Hi everyone, im new to this forum, and i have been looking around the market for my first proper telescope. i have had cheap toys r us crap ones, so i want to get a reasonably good one now.
My budget is below $350. I know that is not a big budget to work around with, but i do not want to get a very expensive scope just yet.
i have come across this scope, the Celestron 76EQ
Aperture: 76mm 3"
Focal Length : 700mm
Comes with 2 eyepieces,
EYEPIECE 1 20 mm (0.79 in)
MAGNIFICATION 1 35 x
EYEPIECE 2 10 mm (0.39 in)
MAGNIFICATION 2 70 x
and it has a equatorial mounting, which i heard is pretty useful for tracking objects.
So, i would really really apprecieate your suggestions for other scopes around that price, and please please dont suggest binos. i dont know why, but scopes are cooler.
I need opinions and suggestions
well im living in bukit timah, and although there is some light pollution, my house has sort of a observertory, because i have a skylight in my house, and when i look up, it is quite dark at night, and i can see stars, i live near bukit timah hill, and i dont mind travelling to turf city to stargaze
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orly_andico
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1) the equatorial mount on that is the EQ-1, which is a shockingly amazing piece of crap (I have two!) avoid like the plague.
2) 3" really isn't that much
Keep in mind you need to buy a finder of some sort, plus at least 2 eyepieces. You can probably get 2 eyepieces (say a 25mm and a 10mm) for $40 - $50 if you look hard enough on the Buy and Sell or ask other members.
You're best off to buy some pre-loved scopes here on the forum:
Ex. you could buy Stuart's ETX90 tube:
http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?t=8115
which would fit your budget. I understand that thing can mount on a regular camera tripod, or you can build a small wooden fork mount.
Or for $50 extra get this one (if still available)
http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?t=8118
It's a 6" so much better and has an EQ-3 mount which is a significant upgrade over the EQ-1. Not sure if that $400 includes eyepieces.
2) 3" really isn't that much
Keep in mind you need to buy a finder of some sort, plus at least 2 eyepieces. You can probably get 2 eyepieces (say a 25mm and a 10mm) for $40 - $50 if you look hard enough on the Buy and Sell or ask other members.
You're best off to buy some pre-loved scopes here on the forum:
Ex. you could buy Stuart's ETX90 tube:
http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?t=8115
which would fit your budget. I understand that thing can mount on a regular camera tripod, or you can build a small wooden fork mount.
Or for $50 extra get this one (if still available)
http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?t=8118
It's a 6" so much better and has an EQ-3 mount which is a significant upgrade over the EQ-1. Not sure if that $400 includes eyepieces.
Last edited by orly_andico on Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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orly_andico
- Posts: 1616
- Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: Braddell Heights
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hm, care to share why the EQ mount that comes with the scope is CRAP? haha im just curiousorly_andico wrote:1) the equatorial mount on that is the EQ-1, which is a shockingly amazing piece of crap (I have two!) avoid like the plague.
And the price that Astro Scientific Centre quoted me for the Celestron Astromaster 76EQ was 313 dollars, so im kind of tempted to get that. i am also tempted to get the skywatcher newtonion scope, but it dosent come with lenses and a finderscope.
EQ-1 is not stable enough. when you view any objects eg. planets, just a slight touch on the mount or when you are adjusting, the image will wobble and shake.
It takes a few seconds for the image to stop shaking. You will feel kind of piss off when it keeps continue. Some people may also encounter giddyness and headache when the image shakes.
haha. I used to have an EQ-2 mount ( no much difference from the EQ-1 or i can say no difference at all ). It's shaky and unstable. You can't use a heavy scope on it. only small and light ones.
I would not advise on the Celestron Astromaster 76EQ at $313. I would rather you get the C130 mak or the skywatcher newtonian 6'' In terms of aperture, you can see more things and much brighter in details.
You see if you compare the 3'' Astromaster againest the 6'' skywatcher newtonian, 3x3 =9 , 6x6 =36.
36 / 9 = 4.
THE IMAGE IN THE SKYWATCHER NEWTONIAN WILL BE 4 TIMES BRIGHTER THAN THE ASTROMASTER !!
It takes a few seconds for the image to stop shaking. You will feel kind of piss off when it keeps continue. Some people may also encounter giddyness and headache when the image shakes.
haha. I used to have an EQ-2 mount ( no much difference from the EQ-1 or i can say no difference at all ). It's shaky and unstable. You can't use a heavy scope on it. only small and light ones.
I would not advise on the Celestron Astromaster 76EQ at $313. I would rather you get the C130 mak or the skywatcher newtonian 6'' In terms of aperture, you can see more things and much brighter in details.
You see if you compare the 3'' Astromaster againest the 6'' skywatcher newtonian, 3x3 =9 , 6x6 =36.
36 / 9 = 4.
THE IMAGE IN THE SKYWATCHER NEWTONIAN WILL BE 4 TIMES BRIGHTER THAN THE ASTROMASTER !!
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orly_andico
- Posts: 1616
- Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:14 pm
- Location: Braddell Heights
- Contact:
Charles,
Like I said, I am the unfortunate owner of TWO EQ-1 mounts.
1) there's a lot of backlash between the worm and the worm gear; so, when reversing direction, you have a lot of slop
2) the worm mount is made of some lousy pot metal that cracks when you breathe on it; I repaired mine with some JB Weld but it still sucks
3) only the RA axis has a full worm wheel, the DEC axis has a tangent arm of some sort, so it's not capable of 360* rotation (it can only do probably +/- 10 degrees)
4) as quangwei has already pointed out, it's a shaky deal. My Zenithstar 70 causes it to wobble alarmingly, and the Zenithstar is a small scope. Also focusing even with the nice smooth 10:1 focuser of the Zenithstar causes it to vibrate a lot.
I don't know about the EQ-2 but I cannot imagine it would be as bad as the EQ-1. The EQ-1 (and orion Mini-EQ which is the same thing) have to be the worst mounts you can ever have the misfortune to buy. They are a false economy.
The $400 6" scope has an EQ-3 (I checked again), not an EQ-2. Why don't you try to bargain $50 off that scope, and use the $50 to get a couple eyepieces?
EDIT: let me also add, I replaced the aluminum tripod legs of the EQ-1 with some Vixen wooden legs from an Icarus. This improved stability but only by a bit. It leads me to believe that the EQ-1 is irredeemable; if you only use very light scopes on it (like the Astromaster 76EQ!) and you only use magnifications below about 50X then you will be OK. But an EQ mount is just begging for high powers for the moon and planets!
Like I said, I am the unfortunate owner of TWO EQ-1 mounts.
1) there's a lot of backlash between the worm and the worm gear; so, when reversing direction, you have a lot of slop
2) the worm mount is made of some lousy pot metal that cracks when you breathe on it; I repaired mine with some JB Weld but it still sucks
3) only the RA axis has a full worm wheel, the DEC axis has a tangent arm of some sort, so it's not capable of 360* rotation (it can only do probably +/- 10 degrees)
4) as quangwei has already pointed out, it's a shaky deal. My Zenithstar 70 causes it to wobble alarmingly, and the Zenithstar is a small scope. Also focusing even with the nice smooth 10:1 focuser of the Zenithstar causes it to vibrate a lot.
I don't know about the EQ-2 but I cannot imagine it would be as bad as the EQ-1. The EQ-1 (and orion Mini-EQ which is the same thing) have to be the worst mounts you can ever have the misfortune to buy. They are a false economy.
The $400 6" scope has an EQ-3 (I checked again), not an EQ-2. Why don't you try to bargain $50 off that scope, and use the $50 to get a couple eyepieces?
EDIT: let me also add, I replaced the aluminum tripod legs of the EQ-1 with some Vixen wooden legs from an Icarus. This improved stability but only by a bit. It leads me to believe that the EQ-1 is irredeemable; if you only use very light scopes on it (like the Astromaster 76EQ!) and you only use magnifications below about 50X then you will be OK. But an EQ mount is just begging for high powers for the moon and planets!