Computerized Telescope
Is a Celestron NexStar 114 SLT Computerized Telescope a decent buy for a beginner?
Hello Rocketgirl -
Well, I personally think you could do better. As a Celestron owner for several years, I am a bit partial to their products. But in this case, about half the money you are spending is going for the computer, so you don’t have to know where to look to find things. At the risk of offending you and perhaps roiling up some water with friends that I know disagree with me, I will tell you about computer GoTo scopes for beginners.
1. You will not learn the sky very well if you use one of these type scopes. You will not need to learn it, and you will not devote the time and effort (it can be a pain in the neck) that it takes to actually know where things are up there and what to expect when looking for them. This is half the fun of amateur astronomy, once you get it, and you are sacrificing a lot of sincere enjoyment for the sake of instant gratification.
2. The computers are not easy to use. I have a Schmidt-Cassegrain, which is a little more difficult to set up than most scopes. However, I regularly can set up and find two or three targets while some guy next to me is still swearing at and rebooting his GoTo because it didn’t align properly. Finally, he gets it to work, and it hums and slews around to look at M42, or Saturn, or something else that anyone can see by just looking up.
3. The money that you spend on the computer could go for better optics. You could probably multiply the light gathering power of your scope by a factor of four by leaving off the GoTo computer and getting a bigger aperture. This is very important, because if you want to find things or enjoy looking at them – ever – you’ve got to see them. The computer can do the pointing, but it cannot gather more photons. Only more aperture will accomplish that. You can find things without a computer – takes a little practice, but that’s OK. But you can’t see more things without aperture – and that’s the whole purpose of the telescope.
I think GoTo or Pushto computers have a place – especially for folks who know the sky but have little time, or folks that spend a lot of time observing in badly light-polluted environments. But for a beginner – I think you are better off with an 8 inch aperture and no computer – so you can see things instead of watching the computer find them for you.
By the way, going to a local astronomy club is excellent advice. You should know what to expect at the eyepiece and at the cash register before buying. It might be different than you think. Take your time. You should know why you want the scope you are buying before you buy it.
Good Luck and Clear Skies.
New Additions to Celestron’s NexStar SLT Computerized Telescope Lineup
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iOptron LiveStar Mini Planetarium for Telescopes $68.00 With the LiveStarTM Mini Planetarium from iOptron you and your family can experience the excitement of going to a planetarium right from inside your own home! The LiveStarTM Mini Planetarium projects the night sky right onto the ceiling and walls allowing you to explore the stars indoors. You’ll be able to see the stars and constellations – even see the Milky Way. Plus, the planetarium rotates to … |
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Celestron Telescope Cable USB port to RS-232 / Serial Computer PC Adapter/Converter Cable 18775 $44.75 Celestron Telescope Cable USB port to RS-232 / Serial Computer PC Adapter/Converter Cable 18775… |
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Orion IntelliScope to PC RS-232 Connector Cable $13.99 This cable connects the IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator to a serial port on your personal computer, allowing the use of astronomy software such as Starry Night Pro or TheSky6 Professional Edition to control the IntelliScope…. |
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Orion SpaceProbe 3 Altazimuth Reflector Telescope $99.99 Orion’s surprising little Spaceprobe 3 has been picked by independent reviewers as one of the best telescopes in its price class. Unlike similar telescopes seen in discount stores, Orion has refined the Spaceprobe 3 by paying attention to the little details, and that make this telescope a great value. The Spaceprobe 3 comes with an unusually complete set of accessories. The package includes two … |
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Digital Blue QX5 Digial Microscope $79.99 Get children to play the smart way with the Digital Blue series QX5 USB Computer Microscope. The QX5 magnifies anything from 10x all the way to 200x, and kids can use this microscope to view their favorite goodies – ants, bees wings, their school lunch…Well, they can use this to examine just about anything their little hearts desire! The QX5 is not only a microscope though, it also serves as a m… |
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Orion SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope $599.99 Orion’s SkyQuest XT8i Intelliscope Dobsonian Computerized Telescope combines powerful 203mm-diameter reflector optics with point-and-view simplicity in a nicely portable package. With the included IntelliScope Computerized Object Locator, the amateur stargazer can pinpoint the location of 14,000+ celestial wonders stored in the IntelliScope’s databank. It’s like having your own personal tour guide… |
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GPS Receiver for Orion GoTo Telescope Mounts $149.99 This GPS receiver downloads precise location and time/date information to the GoTo computer on Atlas EQ-G, Sirius EQ-G, and SkyView Pro GoTo hand controllers, so you don’t have to. It uses satellite global positioning data to make inputting accurate geographical location and time a breeze. It eliminates the need to manually enter location details, adding an element of convenience and time-saving t… |
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How to Use a Computerized Telescope: Practical Amateur Astronomy Volume 1 $35.91 How to Use a Computerized Telescope describes how to get a computerized telescope up-and-running, and how to embark on a program of observation. Michael Covington explains in detail how the sky moves, how a telescope tracks it, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope. Packed full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, his book gives detailed instructions for three popu… |
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Go-To Telescopes Under Suburban Skies (Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series) $28.32 Go-To Telescopes Under Suburban Skies is the first book specifically written for amateur astronomers who own, or who are about to purchase, a computer-controlled âgo-toâ telescope. The advantage of the âgo-toâ capability is enormous â the telescope can be aimed at any object in the sky with great speed and accuracy â which is why these instruments are so popular. Maki… |
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Celestron Accessory Kit $120.95 Celestron Accessory Kit… |
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Celestron 76LCM Computerized Telescope $269.95 This computerized telescope from Celestron automatically locates the wonders of the universe with its motorized system and on board computer. This telescope features all glass, fully coated optics to reveal the depths of our solar system. |
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Celestron 70LCM Computerized Telescope $266.05 The all glass, fully coated optics on this 70LCM computerized telescope allows you to reveal the depths of our solar system and the wonders of the Universe. A fully adjustable tripod with a convenient accessory tray is also featured on this telescope. |
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Observing the Messier Objects With a Small Telescope (Paperback) $41.58 Observing the Messier Objects with a Small Telescope contains descriptions and photographs of the 103 Messier objects, with instructions on how to find them without a computerized telescope or even setting circles. The photographs show how the objects … |