Re: Selecting a telescope

Is it Lal? In any case, thanks for the reply. I understand that one can
buy motorized mounts that are not go-to.

But is there a real go-to system for beginners which does not have tracking?
Maybe there is and I don't know about it. That excepted, my point was that
if you get a real go-to, part of the deal is that the scope stays "on
target", and that is a major plus. IMO. When one is a fumble fingered
newbie, it is common to foul things up and have to go away from the scope
for a while and sort things out. It is a pain to have to relocate a small
object via star hoping each time this happens.

Does the Orion IntelliScope system include automatic tracking? I was under
the impression that it did not. Or did you add tracking yourself?

My hope is that someone will make an affortable true go-to system for the
popular dobs, such as the Orions. I would think that a good 14"-16" dob
with real go-to for less than $2000 would be a big seller. I would have
bought one.

-John

"lal_truckee" <lal_truckee@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7zELg.25217$gY6.3911@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
John Banister wrote:

For me, one of the best aspects of go-to was the automatic tracking.

Your statement caught my eye - there is a possible misunderstanding
reflected therein.

"go-to" and tracking are independent.

Tracking is available without "go-to."
AFAIK, all "go-to" systems will track but not all tracking systems include
"goto." (My mounts both track, while neither has go-to.)

For purposes of this thread, there is another system available, sometimes
called "push-to," wherein the mount cum electronics will tell the user
when the telescope is pointed at an object; but it's up to the user to so
point the telescope by manual adjustments. Again, tracking is independent.
(One of my mounts is so equipped.)

IMO, the price of inexpensive GEM "go-to" mounts has dropped so rapidly in
recent years that anyone contemplating purchase of an inexpensive GEM
mounted telescope should pay the extra couple hundred dollars for the
"go-to" - nothing says you have to use it, but sometimes it may be
convenient.



.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Selecting a telescope
    ... Tracking is available without "go-to." ... all "go-to" systems will track but not all tracking systems include "goto." ... (My mounts both track, while neither has go-to.) ... For purposes of this thread, there is another system available, sometimes called "push-to," wherein the mount cum electronics will tell the user when the telescope is pointed at an object; but it's up to the user to so point the telescope by manual adjustments. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Selecting a telescope
    ... a real go-to has to be able to go. ... not pushed like the Orion Intelliscope. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)