Targets for Beginners?

[Bigzmey]

Just checked that out. Pretty darn cool at only a 50mm objective and f/5. I'm sure larger versions will become available. I see these devices eventually cutting into the traditional telescope sales - fracs, Dobs, SCT's, etc. Who doesn't have a smart phone?

We get question quite often from beginners: I want a scope to do visual and AP under $500. Before the answer was there is no such thing, focus just on visual, but these new systems could be the answer.

Except of course that 10" Coulter Odyssey that I bought for $100, then built a dual-axis autoguided barndoor drive to put the 65 lbs. Dob on and successfully did AP. I had to buy 2 Arduinos and 2 steppers that were $0.99 each. This assumes that my time was worth nothing. Of course, I did AP 4 times only with it just to prove my point.

These are prices from 50s, right Henk? Otherwise show me where I can by 10" DOB for $100, I'll buy two!

[SkyHiker]

We get question quite often from beginners: I want a scope to do visual and AP under $500. Before the answer was there is no such thing, focus just on visual, but these new systems could be the answer.

Except of course that 10" Coulter Odyssey that I bought for $100, then built a dual-axis autoguided barndoor drive to put the 65 lbs. Dob on and successfully did AP. I had to buy 2 Arduinos and 2 steppers that were $0.99 each. This assumes that my time was worth nothing. Of course, I did AP 4 times only with it just to prove my point.

These are prices from 50s, right Henk? Otherwise show me where I can by 10" DOB for $100, I'll buy two!

I bought it in 2000, on the annual astronomy day star party of my club the SBAU. It must have been 30 years old but worked fine. It came wiith a nice set of eyepieces and a 4.5" Newt, and an unmotorized EQ mount that I recycled, altogether $110.

[OzEclipse]

I can't even see mag 10 objects at home due to light pollution, much less extended objects. Ok, planetaries are more starlike than galaxies, but still...

Even though I just got an ST102, I'm close to pulling the trigger on a Seestar. I still have until the end of the month to get the intro price.

Hi Olen,
It sounds like an oxymoron, but magnitude is not a particularly good predictor of visual brightness or visibility of extended objects.

You said it yourself, "Ok, planetaries are more starlike than galaxies, but still..."

In addition to planetary nebulae, a mag 10 galaxy or nebula can have a bright or a faint surface brightness depending upon its surface area. If I were observing in a heavy LP zone, I would download the NGC or Messier catalog into an excel spreadsheet. I started to suggest some maths to get a surface brightness indication but I need to think about it a little more before I can give you an algorithm to apply so you can rank objects by surface brightness. Most online versions of the NGC don't have object dimensions but many downloadable Messier catalogues do.

Everything brighter than your benchmark is a potential target.

Joe

[Mike Q]

Mag 10 can be some tough stuff for a beginner. When people get started in this quick and easy wins are the key. So the moon and planets first then go deeper. The Ring, the Hercules Cluster, Andromeda and of course the Orion Nebula should always be on the top of the list