectors are worse than same-aperture refractors because of the middle obstruction and it is also known that longer scopes create less errors but that's a huge aparture difference we are talking about here. Was the dob acclimated and collimated perfectly? Consider me shocked lol.
My guess is that the cheap eyepieces included with all of the dobs are to blame, but indeed collimation and cooldown need to be considered as well. Should have easily outperformed the reflectors. I used a
@@MountainAdventures1 I agree with you. This wasn’t a proper test whatsoever
@@Astronurd The challenge was less then 100 quid so an eyepiece upgrade would have exceeded the amount. Of course switching to better tripods was cheating!
I always evaded those long and thin scopes but seeing this amazes me
Great video! So, you used a 6mm eyepiece. That's basically the max magnification for that scope I think. But did you use a filter to avoid the bright ball I see with my scope? Also, did you need to remove the 90 degree reflector, or was it a straight throught view to avoid the distortion from that component? Would love the tips as I desperately want to improve my viewing.
Wondering exactly the same thing ...
how he can view Jupiter so big with the stripes and colors with this scope.
I have the same scope and jupiter is a tiny bright white circular spot, I can see 3 satellites, but I can't see the stripy texture of Jupiter at all.
Now I'm using a basic 10mm Plossl EP. I don't know what kind of eyepiece I don't think it's the one that comes with the scope.
Or maybe you're right, he's not using a diagonal and maybe he's using a filter ...like you I really would like to know.
I too need to know!! I’m close yo getting this scope! Hellllp
I love your videos! They're always full of information and recommendations. Thank you.
noob question for the alpha nerds: were those newtonians collimated and does that have any effect on image quality? Asking because i'm researching for my own first scope =)
The manufacturer will collimate them and transport will change that. If the mirrors are adjustable and the primary has a centre mark, new collimation is a matter of a few minutes when using a laser collimator.
I am surprised! Definitely thought the Dobs would do it.
My own journey has looked like this in the first 12 months:
1. Celestron Deluxe 127mm (Equatorial mount, reflector) $200 on sale.
(watch a bunch of RUclips vdeos, read online forums like Cloudy Nights)
2. Maxvision 254mm (Dobsonian mount, big reflector) $500. I took my profile pic with this scope and I would say the 8 inch (200mm) version would be the perfect starter scope if you "only" have $300 to spend.
3. Skywatcher Flextube 305mm (Dobsonian mount with motors, tracking. Very big reflector.) $2000.
All of mine were good reflectors but cannot match any of the ones you've shown on price. My newest scope can support binocular viewing which is simply superb. Using 2 eyes instead of 1 adds a whole new level of immersion- and my non-geek friends agree.
The Dobsonians should have done it but I doubt they had been colimated properly. While Newtonians are colimated in the factory knocks and bumps during shipping and temperature changes will cause the colimation to go out of alignment a little bit which is all that's needed to ruin the view.
@@snarkymatt585 Yeah you're right, could be miscollimated. On the other hand a beginner just looking through a telescope for the first time isn't going to re-collimate. That's a big advantage for the long refractor right there.
You should know that my five-year-old thinks this is the best telescope video period. We’ve watched it several times and he asks for it by the name he calls it: “The Dancing Mover” for the little bit of dancing you do in the beginning. He’s memorized things the way only a 5 year old can, including not only words but Riktenstein’s music. And he helped me open a present to myself today: an 80mm acro just like the one you mention in the video! All the best!
I appreciate potential nerd as a title because I've been debating buying one for many years. But I'm a musician, But I love space/watching you all nerd out about space. I would like to join the club someday
I am a HAM radio nerd and interested in space too. The thing I fear about buying a scope is that I will never be satisfied with the resolution and range. So for now it has to be studying the subject here on RUclips. Beside its freaking cold here in the Nordics, so staying outdoors in the winter is not for part time nerds :)
two things I love, space and classical music = top three RUclips channels in existence
High grade production quality entertainment that educates! Can you do one on the most compact/portable yet powerful such as Sarblue Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope 60?
Great video as always. I'm surprised you don't have more subs
You can use Eagle image stacker an ANDROIDapplication to stack and align astro-images, including most RAW formats.
Oh crap! I am pretty sure I have the same exact telescope you identified as useless. But I already figured that much since the tripod is super flimsy and only 18" tall.
Thank You.
I'm looking forward to being a Astro-Nerd. 💪🏽🤓
Love it! That makes my Celestron Powerseeker 80EQ, which I haven't used yet, look pretty good.
I just found my new favorite channel.
"The entire hopes of the whole of the human race rest upon _this_ final telescope." Very nice :-).
1.55.......you have a plethora of chemtrails up there...how lovely.
Great video...i didn’t realise these cheaper telescope would be so good.
Love Astrobiscuit! Getting me stoked for my third foray into Astronomy. Started out with a 3.5" Meade Newtonian when I was a kid. Had a 10" in my 30's, and now I'm going to finally go for an AP setup! Only trouble is that no matter how I slice the numbers it's at least a $3K "investment" for what I want with all the computer stuff. Currently leaning towards a RC 51 & ZWO ASI183MC (wide field & solar), with a tracking scope/cam on either a AVX or HEQ5, and trying pick some sort of f/10 scope (~100mm refractor or SC like a 6SE, for planetary/galactic targets).
I missed your videos so much!
Thank you Astrobiscuit! I bought the 70mm version of this scope + a 2x barlow lense after watching this video. This morning at 3:30 am from the top of Malvern Hills I saw Jupiter with my own eyes for the first time in my life in enough clarity to see it's bands! Amazing!
Amazing Video, thx for sharing. Unbelieveable what you get out of that starter package. Impressive👍