Celestron ExploraScope 100/Edmund Scientific Astroscan

mandaragit · Post by **mandaragit** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 9:51 am

hi guys...

i think the explorascope/astrocan would be a good first scope for me... portability, not too expensive for some1 just starting out and can be a great gift to some1 if i want to move on to a larger telescope(or if its not good).... do you know where i can buy this in singapore? and any tips, info on the scope and suggestions? cause i read some reviews on cloudynights and most of them were bad

again many thanks guys

Post by **weixing** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:56 am

Hi,
I think this is not a decent scope especially this is going to be your first scope and it might not be cheap if get in Singapore.

What is your budget?? May be we can recommend you something more decent.

Have a nice day.

Post by **Airconvent** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 12:16 pm

The Science Centre sells the Explorascope but not the 100mm version. its the model with the slightly smaller mirror. I think I was quoted around $300...
best for you to go and check it out.

mandaragit · Post by **mandaragit** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:45 am

tnx guys... im thinking maybe 800 dollars or less

cant really go any higher

any suggestions? i really want a dob but i thinks its too bulky for me. anything more portable than a dob that is 800 or less?

again thanks!

edit:
sorry for the double post... i really should use the search function

i saw this post: http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php? ... sc&start=0

i really learned a lot.

i think i should really get a dob cause: i want to look at deep sky objects, fits perfectly into my budget and really good aperture(wrong spelling?) for the price. my only draw back is its too bulky, i live somewhere in lorong geylang and i think i will have problems transporting it to a good dark site.

can i view planets with a dob? i mean can i see any details?
again thanks for the suggestions...

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:19 am

I think it would be better to use small scopes like refractors and SCTs as they are more portable than dobs and they do not really need to adjust the collimation (means light parallel... but to laymen it means like 'tuning' the optics to get perfection sort of like tuning a musical instrument). Since collimation may be a daunting tasks to some people especially for people new to the hobby. However, Dobs are easy to operate and very cheap for its aperture.

How about getting a good pair of binoculars? I think that will be a good first step. In Singapore, it is never dark due to the light pollution. In order to see stars well, you need to go real large aperture and that is much higher cost and much bigger bulk. It is always a good idea to travel to somwhere far from Singapore to really see the DSOs in their beauty. A pair of binoculars can be used for terrestrial and astronomy and it helps you to indentify constellations especially here as most of the less bright guide stars are real hard to see with the naked eye.

mandaragit · Post by **mandaragit** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:00 am

Hi canopus lim!

i already bought a good pair of binoculars

very cheap also and i really like what im seeing...(even though most of the time it's cloudy here) it's just that i want to look at some scopes that i would like to buy in the near future (hehehe you see i plan on getting a scope next christmas, im only asking you guys for some suggestions on a scope on the 800 range so that i can look at the reviews

) im really excited hehehe sorry

Post by **weixing** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:10 am

Hi,
I'm not sure about others, but I just wonder does a binoculars really help in learning constellation?? Although binoculars got large FoV, but constellation are so big that the large FoV of binoculars only fit a small part of most constellation. I also used binoculars when I start learning constellation, but always got problem in identify the correct stars (may be it just me...

): I know there is a star that is part of the constellation in that part of the sky, but can't see due to light pollution, so I point my binoculars at that part of the sky.... now is the problem... there are a few or even more stars in the FoV that seem to have similar brightness. Hmm... so which is the correct stars???

What I feel is that although binocular is very portable, it aperture is also very small... limiting what you can see in Singapore. If you are able to went outside of Singapore for observation, I think you should have no problem to bring a small scope outside of Singapore too.

By the way, what you can try is:
1) Check out with McGill and Astro Bargains to see whether they had anything that meet your requirement.
2) Visit Astro Scientific Centre to see see look look. Although, most of their scope are expensive, but sometimes you'll find some surprise there. Also, I notices that their price are slowly becoming more competitive.
3) Search through the buy and sell sub forums here... you may be able to find somethings that fit your requirement.

Overall, avoid anything less than 80mm aperture.

Have a nice day.

Tachyon · Post by **Tachyon** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:04 pm

My advise is "Don't buy anything until you have looked through it!"

Most people who have not looked through a telescope have illusions on what can be seen through a telescope, and expect color (*gasp*) Hubble-like views.

Join one of the observation groups and look through a few before deciding. There is no hurry, with the cloudy skies these few days, you can't do anything with the new telescope anyway.

Look through one first - if you don't like what you see, keep the money (invest?) or spend it somewhere else. If you still like the views, then by all means go ahead!

Canopus Lim · Post by **Canopus Lim** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:19 pm

If buy a telescope now, it will prolong the rain! haa.
It would be good that if you can join observation groups. I think better don't look through my dob or you would have aperture fever and you cannot settle any scope smaller than that!

Anyway, I find binoculars very useful in finding the brighter stars in a constellation; this can be done by following the stars (starhopping) with the binoculars and the whole constellation can be identified through a binoculars which would have been very difficult with the naked eye here. In Mersing or any dark place, dumb you don't need a binoculars to identify constellations.

Also, it helps in identifying brighter stars as the surrounding stars (which cannot be easily seen by naked eye here) will be in the FOV. I can confirm if that bright star is the correct star I am looking for by analysing the positions of the surrounding stars; checking the star chart. It helps greatly in confirming the reference stars in my DSC; I don't have super memory to remember the names of the stars, but I can survive on using star charts.. just like in driving.. I have a poor memory of the location but I always can find the place by using a map.

mandaragit · Post by **mandaragit** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:26 pm

hey guys!!! thanks for all the advice... ive checked the sites on singastro wiki(mcgill, astrobargain etc)... and i found that most of the telescopes there are just too expensive for me(even the starhopper and skywatcher 6" dob) and still not portable enough hehehe maybe next christmas when i have the budget...

how bout the orion startblast? ive read some good reviews on the web and im wondering if its available here in singapore? or if some1 here is selling one?

cause i think this would be a great first scope for me... also its portable enough that i think i can hand carry it when i visit the philipines this february...

any thoughts?...

tnx tnx