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Planing To Get a Better Telescope Mainly For Observing.

Equipment GoTo Buying Advice Solar System
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Szijártó Áron avatar
Szijártó Áron avatar
I might have been asked this before here, but I just want to be sure what telescope do I buy.
I'm on the lookout for a new telescope and would love some recommendations.
I currently own a Celestron 60AZ, which got me started in astronomy and astrophotography, but I'm ready to upgrade.
My main goal is to enhance my views of planets and nearby celestial objects, especially during events like conjunctions or occultations. I'm not interested in a telescope that offers a one-size-fits-all approach, particularly for deep sky observations.
Instead, I’m focused on finding something that's good at planet observation and is budget-friendly. I'm considering options from Celestron or Skywatcher.
Additionally, I’d prefer a go-to model to save time searching for objects.
If anyone has suggestions for affordable telescopes that excel in planet viewing, I’d greatly appreciate it!
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Noah Tingey avatar
Noah Tingey avatar
Budget?

I'm not a visual guy but my understanding is that the typical advice is that you get the biggest used dob you can find in your price range.
Szijártó Áron avatar
Szijártó Áron avatar
Noah Tingey:
Budget?

I'm not a visual guy but my understanding is that the typical advice is that you get the biggest used dob you can find in your price range.

Meaning?
Médéric Hébert avatar
Médéric Hébert avatar
He means that for a visual telescope, best bang for your buck is to get the biggest used dobsonian you can find in your price range. You can find some of those with Go-Tos
Szijártó Áron avatar
Szijártó Áron avatar
Médéric Hébert:
He means that for a visual telescope, best bang for your buck is to get the biggest used dobsonian you can find in your price range. You can find some of those with Go-Tos

And is there any type of telescope within Skywatcher or Celestron or any other type of telescope? I can't really think of buying one of those until I have an example to check.
Tim Hawkes avatar
Tim Hawkes avatar
For visual combined with performance plus usability at relatively  low cost I think it is difficult to beat a DOB.  I had a 250 mm goto Skywatcher that serrved me well for years and was also good for EEA when coupled with a camera.
Robert Sahari avatar
Robert Sahari avatar
Szijártó Áron:
Médéric Hébert:
He means that for a visual telescope, best bang for your buck is to get the biggest used dobsonian you can find in your price range. You can find some of those with Go-Tos

And is there any type of telescope within Skywatcher or Celestron or any other type of telescope? I can't really think of buying one of those until I have an example to check.

Something like this -> https://skywatcher.com/product/bk-dob-8-synscan/It's available in sizes up to 16", or even 20" for the other model https://skywatcher.com/product/stargate-20-synscan/

The only question left is, how much money you can spend. This will dictate the size of the scope ofcourse. Without GoTo they're considerably cheaper ofc.
Scott Stirling avatar
Scott Stirling avatar
A 10” or greater diameter Dobsonian does not require a fan usually but 12” and larger often come with a fan in the base.

a 10” diameter, 2500mm Dobsonian with a couple good eyepieces is still portable.  Larger Dobs tend to be heavier and longer and harder to fit in a vehicle, if that’s a concern.

Skywatcher makes good Dobsonians.  We have a 10”.  You can certainly use it for planetary and lunar astrophotography too.
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Ben avatar
Ben avatar
As Scott says, think transport if you go for a Dob. I bought a classic (as in, not collapsible) non-GoTo 12" Skywatcher knowing it'd just fit in my car.
I also bought that one to keep some budget for eyepieces and filters … I'm reaching the point where three 82°-series Explore Scientific are worth more than the tube!
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