A little background first, we recently purchased second home in Murphy, NC with a incredible view and a clear view of the sky in almost all directions.

We would like to purchase a telescope for both viewing the heavens but long range mountain views as well. I have always liked the look of the brass telescopes that are mounted on a wood tripod, they just seem so classy and can add a feature to the room.

So what do we look for in a good quality scope? I don't want to purchase one that looks great but sucks with crappy lenses. I realize I may have to settle for one with more modern features and that may be okay.

We are simply star gazers, so no need for serious overkill on features and expense, would $500 - $800 get us a decent quality unit?

Post up your recommendations and links please...

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...umOID=320601935&p=10

Bendable, of the four sigforum threads from your link, two are on backyard observatory building, one is on astro photography, and one is on jeep grand cherokees.

ETA: And now my reply is a fifth.

I would try to recommend a Dobsonian/Newtonian reflector but because they flip the images over coming through the eyepiece, this means your mountain viewing would be upside down.

I’m not an expert or an astronomer full time. But I started with manual 8” Dobsonian. With that setup you end up learning the sky and the objects that you want to see. I joined a local club and learned from others what is up in the night sky. Once you get a feel for the night sky and a bit of navigation, it made me wanting to see more. I’ve upgraded now to a fully computerized setup, but at a sizable investment.

Another suggestion is a really good set of binoculars with a tripod. This makes the most portable option and does not take a lot of space.

Your options:
Aperture - this is the amount of light gathering capacity. Yes, bigger is better but at a cost and weight, portability.
Design - several options based on the scope design Newtonian, Schmidt-Cassegrain, Refractor. All have different merits and I’m not going to write a book here. Do your research. Suggest you stick with one of the major names (Celestron, Meade, Orion). The ones you see at Christmas may only have plastic lenses, stick to glass for better optical quality.
Mount - manual, automatic (motorized). Alt-Azimuth or German Equatorial are the most common.

I have a preference to the Celestron brand and they have several options in your price range.

It also seems like you want something for the occasional night viewing. There are several smart phone or tablet apps that will help you navigate the night sky and can take advantage if you get a manual mount. But it does take some time to find the object in the sky. Automatic setups, you select the object, and say “GoTo” and the scope will place the object in view. They are not 100% automatic, you need to have some alignment setup for that to happen.

As you go up in aperture so does weight. My dobsonian is fairly portable and does not require power. My 9.25” German equatorial is over 150lbs and requires power.

If you are only observing and not “imaging” then you do not need to have a computerized or tracking mount.

Last item, eyepieces. Most of the scopes have different eyepieces to change the magnification. My viewing eyepiece is a 20mm with a wide field of view. Because they come in various sizes, that allows you to view different parts of the sky.

Sorry for the long response, but you have entered into another hobby that is affordable, let’s you learn, and can always upgrade to the next level.

Your goals were the same as mine when I put together my rig. I have been very pleased with this setup- Stellarvue Nighthawk/Vixen porta alt-az/Berlebach Report tripod.



Any quality 70 or 80mm refractor on a solid alt-az mount and tripod would work. Don't skimp on the mount and tripod- it is as important as the optic, if not more so. You'll want an "erect image" diagonal, unless you want to look at upside down mountains. Join cloudynights and peruse the classifieds, if you buy gently used I think you can come in under your budget.