Manual vs goto

[M.]

I like my technology, but would you agree that goto takes away some of the fun or challenge in stargazing. I know that goto offers other benefits too, isn't it good for astrophotographers?

That said given the choice of only having one type, would you go for the goto or manual set-up?

I'd go for the manual set-up, I like the simplicity, feel and general appearance that a manual telescope offers.

[Doc]

Agreed a manual set up for me as well.

 

Like you I enjoy the quicker set up times, simplicity, basically just grab and go.

[Daz Type-R]

+1 for manual, that was the first decision I made, either GOTO or manual, learn the sky the hard way or not at all, that's why I went down the dob route as you need star hoping to find your targets. But you can't do DSO ap with a dob, so it's horses for courses and purley depends on what you want to do.

[M.]

I see why having a few scopes is kinda the norm now.

[+RonC]

Goto for me, I like to look at something, enjoy and savour it, not spend all night looking for it!! (I do have a manual AZ mount as well!)

[M.]

Interesting.

I think this is very true, I'm fresh on it with the manual scope so maybe a few months and it will become tedious.... Nah, who am I kidding, I love the turning of the nobs and the joy that finding things manually brings

[tuckstar]

Like daz, I have a modded dob so it's a manual but with the setting circle and wixey it becomes a push to, sometimes it does feel a bit like cheating, and I really should get some good star charts, but it's so easy to find objects it rude not too.

[Brantuk]

I like manual, push to, goto, EQ, Alt/Az, etc all in equal measure - and for some applications one is better than another (eg AP).

 

What I like most is having the choice as the mood takes me - so I have a fair smattering of all. If forced to choose only one - I'd probably opt for a very large aperture manual dob - but I wouldn't be entirely happy lol.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Brantuk

[Smithysteve]

Goto or manual?

Both have pro's & cons.

Goto

A goto, if set up correctly, should allow you to find more stuff, quicker than 'shove to' or 'wind to', so you spend more time looking at the things you want to see, theoretically! But they are expensive, take longer to set up, can fail, and need practice to get used to controls etc. They are heavier and need power etc.

Manual

If you like the thrill of the hunt and have loads of time and don't mind spending hours looking for an elusive object and ending up not being too disappointed at having not found it, then you will love manual. ☺ï¸

But they are quick to set up and simpler to operate... You will become more familiar with the sky than relying on a scopes computer to find stuff.

An experienced observer, who knows his way around the sky well, will get the most out of a manual.

An inexperienced observer will generally fail to find anything much and his scope can end up in the loft!

A lot of manual systems grow to use setting circles etc to help home in to objects, but you still need to know where stuff is at ðŸ˜

Ok, I have both, and love both, my LX200 is set up in a dome, it's parked and ready to go within 2 mins of flicking the switch. I tell it where to go and hey presto, it mostly works ok! I get to see loads of stuff...

If I had to choose only have one it might be........ My current goto setup - i had manual for first 30 years! but I love and can appreciate both systems... It's not just a case of goto or manual, there are many other factors to take into account... And thank goodness we don't have to choose only one! 😄

My binoculars are very manual! 😃

Cheers!

[Werisit]

If I had to have only one it would be manual.

Use Go To and find some little faint fuzzy. Press the button. Look through the eye piece, Yeh-great-what's next.............

Or

What do I want to look at? Paw over info and maps planning how to find it (plenty of time to do this on cloudy nights), go out with your maps and track it down. Wow I've found it! And now I can look up at the sky and know that object* is just there, about 2/5 of the way between the star on the right and the one on the left. (* M57).

I often use my HEQ5 to track a planet though, as it allows me to just sit and concentrate on the detail. And yes if you want anything other than star trail photos you need to track or guide.   

[Tweedledee]

I found my way round the sky in an ancient time long before gotos were even dreamt of. I was good at star hopping over 40 years ago. Now I am so glad that I had to do it that way as it is a skill I haven't lost and have probably improved on over the years. Anyone who starts off with goto is less likely to get a good understanding of where things are.

I am very happy to use a non-goto telescope, and enjoy the challenge of using skill to find stuff and get big kick when I'm successful.

I would also love to use a good reliable goto along with a laptop rigged to show the exact position of the scope and allowing point and click to send the scope off to an object. I have enjoyed using this method previously with 10" LX200 in my old observatory. Goto would allow me to see more in one session without wasting too much time hunting for the difficult stuff which may not even be visible. That luxury would be very useful when time is short due to work or family commitments.