Motorized telescope mounts

Computerized GoTo Telescope Mounts | OPT Telescopes

These Computerized Mounts are excellent for saving time and effort, letting you bypass time-consuming and complex processes in favor of getting your eyes on the stars quicker!

No more tedious set-up to manually track objects in the night sky. With little more than the push of a button, the Telescope Mount aligns itself and will locate and “go to” any of the objects in its database. Astronomy became more fun and much easier than ever before! Click the Learn More Button to read more!

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Computerized "GoTo" Telescope Mounts

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Though some hobbyists swear by the analog, hand-steered systems, computerized telescope mounts have revolutionized the game. Also known as a GoTo mount, a digital system can deliver hands-free, accurate tracking of celestial objects, making it easier to capture stunning images without blur. At OPT, we carry GoTo equatorial mount, Dobsonian GoTo mount, and other mount options to meet your needs.

If you’re looking for ease of use and a quick setup, consider an alt-az automatic telescope mount. These computerized mounts move on two axes — up/down and left/right — and don’t need to be aligned with Polaris to begin tracking. This makes it a great telescope for beginners. For instance, the Celestron NexStar 6SE Computerized Telescope is a turnkey package capable of automatically pointing to and tracking over 40,000 objects in the sky. To align it, you simply need to choose three bright objects, and the system will do the rest. With its 6-inch aperture, you’ll see Jupiter’s cloud bands and lunar surface features. The Sky-Watcher 8” is another excellent beginner package featuring a Dobsonian GoTo mount and a collapsible telescope.

You can expand your astrophotography capabilities by choosing a GoTo equatorial mount. Equatorial mounts like the iOptron GEM45 work on the same two axes as an alt-az mount, but the system is tilted to account for latitude. This allows you to align with Polaris and track circumpolar orbits. Our selection of GoTo equatorial mounts are high-quality and high-functioning, with an impressive range of payload weights and quick polar alignment. Low power consumption, whisper-quiet mechanics, and internal cable management systems ensure ease of use.

One of the main benefits of our computerized telescope mounts is their compatibility with software and operating systems. Using your favorite PC, astrophotography controller, or alignment tools, you can reduce the time spent performing rote labor and increase the amount of time spent stargazing. This compatibility opens the door for increased use opportunities, from deep space photography to planetary and lunar exposures.

If you have any questions about the features and functions of our computerized telescope mounts, contact our knowledgeable Sales Team.

Telescope Mounts | B&H Photo Video

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Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi GoTo AZ Mount

B&H # SKS21110 MFR # S21110

34 Reviews

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled AZ Mount
Built-In WiFi Module for Remote Control
Free Android & iOS SynScan Pro WiFi App
42,900+ Object Database

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$454⁹⁹

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Sky-Watcher AZ-GTe GoTo AZ Mount

B&H # SKAZGTE MFR # S21140

2 Reviews

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled AZ Mount
Built-In WiFi Module for Remote Control
Free Android & iOS SynScan Pro WiFi App
42,900+ Object Database

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$400⁰⁰

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Sky-Watcher SolarQuest Motorized Alt-Azimuth Solar Telescope Mount

B&H # SKSQM MFR # S21170

5 Reviews

Key Features

Purpose-Built for Solar Observation
Auto-Location of the Sun
11-Pound Payload Capacity
Built-In GPS Receiver

$509⁹⁹

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Vixen Optics Mobile Porta AZ Mount with Tripod

B&H # VIMPAZM MFR # ES39901

Key Features

Ideal for Terrestrial & Astronomical Use
Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount
8-Pound Payload Capacity
Vixen-Style Dovetail Saddle

$280⁰⁰

Expected availability: 7-14 business days

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Celestron Heavy-Duty Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount with Tripod

B&H # CETHDAA MFR # 93607

61 Reviews

Key Features

For Telescopes, Spotters, Binoculars
Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount
Dual Slow-Motion Cables
1/4"-20 Mounting Bolt

$109⁹⁹

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Explore Scientific iEXOS-100-2 PMC-Eight Equatorial Go-To Tracker System

B&H # EXIEXOS01002 MFR # ES-IEXOS0100-02

3 Reviews

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
Up to 19-Pound Payload Capacity
Smooth Stepper Motors with Belt Drives
Wi-Fi & Bluetooth for Wireless Control

$599⁹⁹

iOptron SkyHunter Portable EQ/AZ GoTo System with iPolar

B&H # IOSHEQA MFR # SHEQA

Key Features

Computer-Controlled EQ/AZ Mount
11-Pound Payload Capacity
iPolar Electronic Polar Scope

See All Details

$778⁰⁰

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Tele Vue Tele-Pod Alt-Az Yoke Mount (Head Only)

B&H # TETPH MFR # TPH-1016

4 Reviews

Key Features

Manual Alt-Az Yoke Mount
Recommended for OTAs up to 3"
Tracking Control Handle
85 to -10° Altitude Range

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$372⁰⁰

iOptron HAE29 GoTo Alt-Az / Equatorial Mount with iPolar

B&H # IOHE292A MFR # HE292A

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled Mount
Payload: 29. 7 lb
Go2Nova Hand Controller
212,000+ Object Database

See All Details

$2,098⁰⁰

Expected availability: 2-4 weeks

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Tele Vue Panoramic Alt-Az Telescope Mount (Ash)

B&H # TEP4M7011 MFR # P4M-7011

2 Reviews

Key Features

Tele-Pod Head
Recommended for OTAs up to 4"
Manual Alt-Az Yoke Mount
+85 to -17° Altitude Range

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$974⁰⁰

Expected availability: 7-10 business days

Sky-Watcher HEQ5i Mount Head with Wi-Fi Adapter

B&H # SKHEQ5I MFR # S30405

$1,390⁰⁰

Expected availability: 3-5 weeks

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iOptron CEM26 Center-Balance GoTo EQ Mount with Tripod & Hard Carry Case

B&H # IOC262A1 MFR # C262A1

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
Go2Nova 8409 Computer Controller
212,000-Object Database
Multiple Assisted Alignment Procedures

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$1,488⁰⁰

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iOptron CEM26 Center-Balance GoTo EQ Mount with LiteRoc Tripod

B&H # IOC261A3 MFR # C261A3

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
Go2Nova 8409 Computer Controller
212,000-Object Database
Multiple Assisted Alignment Procedures

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$1,548⁰⁰

Expected availability: 7-14 business days

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iOptron AZ Mount Pro GoTo Alt-Az Mount with LiteRoc Tripod

B&H # IO8903 MFR # 8903

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled AZ Mount
Compact Design, 33+10 lb Payload
Go2Nova 8407 Hand Controller
Wireless Wi-Fi Connectivity and Control

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$1,618⁰⁰

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iOptron GEM28 GoTo EQ Mount with LiteRoc Tripod & Hard Case

B&H # IOG282A3 MFR # G282A3

2 Reviews

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
Go2Nova 8409 Computer Controller
212,000-Object Database
Multiple Assisted Alignment Procedures

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$1,688⁰⁰

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Celestron CGEM II GoTo German Equatorial Mount with Tripod

B&H # CECGEMIICMK MFR # 91523

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
Low-Cog Dual-Axis DC Servo Motors
NexStar+ GoTo Hand Controller
40,000+ Database, User-Defined Objects

$2,049⁰⁰

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iOptron GEM45 Equatorial GoTo Mount with LiteRoc Tripod & Hard Case

B&H # IO7603AHC MFR # 7603A-HC

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
Very Good <±7 Arcsec Tracking Accuracy
Go2Nova 8407+ Computer Controller
212,000+ Object Database

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$2,678⁰⁰

Expected availability: 2-4 weeks

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Losmandy GM811G Equatorial GoTo Mount with LW Tripod

B&H # LOGM811G MFR # GM811G

1 Review

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
50-Pound Total Payload Capacity
Precision Dual-Axis Servo Motors
Gemini 2 GoTo Hand Controller

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$2,895⁰⁰

Expected availability: 2-4 weeks

iOptron HAE29EC GoTo Alt-Az / Equatorial Mount with High Precision Encoder

B&H # IOHE294A MFR # HE294A

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled Mount
Payload: 29. 7 lb
Go2Nova Hand Controller
212,000+ Object Database

See All Details

$3,348⁰⁰

Expected availability: 2-4 weeks

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Celestron CGX-L GoTo EQ Telescope Mount and CGE PRO Counterweight Kit

B&H # CECGXLGOTOEK MFR # 91532

1 Review

Key Features

Motorized EQ Mount with 75 lb Capacity
High-Torque Servo Motors with Belt Drive
NexStar+ Computer Hand Controller
22 lb Counterweight

See All Details

$3,799⁰⁰

Expected availability: 2-4 weeks

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Coronado EQS Equatorial Mount with RA Motor

B&H # COCEQST MFR # 316001

4 Reviews

Key Features

Manual German Equatorial Mount
Right Ascension Tracking Motor
Dual-Axis Slow-Motion Cables
Sidereal Tracking, Two Slew Speeds

$199⁹⁹

Vixen Optics HF2 Altazimuth Fork Mount

B&H # VIHFAFM MFR # ES38062

$324⁹⁵

Expected availability: 7-14 business days

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Explore Scientific Twilight I Alt-Azimuth Mount with Tripod

B&H # EXMAZ0100 MFR # MAZ01-00

24 Reviews

Key Features

Load Capacity: 15 lb
Max Height: 55. 5"
Min Height: 38.5"
Folded Length: 42"

$349⁹⁹

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Celestron Omni CG-4 Telescope Mount & Tripod

B&H # CEOCG4M MFR # 91509

14 Reviews

Key Features

German Equatorial Mount
Adjustable Tripod
Two Counterweights

See All Details

$399⁹⁵

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Sky-Watcher AZ5 Alt-Azimuth Mount with Tripod

B&H # SKS20110 MFR # S20110

2 Reviews

Key Features

15-Pound Payload Capacity
Single Fork-Arm Manual Alt-Azimuth Mount
Adjustable Arm Provides Extra Clearance
Slow-Motion Knobs for Precise Tracking

$420⁰⁰

iOptron SkyHunter Portable AZ GoTo System

B&H # IOSHAZ MFR # SHAZ

Key Features

Built-In Rechargeable Battery
Operates in North and South Hemisphere
Attaches to Camera Tripod
Wi-Fi Adapter

See All Details

$488⁰⁰

Expected availability: 3-5 weeks

iOptron SkyHunter Portable EQ/AZ GoTo System

B&H # IOSHEQ MFR # SHEQ

Key Features

Light and Compact
Controlled by Phone
Supports 11 lb Payload
Features 4 Tracking Rates

See All Details

$558⁰⁰

Expected availability: 3-5 weeks

BRESSER Exos-2GT Computerized German Equatorial Mount with Tripod

B&H # BREXOS2GT MFR # BR-EXOS2GT

6 Reviews

Key Features

Motorized Computer-Controlled EQ Mount
29-Pound Payload Capacity
GP-Level Dovetail Saddle
StarTracker Go-To Computer Kit

$579⁹⁹

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Tele Vue Tele-Pod v2 Alt-Az Telescope Mount

B&H # TETPM3015 MFR # TPM-3015

Key Features

Recommended for OTAs up to 3"/76mm
Manual Alt-Az Yoke Mount
85° to -10° Altitude Range
Tension-Adjustable Axes

Available in other Styles, Configurations & Kits

$588⁰⁰

Expected availability: 2-4 weeks

Vixen Optics APZ Mount

B&H # VIAPZ MFR # ES25841

$849⁹⁵

Expected availability: 3-5 weeks

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YOUR RECENTLY VIEWED ITEMS

Without the right telescope mounts, it's difficult to get the best performance from even the best-rated telescopes. Find mounts that are rigid and sturdy on telescope tripods and piers to prevent any movement of your telescopes. Choose from a range of mount designs and mounting mechanisms.

Telescope Mount Designs

Alt-azimuth mounts allow you to move your telescope in up-down (alt) or left-right (azimuth) movements. These mounts are easy to set up, rugged, and very sturdy, and they're best suited for large aperture telescopes. You place alt-az fork mounts in an inclined plane to tilt the azimuth axis so it's parallel with the polar axis.

Equatorial telescope mounts are made up of mount heads and tripods that allow you to move telescopes on two axes: right ascension (east-west) and declination (north-south). With this mount, you can smoothly follow the stars across a night sky. For long-exposure astrophotography, shop for German equatorial mounts with gears and polar alignment scopes for precise alignment. Remember to also get reliable telescope accessories for mounts, such as counterweight kits and adapter brackets.

Telescope Mounting Mechanisms

Whether you're using an alt-az, equatorial, or fork mount, you need to consider the mounting mechanism, and choose the best one for your needs. A motorized mount allows you to smoothly move your telescope on different axes. In addition, once you find your object, it automatically keeps it in the eyepiece by moving the telescope with a motor. This motor moves the telescope at the same speed as the terrestrial objects moving in the sky. Therefore, you spend more time sky gazing and less time adjusting your telescope.

GoTo telescope mounts help you find terrestrial objects and keep them within your eyepiece with the help of a computer, which is usually a handheld controller. These computerized telescope mounts are easy to use and won't require any special expertise or knowledge. For best performance, shop for telescope computerized accessories such as auto-alignment systems, Wi-Fi modules, GPS accessories, and power adapters.

Azimuth mount - frwiki.wiki

Azimuth mount built according to the plans of the amateur telescope Building of Jean Texereau

The azimuth mount is a type of mount on which the telescope remains, which are characterized by their ease of design, implementation and aiming.

This is different from the heavier equatorial mount, which is more difficult to mount but also more suitable for tracking the apparent movement of the sky. nine0005

Summary

1 function
2 Usage
- 2.1 Amateur astronomy
- 2.2 Professional astronomy
3 Motorization
4 Deficiency
5 See also
6 Notes and references

Feature

Azimuth mount has a vertical axis (azimuth) and a horizontal axis (altitude). This arrangement allows intuitive indication of astronomical objects. This allows you to use a horizontal coordinate system to navigate the sky. nine0005

The mechanical design is relatively simple and light. Unlike an equatorial mount, the position of the center of gravity is not a problem with alt-azimuth mounts. Thus, the use of counterweights is not required.

These qualities make it the preferred telescope mount for beginners as well as large scientific instruments.

use

Amateur Astronomy

Dobson Mount

Astronomical glasses are the most commonly used instruments with this type of frame, usually motorized. When motorized, another type of telescope can be mounted on this mount. This is generally the case for Cassegrain-type telescopes such as Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes. nine0005

Dobson telescopes having this type of mount included in their structure, but usually with a slight shift in the center of gravity (compensated by greater friction on the horizontal axis or light counterweight).

Professional Astronomy

Due to their high mechanical stresses, this is also the type of frame used in large scientific telescopes built from late XX - ^th th century. This is especially true for VLT, Keck, ELT ...

Thus, this type of mount reduces the cost of such instruments compared to mounting on an equatorial mount. nine0005

Motorization

This type of mount is often equipped with a GoTo computer system for aiming at objects in the sky.

For astrophotography of the planets, the Moon or the Sun, two thrusters are sufficient, even in deep skies with relatively short exposure times (usually with unfiltered light optics). But unlike a single-engine equatorial mount, they must be controlled by an electronic system to coordinate their actions.

Classical deep space astrophotography, where long exposures are used to accumulate more light from observable weak sources, often filtered (nebulae, galaxies), requires a third engine, not integrated into the mount, but at the level of the thermal imager. Indeed, even when the motions are compensated for in height and azimuth, the observed field rotates slowly and completes a full revolution in a sidereal day. To understand this phenomenon, it suffices to imagine that the instrument is pointed at the celestial pole: in this case, there is no need to move in height or in azimuth. On the other hand, it is clear that the target field appears to rotate around the celestial pole. The instrument support plate rotates to compensate for this effect. This accessory is sometimes referred to as a "field derotator". Sometimes you can get around this problem by using a computer derotator that will make several short poses (not to be confused with computer derotators, which deal with the rotation of the planets around themselves). Finally, we can imagine in the future that the stabilization devices of some sensors will be used to perform this function (they are already sometimes used for star tracking on a fixed rack). nine0005

Flaw

However, in the non-motorized version, it has an important drawback: it is necessary to be able to control two axes at the same time in order to follow the apparent movement of a celestial object due to the rotation of the Earth. At high magnification (usually used for planetary observation), this can be problematic for a beginner (the object may disappear from view, and then the aiming procedure must be repeated).

The vertical axis can have a rather rough accuracy given the fact that it depends on the flatness of the ground on which the mount is set. nine0005

Also, without motorization, astrophotography using manual tracking is not possible due to the axes used in this mount. For an equatorial mount, non-motorized tracking is possible.

Notes and links

↑ ^{a and b} " Which telescope to buy and for what?" - Various types of frames » at www.astrosurf.com (as of January 18, 2021).
↑ Lagirafe, " Azimuth Mountain | Astroclub de la Girafe » (as of January 18, 2021)
↑ " Azimuth Mountain ", on www. astropleiades.fr (accessed 18 January 2021)

what about a telescope? / Sudo Null IT News

You read a post about what to observe in the sky, looked it up yourself, showed it to your friends and became interested in the topic. The logical next desire is to buy a telescope and look at the same beauties with a well-armed eye. But this task is not as simple as it might seem, the choice depends on various parameters. Therefore, a post describing various optical schemes of telescopes, mounts, I think, will be useful. nine0117

Necessary demotivation and objects for observation

In order not to feel sorry for the money spent, it is necessary to make a somewhat demotivating introduction.

Human factor

First, you need to understand that the volume and quality of beauty depends on your efforts. Astronomy is not a "press the button and enjoy" type of entertainment. It is necessary to think over the answers to the following questions in advance:

Budget. nine0008 The cost of additional accessories can equal and easily exceed the cost of the telescope, keep this in mind when setting budget limits on the cost of the model.

Observation site. Where do you plan to observe? In the city from the balcony, in the country, to go out of town, to the village, to the wilderness or even abroad?

Storage and transport. Where and how are you going to store the telescope? How to transport to the observation site from the previous paragraph? How often? How to pack and what mode of transport to transport? nine0018
Desired observation objects. Are there any types of objects that you really want to observe?

Observation format. Are you going to observe visually or do astrophotography? Will you watch alone, with family/friends/like-minded people?

It would also be highly desirable to get personal experience of observing through a telescope. There are many options for how to do this:

Ask your friends if anyone has one? nine0018
View the availability of astroclubs in your city (in social networks or on the Astroforum).

Go to a sidewalk astronomy evening, hosted by planetariums and telescope shops.

Technology surpassed man

Secondly, you should not inflame yourself with photographs of nebulae from the Hubble telescope, you definitely will not see this. Unfortunately, the human eye cannot accumulate photons like a film or a camera matrix, and twilight vision does not distinguish colors well. Therefore, what you see for yourself, as a rule (there are exceptions!), Will look worse than in a photo from the Internet. Therefore, I have compiled a small list with illustrations of what objects will look like in a telescope. The list is sorted by ease of observation and subjective beauty of objects. nine0005
Moon

The moon is one of the few objects that is more visually impressive than in the photo. In the eyepiece, the Moon is very bright, clear, visually very large, and very beautiful. It is best to observe the Moon in the first and last quarter (i.e., when about half of the disk is visible). In this case, on the border of light and shadow (terminator lines), the relief is very clearly visible - craters of various heights, uneven seas and other beauties. The moon is the easiest and most accessible object to observe, which is visible every month, changes every day, and never gets bored. I took a photo of the Tver astro club and edited it a bit to create the most similar look:

When using a higher magnification, you can look at individual beautiful elements of the landscape, for example, Rainbow Bay:

Planets

The second most accessible type of objects. The planets replace each other on a schedule, so this cycle is unlikely to get bored, but, alas, they are seen much worse in amateur telescopes than in astrophoto, not to mention photographs from observatories, Hubble or interplanetary vehicles.

Jupiter . Big, bright and beautiful planet. The telescope shows two bands on the disk and four Galilean satellites, which were the first objects discovered with the first Galilean telescope. Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto circle the planet's disk as bright dots, sometimes lining up in beautiful shapes - triangles, broken lines. Through the eyepiece of a telescope, it will look something like this:

If you look closely, you can see two bands on the disk. I had to draw them on this photo, the eye has a better dynamic range than a simple amateur astrophoto. nine0004

Saturn . The next most beautiful object, its uniqueness is the rings. In the eyepiece, it seems drawn, but the sight is very beautiful. In a small amateur telescope, the Cassini slit is far from always visible; in two years I saw it once, and even then not with absolute certainty.

Venus . A very bright star in the morning or evening sky through a telescope is seen uniformly white, but it has a unique feature - it has visible phases:

Mars . Mars is already in the frustration zone. In a small amateur telescope, you can only make sure that it is red:

Mercury and Uranus are far in the disappointment zone. If you are very interested, you can find them, but there is not much to look at.

Multiple stars

The color of the stars is already visible through the telescope. And if the double star is multi-colored, then it is very beautiful. The brightest representatives are Albireo in Swan and Carl's Heart in Hounds of Dogs. nine0005

Albireo, the telescope can be slightly defocused for better color perception.

Open clusters

Open clusters are the second type of objects that are more impressive than photographs of them. For the first time when I saw Chi / Ash Perseus through a telescope, one of my acquaintances recalled the finale of “Space Odyssey” - “God! It's full of stars!

Pleiades . The eye does not see the blue nebulae that are visible in good astrophotos, but the blue tint of the stars will be discernible. The Pleiades are so large that they fit entirely into eyepieces with low magnification. nine0005

Chi/Ash Perseus
Very beautiful two open clusters side by side:

Everything is sadder here. In an amateur telescope, globular clusters are visible as cloudy spots, but if you are lucky with the observation conditions, you can still see that they are formed by thousands and millions of stars.

Large cluster of Hercules.

Nebulae

It's all very sad here. Due to the properties of the eyes of the nebula, firstly, they are black and white, secondly, they are very faintly visible, and thirdly, one must travel far out of the city to dark places in order to see them more or less noticeable.

Orion Nebula

M57. The Ring Nebula in Lyra

And don't say you don't see anything here.

Sun

Having bought a special filter, you can look at the Sun. In a conventional filter, sunspots, granulation (looks like a reticulation of the surface) are visible. nine0117
Transit of Venus across the solar disk, 2012, sunspots visible above.

WARNING: Do not point the telescope at the Sun unless a special filter is available. Possible melting or even explosion of installed eyepieces and irreversible blinding of the eye when trying to look through the eyepiece. The use of smoked glasses, culinary foil or other surrogates instead of a special solar filter is unacceptable!

Other

With some luck and dexterity, you can observe airplanes flying by, the ISS (four rows of solar panels are quite distinguishable), Chinese lanterns, and so on. nine0005
You should also pay attention to the "Eyepieces" plug-in that comes with Stellarium. If you enter the parameters of the telescope and eyepiece, Stellarium will show the size of the object in the eyepiece.

Materiel

In order to speak objectively about telescopes, it is necessary to understand what telescopes are and what advantages and disadvantages they have.

Terms and definitions

Aperture is the diameter of the main mirror of the telescope. In simple terms, the larger the aperture, the better the view. The maximum real magnification of the telescope is two apertures. In real life, the telescope is rarely used at magnifications greater than 150-200, you should not chase after the magnification. Also, the atmosphere is seldom good enough for telescopes larger than 300 mm to fully express themselves. nine0117 Focal length is the distance at which the telescope constructs an image of an infinitely distant object. Knowing the focal length is necessary to calculate eyepiece magnification: magnification is the focal length of the telescope divided by the focal length of the eyepiece. For example, for a telescope with a focal length of 900 mm, a 10 mm eyepiece will give a magnification of 900/10=90x. Note that short focal length telescopes require very short focal length eyepieces to achieve high magnifications. For example, a telescope with an aperture of 114 mm and a focal length of 500 mm will require a 2.5 mm eyepiece for its maximum magnification. Such eyepieces are expensive and inconvenient for observation. nine0117 Aperture is the ratio of aperture to focal length. An important parameter for astrophotography, it can be roughly compared with the aperture of a camera. For visual observations, the fact that telescopes with a relative aperture of less than 1/6 have distortions at the edge of the field of view of the eyepiece is significant.
Heat stabilizer . A telescope whose temperature differs from the ambient temperature creates additional image distortions. The shorter the settling time, the better. Unfortunately, for some types it is quite large, and also, the thermal stabilization time increases with the size of the telescope. nine0117 Alignment is the process of alignment of the optical axes of the telescope elements. Depending on the design, it can be made at the factory for the entire service life, or it will have to be dealt with with some regularity on its own.

Optical schemes of telescopes

Refractor , it is also a lens telescope. Historically, the first type is still widespread. Modern refractors come in two forms - achromats and apochromats. Achromats correct all image distortions (aberrations) except chromatic. They are cheap, but the objects seen in them have colored edges, which degrades the image. Apochromats also eliminate chromatic aberration, but are much more expensive. nine0117 Advantages:

Minimum maintenance. Factory alignment is maintained for years, the pipe is closed from dust and moisture.

Very fast heat setting.

Aperture is fully operational (no elements obstructing part of the aperture in the tube), higher image contrast

Disadvantages:

Chromatic aberration for achromats, price for apochromats.

There are no large apertures (large lenses are very difficult and expensive to make). 150 mm is already very expensive, there is practically no larger aperture. nine0018
Long pipe (may be a disadvantage)

Reflector , also known as a mirror telescope. It was created by Newton as a solution to the problems of the then lens telescopes. Despite the presence of other mirror schemes, it is Newton's scheme that is extremely popular now.
Pros:

No aberrations, excellent image quality.

The cheapest millimeter of aperture - with an increase in the aperture of reflectors, more and more relative to other schemes. nine0018
Short thermal stabilization time, which, however, increases with the size of the telescope.

Disadvantages:

Secondary mirror with holders "eats" part of the aperture. The extensions of the holder give the characteristic "rays" of stars in the astrophoto.

Open pipe. Over time, the mirror gets dirty with dust.

Adjustment required. After transportation, the alignment of the reflector may go astray, and it will need to be restored. Fortunately, with experience this is a matter of a few minutes. nine0018

Catadioptric aka mirror-lens telescope. Appeared in the 20th century. By the way, along with the names of Galileo and Newton, the telescope schemes immortalized the domestic astronomer Maksutov, the inventor of one of the popular schemes for mirror-lens telescopes - the Maksutov-Cassegrain scheme.
Advantages:

Compact. The shortest telescopes.

Closed pipe protects the mirror from dust.

No aberrations. nine0018

Disadvantages

Less contrast image due to the central shielding zone, the aperture does not work fully.

The most expensive millimeter of aperture.

Long settling time.

Pry bars

A mount is an adapter between a telescope and a tripod. It depends on it how convenient it will be for you to observe, how much weight to carry with you, and how much the telescope will shake during observations. nine0117 According to the principle device, the mounts are divided into alt-azimuth and equatorial.

Alt-azimuth mount has two axes - azimuth and height, hence the name. It ignores the fact that the Earth's axis of rotation is at an angle to the horizon.
Advantages:

Simple, light, load-bearing.

No additional preparation required for observations.

Disadvantages:

The object must be followed along two axes. nine0018
The object is slowly turning in the field of view, which complicates astrophotography.

Generally unsuitable for observing the zenith region.

A little to the side is an alt-azimuth Dobsonian mount, more about it will be below.

Equatorial , it is German, the mount has a third, additional, axis, due to which it can be installed parallel to the Earth's rotation axis.
Advantages:

The object is easy to follow by hand, even on budget mounts there is a place for attaching a simple motor, which makes it very easy to follow the object.

No problem with zenith availability.

The field of view remains fixed, which is good for astrophotography.

Disadvantages:

The mount is more complex and heavy, it includes a very heavy counterweight.

Mounting requires additional operations before and after observations. nine0018

Also, the mount can be motorized and computerized.

In its simplest form, the equatorial mount is equipped with an analog or digital motor to track an object. Guidance is done manually.

A more complex option is drives on both axes of the mount, allowing you to aim the telescope at an object from the remote control (if there is a port from a laptop with the appropriate software) and accompany it automatically.

The most difficult option is a computerized mount with its own database of objects, capable of independently aiming at an object and accompanying it. The most advanced mounts can be equipped with GPS/GLONASS and a compass for fully automatic preparation for observations. nine0018

Automation makes life a lot easier, but you need to keep in mind that this is additional money that, in case of a limited budget, can be spent on a more powerful telescope.

Precautions

What mistakes can be made when choosing a telescope?
Buying a telescope from a hypermarket . Now there are many specialized stores with branches in large cities and delivery throughout Russia. It's not worth the risk of buying a telescope from an unknown manufacturer with unknown quality. nine0117 Too greedy . Refractors with an aperture of no more than 60 mm, reflectors no more than 76 mm and catadioptrics no more than 80 mm are not serious tools, as a rule, they are on very flimsy mounts, and if you are completely at seams with money, it is better to save up for a normal tool or switch to binoculars.
Newton with corrector . There are models of Newton's reflectors with a corrector in the focuser unit. They are shorter than regular Newtons, but add distortion.
Short throw achromatic refractors . As in the previous case, image quality paid for the reduction in size. Such telescopes have stronger chromatism.

The logic of choice

If you are clear about your desires and limitations, then the choice will not be very difficult. There are several typical scenarios that can be mentioned.

Balcony visual observations in the city

For observation on the balcony, the compactness of the telescope is important. Therefore, with a limited budget, refractors on an azimuth mount become more preferable - with a refractor, most of the pipe will stick out, and an azimuth mount is easier to handle. If there is a lot of money, then you can think about a catadioptric on a motorized mount. In any case, you should not chase the aperture much, 100-150 mm is enough for the city. However, such advice is advisory, I quite successfully operate a reflector on an equatorial mount on a balcony, because when choosing a telescope I wanted a larger aperture without chromatism in a limited budget, and I planned to buy a drive for the mount. nine0005
Observations in the country/outside the city

If there are no problems with the space for the telescope and its transportation, then, if you have a budget, you can think about a large aperture. A large aperture for a reasonable price is a Newtonian reflector. Also, a large aperture requires an expensive, heavy and complex classic mount. Therefore, a Dobson mount was developed, in which there is no tripod, and the telescope is mounted on a "stool" - carriage:

Please note that the tube is collapsible - this increases mobility. There are non-folding models, cheaper. nine0004
This design allows the production of telescopes with very large apertures of 400 mm and above.
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