Help on deciding

[Quack24]

Hi,
For my first scope I have decided to get a Dobsonian scope. But im not shore which to get. It needs to be some what portable. I want to see the planets and some deep space objects. I have decided on either the 6” SkyWatcher SW580 (153mm) Dobsonian ($395) (http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-063) or the 8” SkyWatcher SW880 (254mm) Dobsonian ($425) (http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-064). Also what accessories do I need? I don’t want to spend two much at this time (about aud$700) but will be able to buy more later on. If you need any more details please just ask im not very good at explaining what I want.

edit: i am purchasing from myAstroShop (http://www.myastroshop.com.au/index.asp)

[ColHut]

That 10" there is $799...the 8" is $425

cheers

[iceman]

Hi Quack!

Good selection of first scopes. The 8" is better than the 6, and the 10" is better than the 8". The 12" is great too, but then you lose some portability.

Accessories you need include:
- Collimation tool (cheshire sight tube)
- Red light
- Planisphere
- Eyepieces

That'll do to get you started!

:welcome: to IIS! Keep asking questions!

[norm]

Hi Quack,

I reckon the 8" is the goer and performs surprisingly well. I don't own a scope, but had the opportunity to use one to get the feel of it. The overall experience was very pleasant and easy to handle. The views were surprisingly good too.

If the budget stretches though, the 10" is worth considering.

Good luck.:)

[wavelandscott]

I would higly recommend an 8 inch reflector as a good all around scope...nicely portable but with sufficient aperture to spend a life time looking at and for things...I hesitate to call this an "entry level" scope as just a few years ago it would have been a pretty big amatuer scope (beginner or otherwise).

Of course, more aperture is almost always better for seeing more deep sky objects, portability can become an issue.

If you are not certain of the "size" (bulk) of the different scopes, I'd strongly encourage you to see some in person before you buy...

With respect to accessories...my list is about the same as previously listed by Iceman...

Collimation tool (Orion makes a good one available at Bintel...I'd avoid the laser for a while)
Good planisphere (or sky charts/maps...)
Eyepieces (High power, medium power and low power) one each...
red torch/flashlight
Comfortable adjustable chair (many sources and yes, I am biased :D )

And lastly...spend as much time as possible under the sky...the best choice of scope is the one that you will use and use often

Good Luck!

[astrocoast]

Hi Quack
you'll need to look at a combination of aperature/budget/portablility - and it may not be in that order.

the bigger the aperaure - the more light - the more deeps space object you'll end up seeing but then portability may be the issue.

going a Dob is a good way to start off - did the same myself - and from reading all the other posts about first scopes it alwys seems to be dobs, dobs, dobs (plus binos) :)

cheers
Martin

[Quack24]

thanks every one i am thinking of going with the 8" and will buy the supposed accessories. thank you again. what sized eye pieces should i get eg 10mm, 15mm ect. and what size is better a 2" or a 1.5" both dobs come with an adapter which will allow both sizes. will i need any filters?

[astrocoast]

Hey quack
a couple of god all rounders is a 26mm and a 15mm - the 26 will give you a wider field of view with the 15 being more detailed - if it comes with adaptor then no probs. My dob also has a a.25 adaptor for the 15mm, so you shold be ok.

I also bought a 3 x barlow - increases magnification, but it was a bit trickier to use than I thought it would be.

My advice would be, get a couple of good eye pieces that a good al rounders, experiment, get to astro group outings and try other people's eye pieces and see what you like and what you don't.

Anyway, my 5c worth.

Enjoy - there is so much to see out there!

cheers
Martin

[mill]

to go allround you need an 2 x barlow.
It will also function as an corrector to make stars pinpoint till the edges (at least it does with my 10" f5 dob).

[Miaplacidus]

First accessory you should get is membership of an astro club. (Should get that before you buy a scope, I reckon.)

Cheers,

Brian.

[Quack24]

What do you think of this to start of with:
8” SkyWatcher SW880 (254mm) Dobsonian ($425) (http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-064)
SP6.3mm eyepiece ($49)
(http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-019)
LumiLite Red Flashlight ($27)
(http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-261)
SkyWatcher Collimation Tool ($68)
(http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-133)
I already have some star charts so I don’t need to buy any more.
thanks every one for helping.

[duncan]

Hi Quack,
Something is not right. 254mm is 10" . I would check all your figures again as the 10" would be around $650.
Cheers,
Duncan

[wavelandscott]

I'd most likely get a lower power eyepiece...25-32 mm plossl (or in that range)...a 6.3 mm eyepiece might be kind of hard to look through...if you get a chance go to the Televue website and read the article (articles) on eyepiece selection...even if you choose to buy other brands (and there are some other good ones too) the information available for free is very much worht reading...

[Miaplacidus]

Doesn't the scope come with eyepieces? If so, I'd hold off thinking about eyepieces and other accessories until you've used what you get for a little while. Everybody has different priorities, preferences and opinions. In the end, the only thing that counts is what you identify as your own needs.

If you are getting frustrated finding stuff, you'll decide to get some decent star charts. (Or an Argo Navis!) If you find the finder too difficult to use, you might opt for a Telrad finder or even a mounted laser pointer. If the focusser is crap, you'll want to spring for a dual-speed Crayford. The thing is, you won't know what you want until you've played with what you have first. And then it will become obvious.

And if you join a club, you might get to try the things you think you need before you buy them. That's probably the shortest route to not wasting your money.

[Quack24]

yeh sorry i did not realize that. the sight must have made a typo because i copied the text from there.
Thanks every one for your help i now know what i want thanks again
Quack 24 :)

[luka]

Hi everybody,
this is my first post in these forums :-)

I am in a very similar situation trying to make a decision on my first Dobsonian.

8" is in my price range (about $500) and I found three places with similar pricing in Australia:
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-064
http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-content-section-10-guansheng.htm#dobsonian
https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=6739

To me they all look very similar with small differences in pricing ($450-$550) and supplied eyepieces/focusers. Any particular thoughts which one to get/avoid?

I can guess that 2" Crayford focuser is desirable as the last 2 scopes have it and cost more.

Quack24: Why myastroshop? Any particular reason?

Thanks in advance

[mill]

Hi luka
Whatever the scope is that you get, get the one with the 2" crayford focusser.
It will safe you a lot of headaches :)

[Miaplacidus]

Unless they have changed it, the Skywatcher rack and pinion focuser is pretty poor. I ended up upgrading mine to a Crayford. There are some features in the Skywatcher that I prefer, but if the other scopes include Crayford focusers, then I would get one of them.

Whatever you get, you will most likely be very happy with it. (Until you look through a bigger scope, that is.)

Good luck,

Brian.

[Miaplacidus]

Oh, and welcome!

[iceman]

Hi Luka!

Welcome to IIS.
The 8" dob is a fantastic first scope, you won't do better.

Steve at MyAstroShop is a great guy and will look after you.

[astro_nutt]

Hi and welcome to both Quack and Luka..I brought an 8"inch dob as my first "real" scope..it has taught me a great deal about optics (collimation)...eyepieces (diffrences in magnifcation and quality of images)...and a great deal about patience when trying to find objects of interest (steering the scope using a very smooth and refined manner).
Definitely a great scope to use and to learn the sky from!
Cheers!

[Quack24]

:welcome: Luka,
chose my astroshop mainly because i have heard heaps of positive comments about it. btw. i bought the 8" last night.