Telescopes - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

Bob Danger · 2009-09-08, 11:48 AM

I'm considering purchasing a 6" to 8" reflecting telescope. Does anyone have any experience with reflector telescopes, and have any advice or recommendations?

Dean · 2009-09-08, 12:37 PM

I don't have one, but ground a mirror back in middle school and kind of keep up with amateur astronomy.

What do you want to look at?

You want to make sure the mirror surface is good, the main tube is straight without dents, the spider is solid and the eyepiece is comfortably accessible when the main tube is near vertical. Inverters, filters and camera mounts are a plus obviously. Spotter scope is a requirement at that size.

You can spend a bunch and get auto tracking and location by PC or handheld.

I'd be tempted to start with a craigslist hand me down until you decide what features you want.

sperry · 2009-09-08, 01:49 PM

My Dad's got at 6" reflector. I've used it to peep the rings of Saturn and moons of Jupiter, but it's a bitch to compensate for the rotation of the Earth at max resolution unless you've got the gimbals properly lined up for your location and have a decent tripod/gimbal setup. My Dad's was less than awesome and it meant accidentally swinging the field of view around the target as the mechanism bound and released.

Other than that, I don't really have any specific help to offer. My guess is with these things, you get what you pay for. Since telescopes aren't really mass produced, the cheap ones are probably the crappy ones.

ScottyS · 2009-09-08, 02:14 PM

Are you looking to do photography, use the fancy auto-tracking stuff, or just want a basic tube for fun? That will pretty determine the cost/size, as the base type will drive everything.

The best bang for your buck optics-wise is probably a Dobsonian type reflector. They are large (but light), and are manipulated by hand, but they do offer a very very good image for sub-$1000 scopes.

Just my opinion.

Bob Danger · 2009-09-08, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean

What do you want to look at?

I'd like to view objects outside our solar system. The internet tells me a reflector would be best for that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sperry

My guess is with these things, you get what you pay for. Since telescopes aren't really mass produced, the cheap ones are probably the crappy ones.

This I've discovered. Although I've seen some incredible antique brass telescopes for thousands of dollars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottyS

Are you looking to do photography, use the fancy auto-tracking stuff, or just want a basic tube for fun?

I don't have a nice camera at the moment, but when I do get one I'd like to take photographs. The auto-tracking would be nice being a beginner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottyS

The best bang for your buck optics-wise is probably a Dobsonian type reflector. They are large (but light), and are manipulated by hand, but they do offer a very very good image for sub-$1000 scopes.

I agree, this is the one I've had my eye on...
http://www.telescope.com/control/pro...oduct_id=27183

ScottyS · 2009-09-08, 06:51 PM

Here's my further take: the model you showed has an electronic navigation system, but it looks to me to be a little more than a pointer. Granted, it probably has a big database of objects, but my opinion was always that finding the objects was half the fun.

To me, the only point of having a motor-driven base is for time-exposure photography of objects. Since a motor that can do that is $$$$, I would say forget the whole electronic nav system and spend that money on getting another 2" of scope. It will make a pretty big difference. I used a 12" Dobsonian back in the day, it was killer.

I'm sure you've checked into amateur forums.....there have to be some good ones out there.

van · 2009-09-08, 07:52 PM

How To Build a Dobsonian Telescope

Dean · 2009-09-08, 10:38 PM

There are a bunch on CL from 4.5" to 10". If you start small and get into it, they will likely hold their used value fairly well, so moving up is incremental, not starting from scratch.

2009-09-08, 11:48 AM	#1
Bob Danger Tape Terrorist Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Melmac Posts: 1,792 Car: ? Class: Retired! Warning: Prolonged eye contact may cause insanity	Telescopes I'm considering purchasing a 6" to 8" reflecting telescope. Does anyone have any experience with reflector telescopes, and have any advice or recommendations? __________________ A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi.

2009-09-08, 12:37 PM	#2
Dean Señor Cheap Bastarde Real Name: Dean Join Date: May 2003 Location: $99 Tire Store Posts: 9,294 Car: $.04 STI Class: Fast,Cheap & Reliable=STI Deal, did somebody say Deal? Oh, Dean, yeah that's me.	I don't have one, but ground a mirror back in middle school and kind of keep up with amateur astronomy. What do you want to look at? You want to make sure the mirror surface is good, the main tube is straight without dents, the spider is solid and the eyepiece is comfortably accessible when the main tube is near vertical. Inverters, filters and camera mounts are a plus obviously. Spotter scope is a requirement at that size. You can spend a bunch and get auto tracking and location by PC or handheld. I'd be tempted to start with a craigslist hand me down until you decide what features you want. __________________ I am a Commodore PET --- Now get off my lawn you kids...

2009-09-08, 01:49 PM	#3
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	My Dad's got at 6" reflector. I've used it to peep the rings of Saturn and moons of Jupiter, but it's a bitch to compensate for the rotation of the Earth at max resolution unless you've got the gimbals properly lined up for your location and have a decent tripod/gimbal setup. My Dad's was less than awesome and it meant accidentally swinging the field of view around the target as the mechanism bound and released. Other than that, I don't really have any specific help to offer. My guess is with these things, you get what you pay for. Since telescopes aren't really mass produced, the cheap ones are probably the crappy ones. __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2009-09-08, 02:14 PM	#4
ScottyS EJ205 Real Name: It is real! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: RNO Posts: 2,367 Car: 1998 Impreza Wagon, 1991 Legacy Turbo Sedan, 2003 Nissan Xterra Class: tvFree Yes, I'll fix it for you. Again.	Are you looking to do photography, use the fancy auto-tracking stuff, or just want a basic tube for fun? That will pretty determine the cost/size, as the base type will drive everything. The best bang for your buck optics-wise is probably a Dobsonian type reflector. They are large (but light), and are manipulated by hand, but they do offer a very very good image for sub-$1000 scopes. Just my opinion. __________________ "Trend Number One is that people aren't getting any smarter." Dogbert

2009-09-08, 06:51 PM	#6
ScottyS EJ205 Real Name: It is real! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: RNO Posts: 2,367 Car: 1998 Impreza Wagon, 1991 Legacy Turbo Sedan, 2003 Nissan Xterra Class: tvFree Yes, I'll fix it for you. Again.	Here's my further take: the model you showed has an electronic navigation system, but it looks to me to be a little more than a pointer. Granted, it probably has a big database of objects, but my opinion was always that finding the objects was half the fun. To me, the only point of having a motor-driven base is for time-exposure photography of objects. Since a motor that can do that is $$$$, I would say forget the whole electronic nav system and spend that money on getting another 2" of scope. It will make a pretty big difference. I used a 12" Dobsonian back in the day, it was killer. I'm sure you've checked into amateur forums.....there have to be some good ones out there. __________________ "Trend Number One is that people aren't getting any smarter." Dogbert

2009-09-08, 07:52 PM	#7
van SECCS Brewmeister Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: on the edge of a marsh Posts: 1,451	How To Build a Dobsonian Telescope

2009-09-08, 10:38 PM	#8
Dean Señor Cheap Bastarde Real Name: Dean Join Date: May 2003 Location: $99 Tire Store Posts: 9,294 Car: $.04 STI Class: Fast,Cheap & Reliable=STI Deal, did somebody say Deal? Oh, Dean, yeah that's me.	There are a bunch on CL from 4.5" to 10". If you start small and get into it, they will likely hold their used value fairly well, so moving up is incremental, not starting from scratch. __________________ I am a Commodore PET --- Now get off my lawn you kids...