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Well people,
After reading copius posts on IIS and visiting various websites and reading all the sales guff from manufacturers and other various forums, I have finally put a deposit on an 8" Dob from Bintel.:D
I chose the 8" over the larger sizes basically due to it being mildly more portable and also needing to cart the kids at the same time
Unfortunatley I have to wait upwards of 6 weeks for the next shipment from China :(.
This hopefully will coincide hopefully with my B'Day, for which I convinced my wife that the scope would be a gift for
"Haven't told her about Xmas yet and what that is going to cost"
I could have purchased from interstate and had the scope in my possession sooner but I'm a bit old school and like to have access to a shop front where I can look them in the eye and form a bit of a repoir.
programmer
14-03-2008, 05:43 PM
Well done, you'll love it. You have the patience I didn't have... waiting for a Bintel shipment, when a 2nd hand 10" came up. Good choice with the portability of the 8", although even an 8 would've been too big for me to transport it and my whole family. I'm sure it will suit your needs to a 'T'! Did you get any extras?
goober
14-03-2008, 05:54 PM
Good stuff. If you look like your avatar, we'll easily find you in the dark ;)
desler
14-03-2008, 07:28 PM
Congratulations on your purchase Grant. The 8 is a great scope that will give you and your family heaps to see.
Xmas may be a problem for you if apeture fever sets in!
Your level of patience is admirable!
Have fun!
Darren :scared:
rmcpb
14-03-2008, 07:34 PM
Grant,
Great choice, my 8" is still my most commonly used scope. Doesn't have the light grasp of the 13" but is really easy to move and cools quicker. After several years of using my 8" I have still to dent the list of objects visible with this scope.
Keep looking up :)
Thanx Guys,
I am actually biting at the bit and can't wait to get amongst it but with kids from 17 to 5, having some sort of patience goes with the territory.
I could have gone for the 10" which was available but it would be of no real use to me if I couldn't move it out of light polluted Dandenong.
What do I do, leave the kids at home or the telescope??
Unfortunately, my wife has a say in it too.
At this stage I have only purchased it as per say "off the shelf" so it has only come with the std options
26mm, 15mm & 9mm eyepieces, Moon Filter, and dust cap and a 2yr g/tee
I will also buy a Telrad when I collect it from the shop.
programmer
14-03-2008, 08:51 PM
No rush for this.. not that useful IMO in light polluted 'burbs.
Spacebrother
14-03-2008, 08:52 PM
Nice one gman :)
I bought an 8" GS from Andrews only a month ago..I'm having a blast with this thing :) It is very transportable and after much travel and moving, the collimation is still in check.
You might want to give the base some extra handles, the scope a control knob and some extra sliders for the swivelling. I did and it made the scope sooo much better, for like $40 in total extra.
Clear skies
Enjoy!
derek
erick
14-03-2008, 09:29 PM
:thumbsup: You're going to love it Grant. Big enough aperture to give good views, small enough to handle and transport with relative ease.
woah now im jealous :P
u lucky thing u
have fun wif ya new toy :thumbsup:
ngcles
15-03-2008, 01:42 PM
Hi Gman,
Look forward to hearing about your adventures in learning to use your 8" -- which is a really good choice for a beginner -- well done.
You wrote:
"What do I do, leave the kids at home or the telescope??"
Is this a serious question or a wind-up?
You wrote:
"Unfortunately, my wife has a say in it too."
Sadly, this is the case for most of us too. Look forward to those arguments in future over whether you can/should buy such-and-such a toy to go with the telecope. To you it will look essential and pretty cheap, and she will think otherwise much of the time. Also be prepared to put in a big effort to gain the necessary "brownie-points" to go here or there to observe, see a talk, go to a star-party, club meeting etc, etc.
And make sure you join an astronomy club/society if there is one nearby. Do you have a colliimation tool yet -- you will need it!
Best,
Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T
programmer
15-03-2008, 03:17 PM
If you ever want to have an observing session, or compare the 8 to a 10, I'm only a short drive away. I've never tried this, but the car parks along the beach just down the road from here would give a spectacular viewing panorama. When McNaught was at its prime I went down and there was a bunch of people there. I'm just too chicken to try it on my own :P
Still waiting for any sign of the scope arriving.
Whilst waiting, thought I would purchase a pair of binos.
Settled for the 11x70 on offer from Andrews Comms.
Ordered Thursday b4 Good Friday.
They arrived Tuesday morning, woke the wife and kids up as I had gone to work.
Got home about 7pm looking forward to having a looksee and then was full of disappointment.
The right diopter has broken away from the prism chamber.
Back in the box and returned to Andrews.
New pair on their way back to me
I am now getting impatient.
I now understand the previous replies.
:eyepop: awwww gman i hope u get your scope real soon the sky has been pretty crap lately anyway so fingers crossed u will have your baby in no time patience ok :thumbsup:
Solanum
30-03-2008, 11:53 PM
It certainly has, I've only been in the mallee for a couple of years, but I've never seen so many cloudy nights. Pity they aren't matched with the pitter-patter of rain.... well I'm sure I'll be able to blow the layers of red dust off the scope one day...
Talking of cloud, I hope gman (and anyone living near him) realises that once his scope arrives he is guaranteed several weeks of cloud? Patience is a virtue they say, glad that I'm not the only one who doesn't posses it! ;)
:hi:Hey Solanum im from Swan Hill do u have any get together star gazers up there this town dosnt but im thinking of starting one :thumbsup:;)
The binos made their way back to me from Andrews last week so I have had a few chances to peruse the night sky.
Called Bintel this week for an e.t.a on the 8" and it is due the week beginning 21st April.
All sounds good so far.
Along comes a letter from the Hospital.
I am booked in on the 21st to have some Lipomas, (Tumers), removed from my foot - will be off my feet all week.
At the moment it looks like I wont be able to collect it till the following week.
Another victim of Murphys Law
Craig.a.c
11-04-2008, 10:44 PM
Dam gman, thats some bad luck. I hope all goes well with your foot. Remember "good things come to those that wait".
Well, what can I say.
I have had my foot operation.
I'm hobbling about like a 90 yr old (better looking though - only just):whistle:
I called Bintel this morning to find out when the 8" scope will be available as this is the week of arrival as advised by them 2 weeks ago.
I was advised that the container will not be due in Aus until the end of may due to various factors.:mad2:
What do I do?:shrug:
Well I do what any budding astronomy enthusiast would do, I upgrade to the 10" and go pick it up.:thumbsup:
It is sitting in the kitchen right now still in its carton.
My wife says I have to wait until tomorrow to even unpack it as it is my birthday present:doh:
Till tomorrow:D
asterisk
24-04-2008, 12:34 PM
How lucky are you? Not only do you get a public holiday for your birthday, but a new telescope as well!
Be prepared for clouds.
Cheers
Haha, nice one gman!
Aperture Vs portability?
Aperture wins ;)
Happy Bday too!
renormalised
24-04-2008, 01:19 PM
Hmmmmm....must be some way around this:D
Feed her some "time dilation" drug in her coffee or tea that'll make her think it's tomorrow and change all the calendars and such in your house to tomorrow's date:D:D:thumbsup:
acropolite
24-04-2008, 01:39 PM
Good move there's no substitute for aperture. Good luck with the weather.....
programmer
24-04-2008, 02:31 PM
Right, so 12:01AM 'tomorrow' you'll be ripping into it then :D
Solanum
24-04-2008, 02:42 PM
Ha, that is gentle indulgence. When you start splashing out on eyepieces and other accessories that suddenly add up to more than the initial scope cost her attitude will change, don't you worry. Unfortunately it probably won't be for the better.... ;)
renormalised
24-04-2008, 05:09 PM
All the troubles with various "Ministers for Finance and Homeland Security" are easily solved. Never have joint bank a/cs. Always setup a "commons" a/c for the home finances and keep your own separate a/cs. Agree to put in a certain amount each pay into the "commons" a/c and the rest of the money is yours to use how you like. The said parties need to be able to run it all like a small business..which in a way it is.
But then, all that is just the utopian outlook on how it should be done. Reality, unfortunately, doesn't quite meet the standards of the fantasy:P:whistle:;)
I haven't discussed the add-ons yet.:help:
Various Eye pieces
The Telrad
The Go-to EQ mount
The property in the country with a purpose built observatory:D
Gee whiz, this astronomy stuff is a quite an expensive hobby and I haven't even got into astro-photography yet.:doh:
Maybe a reason for another thread but how do you guys break the news that that you want to spend another few hundred dollars on your hobby every couple of months
asterisk
24-04-2008, 06:18 PM
I don't know how to tell you this, but the "property in the country" will cost more than "another few hundred dollars".
The rest can be smuggled in as they are quite small. The last I have had no luck with, at all. Just a straight out "NO".
Just making light of the natural progression on the scope accessory must haves
Fortunatley, I have got my wife and kids interested so a few $ here and there may not go missed from the budget.
On a serious side, I would love to move to the the Southern NSW coast around Tathra, Pambula, Merimbula area.
I don't think the reasoning for being closer to dark sky for the scope will get it over the line just yet.
Looks like a retirement dream. (25yr wait)
:P:thumbsup: good on ya gman well it is neally midnight sit beside it and wait for the clock to strike midnight and go fo it buddy just in time to get a good view of Jupiter wooohoo have fun u lucky thing you :whistle:
asterisk
24-04-2008, 10:16 PM
I once considered the amount of money I have spent on "must have" accessories, and then I quickly thought of anything else. My comment about costing more than a few hundred was meant in the same vein as your comments.
Stay away from the coast - too much dew! Go west!
Cheers
Well, the day has arrived.:D
My family sang happy birthday and they went back to bed except for my 5 yr old.
She was as excited, (if not more), about the telescope.
I started with the base of course.
Checked all the pieces and started to put it together.
My daughter handing me every piece I need. (slowed the process)
Stopped short of completing the base and attacked an M/T milk carton for some washers to take some pressue off the teflon pads as per Mikes project article on "Smooth motion with Dob base mods". (In went 5 washer):thumbsup:
Next came the OTA and f/scope.
All assembled and sitting perfectly on the base.:thumbsup:
Checked the collimation and all seems OK at this stage - next is the star test (actual use)
I thought, you beauty, I will get this outside tonight as the morning was pretting nice, mind you I had not taken any notice of the weather forcasts.
Wouldn't you know it,this arvo, cloud every where and I hear that they have also predicted rain in Melb.
You guys warned me of this and low an behold, it has happened.
New scope = poor visibility and/or rain.:sadeyes:
Oh no Gman that happened to me when i got my scope i had to wait for neally 2 weeks to get mine out under a nice clear sky arhhhhhhh :shrug: hope the sky clears up for you real soon cheers Jen xoxo
Had my first real viewing session tonite.;)
After having the operation on my foot I was down and out for a week and the weather in Melb has been pretty crappy for the past 2 weeks.:mad2:
Went straight to Saturn, went down ep's to the 9mm
Nice view but I am waiting for the 2x barlow to arrive - I need to see more:thumbsup:
Then went to the Jewel Box
Has been looking real good in the bino's and I have been biting at the bit for a view a bit closer.
I was a bit disappointed.:sadeyes:
Not really of whats out there, but my ep's:mad2:
They are the stock issue from Bintel that came with the scope.
Whilst the centre of the view was crisp and in focus, when looking to the outer edges of the FOV, it was like my eyes were driving over rough road.
The stars were in focus but looked like the were travelling over lumps.
These abberations in the ep's left me wanting crisper, smoother and clearer viewing.
Then done a little star hopping to see how I could manage to find my way around with a scope. Lot easier with the bino's but not that hard as long as your finderscope is aligned:thumbsup:
All in all I am happy with the purchase but I was left wanting more.
Look out classifieds and Astronomy shops, I am on the lookout for a couple of decent ep's.
Had to pack up early as I had to pick up my boys from the AFL game tonite
I think that bug has bit me good.:help:
:cool: yep u been bitten :D
have fun :astron:
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