Request guidance on telescopes

[Shobhit Deo]

Dear BAS members,

Hope you are safe and doing well.

I would request your views/ guidance on the telescopes I should buy.

1. Objective: Visual Astronomy + only cell phone photography; I am at least 2 years away from Astrophotography and it is not my immediate area of interest.
2. Where I live?: Bangalore, I go to Coorg/ Denkanikottai etc. on weekends during our viewing season (Dec-Apr)
3. What I already have from the last 2-3 seasons: Celestron Astromaster 130eq and Olympus 10x Bino. Astromaster 130eq planning to sell in near term
4. Shortlisted telescopes: 1 GSO 10inch Dobsonian and 1 Celestron Nexstar 8SE with single fork mount
5. Additional Eyepieces apart from what is provided with scopes: Can be discussed later
6. Power tank for Goto telescope (Nexstar 8se): Too costly on online websites and Celestron. Has anyone made a DIY solution, if yes, pls guide me also...

I am in talks with a couple of telescope sellers, but wanted views from our BAS group first. If you can suggest sellers who can give better deals with free accessories then also I am open. :)

Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

Have a nice day/ week !!

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Regards,
Shobhit Deo

+91-968-631-1595

[Ajay Talwar]

Hello Shobit,

1. Objective: Visual Astronomy + only cell phone photography; I am at least 2 years away from Astrophotography and it is not my immediate area of interest

Telescope for visual astronomy -
Refractors are really good for visual astronomy, sharp stars, pleasing views, split double stars easily, no spikes, maintenance free. You do not have to go for an Apochromat for visual, an achromat does a good job. Mounting a refractor is a problem since the heaviest part of the telescope is high up, so the mount has to be high and solid.

Dobsonians are proven good visual telescopes all over the world, because of their large size. A Dobsonian mount is the easiest operating and the best altazimuth mount. No backlash, no runaway on the teflon provided altitude and azimuth axes. People brag about following a planet manually in their Dobs at high power.

1. Where I live?: Bangalore, I go to Coorg/ Denkanikottai etc. on weekends during our viewing season (Dec-Apr)

Your telescope should be portable, and if it operates without any electric needs all the better. But sometime power for dew prevention is much necessary.

1. What I already have from the last 2-3 seasons: Celestron Astromaster 130eq and Olympus 10x Bino. Astromaster 130eq planning to sell in near term.

As you must have realised that the 130mm on the Eq mount is shaky at best. You will be amazed at the stability of a Dob after this eq mount. Olympus bino is good and better on a parallelogram mount.

1. Shortlisted telescopes: 1 GSO 10inch Dobsonian and 1 Celestron Nexstar 8SE with single fork mount

10-inch Dob - Good Idea. Nexstar 8SE - bad idea for two reasons viz. 1. Single fork is shaky, 2. It has a friction drive, prone to failure.

A 10-inch Aperture Telescope (my company) has some distinct advantages over purchasing the GSO 10-inch telescope viz. 1. Marine ply construction instead of MDF, 2. Real teflon bearings instead of roller bearings in the GSO, which cause lots of problems in observing, 3.  Optics is individually ground, polished and inspected, 4. 100% Made in India!

1. Additional Eyepieces apart from what is provided with scopes: Can be discussed later
2. Power tank for Goto telescope (Nexstar 8se): Too costly on online websites and Celestron. Has anyone made a DIY solution, if yes, pls guide me also...

Power tank is a just a battery with outlets, you can get a 17AH battery at any car battery shop and make a panel on the bakelite electric plates (used in homes for wall switches).

Best

Ajay Talwar

Nightscape Gallery: www.ajaytalwar.com/gallery
TWAN Gallery: www.twanight.org/talwar

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