Anyone here into telescopes?

[bubba]

Kids have been after me for a while now for a telescope. I want to get them one for xmas that is decent enough to see something and be tweaked if they get into it.

Looking at getting this one http://www.telescopes.com/telescopes/re ... lector.cfm

Vid of a similar model (bigger dia tube)


For $110 it looks decent enough, hell the reviews say they can see Jupiters moons. There a package for $140 that has a tracking motor and a star book. I can get different eye pieces later if the kids real into it.

So basically looking for anyone that has experience with the things and know of a nice beginner scope for the sub $150ish range.

[Darkstar]

i looked into getting one in the same price range for the kids as an upgrade to my $5 yard sale one that got them started. That looks like a good deal, does it have usb or video hookups for a laptop tie in? that would be kind of cool to have. I would definitely try to find one with the GoTo features although i dont know if they fall into that price range.

[bubba]

Yeah once you get into the controller stuff you get 4 figures and up. If I get this one I will get the drive motor with it, that way I can relax a little and not have to constantly tweak what they are looking at past the moon LOL.

There was a couple of reviews I saw that the person was able to hook up a 35mm and DSLR up to an eye piece, but haven't seen anything on point and shoots.

[Darkstar]

i saw either a Konus or Meade that had that before and it was a sub $200 scope

just to give you some variety....

http://www.opticsplanet.net/konus-telescope-1780.html

[bubba]

Ok, after digging through more telescope forums then I can to admit, I settled in on an Orion SkyQuest XT6 Classic with Dobsonian mount.

http://www.telescope.com/control/telesc ... -telescope

End up with this one as every (and I mean every) telescope forum I went through said this style (8 out of 10 said this scope) was said to be best for the "kids first" telescope. Easy to setup, easy to collimate (reset mirrors), all in all just less crap to deal with and setup then the Equatorial mount that the one in my first post has. Being this will be my first real non-walmart scope I don't want to learn and try to keep an 8 and 10 year old focused.

This one will still allow for after market eyepieces and such, and if the kids really get into it, we can look at stepping it up a notch in a couple years. To go over this it starts into the $500 to $1000 range for 8"+ DIA scopes.

The last straw for making the purchase was this guys blog, and the shots he took through the scope. I'm thinking this will be more than enough scope to keep my kids happy, mainly my daughter, for a while.

Here is a pic of the dude behind the Orion http://bp2.blogger.com/_XhUTu6L4GYU/SCa ... ectors.jpg


And yeah, this was a bit more, but the kids Great Great Grandma kicked in some coin.

[Darkstar]

Nice one! cantbelieve he just sticks the camera up to the lens and snaps pictures

(now you have to keep the kids off the site)

[bubba]

No worries about the kids, they have 3 or 4 sites they go to, all involve watching cartoons online or games that go with them LOL

As for the how the camera is mounted, that's pretty much how a lot of them do it. There are kits that will mount a point and shot straight to the eye piece, as well as eye pieces that are DSLR/35mm direct connects that basically turn the scope into a massive lens. Some just set a tripod up snap the pic then move it out of the way so they can continue to look through the eye piece themselves.

Also you said something about hooking up to a laptop take a look at this basically a USB digi cam that can be mounted in a scope.

[Darkstar]

filming would be cool if you could catch the perseids meteor shower....


http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/Home.aspx

[bubba]

Well, it come in on time and was a little scared when I seen the box took a hit. When I opened it up I found it was double boxed and had a good 3 or 4" of space all the way around the main tube.

Funny how things look bigger once you get it in front of you LOL I set a CD on it for some scale. This thing is going to look massive next to my daughter.

[DMB2000uk]

That is pretty big actually!

I glanced at the picture and noticed the CD, but the scale didn't sink in till you said it was there!

Dan

[bubba]

Put it in my car to take it home, I was just able to close the back doors in my '01 Gran Prix LOL

Yeah, my daughter is only 4' 7", this is going to be monster to her. I only hope she likes it.

[Sporg]

Wow, Bubba, that's a really cool gift! I hope your daughter enjoys it.

[bubba]

Striking while the iron is hot. She has been after all kinds of science stuff. Trying to get her to understand its ok for girls to be smart and act that way too. Not be smart and play dumb. Got her some crystal growing kits too.

Still feeling the boy out on what direction he is going, so far its photography.

[bubba]

She liked it, and was little miffed she can't use it due to the weather



Its built really well, easy to move around, and it sets in the corner real nice as the tube can point straight up.

[Sporg]

Awesome, Bubba! That scope looks so kickass.

[DMB2000uk]

Haha, it's as big as her. Congrats on a successful gift!

Dan

[bubba]

Last night after dinner my daughter come running into the living room and jumped into my recliner with me yelling "the moon is out daddy I wanna use my telescope"

as she put it "its freaking awesome" followed by "it moved again daddy, fix it" she would then run back inside and watch from the front door for me to wave her back out. It was high 20's low 30's with a slight wind last night, friggen cold.



She is already chomping at the bit for a really clear night so she can look at stars.