Intermediate telescope recommendations

[montylee]

I've read numerous postings on telescopes, but could not find definitive recommendations for my criteria.
1. Around $1000 or so.
2. GoTo capability.
3. Portable enough to move from the house to the outside.
4. Primary purpose is moon and the planets, with probable viewing of bright nebulae.
5. Capable (eventually) of a camera mount (Nikon DLSR).

Recommendations so far include the Meade ETX 90 or 125, the Orion StarSeeker IV 150mm GoTo Mak-Cass with Controller. Also Celestron was mentioned but no specific model.

Mak-Cass recommended because they are often smaller and more compact with excellent features.

NOTE: I am well aware of substantial shipping delays on most all telescopes. This would be for sometime in the future obviously.

Thanks.

 

[BoxCar]

My career was design of telescopes from LandSAT MSS instrument 9"C.A. semi-kinematic truss 'scope (scanner depicted) to SIRTF cryogenic cooled IR telescope to SWATH coronograph for Smithsonian AstroPhysics and built my own Dobson
10" C.A. Newtonian telescope using an 18" dia Sonatube (Concrete form) body @ a cost of ~$300 but life experience is worth it> in touch w/universe
(key to polishing your own mirror is be ready to start at sunrise & grind away as U watch our sun traverse the heavens to sunset as U work thru progressive smaller & smaller grit from coarse to rough to fine to smooth to glassy surface as grit no. gets smaller & smaller until just b/4 the polishing rouge grit put a slab of 4" foam on top of 10"dia mirror blank U R polishing & on top of that a 7 or 8 lb barbell weight> It gives U a very EVEN gravity load pressing on the blank to get purrfectly spherical mirror for an ACCURATE image>

Google "SideWalk Astronomers" for info on Dobson's Newtonian telescopes
He was a MONK who used SAND grit to gind his 1st mirrors & came up w/a cost effective design for a plywood/concrete form using teflon plates on a V- groove for elevation wheels & a 1/8th in. alum. memory disk from a defunct IBM computer as his swivel base

My take is a REFLECTOR (Newtonian) telescope is better than a REFRACTOR telescope b/c a MIRROR does not impose color aberrations as a LENS will
A larger C.A. (Clear Aperture) gathers more LIGHT and better resolution
(ie, it gives SHARP outlines of moon craters, a little more depth perception since get more photon info from outer edges of a large aperture (simple explanation) but for "backyard" astronomy in town where there is always SOME light scatter or light pollution, I'd say 10" is an upper limit on SIZE & really not any noticeable difference w/an 8" dia C.A.> I put an auto air cleaner on top of my primary 10"dia to "Stop it down" to an 8"dia and was just as good b/c I'd failed to compleatly do a polish out to outer 1" rim (U could see your hand "shadow" on it in bright sunlite which says it was NOT entirely smoothed out, so 8" dia was actually just as res.

Many factors in choice> A 10" Dobson is easily broken in two for EZ transport
A parabolc mirror bests a spherical mirror, and a Dobxon Alt-Azimuth style mount bests a Tripod, and IF U have a parabolic mirror no need for 10" C.A. a 4" (100mm) C.A. s/b fine so chk out these $100 telescopes w/fine attributes
5 Best Telescopes Under $100 In 2021 (Quality Only) (americaneclipseusa.com)

 

[Challenger007]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm just thinking about buying a second telescope, which I can take with me out of town. I have even bought a tent in which we can spend the night with my son and brother with his children. My brother is not a fan of astronomy, but besides observing the stars, nature is full of other interesting activities. Even if the Coleman 8-Person Tent for Camping is for the five of us, but let there be a place with a margin, suddenly someone else wants to go with us - you can't guess.

 

[Allthestars]

I've read numerous postings on telescopes, but could not find definitive recommendations for my criteria.
1. Around $1000 or so.
2. GoTo capability.
3. Portable enough to move from the house to the outside.
4. Primary purpose is moon and the planets, with probable viewing of bright nebulae.
5. Capable (eventually) of a camera mount (Nikon DLSR).

Recommendations so far include the Meade ETX 90 or 125, the Orion StarSeeker IV 150mm GoTo Mak-Cass with Controller. Also Celestron was mentioned but no specific model.

Mak-Cass recommended because they are often smaller and more compact with excellent features.

NOTE: I am well aware of substantial shipping delays on most all telescopes. This would be for sometime in the future obviously.

Thanks.

Hey, what did you choose finally? Now searching for a my 1st scope, heard that Meade LX65 is the best pick atm. What do you think, pals?

 

[ebe918]

I've read numerous postings on telescopes, but could not find definitive recommendations for my criteria.
1. Around $1000 or so.
2. GoTo capability.
3. Portable enough to move from the house to the outside.
4. Primary purpose is moon and the planets, with probable viewing of bright nebulae.
5. Capable (eventually) of a camera mount (Nikon DLSR).

Recommendations so far include the Meade ETX 90 or 125, the Orion StarSeeker IV 150mm GoTo Mak-Cass with Controller. Also Celestron was mentioned but no specific model.

Mak-Cass recommended because they are often smaller and more compact with excellent features.

NOTE: I am well aware of substantial shipping delays on most all telescopes. This would be for sometime in the future obviously.

Thanks.

Celestron Evolution 8' telescope has just what you're looking for and somewhat affordable ( $1699 )......CLEAR SKIES

 

[Helio]

There's a reason why Dobsonians are extremely popular -- very low cost and powerful.

They do have some options to assist in the Go To desires, though for planetary use, they aren't that needed. An 8" is easy to set-up and take with you, and still give you great power.

 

[Helio]

One advice I heard and recommend is to spend good money on a quality eyepiece(s). This will not only improve what you see with the scope you buy now, but will also be useful if you advance into other telescopes.

 

[Conny]

sooo Im lookin at the Celestron nexstar 6SE ? what ya think.....

 

[Helio]

sooo Im lookin at the Celestron nexstar 6SE ? what ya think.....

It all depends on many variables.

Here is a Space.com article that may help. There are many others out there.