I Confess...

[wavelandscott]

Okay, I confess...I am the one who has caused the rain in Sydney...although I am in Japan until the weekend, I did have a rather large object delivered to my house today that is certain to cause clouds and rain for quite a while...

I bought the 12.5 inch Discovery Dob that Paul Medcraft was selling...my wife informed me via e-mail that it arrived at our house today...

I am pretty psyched to say the least...

While I am clearly not deserving of such a fine piece of gear like this (in knowledge or ability)...I convinced my wife (Minister of Finance and all around "she who must be obeyed") that this was something that I really really really wanted...and that I would help around the house and generally be a model citizen if she would let me have this one thing...and much like my children trying to get a lolly, I promised that it would be at least a week before I asked for anything else!...and besides, it is educational for our children...didn't she want smart children? What kind of Mother does not want smart kids?...you get the idea...

Anyway, with several strings attached, she approved the acquisition!

I've got a pretty hectic travel schedule so it will be a while I suspect before I can get a good night out with it...but, I can not wait to try it out!

I'm going to wait a few days to tell her about the eyepieces that I ordered prior to this scope purchase...maybe she won't notce...

[beren]

Nice one Scott, saw the scope on my clubs messageboard for sale , itll be a beauty for sure plus its good to know its been tested by a experienced observer :thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Told you the bit about the 'Kids Education' would work!

Onya Scott!!

[iceman]

So what do you have to buy her in return? :D

Well done on a great purchase! Is the 8" dob going to go up for sale now? I'm sure there's many a newbie on the forums here that will snap it up.

I hope you can come up to a central coast observing session soon, and bring that scope with you. Roseville is a quick trip to the central coast - so please come up!

btw thanks for all the rain!

[wavelandscott]

In terms of "strings"...one of them will most likely be a new pistol for my wife...she shoots "competively" (I use the term in the broadest sense)...she is a member of the St. Ives pistol club...

Lets be clear, as I am a big target anyway and with her hobby, I rarely step out of line!!!

We are going to keep the 8 inch for now...I was just getting it fixed up the way I wanted it...besides, my children have already claimed it...after I learn how to use the new scope this may all change but the near term plan is to keep both...

I'd love to get up to the Central Coast (other places too) but as I travel a lot with work (and with my wife's hobby of course), I don't go far on the weekends without my kids...the youngest is not quite old enough to enjoy a late night out...but, I'll see what I can do...when are you getting together next?

Oh and for the record, the "moistons" (rain) follow both the equipment and the buyer in a transaction...its raining in Tokyo too!

Cheers

[ving]

grrr!!! you naughty boi!!!

congrats... wish i could get one but "mission control" wouldnt allow it :)

[seeker372011]

congratulations on the new scope

aperture fever rides again!

[rmcpb]

And I thought it was me finally knocking out the moths and getting another eyepiece :)

Congrats on the purchase.

[atalas]

Yeah Scott congrats on the new scope ! Ive seen those 12.5" discovery dobs they are nice
scopes mate your will love the look of It.

Louie :party:

[ving]

sorry, you are going to have to return it.... its too important that i have good weather this w/end :P

[wavelandscott]

Okay, I made it back to Sydney from Japan to morning blue skies and decided to unpack and put the scope together with the hope that I could beat "the curse"...you guessed it...from no where rain and clouds rolled in as evening falls.

It made it through shipping from Perth in good order (thanks to Paul M's outstanding job of packing it...Thanks!)

First impressions on the scope: it is big but well made and attractive, the movement feels very good...I am not sure if I like the JMI focuser...just messing around with it, it does not have the same "smooth feel" as the Moonlite (recently installed on the 8 inch)...I may eventually swap them but I'll give the JMI a time or two under the stars first.

Set up was straight forward...no problem...even "un-handy" me can do it no problems...it should not take more than a few minutes to put together or take down as a one person show...

I just need to collimate it, align the Telrad and initialize the Argo Navis (better read the manual first)...

Now I just need a clear night...

[p medcraft]

Scott, I am so pleased it arrived in good order. It was the first time I had shipped anything so large and ran into all sorts of logistical problems in doing so, most revolving around sneaking it out of the house so my wife didn't work out what I had done (LOL). She knew I was shipping one in order to get another but didn't realise I was shipping two equally large scopes and 2 camera's etc etc. All to pay for the Credit card bill she definitiely didn't know about. They are just big pieces of gear to her and she doesn't quite equate them with the price of an average 2nd hand car. My new Celestron CGE 1400 arrives on Tuesday so I only have a few more days to wait. It should be here in time for a big observing session on Tuesday night we have arranged over here for the Comet although I don't think my fellow members have realised that my purchase guarantees bad weather.
On the subject of focusers I wouldn't hesitate to swap for the Moonlite, I have used one and they are great.
On the subject of collimation, first one will be a cow and should be tackled in daylight rather than dark but easy after that.
On the subject of the Argo, yup, read the manual first.
Have a ball, that scope has delivered me some of the finest sights I have ever seen.

Paul Medcraft