leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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I have a number of physical limits that mean I must remain seated while observing and can not carry over 20 pounds. My SkyWindow with binoculars is proving its value and comfort but I would like to add a telescope for views of the moon and planets specificly (and anything else that might catch my fancy of course) Note: narrow or wide FOV doesn't matter a bit.
My ideas so far:
1. AT66ed - but it seems like a step backward from the 70mm apeture - though quality is much superior
2. 90 or 102 Mak-Cass (Orion or Vixen)
3. Orion StarBlast 4.25 or 6
Any others I should consider? Any thoughts on the list above? (p.s. I am currently designing a small circular, three legged table for "tabletop astronomy" that will allow my chair to get close,and manuever around)
Thanks in advance for your input.
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1466
Loc: New Mexico
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A starblast 4.5" is not what I would select for planets, it's F3.9 and gives an extremely wide-field view. It's definitely a large DSO scope. The 6" is a bit more decent, but I would lean towards a cassegrain or mak if you're after planetary and compact. Just my 2 cents.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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johniac1
member
Reged: 08/19/08
Posts: 18
Loc: Rockville, MD
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Not knowing your limitations, I wonder how workable a telescope would be for you. So also consider "giant" binoculars- They're available with 70 to 100mm and larger objectives and magnifications 15x, 20x, 30x and more. Anything over 15x you'll need a tripod anyhow, yet they would seem less cumbersome. If you could put up with narrow fields of view, you could even go with giant zoom bino's up to 100x. Check out the binocular forum here.
P.J.
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PapaJohn
Orion XT4.5
Tasko 10x50
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smasraum
sage
Reged: 01/13/08
Posts: 492
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It seems to me that if you're thinking of staying at or around 4 inches, that it would be best to go with a short tube refractor instead of something with a central obstruction. If you're about maxed out at 4", you may as well get all of the aperture instead of just some of it.
Something like a 102 f/5 or f/6 scope.
Maybe something like this.
You would need a tripod to put it on.
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Steve
Houston (Friendswood), TX
 Space Center Houston
8" Zhumell Dob - Woo Hoo!!
Celestron C102 f/5 - Thanks Tim!
21mm, 13mm Hyperion
2.5x TV Powermate
Canon Rebel XT
Nikon 7x35
Bushnell 10x50
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sixela
Postmaster
Reged: 12/23/04
Posts: 9499
Loc: Boechout, Belgium
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Quote:
Ithat it would be best to go with a short tube refractor
For moon and planets? I wouldn't (the chromatic aberration is usually enough to make high power views unsatisfying); that's probably even less suited than a Stablast (which delivers fine planetary views but only with a barlow and the planet *exactly* centred).
I'd vote for a 102mm Mak.
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400mm f/4.46 David Lukehurst truss Dobsonian on Tom Osypowski equatorial platform
Orion Starblast (114mm f/4 reflector, Alt/Az)
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sixela
Postmaster
Reged: 12/23/04
Posts: 9499
Loc: Boechout, Belgium
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Quote:
Not knowing your limitations, I wonder how workable a telescope would be for you. So also consider "giant" binoculars- They're available with 70 to 100mm and larger objectives and magnifications 15x, 20x, 30x and more.
For moon and planets?
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400mm f/4.46 David Lukehurst truss Dobsonian on Tom Osypowski equatorial platform
Orion Starblast (114mm f/4 reflector, Alt/Az)
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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The Orion Star Blast 6 is a very nice, sturdy, telescope. Per their website the total weight is about 23 lbs. You could remove
the optical tube from the rings when you are setting up or taking down the telescope. Then each of the two parts would be only
about 12 lbs.
Another way to go is the Orion Versa Go alt/az mount. It can accept different optical tube assemblies via a dovetail mounting system.
The Versa Go weighs just a little over 12 lbs but can hold up to 15 lbs. It would easily handle a 5" Mak or maybe 6" Mak. An 80mm EON would be really nice on that mount.
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Jason D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/21/06
Posts: 1952
Loc: California
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Quote:
3. Orion StarBlast 4.25 or 6
I have both -- the 4.5" and the 6" StarBlasts. The 4.5" is highly portable -- even a little kid can carry it around without issues. However, the 6" is much much heavier.
Jason
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XT10 classic with premium optics
Tri-knob CR2 with compression rings
Round Table Platform
4.5" StarBlast
6" StarBlast6
TV EPs
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Quote:
Quote:
3. Orion StarBlast 4.25 or 6
I have both -- the 4.5" and the 6" StarBlasts. The 4.5" is highly portable -- even a little kid can carry it around without issues. However, the 6" is much much heavier.
Jason
However, you could remove the tube from the rings when transporting it from the house to outside.
Rich
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Jason D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/21/06
Posts: 1952
Loc: California
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Quote:
However, you could remove the tube from the rings when transporting it from the house to outside.
Rich
Sure... But it might not be a practical solution to remove/reinstall the OTA before/after each observing session for everyone.
Jsaon
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XT10 classic with premium optics
Tri-knob CR2 with compression rings
Round Table Platform
4.5" StarBlast
6" StarBlast6
TV EPs
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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But it would be a way for leo9 to move the Star Blast 6 without having to carry the whole 23 lbs at one time.
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Deep13
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/25/05
Posts: 1454
Loc: NE Ohio
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4"Mak is your best bet IMO.
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Preserve the night sky. Join the Internat. Dark Sky Assn. for less than a cheap eyepiece.
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Good thoughts folks, appreciate the input.
Note: seated= think "wheelchair"= sorry - I should have been more specific.
My thought process put me onto Maks and short tube refractors because they don't require a lot of shifting about to get to the eyepiece in most positions, same as the mirror mount.
I didn't realize that the starblasts could come apart, and I didn't consider F/ratio at all. Looks like I need more guidance.
I happen to love planetary and lunar astronomy, all else is fun but is covered with my current set up to my (present) satisfaction.
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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Jason D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/21/06
Posts: 1952
Loc: California
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Quote:
But it would be a way for leo9 to move the Star Blast 6 without having to carry the whole 23 lbs at one time.
It is a good idea but I do not know if leo9 would prefer a 6" scope with additional setup time or a 4.5" scope with less setup time. It is really his call. Of course, he might opt to get something completely different.
Jason
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XT10 classic with premium optics
Tri-knob CR2 with compression rings
Round Table Platform
4.5" StarBlast
6" StarBlast6
TV EPs
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Would a round table top held up by a central pipe let you move around more easily?
Rich
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Rich - YES!
If I could make it rock solid anyway.. the key to the three leg design is that there is no way it can wobble regardless of surface.
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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john D
All you have to do is ask!!
Reged: 08/05/07
Posts: 4965
Loc: Midlothian, VA
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hey leo9 i sent you a pm. 
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Meade ETX-125
Meade LXD55 mount
Philips SPC900NC webcam
Seymour Solar filter
Backyard Observatory
 -Midlothian VA
--Land Of The Free Because Of The Brave--
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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Just thinking "off the top"
Binoculars on a tripod are not workable - tripod legs get in the way, and the p-mount adds a lot of bulk.
I really need to stay away from "standard" mounts (uh, I think) due to access and bulk.
The starblast seemed good because of the small "footprint", but the eyepiece positions can get "iffy" especially in the 6", if the 4.5" has such a fast mirror, it may not be workable on planets for extended viewing.
Oh yeah, cool down time - around here viewing is through 30 to 60 minute breaks in the cloud cover except in summer. Do the small Maks need a lot of cool down?
Darn this is getting complicated.
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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JohnD - replied with pm
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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Here is a good and inexpensive way to mount a modest sized scope.
http://www.homebuiltastronomy.com/stool/EasyAltAzMountModification.htm
It would be neat if you could remove the legs from a photo tripod that has moveable center post and mount it to the table top.
Maybe even drilling a hole in the table top for the post to move up and down?
Rich
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GlenM
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/20/07
Posts: 1059
Loc: 53° 36'N 2° 06'W
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I believe Larry from Universal astronomics is working on a mount for people in wheel chairs.
I saw this on the excellent video reports from NEAF this year on CN.
Hope this helps a little.
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Glen
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leo9
member
Reged: 06/17/08
Posts: 70
Loc: Western Oregon, USA
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RichN -that link shows a cool idea all by itself... and converting my three legged table to a "tripod table" with a center post - hmmm
Something to work on while I save up for the next purchase.
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Nikon 12x50 Action; Pentax 8x40 PCF WPII
Bogen 3220 w/3way+qw
Trico SkyWindow
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1466
Loc: New Mexico
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John does have a 90mm mak with a good focal ratio for sale. It's lightweight, and will give decent planetary views.
I also own both starblast scopes, and I don't do much planetary with them without stacking 2x-4x worth of barlows in the tubes, otherwise the disks are just too small to enjoy much detail(my humble opinion of course). You have to push a lot of magnification to bring them out.
If you want to consider other deep sky targets at all, then by all means I would strongly suggest a Starblast 4.5 as it is only 18" long and weighs 3.7 lbs. You can make some rotational rings for the Newts for about $5 which will allow you to spin the tube and put the eyepiece reticule in a more desirable position.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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Rich N
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/22/04
Posts: 5312
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, Calif...
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The advantage of that mount, the weight of the scope stays in balance even when pointed at a high angle. No shift in the weight to one side of the mount.
Rich
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Jason D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/21/06
Posts: 1952
Loc: California
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Quote:
if the 4.5" has such a fast mirror, it may not be workable on planets for extended viewing.
What do you mean?
Jason
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XT10 classic with premium optics
Tri-knob CR2 with compression rings
Round Table Platform
4.5" StarBlast
6" StarBlast6
TV EPs
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ben290
member
Reged: 08/16/08
Posts: 56
Loc: St Louis metro
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The stubby 80mm Orion refractors look interesting, but I've got a 100mm F/6 Orion refractor, and it doesn't do planets (higher-power, 100x+ magnification) real well. I'm buying another Vixen 70mm F/13 refractor tube to use on the same mount, just for what the F/6 can't do--but the Vixen tube is 34 inches long.
I'd guess you should check out a 90-100mm cassegrain scope. They are more expensive (90mm=$300 US) than what I chose but they are the most compact option.
The Orion Apex has a good reputation.
the Vixen 95/110 and Celestron 130mm small cass scopes have "issues" discussed elsewhere on cloudynights; if I got a good deal on either one used I'd consider buying it, but that I would not want to deal with in a new (full retail price) scope.
~
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First scope: Orion Astroview 100mm, $460
Vixen A70Lf achro OTA
Accessories so far: ~$1200 or so & climbing
consider yourself warned
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bobmcg
member
Reged: 09/18/07
Posts: 31
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Small maks are a definite possibility. For example the QUestar. That's very expensive but there are other similar maks out there for a lot less.
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phanfave
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/21/06
Posts: 1266
Loc: Pioneer Valley
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Would a permanent mount be acceptable or do you need to move it around and between sessions? If you can set up a permanent pier and only bring the scope out each time, something like this:
http://www.dynapod.com/dyna-pier.html (scroll down to handicap pier)
might be worth while. This way you can use it in your chair and just wheel out with your scope when you're ready to observe. I'd suggest mounting a 66-90 mm scope on a parralell mount that way you can adjust the hieght of the eyepiece to stay around the same height regardless of what you're looking at. I know this isn't the cheapest setup, but it could be tailored to be very user friendly for you.
Sean
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SV70ED, SV102ABV, C8
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IDA Member
Astro League At-Large Member
Planetary Society Member
Amherst Area Amateur Astronomer Association
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1608
Loc: Cayce, SC
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Hi leo9,
Have you considered having a pier mounted on your deck? Just one tube with the mount, nothing in your way. That way the telescope mount would already be there and all you would have to do is take the tube out and affix it to it, whether with rings already in place or by a dovetail.
Also, if you're really into planets and the moon, a Mak or SCT is gonna give you the most magnification, although the field of view will be narrower than a short-tube Newtonian or refractor. Plus it would be easier for you to look through, having the eyepiece on the lower end. Of course all refractors will be easy for you look through also.
Another thing you should consider is what kind of finder you need on your scope. I'd suggest a RACI (right-angle correct image) so that you don't have to crane your neck to look through it. Maybe even a green laser pointer.
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--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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albert1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/01/07
Posts: 885
Loc: Northern New Jersey
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Quote:
4"Mak is your best bet IMO.
I picked up this little Mak, Celestron C-90 Astro and never having had one before I really did'nt expect much from such a small instrument. Boy was I wrong. I have a big fast scope for DSO's and now this little Mak for moon and planet's. I was shocked at what this little guy revealed. So, as others have said, maybe you want to check out the small Mak's out there. Good luck to ya.
Oh, BTW, I raised it up a little on the picnic table and have very enjoyable seated viewing sessions. 
Great for wildlife viewing too !
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Albert
Coulter Odyssey 10 (red)
Upgraded Astro Systems 2-speed Crayford
1984 C90 Astro, (cool little thing)
Upgraded to 1.25 visual back from .965
made a big difference in viewing quality.
Criterion Dynascope RV6
(another cool vintage scope w/an amazing little mirror)
Baader Hyperions
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Jim Haley
sage
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 278
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I think you are on the right track. Because of your limitations I would strongly recommend you try out these either at a Star Party or a Store. Be sure to see how the scope and eyepiece are when pointed toward the zenith.
Jim H
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Jim Haley
12.5" f6 Starsplitter Dob
Orion 8" XTi (with computerized object locator)
Orion 114EQ reflector
80mm f6 refractor
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Scott K
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/13/07
Posts: 916
Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK
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In terms of a small Mak, what about a Meade ETX? The 90mm ETX is a reasonable lunar and planetary scope. It's small and compact, weighing 12 lbs or so. It will track, and it will GOTO, if you so desire. I have one of the old, out of production 105mm ETX's, and I really like it. (You could also go fo |
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