Choosing the correct equipment

[StarGazer20190]

Greetings,

I was given a Celestron AM 114EQ for Christmas and am now questioning if this is the best telescope for my what I want to do.

I read that this unit is a Bird-Jones Newtonian telescope, but that the quality of the images may not be as good as a non-Bird-Jones. Further reading tells me that it all depends on what you are wanting to see, and how much you want to pay!

My hope is to be able to view and take pictures of the planets along with DSOs including star clusters and/or planetary nebulae.

I would appreciate some guidance on how to choose the correct telescope for my needs.

Steve

[Juno16]

Hi Steve and welcome to TSS!

Planets and DSO’s are two completely different types of targets in many ways.
Please post uour definitive expectations and hope someone here can respond with some helpful suggestions.

Thanks!

[sdbodin]

I suggest using your new scope for visual sights at first. Astrophotography is non-intuitive, sometimes smaller is better and any idea that point and shoot will suffice need be discarded. There are many things about the hobby that need to be discovered, like finding your way around the sky at first, learning about seeing thru the earth's atmosphere and the 'late shift' work that it is. Throwing money at it wont work either, go slow, read, study, ask questions.

Most of all, enjoy the unique views of the universe,
Steve

[Lady Fraktor]

Hello Steve, for visual observing the telescope will work well for you though there are a couple things to be aware of for collimation.
You will be able to observe and learn quite a bit with this telescope and once you have been observing for a while you will know what you most like to see and pick your next one for that purpose.
Enjoy the views.

I would suggest reading the Astro Baby Collimation Guide (online) if you do not know how to collimate your newtonian yet.

[DeanD]

Hi Steve,

Another thing you need to be aware of is that this scope has a light-weight equatorial mount, and you need to make sure that the mount and the tripod are both as firm as possible; you want to minimise any "slop" so that it works as well as possible. This might even involve adding washers to tighten it up. (I have experience tightening this mount and tripod for someone who purchased it and brought it to a camp I was on.) If you don't tighten things up this can be a very frustrating scope to use, irrespective of its optics.

Also, as an equatorial mount it is designed to point towards the celestial pole so that is is parallel to the axis of the earth. From your latitude it means that you tilt the polar axis to 39 degrees, and point it due north. Then the scope will follow the stars as you rotate it around this axis. Have a look at this video so that you can get started with it:

Also, try pointing towards a distant object in the daytime and make sure the dot-finder and the scope are both centred on the object before you try to find things at night.

Good luck, and all the best,

Dean

[JayTee]

Hi Steve,

Please read this article to understand the implications of the decisions that you make regarding equipment for AP. This article should give you a fairly good idea and all that you have to think about it consider. Here’s the link: app.php/article/choosing-the-ideal-setu ... hy-journey

Cheers,
JT

[mikemarotta]

. I was given a Celestron AM 114EQ for Christmas and am now questioning if this is the best telescope for my what I want to do. ... Bird-Jones Newtonian ... a non-Bird-Jones. ...

Welcome to the group, Steve. You will learn a lot here just by asking questions and posting about your observing.
(1) Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. The best telescope is the one that gets used. You can see the rings of Saturn (when it comes around again) and the stars in the Beehive Nebula (this spring). You can see Mars right now, a small round orange thing, but clearly a disk. And you can see the Orion Nebula. Your telescope will bring the Moon and the Pleiades closer. Many stars that appear as one are actually two or more and your telescope will reveal them to you. In fact, your telescope will show you stars where your naked eye sees an open space. Try it.

(2) Bird Jones.. Non-Bird Jones,... blah-blah-blah... Refractor, reflector,.... blah-blah-blah. The best telescope is the one that gets used. Everyone has strong opinions and we sell ourselves on what we like to believe that we know. That being as it may, the moderators here are exceptional for giving good advice. So are some of the regular writers.

(3) If you find that this is a hobby that you want to pursue, then your first telescope will not be your last. I have four. I have a monster that sits in a box in the garage and my newest is a little one, somewhat the same as yours, but a refractor, that I bought because I can actually carry it out the door and set it up.

(4) I agree with the consensus here that astophotography is something to pursue down the road when you know more and are more confortable with the telescope and your viewing.

(5) Start a notebook. Astronomers are scientists and scientists keep laboratory notebooks. See the thread I started here:
https://www.theskysearchers.com/viewtop ... 41#p125641

And, again, welcome! Your telescope is your gateway to the Universe.

[mikemarotta]

Just a quick note, Steve. I believe that you will need to post five messages in order to be able to receive PMs (private messages). It is an incentive to engage here and get active.

Also, allow me to underscore your role as a citizen scientist. Right now the American Astronomical Society is holding its 237th meeting, this one virtual, of course. Most of the AAS members are unversity professors and similar. However, that being as it may, the AAS also has launched a new Amateur Affliate program and citizen science is an important aspect of that. Take that Bird-Jones out in the yard and look at Mars and when you read in the news February 18 that the Perseverence Lander is on Mars, you will be able to say that you know where to find Mars and what it looks like.

[Star Dad]

As they all said. We learn from each other - little tips and tricks. The Astrophotography (AP) road is not so much a road as a rabbit hole. It will suck every penny from you if you are not careful. There is always something else to buy to make it just a wee bit better. I personally feel that AP versus visual viewing is like refractor versus reflector. Two different animals requiring two different approaches. EVERYTHING in astronomy is a compromise. And your happy "medium" may not be my happy medium. But we will certainly be happy to give our advice. What you do with it is up to you. At least you will be aware of potential pitfalls and hopefully save some cash to spend on more toys. Welcome

[turboscrew]

Hmm, here: https://www.celestron.com/products/astr ... -telescope it says "newtonian", but
Focal Length 1000mm (39.37")
Focal Ratio f/8.77
Optical Tube Length 457mm (18")

The aperture, and focal length sound fine (for both planets and some DSOs), but that put in the tube of the mentioned length makes me wonder...

But it's best to see for yourself, before jumping into hasty conclusions.

[SkyHiker]

To see if it is a Bird-Jones, check if there is a lens in the focuser tube. If yes, it is one. But based on the length of the tube I suspect it is not.

For AP of deep sky objects, look for a scope with a focal ration of F/4 if possible. The amount of time you have to wait for an image is quadratic in that number! The mount is your #1 concern, not the scope. Visual and AP are so different, if your goal is AP you might as well start with it.

AP of planets is a completely different matter and requires large aperture, long focal length and a camera that runs at 200 Hz or so.

[Refractordude]

The condition of the skies that you observe under is very important. Sky Meadows Park is not that far from you. I have observed there before. Great location for DSO. NOVAC is a well organized group with many experience members. I am not a member, but have been to a few of their dark sky outings. Left click the images. Clear skies.

https://www.novac.com/wp/
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/sky-meadows

[StarGazer20190]

Thanks all for the great comments! Seems that more I learn, the more I want to know!

I appreciate the help and words of wisdom. I also understand the comments about the numbers of telescopes everyone has. I have more computers and servers in my house than books! However, it is very true that the best computer, like the best telescope is the one that gets used.

Thanks, again!

Steve

[Lady Fraktor]

If you have any questions about the hobby just ask, we will always try to help out.

[DeanD]

To see if it is a Bird-Jones, check if there is a lens in the focuser tube. If yes, it is one. But based on the length of the tube I suspect it is not.

For AP of deep sky objects, look for a scope with a focal ration of F/4 if possible. The amount of time you have to wait for an image is quadratic in that number! The mount is your #1 concern, not the scope. Visual and AP are so different, if your goal is AP you might as well start with it.

AP of planets is a completely different matter and requires large aperture, long focal length and a camera that runs at 200 Hz or so.

The one I worked on had a lens in the focuser tube. I believe that technically a "Bird-Jones" is a catadioptric with a corrector lens before the secondary mirror, so this one is a version of that: they have just moved the corrector. This enables them to reduce the length of the OTA from that of a "true" newtonian, which would be over 900mm long. This also allows a bit more stability on the mount that they use.

Steve, once you have "optimised" the mount this scope is capable of quite nice views of a variety of objects and it will hopefully give you a lot of pleasure, but it is not optimal for photography. You will be able to take snap-shops of the moon, but don't expect too much else from it: it is simply not designed for this. As has been mentioned you need a good quality, solid mount for AP; and this alone will cost a lot more than the full price of your scope.

One other comment to improve the scope. It comes with a 20mm "erecting" eyepiece, which has a built-in lens to enable right-way-up terrestrial viewing. This is OK (to a point) for use in the daytime, but I think you will find that even a low-cost standard after-market plossl eyepiece will give you much better views at night. The provided 10mm "kellner" eyepiece will give you twice the magnification of the other eyepiece, and will hopefully enable you to see the rings of Saturn etc: but the planet will be very small at ~100x.

All the best,

Dean

[StarGazer20190]

If you have any questions about the hobby just ask, we will always try to help out.

Thanks, Lady Fraktor ... I'm positive I will have many!

Steve

[Smitty]

As a previous owner I would not consider any type of AP with this telescope other than afocal imaging with a cell phone. This was my first telescope from 2013, the AstroMaster 114EQ. I made several improvements to it out of the box.

I replaced the stock finder that came with these older models, center spotted the primary mirror, took the slop and roughness out of the focus tube with some strategically place glossy sided electrical tape, installed a remote focus controller to stop OTA shake while focusing, installed a bubble level in the center of the accessories tray, installed a clock motor drive and installed a small pet tennis ball over the OTA release knob. All the knobs on the head of the EQ mount look and feel the same in the dark while observing and manipulating the controls. This was a preventive measure to keep from turning the OTA release knob and having the OTA slide off the mount crashing to the ground.

Most importantly I learned how to remove and reinstall the Bird/Jones corrector lens assembly that is in the bottom of the focuser tube on these AM 114EQ's. For proper collimation it must be removed and reinstalled each time as a part of these Bird/Jones type reflector telescopes collimation procedures.

Good luck, cheers and clear skies"

[StarGazer20190]

Thanks, Smitty!

I like your ideas ... and your good wishes!

Steve