And then there were 2

[G.J.Shepherd]

Before I race into my noob plea for advice, let me just say how fantastic this site is, how awesome the wealth of knowledge is and how much I've learn't from spending the last 2 hours reading. You all should be proud.

Ok, question time, and yes, a question you would have been asked a 1000 times and Im sure will be asked 100000 more.

I have had 3 scopes over the 30 years I've been able to look up, the last 2 were cheap refractors which found their demise back in the "refunded bin" from were they came.
I'm now upping my budget and stepping out into quality territory. Now I dont know much about astronomy, I know alot about aperture due to my photography and video production.
What I want is a scope that will show me some cool things, not just your nice moon or saturn views, but just a little extra, plus I want something that can take a camera easily and track with ease as well.
I have read so much on this site and others and after looking at so many different styles and brands, I have come down to 2.
Here are links and scopes;

1 = Brand: Meade
Model: Lightbridge 8 Deluxe (http://www.staroptics.com.au/index.php?a=telescopes&p=109) http://www.staroptics.com.au/index.php?a=telescopes&p=109

2 = Guan Sheng GS-880 250mm x 1250mm
http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-content-section-10-guansheng.htm#dobsonian

Now at my knowledge level, all I come down to is that I'm getting a 10" from the GS for $200 less than with the 8" Meade (or spend the same as the meade and get a 12" GS.
However I have no idea if either of these would suit a not so begining beginer.
Any help or advice would be great, I would prefer to spend around $700 at most, but I understand if I need to bite the bullet and push that little higher.
Thanks in advance.
Love the site
Looking forward to a very long stay.

[CoombellKid]

Hi G.J.Shepherd

Welcome to Ice In Space

I'd go for the biggest aperture you can aford. The only difference that I know
of in the scopes you have mentioned is the packaging. The mirrors in both
bands are made by Guan Sheng. Whether Meade does their own mirror
coatings I'm not sure, but essentualy they're the same optics. If it were me,
I'd go for the 12" GS for more aperture. If you like the truss look of the
Meade go for that. There are some mod's you can do to improve both scopes.
Some of those you'll find on this site (I think) if you search around a bit. Or
you can sign up to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/telescopes/ where you'll
find out about the mods on both of the scopes you have mentioned.


regards,CS

[iceman]

Hi G. welcome to IIS! :gday:

Do you need the extra portability of a truss dob, or is your car big enough to transport the enclosed tube?

If you don't *need* a truss, then aperture is always king!

Both are great scopes and can be modded to suit your needs and style.

Your budget may need to extend a bit further depending on how many eyepieces you want, as well as some other accessories like a star chart, red light torch, observing chair and other things :)

Keep asking questions and I look forward to seeing you regularly on IIS!

[acropolite]

Welcome to IIS GJ, your desire to have something that will is a little at odds with the dob design, you would need, at some stage in to the future, to buy a mount that will allow for tracking, something in the HEQ5-EQ6 range will set you back either side of $2000 and will allow Go-To as well as accurate tracking and guiding for astrophotography. An 8 to 12 inch dob would be an excellent starting point and the OTA (the big round light bucket bit) could be coupled with an equatorial mount later to achieve your aims. It's well worth hunting back through the site to see what Mike (Iceman)has achieved, firstly with a dob, then an inexpensive tracking platform and finally moving to an Equatorial mount.

[G.J.Shepherd]

Wow, you guys are incredible. Sounds like the GS 12" is the way to go at this point, I assume by what your saying is the meade set up advantage is portability, which I care nothing about, I'll buy a bus if need be to transport.
Thanks again I'm really stoked I came across this site.

[G.J.Shepherd]

Well I've decided to go with the GS 10" with Crayford style focuser, Many many thanks to Ken ballaratdragons (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/member.php?u=98)
for his extremely friendly advice and welcoming help, Looking forward to more contact with you in the future.
Also thanks to all of you for your help in making this decision.

(http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/member.php?u=98)

[wavelandscott]

Good choice!

A 10 inch reflector should give you a life time of entertainment and enjoyment.

Good Luck with your new scope!

[ballaratdragons]

Glad to Help :thumbsup:

[G.J.Shepherd]

Hi again.
Well the good news is, I got a new puppy for my wife, the bad news is that I dont have a scope yet due to puppies are not cheap...
I know I know, you all are thinking, "A new puppy over a new Dob??? what the hell was he thinking" well to those who are married, you understand, to those who aren't.......... lmao, oh you just wait.

Anyway, seens as I am scopeless it has givin me more time to focus on what I will buy. I still think the GSO 10" Dob is the way to go, however the 12" is starting to wink suggestivley at me. What I'm looking at now is astrophotography, I think I want to get into that fairly soon after I've mastered the basics of regular veiwing. After reading alot about photography and dobs (yes even Mikes article) it seems that an EQ mount would be the way to go.
So the question is, how do I proceed.
Option 1: Buy the dob and later get the eq, then a motor drive, then a Toucam
Option 2: Buy the Dob and EQ, then later get the rest
Option 3: wait another 3-5 months and buy the lot in one go.

Also, does a GSO 10" Dob fit on a EQ mount easily?
What about attaching a motor drive?
And whats an RA motor drive?, what is RA short for?
And finally after all the questions I have, How much more do you get out of a 12" compared to a 10" keeping in mind I'm a newbie.
Thanks all again in advance.

[erick]

Hi GJ. I suggest that if you don't know that "RA" is Right Ascension, you might have a bit more reading to do before you invest in an EQ mount. Here's a simple explanation of astronomical coordinates:-

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/universe/RADEC.HTML

Most people seem to build up steadily, as their knowledge and understanding grows.

I'd be recommending Option 1 - that will give you enough to learn for some months. :)

Hows that puppy doing?

[ballaratdragons]

We said 'Dob', not 'Dog'! :lol:

[ballaratdragons]

It entirely depends on the Astrophotography you want to do. Planetary you can get away with a lot of movement in a mount, or even just use the 'Dog' . . oops. . 'Dob' base.

But for long exposure imaging (DSO's) you will definately need RA drive. It will help even more to have RA & Dec drives, and Autoguiding will help even more.

I'd suggest get the 10", then later on save for an EQ6 or better. If it's for Planetary, get the toucam soon and use it in the Dob.

[G.J.Shepherd]

Sounds like good advice.... once again.:P
I'll go the 10" and look towards the toucam..... then I'll teach the techniques to the new dog, he better learn after the sacrifice I made....:rofl:

Thanks again folks....

BTW Can anyone in Victoria living in the west tell me what the bright (Im assuming planet) is, about NWW and just over a 1/4 length above the horizon between 6.30 and 8pm?
(Sorry Im not using technical Lats and Longs and degrees but I have no instruments to measure that stuff yet:screwy:)

[iceman]

That's Venus!

[G.J.Shepherd]

Thanks, that did help alot.
The puppy?, well all I can say is that he is no Dob, the only moon I can see is when he lifts his tail.... stinky little so and so:lol:

[G.J.Shepherd]

Wow... were you just sitting in this thread waiting to strike, LOL.
Thanks, It shows I have alot still to learn, I thought it was something bigger due to the size it is. My wife took a guess and said Venus, Me with my pride goes "Nah, way to big for Venus, plus thats the morning star anyway"... :whistle: Dont I feel dumb..hehe.

[erick]

Hey GJ

Try this simple planetarium software - web based. It tells me much of what I want to know. You'll be an expert in no time.

http://www.skyviewcafe.com/index.php

Ask questions if you are having trouble getting it to work.

Eric

[G.J.Shepherd]

FREAKIN SWEET....
This is a great tool, thanks Eric. I will have to come up soon to met you and Ken at your next meet with the club.

[erick]

Great! I have my fingers crossed that family, work, weather, health, blizzards and general stuff does not prevent me from being there Fri evening June 15! Come on over - you're half way there already!! :thumbsup:

[ving]

hi GJ, and welcome aboard. nice to see such enthusiasm :)

[G.J.Shepherd]

Sounds great, looking forward to it, whats a good time to show up, and I'm guessing the address is on the website?

[G.J.Shepherd]

Thankyou, Considering I'm still working on a way to travel to space, I figured this would be a good stepping stone... anyone got a spare 300 million $$$ to help build a space shuttle? I have a protractor and compass so Im well and truly on the way.:lol:

[ving]

sure thing! :) (not)

[ballaratdragons]

and I have a calculator :lol:

Our SVAA site is easy to find. We meet about 7pm, but as a 1st timer you may want to arrive in the last bit of daylight to familiarise yourself with the location :thumbsup:

[erick]

and I know the direction to Space - can I be the pilot?

[rmcpb]

GJ, welcome to IIS,

I think the 10" is a great setup as you can later get an EQ mount for it that will not cost the mortgage of your house.

In the meantime, now that you have squandered/blown/spent your money on the dog you should think about getting a pair of binoculars, 10x50 will do fine, a planisphere, a red torch and get outside and start learning your way around the sky before your scope arrives.

I spent several years with binocs so when I made the jump to a scope it was not such a brutal learning curve to find things.

Cheers

[G.J.Shepherd]

This is true, My father got a scope and some binos when Hayleys Comet came to visit and since then I have played around with a few budget scopes and charts, He still has the binos that are HUGH, not sure of the specs but they are massive, I might go get them and do what you suggested.

[G.J.Shepherd]

Thanks for the map, I will do my best to come, sounds like a great place to be.

[erick]

Great! And bring the binoculars if you can get them by then! :)

[G.J.Shepherd]

Well I'm glad someone knows, I was beginning to think that would be the down fall of the whole operation, you can be pilot in that case, Ken will have to be the science officer due to his calculator, I'll be the cook due to the wicked 2 min noodles I can whip up.:lol: Alls that is left is a bird in a cage so we can monitor oxygen levels.