Recommendation.

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Badamsios United States of America
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Recommendation.

#1

Post by Badamsios »

:observer:

Hello y'all!

Looking for an EQ refractor for no more than $225.

What do y'all recommend?
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AstroBee United States of America
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Re: Recommendation.

#2

Post by AstroBee »

Personally, For that price, I would not recommend an EQ refractor. I would recommend a tabletop reflector like the AWB OneSky https://shop.astronomerswithoutborders. ... -telescope or this model from SkyWatcher.
https://www.highpointscientific.com/sky ... SKY-S11705
Greg M.~ "Ad Astra per Aspera"
Scopes: Celestron EdgeHD14", Explore Scientific ED152CF & ED127 APO's, StellarVue SV70T, Classic Orange-Tube C-8, Lunt 80mm Ha double-stack solar scope.
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach One, iOptron CEM70EC Mount, iOptron ZEQ25 Mount.
Cameras: ZWO ASI2600mm Pro, ZWO 2600MC Pro, ZWO ASI1600mm
Filters: 36mm Chroma LRGB & 3nm Ha, OIII, SII, L-Pro, L-eXtreme
Eyepieces: 27mm TeleVue Panoptic, 4mm TeleVue Radian, Explore Scientific 82° 30mm, 6.7mm , Baader 13mm Hyperion, Explore Scientific 70° 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, Meade 8.8mm UWA
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Re: Recommendation.

#3

Post by JayTee »

At that price point, an "EQ" refractor, that is actually "usable" is a near impossiblity. Typically the scope portion (OTA) is adequate but the mount is usually a piece of crap for that amount of money. And a crappy mount will make you tire of this hobby very quickly.

Why do you think you need an Equatorial mount? This knowledge will help us in our recommendations.

Cheers,
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
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∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

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Re: Recommendation.

#4

Post by SkyHiker »

If $4 over budget is acceptable, this Mak-Cass looks like a killer deal. At least the mount is good value for grab and go, I have it.
... Henk. :D Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
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Re: Recommendation.

#5

Post by Bigzmey »

Welcome to TSS!

This is very limited budget, but if we must here is one

https://www.telescope.com/Orion/Orion-O ... 117620.uts
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
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EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
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Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2437, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 257
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atl613 United States of America
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Re: Recommendation.

#6

Post by atl613 »

I agree with, SkyHiker. That Mak/triopd/mount looks like a deal.
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Ylem United States of America
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Re: Recommendation.

#7

Post by Ylem »

SkyHiker wrote: ↑Fri Dec 15, 2023 10:29 pm If $4 over budget is acceptable, this Mak-Cass looks like a killer deal. At least the mount is good value for grab and go, I have it.
That's a great deal!! 👍
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ


Orion 80ED
Celestron C5, 6SE, Celestar 8
Vixen Porta Mount ll
Coronado PST
A big box of Plossls
Little box of filters :D



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messier 111 Canada
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Re: Recommendation.

#8

Post by messier 111 »

welcome to tss,
with this budget, I suggest binoculars.
I LOVE REFRACTORS , :Astronomer1: :sprefac:

REFRACTOR , TS-Optics Doublet SD-APO 125 mm f/7.8 . Lunt 80mm MT Ha Doublet Refractor .

EYEPIECES, Delos , Delite and 26mm Nagler t5 , 2 zoom Svbony 7-21 , Orion Premium Linear BinoViewer .

FILTER , Nebustar 2 tele vue . Apm solar wedge . contrast booster 2 inches .

Mounts , cg-4 motorized , eq6 pro belt drive .

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in.”
― Isaac Asimov

Jean-Yves :flags-canada:
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StarHugger United States of America
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Re: Recommendation.

#9

Post by StarHugger »

I would go with AstroBee or SkyHikers suggestions as possibilities to explore as any refractor in this price range will have issues with chromatic aberrations due to the use of achromatic objectives.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_aberration

Newtonians/MiniDobs and Maksutovs are reflecters and arent affected with this issue.

If you really want a refractor, save some cash & go with Ed glass.


Best of luck and Clear Skies of course.
Aaron / thestarhugger@gmail.com / Solar Kitchen Observatory / USA...

Specializing in Small Bore Multiple Wavelength Experimental Solar Imaging, Filtering & Visual Observation Since-2020

Solar Imaging Sessions 49 / Solar Observing Sessions 198
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