Seikanon Telescope

[Kassim Sin]

Ihave been asked to do this many times over the years by readers, but have resisteddue to the potential for misunderstanding and abuse of such a list. However, withsuch a huge array of products floating around out there, and the constant questionsI get asking me to compare one brand to another, led me to believe that such a ranking system could be useful if used judiciously.

Getting this right was a bit thorny. Equipment from the Big Three (Meade, Celestron,and Orion) varies a lot up and down their ranges, so it was necessary to separate out certain models and lines. Meade, in particular, has a particularly long andrich history, and many of its models are separately identified. Also, telescopelines tend evolve over the years, so I have included my opinions on popular oldertelescopes as well. The term "older" generally refers to a previous version of atelescope still made (like the Coulters) while the term "old" refers to a telescopeor manufacturer no longer around.

A word up front: This should not be your only source for decision making. Useit to get a rough idea of the telescope(s) that interest you, then consult the reviews(here and elsewhere.) This is a rough guide only. Use it as a jumping-off pointfor your own research, rather than any kind of final word on this topic. One thingI like to tell people is to mentally factor in a margin of error of plus or minusone category when viewing this. Prices given are approximate.

Evaluate your own needs while reading this list. The rankings are relative andnot transferable from one type to another. For example, if you primarilylike to look at faint galaxies, you might very well be happier with a largeNewtonian from Category 3 than any refractor from Category 5. If you like to look at planets, the moon, and double stars, however, the reverse might well be true.

For first timers, the standard advice is still valid. A 6" Dobsonian is a greatfirst telescope. Stay out of the department stores. Get binoculars and booksif you can't spend at least $300. Finally, I'll add my own piece of advice in thiselectronic age: Use caution when buying any computer-controlled telescope costing less than about $1000.Also note that while most Newtonians come with a mount, some catadioptrics donot, and most of the expensive apochromatic refractors are sold as an optical tubeassembly (OTA) only, making a first-rate refractor setup even more expensive thanthey already appear.

Category 1: Not Recommended Telescopes designed and sold with price as theprimary attraction, usually featuring inferior parts and having shoddy workmanship.These are "hobby killers" in the worst sense and are never used by serious amateurs. If all you can spend is $150, the old advice still holds true: get a pair of 7X50binoculars and a few good books instead, or save up until you can buy something from Category 2 or better. Telescopes in this category consist largely of the ubiquitous "department store telescopes."

Category 2: Recommended With Reservations: These are serviceable telescopesin many ways, although with a little judicious shopping, you could probably get some-thing from Category 3 for about the same price that will show you more. Telescopesin this category feature scopes like the once-popular Astroscan, which isn't reallyconsidered a serious instrument these days, but which doesn't really belong downin Category 1. Also in this category are some of the cheaper electronic telescopes.Still, keep in mind that these are recommended; I have owned several telescopeslisted in this category myself and have learned from many of them.

Category 3: Recommended: Telescopes designed and built with roughly equalconsiderations to price and quality. For most casual or semi-serious hobbyists,this is all the telescope that is ever needed. Telescopes in this category includethe reliable mid-aperture Dobsonians and Schmidt Cassegrains from the Big Three,along with well-made older telescopes that show up on the used market from timeto time.

Category 4: Highly Recommended: Telescopes built with quality and performancein mind, with less regard to cost. Scopes in this category include the fine Vixensfrom Japan as well as the overachieving Maksutovs from Russia. Also included arescopes which may have Category 5 aspirations, but which fall short for some reasonor another. For serious enthusiasts.

Category 5: Highest Recommendation: Telescopes built to the highest opticaland mechanical standards, marketed and sold to discriminating hobbyists who only want the best. Little or no consideration is given to cost. Most are smallcompanies who have built their following through word of mouth. None are cheap,and the waiting lists on some models can stretch years into the future.

Commentary on Reflectors, 12/11: Happily, there are so many solid, recommend-able Dobsonians on the market today that it's hard to even turn around at a star party without bumping into one. I like the Orion XT series the best, but if Orionwas out of stock, I'd probably call Celestron, Discovery, Meade, etc and order oneof theirs.The venerable 6" f/8 reflector, which was the standard amateur telescope for nearly25 years, is hardly ever seen anymore. 8" seems to be the ante now for seriousbeginners, and high-volume manufacturing is bringing them to the consumer at all-time low prices. Do not ignore the high end of the scale, where there are a numberof small companies producing stunning instruments at very reasonable costs.Note that there are very few "real" Celestron Newtonians - for years they brand-labeled Japanese Vixen units (quality was very good to excellent.) More recently,they have started using reflectors from one of those unnamed Chinese factories(quality is decent, prices are low.) Also, old Meades are unsung heroes in theNewtonian world. Pre-1985 Meade reflectors are almost always worth collectingif in good condition.

Commentary on refractors, 12/11: There is something for everyone, it seems,within the refractor world. Refractors continue to have the largest gap, qualityand price wise, of any type of telescope on the market. At the low end, department store junk-scopes abound.But things get better quickly as you move up the scale. Chinese-sourced achromatsof modest aperture and price, like the C102HD, (Orion) Skywatcher 120, CR150, etc.,are making a big splash on the amateur scene. You can expect to see many more Chinese telescopes -especially refractors- on the market soon.Finally, the astonishing apochromats at the high end, led by Takahashi and Astro-Physics, continue to be the Holy Grail for many observers, with ultra-high prices and equally astonishing waiting lists to match. If you are deep of pocket andlong of bond, these may be the telescopes for you.

Commentary on Catadioptrics, 12/11: Catadioptrics have been sneaking up on us lately. Once thought to be "all the same" (ie, average) by many serious observers,modern SCTs and Maks are generally of very good quality and are easily recommend-able for general purpose observing. The best Maksutovs, in fact, are thought by many to be a near equal to the modern apochromatic refractor, with prices to match. The key to catadioptrics: the newer, the better. Avoid the temptation to save a fewbucks on an older unit unless you can personally inspect it. Although there are somesuperb older samples out there, in general you want the latest revision wherever possible. This is especially true of the Russian instruments (which are all fantasticbargains, by the way) and of the new, lower end computer controlled scopes. SCTs from both Meade and Celestron from the early 1980s are also somewhat suspect.Finally, it is a poorly-kept secret that the Celestron C 9.25 and the Meade 7" Maksutov seem to be better than other models in their respective lineups. Neitheris a big seller, but perceptive and savvy consumers should take note of this andact accordingly.

Commentary on Binoculars, 2/01: Happily, the quality variation on binoculars isn't nearly as large as that on telescopes. Even binos from the brands you loveto hate are quite passable for casual viewing. This, coupled with the casual natureof binocular observing in general, means that the differences between binocular categories may not amount to a great deal in the long run, unless you are very picky.If you are looking at a brand that isn't listed here, ask your retailer if thebinos have 1) BaK-4 prisms and 2) Fully multi-coated optics. I find that if these two criteria are met, most of the other qualities tend to fall into place.Beginners should stick to 7X units. For 10X and higher binos, I recommend oneof the parallelogram-style mounts from Virgo, UniMount, Blaho, Orion, etc.

The Vixen-style dovetail plate allows the optical tube to slide down for compact storage and transport. The optical tube can also be removed from its Dobsonian base and mounted on any compatible mount.

Sky and Telescope describes the OneSky as "one of those rare exceptions" that "gets all the important stuff right." Calling it "the best bang-for-buck beginners scope", it also recommends the OneSky "for seasoned observers looking for a highly portable grab-and-go-scope".

Customer Julio Garcia says: Wow! I'm impressed! The telescope arrived today and I've just set it up. Even though it is the first time that I actually touch a telescope, I'm surprised how easy was the set it up and how nice I was able to see not only the Moon, but Jupiter and its moons! I want to say thank you for opening this amazing window for me and my family.

Customer Tom F. says: I continue to use the 5" scope, and continue to be impressed. I am after messier and ngc galaxies and have not been disappointed. The ease of use and good optics are an unbeatable combination.

Customer Dick G., Dallas, TX "What a nice little scope! Takes higher power than the supplied eps very well. Sets up easily. Big time best buy. Lunar and planetary views really surprised me with their crispness."

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