Any amateur astronomers here?

[SLO-BOB]

I want to get my son a really nice telescope for his B-day. He's long been fascinated with such things and I believe he will continue to be enthusiastic about gazing at celestial bodies. Therefore, I'm looking for a scope that covers a lot of ground-easy to use, advanced enough to use later in life, computer controlled, GPS?, with the ability to be somewhat portable and see the rings of Saturn clearly. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA!

[motion]

Meade ETX. Nice little scopes with a wide range of add-ons available. Probably the most popular small scope in the world. I've had one for years (non-computer controlled). Got a nice vacuum-sealed, padded photographer's hard case for it and have been dragging it around for years.

http://www.meade.com/etx/etx_mak.html

[austin552]

Got it in AZ. Where everything is visable. View mostly the moon, Saturn and Mars now in NC.

[tswaney]

I have an Orion 4.5" reflector, couldn't be more pleased with it. It isn't computer controlled, but most have the option of adding a motor drive for tracking.

We can easily see the cloud bands of Jupiter and the big moons; and seeing the rings of Saturn is amazing. This is a fairly small scope that cost around $200, the optics are very good.

Identifying and viewing Messier objects is my current project.

www.telescope.com

[dhoward]

Originally posted by motion
Meade ETX. Nice little scopes with a wide range of add-ons available. Probably the most popular small scope in the world. I've had one for years (non-computer controlled). Got a nice vacuum-sealed, padded photographer's hard case for it and have been dragging it around for years.

http://www.meade.com/etx/etx_mak.html

+1
ETX is a great scope that willlast a very long time. GPS is an unnecessary bell or whistle....

[RPKESQ]

Reflector is best for dark sky conditions. Refractor for city or near (15 miles) city use. Buy a star atlas too.

[austin552]

Filters are a + also.

[Flatbutt1]

Refractors are very good for planetary viewing but very pricey as you increase aperture size.

Reflectors are very good in general but you must have at least a 4 inch aperture to see anything reasonably well.

The ETX is a good all around portable scope. But for a kid? I dunno. My ETX is only a 90mm apeerture, Saturn is visible but the apparent size of it in the eyepiece is rather disappointing for a newbie. Jupiter is resolved really well and you can see the phases of Venus well also. BUT it won't pick up distant subjects well eg Orion Nebula. But for studying the Moon it is incredible!

[Don Plumley]

The goto electronics in even inexpensive scopes are amazing. It takes just a compass to get it oriented, and then locks on to a chosen target in the database and tracks it. How those little dudes in the box do this is amazing. For a kid, it brings quicker rewards and could help increase their interest (rather than coninually guessing - is that Venus or just another star?).

Find a local astronomy club and take your son. For example, there is an amazing set of scopes at a local state park (Sugarloaf State Park, Robert Ferguson Observatory http://rfo.org/) that has public observing nights. Then the amateurs with the big scopes set up just below the observatory and are the nicest folks you'd want to chat with - really happy to chat it up with a youngster that shows the least bit of interest. I'm sure you could find something like this local to you.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally posted by motion
Meade ETX. Nice little scopes with a wide range of add-ons available. Probably the most popular small scope in the world. I've had one for years (non-computer controlled). Got a nice vacuum-sealed, padded photographer's hard case for it and have been dragging it around for years.

http://www.meade.com/etx/etx_mak.html

Looks promising. Thanks all for the recommendations and input!

Motion-what size ETX do you have? All of the listed scopes are within my price range, but I don't want something too hard to haul around. Bear in mind, the hauling will be done in a Yukon, not a Porsche. However, I don't want it to be so big/heavy that he gets discouraged from taking it out and using it.

As far as whether or not he is a suitable candidate for such a device, he leans towards nerd pretty heavily. I mean that in a good way. I believe he will maintain the equipment and an interest so I want to get him something nice.

[red-beard]

I think the coolest thing I saw through a scope was venus, at noon time! It is that bright!

If you want to be at all serious, get a reflector scope. You can skimp on the motor drives and add that stuff later. One of my buddies had a 10 inch reflector. Great great detail.

Don't forget, you change the magnification by changing eye pieces.

[motion]

I have the original 90mm ETX. Very compact and transportable. You can pick them up dirt cheap on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Meade-ETX-Telescope-With-Case_W0QQitemZ250014560121QQihZ015QQcategoryZ28181 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[nota]

we have a 8'' reflector [newtonian] that the wife ground the mirror for but the thing is huge and heavy with motor drive mount
and if you live in or near a city the motor is kinda useless as you have got to get out in the boonies to get dark skys

the EXT type scopes are much eazyer to move
celestron is a little higher quality and of course PRICE in that type

an other idea is a dob light bucket
a simple light mount scope without motor or need for eltricks
cheap and BIG but harder to point as it is totaly manual and not for photos
http://www.meade.com/lightbridge/index.html
the same $1000 will get 4 times the scope 12'' vs 5.43")
better views = bigger mirror

[dhoward]

Goto ETX would make a great scope for a 'nerdy' kid. Finding dim objects can be a tedious proposition. Old-time astronomers think the only way to learn is by star-hopping to find an object.
Balderdash.
Work smart, not hard. Use the available technology.
I wouldn't call Celestron a premium instrument over Meade.
Here's mine...


LX-90 8" w/ ST-80 guidescope and CCD cameras...

[motion]

Nice!!!! How about some pics you've taken?

[84porsche]

I have also been looking for a good telescope. Great topic. I had a Celestron for a couple of months but I just couldn't get it to focus on the stars even with the automatic control so I took it back and was going to get another but they didn't have any replacements in stock.

Richard, had no idea you were into astronomy. Nice to know.

Looks like the Griffith observatory telescopes reopen toward the end of the year. That would be a good So Cal Porsche drive.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally posted by dhoward
Goto ETX would make a great scope for a 'nerdy' kid. Finding dim objects can be a tedious proposition. Old-time astronomers think the only way to learn is by star-hopping to find an object.
Balderdash.
Work smart, not hard. Use the available technology.
I wouldn't call Celestron a premium instrument over Meade.
Here's mine...


LX-90 8" w/ ST-80 guidescope and CCD cameras...

Looks like it's pointed at the neighbors house.

I am totally into the easy method of finding stars. My son and I will both lose interest if we don't get some instant gratification from our backyard astronomy. Question-Do you need the guide scopes with the "Goto"?

I am leaning heavily towards the ETX. Now the question remains-whether or not to go overkill and get the 125? I can get the whole schmear (basic set-up including tripod, UHTC coatings, goto, one eye piece) for about $900. For another $200 I can get the premier which I believe has self leveling and finds north among some other things. Again, to start, easy is great. We can go esoteric later as we progress.

[Jims5543]

There a Uranus joke to be told here I just know it!!

[targa911S]

I have a 10" Meade Cassigrain and I love it. Be patient. The first time you set it up you will not be a pro. Work "close to home", planets and easy stuff then go deeper and deeper as you get better. Get good star charts too. Photos are a whole different ballgame.

Persied meteors this weekend. We have been out every night for the last week as it ramps up. Been seeing about 5 per hour.

[dhoward]

+1
Guide scope and CCD is for autoguiding for long-exposure astrophotography. I'll post some of my pics as soon as I find them...