What kind of telescope do you own?

[ZandraJoi]

If you don't own one, what type would you want? I've had my Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope for over a year now. I couldn't use it too much at first as the Go-To was screwy. We had to send it in to be looked at. They fixed it & I'm always looking for a chance to use it! We tried the Celestron Astromaster 114EQ but equatorial mounts are fickle for me. I have a Spotting Scope that I used but I use that just for birdwatching now. I finally was able to buy more eyepieces & filters to better look at the moon & stars. I may get one for sun viewing, a solar filter. They say watching the solar flares & sun spots can be quite fascinating!

[The Blackangel]

Mine is a bit smaller than yours. It’s a Celestron NexStar 5se. I have no issues with it, and can see nebulae in detail, as well as our solar system. I can track exoplanets well with it. I’ve watched a couple minor asteroid collisions. They weren’t anything big or uncommon. It was in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. So it was just a days work in the belt. I’m looking for a good solar filter to study the sun, but I’m not in any kind of rush. My favorite nebula is The Pillars Of Creation. If you can’t tell, I love astronomy. I always have. When I was a kid, there were often meteor showers in the summer. Most were roughly around 3:00AM, so I would set my alarm to wake me up to watch and then I would fall asleep in the yard watching the shower. Something related to astronomy that is number one on my bucket list is a trip to the arctic circle, (north Alaska most likely) so I can see the northern lights.

[ZandraJoi]

That's funny you have the same type of telescope, just smaller. I too love astronomy! Anytime we have a clear night, I'm outside. I just cannot resist. I was just out earlier tonight as I love watching the stars start to pop out. I have a folder with the constellations organized. When I learn something, I like learning it the right way. 

[killamch89]

I was looking into getting a telescope to use at nights. What telescopes do you recommend?

[Empire]

I know a guy who is very super interested in Astronomy, he is going to be 29. hi mum bought him a field guide, and his father in-law got him a telescope last Christmas (for about 99ish bucks) and I don't think it works (I'm clearly not an expert). I don't mind putting down $250-$300 (even $400) if it actually works.

[The Blackangel]

@Empire
You're not going to get too much for $400. Decent looks at the moon, and maybe a bit of a clearer look at Mars due to how close it is to Earth.

@killamch89
I would recommend a Celestron NexStar. Mine is a 5se which means it has a 5" lens. @ZandraJoi has an 8se which means she has an 8" lens. Hers is more powerful than mine obviously, but I still have a great look at the solar system, and several things beyond, such as nebulae and a few other galaxies. Andromeda is really amazing to see. It's also easy to spot since it's the closest galaxy to the Milky Way. There are others that, if you time it right, you can get a shot of them in one.

Here's a pic of Andromeda that was taken through by a simple astronomy lover, like myself and @ZandraJoi through their telescope.

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by The Blackangel

[killamch89]

58 minutes ago, The Blackangel said:

I would recommend a Celestron NexStar. Mine is a 5se which means it has a 5" lens. @ZandraJoi has an 8se which means she has an 8" lens. Hers is more powerful than mine obviously, but I still have a great look at the solar system, and several things beyond, such as nebulae and a few other galaxies. Andromeda is really amazing to see. It's also easy to spot since it's the closest galaxy to the Milky Way. There are others that, if you time it right, you can get a shot of them in one.

Here's a pic of Andromeda that was taken through by a simple astronomy lover, like myself and @ZandraJoi through their telescope.

Wow! That looks awesome. Okay I'll definitely check out the Celestron NexStar. 

[ZandraJoi]

@The Blackangel What did they use to get such a great shot of the Andromeda galaxy? I haven't tried astrophotography yet. Do you have filters & other lenses? I just bought some recently, tho haven't been able to use them too much. Either too cloudy or the moon is too full lol

@killamch89 Only thing bad about the SE8 is it does tend to shake more. You need to stabilize it. But I do recommend Celestron. I've had good success with their customer service as well. 

[The Blackangel]

Some have photographic equipment in their telescopes, and others simply hold their phone up to the lens and use its camera. This one however, if I remember correctly, was taken by someone that had camera equipment installed in their telescope. I would have to go back to reddit and find the post to be sure. But that would take forever and a day to do.