Sky at Night Magazine

[Newbie Jimmy]

Hi,
After much umming and ahhing I’ve finally decided to splash out on a telescope for my new hobby of stargazing.

I’m 6 feet 3 tall so id prefer to have a telescope that has its own large tripod. However a lot of reviews of reflector telescopes I’ve seen online advise against buying them if you want to avoid kneeling down on wet grass? Does this mean all scopes aren’t able to attach to tripods?

I’ve decided to get a scope with a computer/motor function that will find stars and nebulae for me, giving me time to research them and to be sure I’m looking at the correct object

I live in a 2 up 2 down with a small garden, but directly outside there are street lights. I assume that I’ll need to transport the scope elsewhere to find a darker environment.

So would anyone mind please recommending me a telescope that fits the bill based on what I’ve outlined above?

My budget is up to £450

Will be grateful for any advice you guys can give me 
Jimmy

[Gfamily2]

Hi and welcome.
For a fully automated GOTO scope in your price range, I think you're most likely to be looking at an Alt-Az mounted scope, so (in principle) you won't necessarily need to be kneeling down, but you will always be asked to align with at least two stars, and if one of them is high up you may have to get low down to get it aligned.
A garden kneeler pad can help.

I would suggest the Skywatcher SkyMax 127mm Maksutov scope, but it has a rather long focal length, so has a small field of view, which can make some objects a bit dull as they don't really stand out. On the other hand, it's a very compact package if you're taking it out to use in dark sky locations.

It'll also be pretty good in your garden though for the moon and planets, which are less affected by street lights.

However, this is one of my own scopes, and I don't know if you might get more from a slightly smaller refractor on a similar mount.

I'd really urge you to get in touch with a local Astronomy Society, as hanging around with people who know their way around the night sky can help you see it's not always necessary to have GOTO and a motor to be able to find objects; which means you can spend more on the optics and less on the mount.

[Newbie Jimmy]

Hi, thanks for the advice.
After much research and trawling through the advice given in these forums I have decided to buy a SkyWatcher Discovery 150p go to Reflector telescope.

However, I cant seem to find this telescope as a new one to buy with a computerised go to mount - it now seems to be sold as a WiFi version only?
I don't own a tablet and I have a very basic old mobile phone, so the WiFi wont be of any use to me sadly.
Does this mean that Sky Watcher no longer make the standard 150p as a new telescope and I can no longer buy it in the UK do you think?
Thanks,
Jimmy

[The Man with the Corrugated Iron Roof]

I can vouch for the Skywatcher 127mm Mak. Great 'scope.

[Newbie Jimmy]

I can vouch for the Skywatcher 127mm Mak. Great 'scope.

Is your scope one with an EQ mount?
I would like to post the url link here but am getting a message that the url is too spammy?

[Newbie Jimmy]

Hi,
I was round a friend's house and he had a Skywatcher SkyMax 127mm Maksutov scope in his loft area.
He got it out for me and after 20 or so minutes it was aligned and looked very nice

However, when he suggested I look through the scope I was almost on my knees doing so (I'm 6 foot 4)
I hadn't taken into account where the eyepiece is situated on a scope and the height of any tripod when considering what to buy.

Are any of you guys around my height? Do you have issues with your height and stargazing?
If so which scopes suit you best please?
Thanks
Jimmy

[Gfamily2]

As Maks generally have short tubes, the position of the eyepiece varies less than other scopes (as in the difference between looking at objects near the Zenith vs those nearer the Horizon). But yes, if you're tall, you may find looking at objects overhead may need some contortion - but just be grateful you have a diagonal!

An observing stool is generally recommended - there are designs specifically for telescope users that allow you to vary the height of the seat. DIY designs for these exist out there if you're handy with wood tools.
one example of an observing stool
https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/ac ... chair.html?

DIY design and instructions
http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/featu ... ving-chair

[The Man with the Corrugated Iron Roof]

You are lucky! You seem to have grown an inch but I have lost one as I have got older. I was a full 6ft 2in.