First Telescope

[RogerW]

Having read various magazines and talked to lots and borrowing a Meade 90 with a GoTo mount, I am tempted to buy a Vixen VMC110L as my first telescope - it comes with a basic tripod. I think I enjoy working out where the stars are in the sky (I always use maps not satnavs in the car) so I might only get a GoTO mount later. I also wondered about getting a Deep Sky Light Pollution filter. Any comments would be welcome. RogerW

[Ivor]

Hi Roger,

What are you planning to look at with the telescope? Do you know what to expect? It important to have the correct expectations before making a purchase. A popular first purchase is a refractor as they are very easy to setup where this scope will offer greater magnification you need to get your head around collimation which is quite fiddly to start with. Clearly someone in the club can help you with this but it can be a steep learning curve to start with.

I see from the web you've posted the question on another forum, so might have your questions answered, let us know if you have any other questions

[Mac]

Have a quick read of this, the bit at the beginning about the telescope might help you.

Mac.

http://forum.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/index.php?topic=6334.0

[RogerW]

Ivor, thanks for your reply and yes collimation is something i have to address but I was proposing to ask the shop to check it before I bought and then it is something I will have to get to grips with but if I am using it at home mainly it should not be a big problem. Certainly my intention is to see as much as I can with it - from the Moon to the planets as well as clusters and nebulae in deep sky.
Do you think collimation on a Vixen is a big issue?
Thanks again for your response.

[RogerW]

Mac, Thanks for responding. I read the article and yes it was very helpful. But the starting point is still a question of balancing everything. I have some 10x50 and 12x50 binoculars plus an excellent tripod for holding them to look at objects in the sky. in practice I will probably end up using both binoculars and telescope to view things.
PS.I have just started an Open University course on Planets, Stars and Galaxies - the maths/numbers will be a challenge!

[RogerW]

Alternatively, someone has suggested getting a SkyWatcher HERITAGE-130P FlexTube? Any views or experience of that?

[Carole]

That's a pretty basic but very portable telescope but will always be dependent on a good solid (unwobbly) table or surface on which to balance it. 

Carole