To argo or not to argo...

[ferret]

Hello everyone,

I currently have a Celestron 102 SLT which I take out three or four times a week for casual observing. I am still pretty new at finding things on my own (particularly with limited time) and find the goto on this scope a godsend.

I am now looking at a 8 or 10 inch GSO dob for the fuzzies (they seem so enticing in my refractor - I want MORE :D).

My question really is, if I mount a green laser on the celestron, will this be roughly usable for finding the good stuff in a big apeture, or am I going to need an argo navis?

I can't find much opinion on the argo navis - good or bad.:shrug:

[acropolite]

If your are interested Dave has a dob for sale in the Icetrade section complete with ArgoNavis, I don't think you would be disappointed.

[ferret]

I saw that, but sadly I am in Brisbane...

[dugnsuz]

From what I've heard the Argo Navis is the king of the 'push to" digital setting circles - no one seems to have a bad word to say and the customer support is excellent also. The main man (Gary I think) regularly answers questions on this forum.
A wise choice for a large Dob I reckon.
Cheers
Doug

[GeoffW1]

What???

There is an avalanche of it - all positive. :thumbsup: You can't go wrong with an AN, especially on a Dob scope. I fitted one to a 302mm Bintel Dob and have never looked back. Catalogue, Identify, Tour, Nearest, it does the lot. I find it particularly suited to light-polluted suburban Sydney because you can refine your choice of objects and the limit of magnitude AN looks for.

(Disclaimer - absolutely no connection with AN personally)

Cheers

[monoxide]

doesnt get much better than a 12" with argo navis :)

[netwolf]

The best accessory for a dob is the ArgoNavis. Star hopping is a good thing to learn, but in the modern world with more light polluted skies its just not so easy.

Regards

[danielsun]

Welcome ferret,
Trust me , the best thing ever to attach to your dob is an Argo Navis i have one and it is fantastic, very easy to use the service Gary gives is spot on. It can also teach you where things are in the sky with a very detailed description about whatever object you are looking at or find any object you want plus much much more.
I have recently bought a HEQ5 pro go to and if Sky Watcher want to learn how to improve their set up they should have a good hard look at the AN.

[gary]

Hi,

Thanks for the post. Gary Kopff here from Wildcard Innovations.

We have an encoder kit available for the GSO Dobs and you can read about the
details here -
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au/kits/pn-gs-10-spec_describe.html

I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Don't forget, there is also an Argo Navis User's Group hosted on Yahoo at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/argo_navis_dtc/

Selected a little while back by U.S. Sky & Telescope magazine as one
of its Hot Products of the year, not only is Argo Navis the world's most popular
after-market telescope computer, but arguably the most succesful astronomical
product to be exported out of Australia. There are thousands in use around the
world. You will even find one on the largest professional telescope in Canada
as well as in use at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona.

Designed and manufactured in Sydney, you will find them in use from the
shores of Lake Titicaca at 12,500' in Boliva, to islands in the Caribbean, to
the velds of Africa, to the peaks of Switzerland and in countless backyards
the world over.

Definitely go the 10" rather than the 8". It's worth it for the light grasp.
However, should you ever decide to upgrade to something larger in the future,
say a 20" Obsession or SDM, simply take your Argo Navis with you. Argo Navis is
the telescope computer of choice for premium scopes such as these
and is in use by a "who's who" of some of the world's most dedicated observers.

Thanks again for the post.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place
Mount Kuring-Gai NSW 2080
Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[ferret]

Well I wasn't expecting that - the managing director replying to my post!!

I take it from the deafening silence to the first part of my post that the green laser mounted on my goto is a stupid idea...

[acropolite]

Not at all, its works quite well, but an ArgoNavis is a lot smaller and easier to transport than an additional Goto plus if you're at a gathering, where others are trying to image, you will find yourself very unpopular using a green laser. The AN is also adaptable to pretty well anything should you choose to update your equipment.

[Dave47tuc]

Tha Argo navis is the best pointing device you can have on your scope:thumbsup:

I was looking for small Globulars in Sag, last night using 250x Argo was pointing just fine:thumbsup:

[danielsun]

I have a green lazer pointer mounted on both of my scopes and find it very handy. It works as a finder with the Argo and HEQ5 as well as showing me exactly where those deep sky fuzzies are hiding in the sky.

[Garyh]

Hi Ferret, every review I have read about the AN are all positive, so I don`t think you can go wrong...I shall be getting one next year for my gm-8 mount when I can save up some more $$$
cheers Gary

[gary]

Hi,

Wlecome to IceInSpace.

Now and then you can meet us in person as well at a star party near you. :)

When we can, we try to get up to the Queensland Astrofest. This year,
whilst Astrofest was on, we were at the Border Stargaze near Albury.

In January, if you had made it down to Lostock in the NSW Hunter Valley to
the IceInSpace AstroCamp, you might have even been lucky enough to
win an Argo Navis we donated to help support this forum.

Likewise, another opportunity to meet not only with us but with other
Argo Navis owners was at the ASNSW South Pacific Star Party in April.
Again, another opportunity to win an Argo Navis.

If you had been lucky enough to be in Texas last May for the Texas Star
Party, one of the world's greatest star parties, you would have had the
opportunity to meet us again, along with personalities such as Dave Kriege
of Obsession Telescopes and Al Nagler from Tele Vue, who, like us, are
very approachable fun-loving guys that like to observe as well. At the Texas
Star Party, the Great Texas Giveaway is so large it takes two nights to give
all the prizes away. This year, the Grand Prize? - what else but an Argo Navis. ;)

We hope to get to say "hi" to you one day soon on an observing field! :thumbsup:

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place
Mount Kuring-Gai NSW 2080
Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au

[OneOfOne]

I have a laser and Telrad mounted on my C11 and both of them are very handy for the initial alignment and for locating or pointing out targets in the sky. The only time I use the laser after alignment though is if I have a number of people and they ask where in the sky we are actually looking. I can use the Telrad if I am somewhere that lasers are not permitted.

[rmcpb]

I would vote for the AN and a Telrad on an 8-10" dob. Hard combination to beat if you have the money :)