First Telescope

[highlander2287]

I want to get into some star watching with my wife and surprise her with a telescope. I would like to be able to view some deep sky stuff so have been doing a bit of googling and research for suitable scopes within my budget range of about $1500-$2000. Have tried to narrow the choices down by looking at scopes with the most positive reviews from owners. At this stage I would mainly be wanting to look from my backyard. Not looking at travelling to locations. Have narrowed it so far to a short list of 200/1000 skywatcher, celestron 8se (although a bit dearer) and a 10" dob. At this stage I am leaning towards the 10" dob and if so down the track maybe getting a dob goto setup to help with location objects. So I was just after any thought or advice on this information. Any advice appreciated.

[spiezzy]

Hi there Brett I think you are leaning the correct way 10" Dob would be perfect for you and your wife and it would be fun for both of you to learn the night sky and find objects using the basics then working to a goto system later on .
love to hear your fist light report when you have a new telescope
cheers Pete

[Bobbyoutback]

Hello Brett ,
Seeing this will be your first scope ' consider a 8'' F/6 Dob , it will show you amazing amounts of stuff out there .

It's also easier to collimate being F/6 ' plus being able to be moved in one go .
Also less expensive eyepieces work better at F/6 !

Then after a year you will know what your next scope should be :)

Regards
Bobby .

[Outcast]

Hi Brett & welcome to the forum;

Only advice I tend to give on telescopes is buy the one you think you will actually use.. there is no One perfect does it all scope, they all have there strengths & weaknesses both optically & practicality wise.

10" Dob will certainly give you stunning views but, if you can, go & physically see one so you can understand what you might be getting yourself into with regard to moving it around... not saying you won't like it but, only reading reviews & seeing pictures doesn't give you a great understanding of what you will actually be handling... again, not saying anything bad but, you might decide when you've seen these scopes up front & personal that a different scope is best for you.... or you might decide that absolutely the 10" dob is indeed the scope for you.

8" dob won't disappoint either for that matter but, just might be a bit cheaper & a bit easier to handle in order to get started...

With regard to budget & goto... I'm a lazy guy... I love goto... but, now 11 years in, I've decided it's time to learn the sky properly.. My 12" dob doesn't have goto but, it does have digital setting circles & a Nexus DSC so, the only thing is, I'm the motor & it doesn't track... but, that doesn't bother me at all...

If you are considering goto or, you are in a hurry to just see stuff & learn where & what later, then goto is a great investment. Just be aware, you might save money by factoring it into your budget from the get go... to add it on later, first of all, you need to make sure you bought the dob that can have one fitted & secondly, right now, it will cost you around $1500 to buy a Skywatcher kit to add on vs maybe $1100 or so if you buy it with the scope in the first place.

Other thing to do is to peruse the classifieds on here.. some good bargains pop up.. just do your homework & if you can, go take a good look at the scope before you commit.. folk on here can advise you on what to look for & generally speaking, if you are buying from someone with a long history on this site, you will generally be getting top quality/condition gear.. just remember the old, 'buyer beware'...

Have a read of some of the beginner stickies (threads at the top) & browse through the beginners forum in general.. absolute wealth of knowledge to start reading up.. also, don't hesitate to ask questions on here... lots of friendly & very knowledgable people who are more than happy to share their knowledge with you.

Enjoy your new hobby.. you will love it, it will absolutely mesmerise you...

Cheers

[Allan_L]

A 10" DOB will show you a lot more fainter DSOs than an 8" SCT.
But the 8SE has goto, to locate the fainter DSOs.

I relation to mobility, I suggest a Skywatcher 10" collapsible DOB.
You'll notice from my signature, I have one, if you want to come and have a look.

I previously had an 11" goto SCT and the DOB is my preferred instrument. (not to mention $4,000 cheaper)

[highlander2287]

Thanks for all the very helpful replies. I am looking at the skywatcher dob. I have seen the skywatcher goto upgrade kits available. Is there any actual difference between tubes, saxon skywatcher, bintel or are they all just rebadged and you might get different packages depending who you buy from. I have considered a collapsible but have read that they can collect dust and often have issues with regular collimation needed. I have seen a 6" and 8" dob in a shop and they dont look too big. I am led to believe that the 10" will basically be the same size/height just a wider tube and obviosuly heavier.. Common sense probably says I should get an 8" but would really like the extra aperture of the 10". I have a dolly that I can use to move it around on which would help. Anyway still weighing up all options, pretty much decided to get a dob, just a matter of size, collapsible or goto. Thanks again for all the advice so far.

[Allan_L]

Everything collects dust.
Depending on where you store it.
Buy a shroud if you think it necessary.
I used a shroud on a previous 10" SW collapsible dob and 12" GOto collapsible DOB.
I never bothered with my latest 10" collapsible DOB.
No need.

They hold collimation amazingly well.
And that includes over rough roads to dark sites (see Buckets Way and Thunderbolt Way)!

As I said, come and have a look.

Collapsible is so much easier to handle.

Previously, I had a 8" SW Full Tube Newtonian and I DID find it difficult to handle, maneuver and set up.

But admittedly, I was a very newbie then.

Don't be fooled into going Equatorial Mount! :(
(IMHO)

[raymo]

O.K. Saxon and skywatcher are made in China by Synta, and are mostly identical except for badgeing. Bintel ones are made in Taiwan. Nothing much to choose quality wise, except Bintel focusers have tended to be a little better.
Three downsides to the Bintel scopes are that as far as I know they still don't make GOTO ones, they still don't make collapsible ones, and only certain
models have enough back focus to allow fitting of a camera without being
modified. None of the above applies to SW scopes.
10" SW Collapsible is my pick, GOTO if you can afford it, as adding it later is
prohibitively expensive, as already stated.
I had one until I was almost 75, only gave up when my eyes did. Carried outside in two parts; up and running in 2 or 3 mins.[non GOTO].
Tube held in back seat by seat belt. Base upright in rear of my Corolla hatch.
A+ to everything Allan said. They don't collect dust more than a full tube; they are both open at the end after all. I had a shroud but found
little improvement, so stopped bothering with it. Collimation his held amazingly well as Allan said, in fact unbelievably, better than any of
the numerous closed tubes I've had over the decades. Other types of collapsibles need tweaking after assembly, but just extend the SW tubes fully and nip up the knobs and you are ready to go. The 10" is about 200mm longer than the 8"
raymo

[highlander2287]

Thanks Allan and Raymo for the further comments. I would be happy to go with a collapsible if it doesn't cause the issues I raised that I had read online. Are you still able to stand next to a 10" collapsible if it is 200mm longer and look through the lens. I am not that tall, 5' 7".

[raymo]

You need a small stool,[ preferably adjustable], not tall enough to stand beside.
raymo

[highlander2287]

Is the solid tube the same length as the collapsible or is it a bit shorter.

[raymo]

Same length.
raymo

[astro744]

I have a Skywatcher 250mm, f4.7 solid tube that I bought the kids. It couldn't be simpler or easier to use and carry to the yard. Last thing I wanted was to assemble trusses each time and then require a shroud for a relatively small 'scope. If I were travelling out to remote dark sites then maybe but even then the 'scope fits across the back seat of most cars nicely and the cradle on the front seat. (Of course passengers become an issue!)

The solid tube lifts off the cradle leaving just two pieces to carry out to the back yard. When pointing straight up the eyepiece is at 1230mm from the ground. I am 165cm and have to bend over so you won't have a problem at all.

The front of the primary mirror sits about 300mm from the floor. The focal length is 250 x 4.7 = 1180mm. The eyepiece height = 300+1180-half tube diameter-focuser distance. I find the eyepiece height a little low for lower object angles but the kids like it. I also have a 10.1" f6.4 which I designed to have an eyepiece height at zenith equal to my eye level standing up. This worked great until I got an EQ platform which raised the height a bit. (I don't use the EQ much but its great for extended viewing of the same object at higher power). The Skywatcher 250/f4.7 is at perfect height with the EQ platform. (The new Skywatcher is listed as f5 but the focal length doesn't equate!)

The Bintel/GSO I believe is f5 so focal length is about 75mm longer so still fine for height. I'm not sure how high off the ground the primary of the GSO sits but I doubt it's higher that's the Skywatcher.

I bought mine used and if I were buying new I'd probably buy BINTEL because I don't like the focuser on the Skywatcher I have (I thinks it's earlier model). For some strange reason it has a stop inside the 2' barrel preventing the insertion of a Paracorr fully (unable to active focus with one) and also preventing a 2" laser collimator Barlow plug from being seen from inside the tube. (I used the Astrosystems model). This may have been addressed on the newer models and it's not really an issue for general use as the focuser is solid. The kids don't use the Paracorr and as a beginner you won't need one to enjoy the views. As for collimation I have reverted to visual sight tube and star test and once done it holds collimation nicely.

If you are near BINTEL go into store and have a look at their models. If 250mm is not too big for you and you can afford it then don't even consider smaller apertures. As for eyepieces that is a whole new topic and you will likely add to your set in years to come but you can still enjoy the night sky with the eyepieces that come with it.

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

[highlander2287]

Thank you astro744 for some great info.

[raymo]

Don't forget that most Bintel Dobs do not have enough back focus to attach
a camera. Check with them that your chosen scope is suitable for photography.
raymo

[Nightingale]

The people who are advising you to get a large Dobsonian without GOTO and tracking are purely and simply giving you the wrong advice..

In fact, if you are a beginner, you should get a GOTO system.. period! even if it is a smaller aperture scope.. You will learn the night sky quicker rather than wasting time looking and tracking yr object.. this will save you a lot of frustrating nights.. believe me, I have been there..

It is actually the other way round.. a larger Dobsonian is actually for more experienced astronomers... as it takes time and patience to find the object, balance your scope with heavy eyepieces and manually track your object...

Do not make the mistake I made! Always get a GOTO as a beginner (whatever type or aperture you can afford).. the mount is by far the most important part of your telescope.. and tracking is very very important.. in a Dobsonian, your beautiful globular cluster would have veered out of your field of view by the time you picked up a new eyepiece to change the magnification..

[Outcast]

I agree completely with this... if you want to see stuff from the get go.... then buy something with goto... if you want to faff around, try to learn to starhop & possibly get frustrated & give up, then don't buy a goto...

I've been at this hobby now for 11 years... I'd have given up long ago if I hadn't bought a goto mount for the 80mm refractor I started with... I now own a large aperture custom built dobsonian that doesn't have goto but, it still has DSC & a Nexus device so I can find stuff... but, if your budget is $2000, you aren't even in vaguely in the hunt for what I purchased...

I am only now beginning to get interested in actually learning the night sky but, it will be a slow process... in the meantime, I have my goto & my DSC's to still find things whilst I learn... so the slow process will not prevent me from seeing things & will therefore cause me little to no frustration..

So, for your budget, there are actually a number of options that you might consider & still get goto, even if you purchase new... even a 10" dob with goto is not that far a stretch from your stated budget...

As Nightingale suggests, goto is a must if you want to stay interested & see things whilst you learn... I could not endorse his suggestion any more strongly..

There will be many others on here that disagree & that's their right... just because goto wasn't an option when they got into the hobby (in some cases) or because they were single minded enough to learn the night sky as they got into the hobby, doesn't mean everyone is or that you are...

The technology exists & is quite affordable.. why not use it to your advantage...

[highlander2287]

Ive got to say I agree with the last few comments as well. No offence to all advice received. I have no idea what I would be looking for or where it is. I know you can use apps etc but as mentioned I wouldn't want to get frustrated by not being able to find much and therefore lose interest quickly, so my preference is no matter what I may end up buying to try and get it with goto.

[GodsPetMonkey]

Agree with all the GOTO suggestions. While the old manual dob is the classic cheap way to get wow-views for beginners, GOTO is a life saver. I started the manual way, with an 8" collapsible, and about 18 months later spent the money on a GOTO base (ouch...); much better!


This is especially the case if you are bringing your misses along. Even if your the patient sort to enjoy the nudge-nudge-just-a-bit-over-there hunt, the person not spending that time looking through the eye-piece is going to get bored.



But the biggest benefit of GOTO isn't the actual go to your target function, it's the tracking - nothing worse then calling your wife over to have a look, and by the time she is there and has lined up a clear view through the eyepiece, it's gone! Ugh. Keeping the target in view, and being able to make small adjustments with the hand controller is well worth the price of admission.


Fortunately both the 8" and 10" collapsible GOTO dobs from SkyWatcher are in your budget. Pick one of those, and be happy.

[astro744]

I forgot about GOTO and I think its a great idea for some but I prefer to learn the sky from books, charts and looking up. The problem I see with GOTO is that the telescope finds your objects, you look at them and then move onto the next one (provided your system is properly setup to begin with). You don't learn how to find them yourself by star hoping as you don't need to and even the concept of field of view is not critical although try GOTO with high power/narrow field and you'll get frustrated. I find it amazing how many people think an entire constellation is visible in the telescope through a single eyepiece at one time. Point your finger out at arms length and the width of your fingernail is about what you see at low power.

I like to take my charts out and star hop to objects of interest and I try to memorise where each is. Over time I can find a dozen objects before I would have even gotten my GOTO aligned on some reference stars. I have both GOTO and Push To on separate mounts (GM8/Gemini I and AZ8/Nexus II+moving map on phone/tablet) and do not use either feature other than EQ tracking on the GM8. I have an EQ platform for my Dobs but most of the time don't use it.

The only use I would have for GOTO is to provide tracking for extended viewing of planets and that would be the only reason to include it in a purchase if I were shopping. If you choose GOTO for whatever reason, just don't sacrifice aperture too much in your decision. If you were contemplating 250mm and if this with GOTO is too expensive then get the 200mm with GOTO but definitely no less than 150mm with GOTO. There is a 2.78x brightenss difference between 150mm and 250mm apertures and this is noticeable especially on faint galaxies and yes most of them are faint.

150 to 200 = 1.78x
200 to 250 = 1.56x

I don't want to give you aperture fever though so don't get me wrong as you can have a lifetime of enjoyment with 150mm, 200mm or 250mm. If you like gizmos and gadgets then get the GOTO but it can be frustrating too when the telescope says the object is in the field of view but you don't see it. Its either way off, just outside the field of view or too faint for you to see. If you star hop you'll know if you're in the right area and if you refer to some reference books you'll know if this object should be visible. Sky Safari Pro has all the charts you'll ever need as well as the reference data but remember to use night mode and dim the lights otherwise you'll ruin you night vision each time. I personally do not take my tablet outside at night when I'm observing and prefer printed charts, field guides and a dim red torch.

Whatever you choose enjoy and if it be GOTO, I encourage you to still try and learn the sky and how to navigate around it if you can. If planets are your main interest then anything with tracking is highly recommended (not critical), otherwise complete manual operation is fine but you will need some charts and reference books and learn how to star hop as its a great method for finding things and highly recommended.

For your information I have used Sky Atlas 2000.0 Deluxe for over 35 years and it is still my main atlas. I complement it with Uranometria when I want to go deeper for certain galaxies. The revised version has star names included which the original didn't but otherwise they are both excellent printed charts. The deluxe (black stars on white background with colour DSOs) is best; I have never liked the whites stars on black background field version but that doesn't mean you wont.

I mentioned the Nexus II+moving map on tablet earlier and this is a great Push To option and you can learn the sky this way as there is a cross hair on the screen showing you where the telescope is pointed and you can use Sky Safari to do a tour mode of selected objects. It will show you where to push your telescope to. The Nexus II black box and encoders can be added to just about any DOB mount aftermarket. You just need a tablet or phone. As I said I've got this on one of my mounts but still prefer a fully manual operated Dob/Alt Az and to hunt down the objects by star hopping. Maybe that's just me.

Note to clarify a point; GOTO tracking on an Alt-Az mount such as a DOB is not EQ tracking as neither axis is aligned with the Earth's rotational axis. It is perfectly adequate for visual observing but there is field rotation which is only a problem with long exposure astrophotography.

[highlander2287]

Thanks again for all the help and advice. I am basically set on a 10" dob with goto. I have 1 or 2 wheeled bases I can use to help with moving it around. The only thing I am still undecided on is whether to go collapsible or solid. There are a few deals at the moment on collapsible goto dobs and I realise it would make things lighter and cheaper. There don't seem to be many options from the getgo with solid tubes fitted with goto, they seem to be an add on. Being a novice I just feel that the solid tube would be more suited for me. Just need to decide and bite the bullet. Just to add, I would still try to search manually but like the option of having the goto available if/when needed.

[astro744]

Sounds like a plan. Nothing wrong with truss as you can leave it assembled. Just get a shroud if it doesn't come with one as it will help with contrast. You will definitely use the tracking feature to keep objects centred. I hope you get a lot of hours under clear skies with your new telescope. Enjoy!

[raymo]

Operating a SW collapsible couldn't be easier. just extend the tube and tighten
the three knobs, and you are up and running.[say 20 or 30 seconds]. MUCH easier than traditional truss Dobs like the Meade Lightbridge models. Also much easier to carry around than the full tube. The tubes are so substantial that any one tube can act as a carry handle.
raymo

[Outcast]

Okay, up front, I don't own a collapsible SW Dob but, I have a mate who uses a 12" collapsible dob in his astronomy tours up here in Cairns. This scope is manhandled 3 - 4 times a week into the rear compartment of his 4wd, driven over several kms of relatively rough track to the darksite where he conducts his tours & then manhandled out of the 4wd to the viewing location... He is careful but, not especially gentle with this scope... Rarely if ever does he actually have to do a great deal with collimation.. serioulsy, it holds it that well.. he will every so often do a quick check with a collimation cap & laser in daylight maybe once a month but, invariably he finds he doesn't have to touch anything...

Remember, he is using this for paying customers (and as it turns out, some of his paying customers are professional astronomers visiting from abroad)...

He doesn't use a shroud either... he just gets it out (2 person lift - it is the 12" afterall), plonks it on the ground, undoes the brackets, pulls it up to full extension, locks the brackets, slips in an eyepiece & off he goes.. He doesn't need Goto but, I & many others do.... or at least Digital Setting Circles & a device... :lol:

I have a custom built 12" truss dob (Gondwana), I was planning to have a shroud made for using it in my backyard to limit stray light.... have found I don't actually need it for that or to keep dust off the mirror.. it has a mirror box cuff about a foot tall that does the job just fine.. only reason I might put a shroud on it is for insurance against accidently dropping something heavier than a collimation cap onto the mirror...

Go for the collapsible, your back will enjoy the weight relief & your collimation & views will be superb...

[gaseous]

A 10" GOTO dob will be a scope you'll love. I see a certain Brisbane-based astro shop has the Skywatcher 10" goto for $1999 delivered, if their website is accurate.

[Nightingale]

Astro744 - i am not sure what goto system you are using.. the newer goto systems are quite accurate.. and my lx90 keeps the target dead centre at 300X for 2h.. i have not stuck to an object for longer than 2h so i do not know if it will stay in the FOV indefinitely.. sure it might not be dead centred after the first allignment.. but the newer systems have a synchronize function.. which means you could go on refining the accuracy as the night goes.. and it takes me literally 2 minutes to align my scope now (after the first two nights of figuring out how to work the hand controller)..

As to galaxies... lets not kid ourselves.. if you want to actually visualize a galaxy properly (with all its beautiful spirals) then you will need something with an aperture of more than 20inches.. The only galaxies i see in my 12inch are a tiny smidge of fluff and that too barely... in that case you will need a super large dobsonian, driven or otherwise.. even then you will not enjoy the views... galaxies are best appreciated via astrophotography... and that is a whole different ball game as it requires an equatorial mount or a derotator and other expensive equipment to get it right..

Aperture is important, in fact, very important... it will make your visual viewing brighter... but never more important than your mount! If you have a horrible mount without goto, you will get frustrated and loose interest..

And when you turn 70 and want to conquer your dreams of visualising a galaxy as what they look like in photos, then get a super large, undriven dob.. by that age you would have developed the patience and time (as you might be retired) to spend the whole night under the skies to tickle your fancies..

[Nightingale]

Brett - i have sent you a pm... pls check..

[highlander2287]

I have noticed that ozscopes also have a sale on a 10" black diamond dob with goto and wifi delivered for $1938. I don't want to start any store bashing but am curious if there are any opinions or experiences on either store (astroastronomy and ozscopes). I have a local store that sell various types of equipment including skywatcher dobs but but do not list a 10". I might speak to them and see if they can get a 10" with goto in and at what price.

[Outcast]

Can't comment on Ozscopes but, Astro Anarchy are excellent to deal with...

Cheers

[astro744]

I have a Losmandy GM8 with Gemini I. It is a single line multi level scrolling text based system. I have dabbled with GOTO but whole experience doesn't enthuse me enough. Upgrading to Gemini II has not interested me. I can connect to SkyTools Pro on a PC for a moving map display but again not interested. Many people love GOTO, I'm simply not one of them.

I have no trouble finding galaxies in my suburban back yard including galaxy hopping through Virgo including quasar 3C 273. M83 too is visible in 15x70 binoculars. Most galaxies are just a smudge but they get brighter as aperture increases. The best thing you can do to observe galaxies is to go to a dark site. If I want photos I'll visit the Hubble web site, same reason why I don't bother with astrophotography. I enjoy seeing the light from a distant galaxy directly in the eyepiece, not via an image on a photo. My main interest is finding an object and then trying to find it again from memory later in the night or the next night. That is what I enjoy most and in doing so I build up my own internal GOTO database in my head and it's faster for me than any computer driven mount.

No telescope will show you what a photo shows and no photo will bring to you those photons in real time (accounting for light travel time). Not everyone will get frustrated without GOTO and I don't agree with that assumption. A mount without GOTO is not necessarily horrible too. Also I don't need to so spend all night finding objects. I can enjoy an hour of star hoping with nothing more than a telescope and a star chart (if not going off memory) and find dozens of objects.

I think if you like using GOTO then that's fine especially if you get frustrated navigating the sky otherwise. I'm sure there are plenty of observers who could not live without GOTO but I think to there are many that can enjoy the hobby without frustration without a GOTO system and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. (In case your wondering I don't like using a GPS when driving but prefer to look at a street map, memorise the route and drive on).

Clear skies to you!

[Bobbyoutback]

What a great comment Astro744 , some of us were lucky enough to learn where things were before GOTO .

Like map reading today ' if the GPS stops working most are stuffed !

Bobby.

[Nightingale]

Astro744- haha.. no gps? Omg!...

But I do agree... when you do it the hard way, you remember better.. having said that, astronomy, is not life or death for everyone... some people do not have the time or patience...

I had a lot of patience when I started with my Newtonian 25 years ago but just did not have the time.. I got very frustrated and cursed myself for not getting a proper driven scope.. not so much the GOTO function, but the tracking.. Had to keep fiddling with the setting circles the whole night.. and I was also using charts back then.. that is all we had back then! I dropped stargazing for many years in between for the fact it was taking too much of my time and I had to focus on studies (like what normal people do).. and partly because I did not have my scope with me while at uni and during the early working days..

The lx90 with the help of sky safari pro has made me learn much more and much quicker... now I can focus on the detail rather than having to adjust my scope every couple of minutes.. Mind you, the people who created these programmes and GOTO systems were all traditional Star hoppers like yourself who probably realised how much easier life would be with them around..

Having said that, if you are really passionate about astronomy and want a challenge and are extremely good with your sense of direction with ample amount of patience and time then by all means a large undriven scope would be your pick...

[highlander2287]

I am just curious as to why solid tube dobs do not appear to come "standard" as goto setups, whereas collapsibles seem to. Is there any particlar reason.

[raymo]

Collapsibles are more popular than solid tubes, so easier to sell. They wouldn't
want to get stuck with unsold more expensive scopes. Also, the Dobs from
Bintel are not made in collapsible and/or GOTO form as far as I know.
raymo

[highlander2287]

Fair enough. Thanks for that.

[highlander2287]

Interestingly I've also noticed that online most shops/websites ask between $70-$200 for delivery depending where you live which is fair enough, but one or two sell on ebay as well and on there they only apparently charge $25 delivery to the same area. Makes you wonder why they can't offer the cheaper price on their websites.

[astro744]

Bintel sell both solid tube and collapsible with the latter with or without GOTO.

See https://www.bintel.com.au/product-category/telescopes/dobsonian/?v=6cc98ba2045f

If you’re nearby drop in and talk to the guys there. Their advice is first class and you see what you are getting if it’s on the showroom floor.

[raymo]

Price pressure, [competition] including freight charges, is immense on ebay,
so they are forced to suck up some of the delivery costs in order to make a sale. In the world of bricks and mortar [especially Australia] competition is
much less, even sometimes non existent, so they can pass on the full freight cost, which is fair enough. They can of course offer to pay some of the freight
in order to sweeten a deal.
Hi Astro 744, I had forgotten that Bintel now sell SW gear, and was referring to their GSO Dobs.
raymo

[astro744]

Just to throw a spanner back in the works after rereading your ad I think the 14” collapsible SW telescope that just came up for sale in the classifieds would fit the bill. It’s within budget, it’s a great choice for DSOs and it may be close enough to you for an inspection.

It’s not GOTO but that came up later in the discussion and if thats important to you then forget the 14” but ask yourself what part of GOTO is important. If it’s the tracking then no the one for sale won’t have it. If it’s the ability to find objects then consider PUSH-TO in the form of NEXUS II and a tablet.

See https://www.astrodevices.com/shop/index.php?product/page/8/Nexus-II

and https://www.astrodevices.com/shop/index.php?product/page/12/Sky-Watcher+Classic+%26+Collapsible+Enc oder+Kit

Check with Serge at Astro Devices to ensure correct selection. Go with the highest resolution encoders you can afford.

As I said I’m not a GOTO fan as I prefer to locate objects on my own but I do have PUSH-TO on a smaller mount and the NEXUS II combined with iPhone or iPad is great for learning where objects are located because you see where the ‘scope is pointing on a moving map display. You can zoom in or out and when you search for an object there are pointers on screen showing you which way to nudge the telescope. Just keep your screen red and dim and it won’t interfere with your night vision.

Note a 14” telescope will gather 2x more light than a 10” and 3x more than an 8”. I know it sounds like aperture fever creeping in but I am just trying to get you the most for your money and save you buying another larger telescope latter. I also think the PUSH-TO system is great for learning if you don’t want to do it with charts and reference books and can be added aftermarket when you have the funds. Maybe it’s not for the beginner but not every beginner is the same and it would be a shame if after 10 years of use you would have your GOTO show you hundreds of objects and yet you still don’t know the sky. I’m not saying that will happen to you and if you have your heart and mind set on GOTO then go for it and you will likely enjoy it but as I said before try not to sacrifice too much aperture.

A 10” telescope can be a lifetime ‘scope and my only reason for this post is to bring to your attention another option with would have normally been beyond budget but now affordable. A 14” may be too much telescope for a beginner or it may not it depending on the beginner. You could always complement it with a small refractor on a smaller GOTO mount but you’ll soon realise aperture wins (except for widefields where a small refractor excels) If I hadn’t recently invested in a 16” I’d be getting the 14” for myself because of its compact (collapsible) design.

I apologise if this has complicated your decision making and maybe it will sell before you decide. I highly recommend going into store at BINTEL and have a look at different telescopes and talk to the staff there as they are very helpful and you may just walk out with something different. There is no right and wrong telescope and if it gets you under the stars it’s all good. Be warned now you will end up with multiple telescopes of different designs one day and you will enjoy them all for different reasons so it probably doesn’t matter what you start with. Who said buying a telescope was easy! (Same goes for eyepieces but that’s another story).

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

[highlander2287]

Yes I did notice the add for the 14". Thanks for the heads up anyway. I will certainly give it some consideration.

[mental4astro]

Dob, 8", 10", 14"...

Goto or push-pull...

SCT vs dob...

While all good arguments for each, do you know what these look like, their size, storage/set up/ tramsport requirements, and most of all - what can your wife deal with physically if she is the one using it by herself any given night?

A 14" dob is a heck of a big and heavy beast. REALLY heavy. While it may sound really sweet to have such aperture, their are some serious things to consider about such an instrument.

With so many suggestions and options available to you for the sort of budget you have, I would suggest you first go go an astro club meet and see exactly what all these different scopes both look like, but start coming to understand what is required to transport, store, set up & take down, potential dew issues for both scope and mount... You will then make a better informed decision that will better meet your TOTAL set of requirements, not just the thrill of a new scope and potentially end up with a poor choice.

If you are in Sydney, there are many clubs, and each with their own urban and/or dark sites, ranging from Waterfall to Mona Vale, Belanglo State Forest to Katoomba Airfield, Linden Obs and Mt Bowen across the Blue Mountains. And at any of these meets, you will find most helpful and knowledgeable people.

You may dind that an 8" SCT with a single arm goto mount might best suit you and your wife, or an 8" or 10" or 12" or even a 14" dob. But without actually knowing what you are getting, and only armed with talk, it does not make for a really well informed choice. And your wife should be a part of the decision - the surprise is already there when you say "honey, let's get a scope!" Now if you make the surprise part of a visit to an astro club meet, there's an added element :)

Burning $2000 outright does not mean you are getting the best scope for the two of you.

Alex.

[Nightingale]

stick with the motorised option no matter what anyone tells you.. and if you are getting anything larger than a 10inch, an SCT is easier to handle and better with tracking.. even my 12inch Meade lx90 tests my boundaries for weight.. anything heavier, would have stayed in the closet.. and I must tell you very frankly, my initial budget for a telescope was $15000.. but after careful consideration, I went for something that cost a third of my budget.. not due to economics, but due to ergonomics as a visual scope... Would I have loved a 16inch Meade lx200? Sure I would.. but would not have been able to lift it.. for me, I would consider a large scope if I had someone else in the house who was interested in astronomy (who will help me lift and set it up) or if I had a permanent observatory.. and also the larger your scope, especially with Dobsonian, the more expensive your eyepieces.. as all have very short focal ratios.. and manual tracking becomes a nightmare in large dobs for a beginner...

[highlander2287]

Yes as much as the larger aperture would be great I don't really think a 14" dob would be suitable for my first scope.

[Bobbyoutback]

Sheez this is getting amusing , can't wait to see what's the next scope recommended is ? :lol:

Bobby .

[Ukastronomer]

Do not under estimate pre owned from a reputable seller as you get more for your money

[highlander2287]

I was looking at getting a goto dob for a first scope but have my eye ( as others no doubt do) on a 10" skywatcher collapsible dob (not goto) that is for sale not far from me for about $400. It comes with the standard 2 eyepieces. Just after peoples thoughts.

[Startrek]

Brett,
I’ve owned and used 8” and 10” Bintel GSO solid tube manual push nudge dobs for the past 3 years and now I have a Skywatcher 12” Goto dob which I’ve used for the past year
From my experience Skywatcher Goto dobs up to and including the 12” are easy to move around with a Bunnings parcel trolley either extended or collapsed provided you have hard surfaces like concrete, pavers, tiles or compressed gravel etc... ( I’m 60 years old and weigh 72kg )
The Goto function in Alt Az is “very accurate” provided your scope is really level and pointing roughly to the north meridian in the home position and most importantly use an illuminated reticle eye piece like an Orion 20mm 70 deg eye piece for centering your alignment stars ( 2 star alignment is more than adequate for an accurate pointing model )
I had some success but also struggled with the solid tube manual dobs trying to find objects “star hopping” around which to me is an acquired skill after many years of practice and understanding but also a frustration I was not prepared to deal with for the rest of my astronomy life ( clear skies are precious and waisting time trying to find objects is not in my opinion productive or fun )
Once I got my 12” Goto up and running it was such a great experience and I maximise my observing time every time I’m out under the stars
The most important part of your telescope is the eye piece which is your door to the universe. Put a great eye piece in a crappy scope and you still get reasonably good views but put a crappy eye piece is a great telescope and the views are less than satisfactory ( in most cases )
I went to high end Televue eye pieces straight off the bat ( I’m fortunate to be able to afford them ) and the views through the 12” Goto dob are literally out of this world on a night of good seeing ( pardon the pun )
From my experiences, I thoroughly recommend the Skywatcher 10” or 12” Goto dob and upgrade at some stage later with some better quality eye pieces when you can afford them to maximise your observing pleasure
Good luck !!!

[Bobbyoutback]

That sounds like a good buy , Goto was not invented when I first started :)

Now over time I've developed my own goto brain ' so much easier & faster .

Cheers & Beers
Bobby .

[highlander2287]

Yes, it wasn't what I was waiting for but at that price it might be a good cheap entry into the hobby. With the money saved on the scope purchase I can always finance a goto upgrade in the future and still come out a bit in front.