Looking for a starter setup

[young fractal]

So, a little background here, I’ve always been into sky watching, from watching satellites pass over head to staying up and watching the iss fly over, and even trying to figure out if that’s a planet I’m looking at. In my later years I’ve gotten into watching a lot of astronomy stuff on YouTube (which is why I ended up here a while back). My son, has gotten into as well (he’s 9) he even gets me to wake him up early morning hours just to lay eyes on a planet.

With all that being said, I really want to get into this stuff and enjoy it with my kids, but I’m massively overwhelmed on what I should be looking for.

I have absolutely no equipment right now. But I’m willing to spend maybe 2kish on a setup if that’s reasonable. Planets, maybe some nebulas, even large galaxies as well if possible.

I’m sure what I’m asking for is unreasonable, so if that’s the case, I’ll just have to save more I suppose.

Thanks for reading/helping!

[worldly totem]

Ok - I’m assuming you’re talking about photography?

1. $2k isn’t a small amount for the hobby, but isn’t not a lot either. It can definitely get you started

2. Planets, Galaxies, Nebulas, etc. all require different things. Planets are small, some galaxies are small, lot of nebulas are huge.

A planetary setup is very different from a wide field setup meant for large nebulas.

So you need to decide which is a priority

[young fractal]

Ok. Let’s go with planets since thats what my son would freak out over seeing.

Photography would be fine, but no experience with it, but absolutely down to learn it, but would also like to get an eye on a planet physically as well. If both can be done.

Thanks for entertaining noob questions!

[worldly totem]

Youll want a dobsonian telescope. Ideal for visual of everything. And can do planetary/lunar imaging.

Get a 6” minimum. Preferably 8” or larger if you can handle it. They get heavy fast.

Dobs are some of the best visual scopes, especially for beginners. Easy to use and fairly cheap.

You’ll want some eyepieces, get some SVBONY gold lines. I’m not too familiar with eyepieces so I can’t say much more.

You can buy a planetary camera and do some planetary imaging and lunar. But that’s all for a dob. And it’s probably untracked so you’d have to manually find and follow planets/moon

Here’s a classic dob, they’re much pretty much the same. It’s AD8 because the primary mirror is 8 inches in aperture. AD10 is 10 inches, etc etc

https://www.highpointscientific.com/apertura-ad8-8-inch-dobsonian-telescope-ad8

[young fractal]

Ok, thank you for the help! Definitely will look into this. Looks like I’ll be able to come out pretty good on this money wise!

[worldly totem]

Of course the bigger the scope the better. But 8” is considered a good starting point.

I have a 6” I use but since I don’t do much visual it’s good enough.

[young fractal]

Any recommendations on maybe a camera with an adaptor or just a phone adapter if that’s more plausible?

[worldly totem]

Using a phone was absolute hell on my dob.

I have an SVBONY sv305 Pro planetary camera, but it’s pretty much trash and barely usable.

I know ToupTek and maybe PlayerOne make some planetary cams, but I’m not sure the details.

I’m a nebula person personally, although I’m starting to go into lunar/planetary

I think you can get a decent one for like $250

[young fractal]

Ok, I can do some research on it and see what’s the common factor and go from there. Thanks for the help!!

[smoky vale]

Given from what I saw so far I can only endorse an 8“ Dobsonian, preferably used since you get a good bang for your buck while getting some extra accessories like eyepieces and whatnot.

That should give you a decent start in the hobby without overwhelming yourself

Easy to setup, too.

If a phone + adapter is too frustrating, there’s some cheap astrocameras you can get. (ToupTek and Player-One make really good affordable cameras, you’d be looking for a so-called planetary camera)

[young fractal]

Appreciate the response and advice. Definitely want to dabble in the astro side of it. I already have a laptop that I could use if I needed too. But a start at just seeing the stuff physically would probably sink me into more than I already am lol.

[eager stone]

Player one and touptek have some really nice sales happening so you can look into that

Player one I believe is starting in a few days though

[drifting talon]

I would honestly look into a smart telescope like seestar s30/s50 or dwarf mini. These are NOT good for planetary but they are fairly cheap and VERY easy to use. Even finding objects in the night sky with zero exsperince can be a challenge let alone getting a telescope focused on it. once you learn more in the field and know what you like viewing then start looking for a dedicated setup. With smart scopes you will be capturing good images your first night out and youll never look back. I've see loads of people with no exsperince go get telescopes and sell them a couple months later cause of steep learning curves. Good luck👍

[smoky vale]

I wouldnt recommend a smart telescope as a starter scope.

Gives a wrong impression of the hobby

[drifting talon]

Well real scopes scare people away

[smoky vale]

If you are scared away from actual telescopes, a smart telescope wont help.

you also cant look through a smart telescope lol

[eager stone]

Biggest downside of a smart scopw

[drifting talon]

They guy has zero exsperince and you think hes gonna whip out a 8 inch dob and see anything his first night?

[smoky vale]

You think he will see anything with a glorified camera?

[eager stone]

No

But that's the point

[smoky vale]

You cant also just whip out a smart telescope and "see anything"

[eager stone]

It's a hobby

[smoky vale]

theres manuals. theres tutorials. in a smart telescope its on an app, with a real scope its on youtube or the PHYSICAL manual

[eager stone]

There's going to be a learning curve and that's what makes it rewarding

[smoky vale]

Smart Telescopes are useful for low-budget and low-complication but they dont help at all in the hobby.

I started with one and I wish I didnt because damn it didnt help a single bit with ANYTHING

[eager stone]

I would classify them into a different category

[drifting talon]

They get people into the hobby. I'm proof right here wouldn't be here with out a smart scope

[smoky vale]

I started with a smart scope. 2 actually. Bad decision.

[eager stone]

That's true, but there's other ways into the hobby as well

[smoky vale]

if i could turn back time id start with something else

something that would give me experience about what the hobby is actually about

[drifting talon]

Its actually great cause now I can capture things while it takes me a year to learn a real rig

[smoky vale]

My good sir, no rig takes a year to learn nor does a smart telescope help you with doing so

[drifting talon]

What if I only get out a handful of times a year it gonna take a year

[eager stone]

Then let it take a year imo

It won't take a year though

There needs to be an element of struggle

The reward when it finally works is then higher

[smoky vale]

youre not buying an observatory grade rig

[eager stone]

And more chance of staying in the hobby

[drifting talon]

You guys go struggle ill just go have fun✌️

[smoky vale]

learning how to properly use one takes like 2 - 3 uses at MOST if you buy one thats beginner friendly.

[smoky vale]

Sorry we actually listen to what he wants in a scope instead of recommending a glorified camera ;)

https://tenor.com/view/asdf-movie-punt-kick-donewiththis-gif-26537188

[eager stone]

Nah not saying smart scopes are all bad, they have their benefits. they're just not a one size fits all.

No scope or astrophotography solution is a one size fits all

[drifting talon]

Point on the bear where the camera touched you 🤣😂🤣

[smoky vale]

struggle isnt the point, the point is that struggle actually exists and a smart telescope doesnt ease you into that

its like recommending throwing paper airplanes to an aspiring pilot

doesnt help, at all.-

Smart Telescopes aren't starter scopes because they dont even start you into the hobby with real rigs

theyre literally just compact rigs designed for portability, ease of use and budget.

not even compact rigs

their entire setup doesnt mirror what youd do with a real scope

[drifting talon]

I never said the smart scopes gonna help you with operating a real rig. I said it gives you something to enjoy while you learn to use a rig

[smoky vale]

Operating a real rig is the hobby.

[drifting talon]

Astronomy is the hobby would you like me to define astronomy for you?

[smoky vale]

The entire topic is amateur astronomy which they dont get you into

they get you into astrophotography in a very small level which has nothing to do with larger rigs

having them instead of any real big scope (which the OP of this post needs for viewing) doesnt help at all

if you fail to grasp this very important point then theres no reason to even go into this with you anymore.

[eager stone]

Also we're forgetting the main point that he wants planets specifically not large nebulae

Smart scopes can't do that

[smoky vale]

they can, well, really really expensive ones

[eager stone]

Ah like the origin and vespera

[smoky vale]

those "smart scopes" are just glorified goto rgs though

[eager stone]

I'm not counting those they're way over budget and not worth it

[smoky vale]

(also the only astronomy you can do with smart telescopes is EAA which is a completely different branch)

[smoky vale]

yea

[eager stone]

Even an 8 inch Goto dob is going to fit his budget

[smoky vale]

an 8'' goto dob is criminal to get imo

[eager stone]

That's like $1300

[eager stone]

Wdym criminal

[smoky vale]

you might aswell get an 8'' on a goto EQ mount lol

[eager stone]

Eh fair

I mean Goto upgrade kits exist aw

[smoky vale]

theyre expensive as shit though

[eager stone]

I was looking the other day and they're on insane sales in Australia cuz nobody buys them

Idk about other countries thoufh

It used to be like $2200-2500

Although an neq6 pro is also currently the same price

So I get where you're coming from

[smoky vale]

even an HEQ5 would track better

[eager stone]

Those are even more cheaper

1399

Idk if the payload is up to the task of an 8 inch dob for an heq5

[smoky vale]

an 8'' newt on an HEQ5 is a common pairing

ratbag, ashen, badunkie and more do it

[eager stone]

I've only seen short 8 inch tubes like f4-f5

Not f7-f8 tubes like the dobs

But I guess the extra length is mostly empty space

[smoky vale]

8'' dobs are generally F/6

[eager stone]

Oh then perfect

[smoky vale]

the jump from F/6 to F/5 isnt that big

[eager stone]

Yeh then future heq5

Manual dob rn

That sounds like a perfect game plan

[smoky vale]

do note that it can be a pain in the arse at times since its a sail

probably should get out of this post lol

[eager stone]

That's what I was thinking aw

[eager stone]

Yeh should

[young fractal]

i read through everything here, ive seen smart scopes and it isnt what im looking for. i want to put my eye on a planet, so does my son. i 100% understand the learning curve and im ok with that, its just meant to be a hobby not a job so its ok if it takes me time to figure out. ive fixed pcs off of googling so my "want" to do it, is there. ill see where it takes me, its just meant to be a start out kinda thing. just to see if me and my son will take it further.