Had to pick between a cheap telescope and a decent one for my first Saturn shot...

Last month I was looking at getting into astrophotography and the budget was real tight. I had about $250 saved up and was stuck between a little tabletop scope from Target for $80 or a used 6 inch Dobsonian I found on Craigslist for $200. I went with the Dob because the guy threw in a better eyepiece and a moon filter. First clear night I pointed it at Saturn and honestly my jaw dropped... I could see the rings clearly, even if they were tiny. Now I'm wondering if I should have saved a bit more for a motorized mount. Has anyone else had to choose between a quick cheap scope versus holding out for something used but better?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugo_robinson2516d ago

Man I just did the exact same thing last month. Spent $80 on a little refractor from Amazon and all I saw was a tiny blurry blob that looked more like a smudge than Saturn. Ended up returning it and buying a used 8 inch Dob off Facebook for $220 and the difference was insane. My wallet cried but my eyeballs thanked me.

kim_johnson5116d ago

tiny blurry blob that looked more like a smudge than Saturn" - that's exactly what I got too. One thing though, $80 for a refractor that shows Saturn at all is actually not terrible, most of those cheap scopes can't even find Saturn. You're right that the 8 inch Dob is way better though. The difference between a 60mm and a 200mm mirror is night and day, you went from a blur to actually seeing the rings and maybe even the Cassini division on a good night.

emery_white15d ago

The Dob was the right call, no question. I did the same thing a couple years ago with a cheap $60 scope from a department store and all I got was a blur that looked like a fuzzy pea. Returned it the next day and found a 6 inch Dob on OfferUp for $180. First time I got Saturn in focus I could see the gap between the rings and the planet, not just a bright dot. The rings looked like little handles sticking out. It wasn't until I bought a cheap Barlow lens later that I could even start to make out the Cassini division on a really steady night. The motorized mount thing is a whole other budget level though, I wouldn't worry about it yet. Used scopes are such a steal compared to new junk.