Star Gazers

[Ripsnort]

Whats your opinion of this Meade telescope for a STARTER. (budget limited starter)
?
http://www.meade.com/etx/etx80.html

[Ripsnort]

Disregard my post. I found the thread I was looking for. 

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,219824.0.html

Meh, I think I'll save up more $$ for something like this after reading Wab's excellent posts. 

[JB73]

Disregard my post. I meant to say I'm a meat gazer

 

[Ripsnort]

I was meat gazing in the grocery store...Rib Eye, Prime Rib...

[Masherbrum]

I was meat gazing in the grocery store...Rib Eye, Prime Rib...

Hmm   Delmonico's.   

[Meatwad]

Why are you watching me 

[xNOVAx]

Hey Ripsnort,

If it were me, I wouldn't buy it.. 80mm isn't going to show you hardly ANYTHING but the moon and maybe a few planets especially if you live anywhere near a city.. I have a meade 4.5in reflector telescope with the 'Autostar' and to be honest, it sucks.. I was never able to get the scope to be accurate enough.. Keep in mind objects are extreemly small and you're dealing with fractions of a degree.. Without a very very sensitive and well built mount (entry level meade equipment is not), it's not going to be useful.. Besides, half of the fun skywatching is learning the sky and hunting for your favorite / new objects.. If I were to buy a new scope, I'd get one with an equitorial mount with a rotational drive.. That way, wherever you point the telescope, the object will stay in the field of view and you're not having to constantly adjust due to the earth's rotation..

You might want to check out something like this one to start with:

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=reflectors/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09798

It's on an equitorial mount with 'manual adjustments' to keep it fairly cheap.. This scope is 4.5in also has a short 'f' ratio, so it would be really good for wide-angle views (the most stunning through a telescope IMO).. You couldn't put an 'uber' zoom on this one, but I'm sure you could see some really cool stuff with it..

 

[Ripsnort]

Hey Ripsnort,

If it were me, I wouldn't buy it.. 80mm isn't going to show you hardly ANYTHING but the moon and maybe a few planets especially if you live anywhere near a city.. I have a meade 4.5in reflector telescope with the 'Autostar' and to be honest, it sucks.. I was never able to get the scope to be accurate enough.. Keep in mind objects are extreemly small and you're dealing with fractions of a degree.. Without a very very sensitive and well built mount (entry level meade equipment is not), it's not going to be useful.. Besides, half of the fun skywatching is learning the sky and hunting for your favorite / new objects.. If I were to buy a new scope, I'd get one with an equitorial mount with a rotational drive.. That way, wherever you point the telescope, the object will stay in the field of view and you're not having to constantly adjust due to the earth's rotation..

You might want to check out something like this one to start with:

http://www.telescope.com/control/product/~category_id=reflectors/~pcategory=telescopes/~product_id=09798

It's on an equitorial mount with 'manual adjustments' to keep it fairly cheap.. This scope is 4.5in also has a short 'f' ratio, so it would be really good for wide-angle views (the most stunning through a telescope IMO).. You couldn't put an 'uber' zoom on this one, but I'm sure you could see some really cool stuff with it..

 

Thanks for the link. What did you think of my second choice in the 2nd post? (under the word "this": http://www.adorama.com/CNN8SE.html )

[xNOVAx]

Well for $1,400 you'd better be serious.. 

How much gazing have you done?

[Ripsnort]

Well for $1,400 you'd better be serious.. 

How much gazing have you done?

About 48 years worth, without glass.   I don't want to have to buy another one...

[Masherbrum]

Telescopes are like Scotch.   Don't screw around with cheap.    With Telescopes, you get what you pay for.   8"-10" Mirror should be plenty for a telescope Rip.   Anything larger is overkill and not worth the money.   Just giving you tips in case someone tries that on ya.   

[xNOVAx]

Telescopes are like Scotch.   Don't screw around with cheap.    With Telescopes, you get what you pay for.   8"-10" Mirror should be plenty for a telescope Rip.   Anything larger is overkill and not worth the money.   Just giving you tips in case someone tries that on ya.   

Agreed, unless you've had the chance to look through 20in cassegrain.. But be prepared to tack on $45k plus for something like that.. 

I personally would get something that has an equitorial mount, but that's just personal preference.. I'm sure the Celestron would be a good one..

[NUKE]

I was once ready to build my own telescope... a reflector 8", about 10 years ago.
.... was going to hand make the main mirror too. I bought a 3 volume book set called "Amateur Telescope Making". Very nice book set.

Basically the books were written in the 1930's and they tell you how, in EXTREME detail, to make your own telescopes. It is said that a hand formed main mirror can be more precise than any machine made one.

Anyway, I just sold that book volume on ebey yesterday. I am out of a job and a bum, so I am selling junk.

 

[eagl]

Rip,

Does the special edition orange paint on that tube give you more horsepower?  Er, I mean does it collect more light 'cause it's orange?    Slap a type-R badge on it and I bet it'll beat a 911 turbo!  

The orange paint means "stay away I'm dangerous", so maybe it wards off evil spirits too.

Or is the orange paint for when you set up the telescope while drunk, wander off and pass out, and have to go back out looking for the dang thing?

The writeup says it combines the classic heritage of the orange tube telescopes, so maybe it's just old tech badged up with some bling and a computerized pointing gadget.  I'm not sure what "heritage" does for you WRT telescopes, but apparently it's worth some money since it's part of the special edition package that costs extra?

 

Seriously, that looks like a nice telescope.  I almost bought something very similar about 5 years ago, but I thought it was too expensive and then I got married.  Oops.  That's why I'm not a stockbroker or financial manager.

[texasmom]

I'm reading "Galileo's Daughter." That's as far as I've come to stars lately. Been thinking of getting one of those... but will have to be one of the $100.00 ones, since it will most likely end up being used as a weapon (boys).