Celestron Nexstar 114GT? buy?

Please don't just treat this with a Hoot and a snort!
Costco is currently selling the subject telescope (I hope I'm not using the
word loosely, grin) for $198.99. The only thing I've ever used is a Tasco
80mm refractor. This particular Nexstar looks like a considerable
improvement over the Tasco, which just barely shows rings on Saturn and just
barely shows Jupiter's moons.
I'd like to look at Mars this month with something a step better, and
budget won't allow much more.
What do you think? Waste of time and money? Possible good start for a
rank amateur?
Since time is slipping away, I've got to move pretty soon.

Lynn (amateur in too many things)

Lynn,

Wow, what a hard choice.

In any other circumstance, I'd recommend that you run to Orion
Telescopes website and buy an XT8 dob.

However, since Mars is indeed upon us, for the money and time, I'd say
go for it. (read below for exceptions)

If budget is that big an issue for you, you probably won't do much
better for a scope that will get there in a week and be better than
what you've got.

Just be aware that Mars will look almost as pretty a couple of years
from now, and that in the meantime you could have a better scope to
look at other stuff.

The 114 is pretty limited in what it can see.

My recommendation is to find an astronomy club in your area, or a
generous amateur astronomer who'll share Mars views with you and save
your pennies for another month for the XT6.

Where are you, by the way?

You may be near another sci.astro.amateur reader who'd be happy to
share scope views.

Post your location, I'm sure someone will be near you and save you
from having to buy the Celestron!!!

Good luck!

=Mark Ensley




"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in message news:LW_Wa.36742$cF.13765@rwcrnsc53...
Please don't just treat this with a Hoot and a snort!
Costco is currently selling the subject telescope (I hope I'm not using the
word loosely, grin) for $198.99. The only thing I've ever used is a Tasco
80mm refractor. This particular Nexstar looks like a considerable
improvement over the Tasco, which just barely shows rings on Saturn and just
barely shows Jupiter's moons.
I'd like to look at Mars this month with something a step better, and
budget won't allow much more.
What do you think? Waste of time and money? Possible good start for a
rank amateur?
Since time is slipping away, I've got to move pretty soon.

Lynn (amateur in too many things)

Wow, what a hard choice.

In any other circumstance, I'd recommend that you run to Orion
Telescopes website and buy an XT8 dob.

However, since Mars is indeed upon us, for the money and time, I'd say
go for it. (read below forexceptions)

Given that this scope uses a fast spherical mirror with a built in barlow to
provide the longer focal length, I think it would be a poor choice for viewing
Mars. I had a similar scope for several years, not bad at lower magnifications
but not a planetary scope at all.

The advantage of this scope is that it has GOTO. At $160, it is a pretty good
deal, especially if one has an OTA that they want to GOTO-ize...

Given that the $240 Hardin Optical 6 inch DOB and the $300 8 inch are still
available, one is really choosing between aperture and nice optics and GOTO and
marginal optics.

In my view this boils down to whether you want a scope that will point at lots
of things but only show a few of them or a scope that you need to point but
will show many targets.

Mars in an 8 inch DOB can be quite stunning, I doubt very much that it would be
impressive in the 114Nextstar.

jon

I ditto the suggestion of a 6" or 8" dob, especially as you won't need
the Go-To to find Mars.

See whose got one in stock and order so you'll have it over the next
couple of months (Mars, summer Milky Way, lots of great Messier objects,
etc.)

Larry Stedman
Vestal

"Lynn Coffelt" wrote in message
news:LW_Wa.36742$cF.13765@rwcrnsc53...
Please don't just treat this with a Hoot and a snort!
Costco is currently selling the subject telescope (I hope I'm not using
the
word loosely, grin) for $198.99. The only thing I've ever used is a Tasco
80mm refractor. This particular Nexstar looks like a considerable
improvement over the Tasco, which just barely shows rings on Saturn and
just
barely shows Jupiter's moons.
I'd like to look at Mars this month with something a step better, and
budget won't allow much more.
What do you think? Waste of time and money? Possible good start for a
rank amateur?
Since time is slipping away, I've got to move pretty soon.

Lynn (amateur in too many things)

Thanks for all the advice. Just an update, I passed up the Celsestron
Nexstar 114GT deal in favor of a used 10" Meade Dobson, from a local fellow
advertising on Anacortes Telescope's web site, classified section. Just got
it home a few minutes ago, waiting the three or four hours until it darkens
a little. Rain is forcast to come into the area about the same time, of
course.
Lynn (working up to the beginner's level)