[Chaos-l] telescope recommendations

[Mark South]

I agree with Robert.  A Dob is a good first scope bc you get the most  
aperture for your money.
Also you may consider Orion.
Mark

Sent from my cell phone

On Oct 1, 2009, at 1:40 PM, Robert Nielsen <robertnielsen at nc.rr.com>  
wrote:

> Jeff,
>
> You are probably going to get more advice here than you imagined ...  
> but I'll start ...
>
> Assuming you are like I am, and want to see all there is to see in  
> the sky, I would go for as much aperture as I could for the money.    
> If you are more interested in specific objects in the sky ... like  
> double stars or planets or the moon ... then I would suggest  
> something different.  But if you want to see things like the  
> Whirlpool Galaxy or some of the smaller globular clusters (which I  
> like a LOT) or fainter nebulae, in addition to the moon and Jupiter  
> and big things like the Andromeda Galaxy ... you're going to need  
> more than 5" of aperture.
>
> So I would suggest something like a Meade Lightbridge Dobsonian (http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html 
> ).  I know one of our club members who has one (Mark South) and he  
> is pleased with the quality of the mirror and how easy it is to put  
> together and operate.  I say "put together" because it is a "truss  
> tube Dobsonian" telescope (you'll understand when you visit that web  
> page) and comes apart for easy storage in a car.   It doesn't take  
> very long to put back together at an observing site (10 minutes?)   
> The MSRP for the 10" version is $599 ... which is probably good to  
> start and then I would spend the rest of the $1000 on a couple of  
> good eyepieces ... which is a completely separate discussion.
>
> Does the Dobsonian design scare you (because it isn't go-to)?  Do  
> you want to use it for astrophotography?   There are a bunch of  
> reasons you might not want to use a Dobsonian, but dollar-for- 
> dollar, they really do provide the best experience ... based on my  
> use of other folks Dobsonians.
>
> You should come to MASP in a couple of weeks (near Rollins, NC ...  
> about 1.5 hours from here).  It is a star party ... and you can try  
> out probably 30 different models of scopes down there and talk to  
> owners about how they like them!
>
> Robert (who, believe it or not, has never owned a Dobsonian ... but  
> who is very impressed with almost every one he has viewed through)
>
> Jeff Wright wrote:
>>
>> I am thinking of buying a new starter scope, something in the $1000  
>> or less range, that I can also use as a decent portable scope at  
>> dark sites. I have found a few Maksutov models in the 5" range that  
>> look fine. I am leaning toward a Meade or Celestron, just because  
>> of previous experience with them, but am open to other suggestions.
>>
>> Anyone have any experience they can share? Thoughts on 5" scopes in  
>> general? I have considered going with an 8", but of course, now we  
>> are talking $2000.
>>
>> BTW, I don't mind manual polar-alignment either.
>>
>> Also, any recommended dealers/web-sites? I am familiar with ORION,  
>> but don't have experience buying from anyone else.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Jeff
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>>
>
>
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