help me chose between 2 scopes

[Tejas]

Hi Guys
i am tossing up between 2 scopes and would like a bit of advice.

i am pretty much a n00b with this stuff, and am debating between 2 different scopes.

i'm looking at the 2 following scopes:

a 10" Dobsonian full tube or,
a NexStar 4SE goto.

i have used the dobsonian on a casual basis and really love the views it gives me of saturn and other planets. however, the size of a 10" is an issue as i drive a yaris hatchback.

the bonus also is the 10" is only $700. if i buy the dob i can use the remander in my budget for new eyepieces

the nextstar goto is smaller than the dob, which actually concerns me as i love the clarity of the dob, but the goto function interests me greatly as someone new to the hobby. the downside is it is $200 more than the dob.

i will use the scope to start off with to view planets and move onto deep space objects from there..

thanks for your help guys

[mental4astro]

Hi Ben,

:welcome: to IIS, mate.

They are two very different beasts, the greatest difference is their size, one a 10" aperture the other just 4". This difference is what is most significant, not the length of the tubes. Astronomy is all about collecting as much of the faint light as possible. A 10" scope collects more than 6 times the light of a 4". The image quality as a result is most significant, with the larger instrument being able to show much more detail.

I understand the size of a 10" solid tube Newtonian is considerable. Would you consider an 8" dob instead. Its size is much more manageable, but the aperture grunt is still 4 time that of a 4" scope. You WILL see a lot more in an 8" than a 4" too. You will see not only more detail in the planets with an 8" scope, but you will see detail in galaxies that you won't in a 4". An 8" scope is an extremely capable instrument. The dob I use most at home in Sydney is my 8", not my 17.5"! An 8" dob is no slouch.

A go-to function is nice, but not necessary. There a plenty of smart phone apps that can be used as finder charts with amazing detail. Many people use their smart phones for this very purpose. You can just punch in the object you are interested in, and the phone will show you where it is in the sky in real time. You can also point the phone in any direction of the sky, and it will show you what can be seen in any direction, moving the image as you move the phone. Some people are even mounting their smart phones onto their scopes, using them as a push-to function to locate the objects.

I would strongly suggest you consider an 8" dob over a 4", regardless of the go-to function the 4" you mention has, if a 10" is too big. You will end up disappointed with the image given by a 4" if you've already used a large dob.

Mental.

[barx1963]

I will second all of Alex's comments (he is a wise man!!)
Those 4" SE scopes are really not much chop for deep sky work.
Also GoTo sounds nice, but it is not the easy answer. You still need to know enough of the sky to properly align it.

Malcolm

[bigjoe]

Tejas listen to these guys they know what there talking about.These little gotos may look cute good on planets and moon, but are absolutely useless on deep sky.Even my portable 5" mak though great on planets struggles with a 32mm epMy 10"sct kills it on dsos etc

[Tejas]

thanks guys. TBH i was leaning more towards the dob anyway. the 8 inch is certainly an option (especially as the place i am buying from doesn't have the 10 in stock now anyway!)

now to await the tax man to do his stuff

[Logieberra]

I'd go dob. Bulky, yes. But massive light gathering ability. You will need to learn collimation if you go dob, but I personally enjoyed that experience.

[doug mc]

the ten inch dob is the same length as an eight, and not much heavier. Go for the 10.

[AstralTraveller]

Can you get a 10" or 8" dobs tub in the back of the hatch with the rear seats down. (I can measue the length of mine tonight if you want.) Can you get the tube and base side by side in the back? If so, go for it.

[Tejas]

i got the 10" collapsible. i can get the tube in the backseat without removing the baby seat in there and put the base on the front passenger seat. as my wife isn't into my hobby this works well for me.

[Satchmo]

Andrews Comms has the 8" for $399...

[gaa_ian]

I have many scopes ranging in size from 4" to 18"
My 10" Dob is the most used, given I want a scope to take somewhere.
If you can afford it a collapsible 10" would solve your space problem.
You are better off with the aperture than the Go-To !