SHOULD YOU GET A SECOND TELESCOPE? IF SO, WHAT KIND?

Advice on buying a telescope Part III. In this episode I'm going to tell you what I consider to be the ideal visual astronomy equipment to own and use. I think an 8 or 10 inch Dobsonian should be your first telescope but what if you want something lighter for those times when you don't want to lug out the Dob? Well, I think a small refractor is the perfect compliment to your Dobsonian for those times when you want to use a grab and go set up. Let me explain. To see part one of this series, Advice on Buying a Telescope: Types of Telescopes go here:
To see Part Two: Advice on Buying a Used Telescope go here:

[lindafinch]

Hi Tsula, I felt your sorrow when your equipment was stolen and share your joy in your friends gift to you. For someone who gives and shares so much, I’m delighted you’ve had something in return. Thanks for the
excellent information, enjoy your dark skies and your new telescope!

[ronm]

Nice! I wish I had a friend like Katie. 😉 Thanks Tsula.

[Sec]

I think a computerized Mak is also a good and relatively affordable option for a second telescope depending on your needs. My primary frustration with my first telescope--a Heritage 130p dob--was trying to track the planets at high magnification. I also wanted to start doing some lunar and planetary imaging, and the Heritage 130p really isn't equipped for that. I went with a Celestron 127slt and it's generally been a great time.

I may also have gone down the imaging rabbit hole since then and added a 180mm triplet, a 270/360mm triplet, and a Lunt hydrogen alpha scope, but I still love my little dob for quick views and for outreach.

[jimcabezola]

Oh! Such a blessing! Mahalo, Katie, for helping out your dear friend, Tsula! Much aloha to both of you!

[earthling_parth]

Somehow I missed part 1&2, I need to watch those first! Awesome information as always Tsula ❤

[perry]

i have 4 telescopes all different, 3 track and the one i bought as a 15 year old in the 70's its a 4.5 inch tasco reflector on an eq mount and i still use it. often when i just want to do a quick look it takes all of 1 minute to set up.

[lornaz]

I have often thought that an 8 inch dob and a 4 inch apo refractor is a perfect combination. Well one could make that a 4.7 inch apo.

[krazyhorse]

Wish I had friends like yours, that is beyond belief! Congrats

[oninoyakamo]

To save some money, if choosing eyepieces based on exit pupils, I recommend choosing a 2nd scope w/same f-ratio as the 1st so that the EPs will be cross-compatible: 8" f/6 Dobsonian paired w/80-100mm f/6 refractor for grab-n-go. If choosing based on magnification, choose a 2nd scope with the same focal length; 8" f/6 Dob w/C90 (2nd Gen.) or C5 for grab-n-go.

[mikehicks]

Nice video....
Why stop at two..right lol.
I'm onto my 3rd...a smart telescope, Seestar but I guess that would be getting into astrophotography....but what game changer for viewing DSO's.

[StarGazers]

Great video and your friends are so generous! That’s a beautiful apo refractor as soon as I heard Stellarvue I knew right away the quality of it! It’s up there with takahashi and maybe vixen telescopes since those are also made in Japan.

And I laughed when you showed the Orion short tube 80 and added those effects haha 😂 and about chromatic aberration it’s true haha I owned one of those ST 80s from Orion at one point and actually it was about my very first true refractor I owned. Actually no I remember it was a Meade etx 60 or 70 That I got from cloudy nights but the mount electronics weren’t working and told the seller they never mentioned that but they refunded me and I returned the telescope. And got a used ST80 instead it was my first jump into refractors and yea!

Definitely a lot of “purple” colors on stars and edges of the moon and planets but certain filters help reduce it a little bit still CA aberration. Although besides that the stars were SHARP and pin point and that’s true of any refractors! I got used to the CA haha at first I got annoyed but I was in a super low budget and just got used to it. I’ve never experienced an APO or ED refractor ever tho… but a “Semi Apo “ which was a William optics SD80 megrez”

I’m debating this exact thing wether to get a Astro tech 72ED for Astro imaging and visual day and night viewing, or a 70, 80, 90, 102, 105, 127mm maksutov I plan to use it as a bird spotting/ general spotting scope and super grab and go telescope too! I did find this 70mm mak telescope that a reviewer said the optics are like a questar but very affordable price. But it has a narrow fov compared to a refactor. I can’t decide which to get. It would compliment my Celestron C8i that is my bigger aperture telescope (which in time I do plan to sell 😅 and buy yet another telescope haha.. but I promise I’m making a final decision so I could have 2 telescopes only) and it’s either a :

Celestron C9.25 AND a 72mm ED or 80MM APO, or maksutov 4 inch or 5 inch.

Or a Skywatcher Flextube Goto 10 inch dobsonian

And either the 72/80ed APO and maksutov 4 or 5 inch.

Since my space and finances allow only 2 telescopes at the moment. I’m deciding on either of those.

I keep leaning over to the C9.25 but then the 10 inch dobsonian and comparing the pros and cons. Goodness talking about those… you do have a C9.25 AND 10 inch dobsonian right? It would be awesome to see a comparison of these two! To see what does better It would be interesting to see too.

[earthling_parth]

You're very lucky to have such good friends like Katy! That StellarVue is a beauty ❤

[myks]

Tsula,

Just wondering have you tried the William optics REDCAT telescopes ❓and if so what's your opinion thanks....

[aagifford]

I’d lean towards a smallish catadioptric, and in fact just picked up a used Meade 6 inch ACF for only $180. I gave the guy another $20 because he even delivered it! Anyway it is small and easy to set up, and complements my 8 inch dob and 11in Celestron CPC 1100 which weighs 65 pounds.

[PauI__]

What about a collapsible dobson, I think SkyWatcher has some of those, arent those easyer to move and store?

[MrGppo]

Great video. Glad you have great friends to smooth the traumas of life. I am waiting for your video, “Should I Buy an Eighth Telescope?” ;)

[garylawson]

Thank you Tsula, from Gary in Alabama USA.

[charlesalexander]

I was thinking about getting a 9.25 Celestron evolution with a reducer and a hyperstar. The one thing I don’t like about this is the one arm mount. What do you think about the pros and cons of this set up?

[brodymk]

Im looking to get a Celestron C8 or a Skywatcher 200PDS and putting it on my AVX mount as a second scope someday. I plan on looking at the planets and some brighter deep sky objects and I also plan on imaging, mostly imaging some galaxies and close ups of nebulae. Are these good choices? I live in a bortle 5.

[markihde]

Sound advice on getting a second telescope. Mine is an 80mm Stellarvue APO. After that, I purchased scopes designed for specific purposes. For example, my 6" f/12 ISTAR achromatic refractor that I use only for lunar observation is ideal but only really useful for just one dedicated purpose.