Reddit reviews Orion 10022 StarMax 90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope
We found 8 Reddit comments about Orion 10022 StarMax 90mm TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
This grab-and-go TableTop Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope provides powerful views of the Moon and bright planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, and MarsWeighing just 6.5 lbs. assembled, this compact telescope and base can be taken just about anywhere to provide great views of the night sky while on road-trips, camping, or the short trip out to the backyard90mm aperture Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope gathers enough light for beautiful views of brighter deep space objects like globular clusters, nebulas, and many bright galaxiesNifty tabletop base provides a stable viewing foundation you can set on any sturdy table, or even attach it to a field tripod with a 3/8" or 1/4"-20 threaded postIncludes two 1.25" eyepieces (25mm and 10mm focal lengths), EZ Finder II reflex sight for easy aiming, 90 degree mirror diagonal for comfortable night sky viewing, and more!
Hello Cavanus,
it really depends on what you want to see and what you are expecting :-)
Binoculars can be a great way to start into visual astronomy, but of course they limit you to larger nebulae, a few star clusters and galaxies.
If you consider the binocular route, choose something under 10x magnification, everything else is difficult to hold steady and thus tiresome. Also, higher mag binoculars are typically heavy and show a smaller field.
What kind of traveling do you mean?
For a car, even a 8" or 10" dobsonian is no problem, though your budget would limit you to a (used) 6".
For a backpack, a small refractor or Maskutov on camera tripod may be the limit, though for short trips a short 5" (127mm Mak, Heritage 130p) can be a nice choice.
For galaxies and such, get as much apperture as you can afford and transport. This could be a Heritage 130p or a 80mm short tube refractor. The latter is not ideal for planets, though.
For planets, a longer FH refractor or a Maksutov can be a very nice choice. I just aquired a 90mm Mak a few weeks ago, and despite it's limitations, it is a neat backpackable telescope.
I can fit a map, 10x50 binoculars, the 90mm Mak and my Canon camera into a backpack with ease (leaving room for a bottle, long shirt, eyepieces...) while carying the tripod or strapping it to my backpack.
http://www.amazon.com/Orion-10022-TableTop-Maksutov-Cassegrain-Telescope/dp/B002JO06PO/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406551863&sr=8-2&keywords=maksutov
http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-52268-C90-Mak-Spotting/dp/B0038QYRDO/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406551863&sr=8-3&keywords=maksutov
Though you should really consider buying them at a telesope store.
I don't think the Heritage 130p is available in the USA, too bad. Though if you can carry a full-tube 130/650, that's a good compromise between aperture, size and cost. Even with cheap Plössl eyepieces it shows a lot.
For spiral structures of galaxies, 8" would be necessary. I can vaguely see the connection of the M51 Galaxy cores in 5" though, if I observe at a truly dark location. So it really depends on what you expect, too.
http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/196278-what-can-i-expect-to-see/
If you just want to see a few "faint fuzzies" and the moon, plus a tiny planet if they are currently to be seen, you could get a short refractor such as the 70/400 or so, but they are not suited for higher magnification (but very affordable, personally I would favor a 76/300 firstscope or Heritage 76p in that price region though).
Consider getting cheap binoculars anyway, even if you decide on getting a telescope. It can help yourself with orientation and finding objects, especially if you have a telescope that shows only a small field of view (Such as a Maksutov with 1.25" eyepieces).
Also the Book "turn left at orion" can help a lot and prevents frustration. I was never someone who would buy a lot of books, but when it comes to astronomy, maps and such are necessary.
Just to throw a spanner in the works - for purely planetary usage it could be worth looking at a maksutov. They typically have a longer focal length, which makes them excellent for planets but their f-ratio makes them less suitable for DSOs. They're also more compact which makes storage and transport simpler.
http://www.amazon.com/10022-StarMax-TableTop-Maksutov-Cassegrain-Telescope/dp/B002JO06PO or http://www.amazon.com/Sky-Watcher-S11750-Sky-Watcher-Virtuoso/dp/B00CIVV34Q could both be worth a look.
Holy Batman this is an amazing response!
The 4 year old has used a telescope before, he's just absolutely fascinated by space right now. If it was just him, I'd definitely be getting the £50 type scopes. Due to my interest, I really don't believe any model I get will be a waste of money.
I had the Heritage in mind, but had never looked at that Skyliner 150p, which has lead me to the 200p....I'm sure you know the feeling!
Already purchased Turn Left at Orion, definitely want a moon filter/scope as well as a planetary one.
Finder scope is essential from what I've read.
I think I'm settled on either the Heritage 130p or the Skyliner 150p. Is there any justifiable reason to even consider the 200p? I'm fairly certain I'll go in the middle for the 150p, but always welcome opinions!
Yet this Orion StarMax and this Orion SkyQuest keep appearing in my research. It will be between those 4 for sure, if you have any specific advice on those along with any accessories I need I would be eternally grateful.
Check out /r/telescopes for recommendations. They love answering questions.
You don't need a large & expensive telescope to see the rings of Saturn, Jupiter's great red spot, and details on the Moon (it's possible with something like this), but to get better views of planets and other things like dim galaxies, nebulas, globular clusters, etc. bigger is better (an 8-inch Dobsonian is the most popular suggestion).
Edit: Also, here's a guide showing what you can expect to see through different sized scopes.
That was my initial idea but the Mrs talked me out of it. Something about the feeling of using a telescope, which I had to agree with.
I think I'm about to pull the trigger on this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JO06PO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER.
Argentina eh? Is that 570 American Dollars?
Good looking scope.
Do you have dark skies where you are? I started off with a Celestron 130mm, but I live in San Jose, CA (which has bad sky pollution), so sold it for a smaller 90mm Mak. In city areas, I think 90mm Maks or (or small Dobs) are the way to go. Easy set up.
But this is a personal preference (I have no patience for those EQ mounts! It took me three trips from my room to the drive way to set everything up. Then you have to align it, etc.)
You could get an Orion Skyscanner or the slightly smaller Orion Funscope/Celestron Firstscope. Or in the more expensive direction an Orion StarMax mak. (My preference would be for the Skyscanner in this case, 4" aperture and universal while not being too expensive if it breaks.)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orion-10022-TableTop-Maksutov-Cassegrain-Telescope/dp/B002JO06PO :)