MnAstro Forums

Hello,

Brand new member here as of Dec 24 and I'm glad I stumbled onto this group.
I have no experience with telescopes, and would like your recommendation on which one of your loaner scopes to borrow.
We would initially like to look at the moon, planets, nebulae,etc. If you have any other cool objects that would interest my kids (9 and 11) and would be visible in the January (or future) sky, that would be great.
Are the scopes easy to setup and find the object I am looking for in the viewer?
Do I need anything else? I have sky view lite (free version) on my phone, and a pair of binoculars.
Where are the scopes located?
Are the scopes typically available, or is there a waiting list?
I am in Prior Lake.
We are going to try to make the Beginner's SIG meeting, as well as the March star party.

Thanks alot,

Chris

I have been a member for a year or so and am also new to the hobby. I have taken advantage of the loaner scope program, which is an awesome benefit of membership. I tried out all of the different types of scopes they have to offer and really enjoyed the views out of the dobs and refractors best. The 10" dob was too heavy for me to move around easily (mids 50's female), but the smaller dob was more manageable and was dead simple to use. The views from the dobs are great, although not as crisp as the views from the refractors, which are also very simple to use. I think one of the dobs would be a good first choice. All of the scopes have pros and cons, and I know there are those with vastly greater experience who can advise on this. Just throwing my two cents in from one newbie to another.

Cindy

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the MAS!

The Loaner Scope Program is coordinated by Antone Gregory. During COVID, he is having members pick up and drop off the loaner scopes at his home. I believe he lives in Roseville... or somewhere close by.

Here is the link to the Loaner Scope Program page: http://www.mnastro.org/loaner-request2/#LoanerRequest

None of these Loaner scopes are truly huge or unwieldly. Probably the heaviest of the bunch are #4 Orion Skyquest 10" Dob and #12 the Hardin 10" Dob. But these too are not all that difficult to transport or move around either. Just bulkier than the rest.

For the Moon and Planets, any of these scopes would work except, of course, #10 the Coronado Solar Scope, which is only for use on the Sun.

If it were me, I would try out one of the Orion SkyQuest 8" XT-8 Dobsonians first, assuming that you have a vehicle that can fit a 46.5" long tube.

Here is some additional info on these scopes: https://www.telescope.com/Orion-SkyQues ... 102005.uts

These Dobsonians are as basic as they come. It sets up in just a few minutes. You push the scope from target to target, the motions are very intuitive. The 8" mirrors are large enough to provide nice views of the planets, Moon and many hundreds of deep sky objects. From Prior Lake, your skies should be dark enough to detect plenty of targets with these scopes.

If these aren't available, I would try either of the 3 SCT telescopes. These are more compact than the Dobsonians, but if you get #6 or #11 there's more tech involved in running the scope. You'll have to learn how to power it up, polar align and use the hand controller to move around the sky. It's not too difficult to learn, but for an absolute beginner, it might seem a bit challenging, compared with the Dobsonians.

I hope this helps!

Suresh

Thanks alot for the helpful info Cindy and Suresh

Chris

Hello Chris,

This is Antone and I am the Loaner Scope Coordinator. I agree with the earlier posts that an 8-inch Dob is the best choice for a first telescope. These are easy to set up and use, and we have three of them. This time of year, there is generally little or no wait time for a telescope depending on the telescope. During the Summer and Fall, demand is high and wait times can be several weeks. Still, with thirteen telescopes, we have been able to satisfy everyone. If you want to borrow one of our telescopes, make a request on our website under Members/Loaner Scope Program.

http://www.mnastro.org/loaner-request2/

The request form sends a message directly to me. The 8-inch Dobs are Scopes #2, #3, and #8.

Clear Skies,
Antone

Thanks alot for the information Antone, I'll fill out the request.

Chris