How To Looking to buy your first telescope? Read This!

[MeteorWayne]

We also have a small Alvan Clarke refractor at the NJAA. Another image I need to put up

 

[molecsur]

The problem isn't that it doesn't track well enough (I don't know to be honest how accurate the tracking is long-term), the problem is HOW it tracks. For imaging you need an equatorial mount. Briefly - you point one axis at the north star and it doesn't move. The telescope is then tracking true celestial movement instead of both left/right/up/down (right ascension/declination). Moving in two axis simultaneous, as you get further from the north celestial pole the images will be blurred from the movement.

Ah, OK I get it. I should have figured that out from my reading.

Thanks a lot!

 

[adrenalynn]

No problem! Good question anyway. There's always tradeoffs to be made in this game.