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Is a Celestron 114LCM worth buying for $125 without eyepieces?

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#1 bladerunner6

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 06:14 AM

Quick background: I have loved astronomy since childhood, about 50 years.  But I haven’t had a telescope for observing in a long time.

 

My mother just passed away and now I think it is time to start thinking about reconnecting to my lifelong passion.

 

I joined the local astronomy club and will start getting involved with that.

 

I saw this scope on Facebook and I was wondering if this scope plus something like a  set of 6/12.5/20 Gosky  Plossl eyepieces for $44 might give me some reasonable viewing pleasure?

 

Yeah,I know it is not a great scope but I wonder if it might help me satisfy my desire to see some of the night sky again while I develop a more serious long range plan. Or would it just be a total waste of time?

As for my location I live in the suburbs with their typical level of light pollution but I can get away from that to at least tolerable skies in under half an hour.

 

 Thanks and please feel free to be honest.  I am not looking for vindication but helpful and constructive guidance.


Edited by bladerunner6, 23 July 2022 - 06:22 AM.


#2 norvegicus

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 07:44 AM

No.  It would just be frustrating.    It's not a Newtonian as advertised, it's a Bird-Jones.  Narrow field of view and a huge fiddly pain to keep collimated.  

 

If it's on the Celestron computerized mount, that's a nice mount but the tripod it's on is very undersized and shaky, which is even worse at that long focal length.

 

For inexpensive eyepieces I'd recommend the SVBony gold line set:  https://www.amazon.c...y/dp/B01MR78I42  Twice the cost of the GoSky Plossls but more than twice as nice.

 

Keep shopping and asking questions!



#3 norvegicus

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 07:47 AM

This review site gives pretty good advice about starter scopes:  https://telescopicwatch.com

 

Best recommendation:  try to find a 4.5" or 6" Dobsonian.   I've seen them used in that price range.


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#4 petert913

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 08:39 AM

Yes, I'd get a Dobsonian.  More aperture, better optics, easy to set up and use.



#5 briansalomon1

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 08:39 AM

I've owned and used excellent TeleVue refractors for 25 years, and in the past year, bought a dobsonian.

 

It will take some time and effort to learn to collimate the dobsonian but it's a far more cost-effective telescope. I lean toward the TeleVue eyepieces. They always just work.



#6 CHASLX200

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 09:03 AM

Not even worth 50 in my book.



#7 bladerunner6

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Posted 23 July 2022 - 12:35 PM

I passed on it.

Thanks for the constructive input.


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