Another beginners what to buy thread??

[gss]

Hi there,
My 6yo old son has started to show an interest in astronomy and has been pestering me to buy him a telescope. I've done a bit of research on this forum among others and think I've narrowed my choices down to the following:

1/. 6 or 8" GSO Dob,

2/. Orion ED80 refractor or,

3/. Meade ETX-125

Which of these 3 would be the better choice given that the main focus initially would be observing the moon & planets and some DSO's?

I realise the dob would be the cheaper option but I was thinking either of the other 2 choices may be a bit better in the long run if he wants to pursue other options like astrophotography.

Cheers,
Glenn

[ballaratdragons]

Hi Glenn and welcome.

I can only answer for the Dob. They are great for the dollars. As for the other scopes, I wouldn't have a clue.

Great that your son is interested. If you buy a crummy scope they tend not to stick with the hobby.

Listen to the others and choose well.

[slice of heaven]

Hi gss
The 6" dob would be perfect for a start and its the cheapest too. It will give the best views out of those 3 options.A decent EQ mount can be fitted later for imaging.
The refractor will be limited by the mount you put it on.

[Starkler]

I cant imagine a 6yo operating goto or dealing with an eq mount.
I definitely recommend the dob as its just a point and look affair and will show a lot more than the other options anyway.

[p medcraft]

Without doubt the 8" dob, neither of the other options will show a great deal to someone of his age from the backyard (given light pollution) simply because they lack enough aperture although the 80mm Orion is not so bad from the burbs, its problem would be the complex EQ mount you would need to use it properly. The GOTO features of the Meade are actually somewhat of a disadvantage because they introduce a degree of complexity to something that should be for pleasure. Bottom line both of those options require a fair amount of work to set up plus patience. 8" dobs are fantastic workhorses that keep many enthusiasts in Astronomy for their entire lives. Learning to star hop is a skill that will last him his entire life as well. I joined an Astronomy club in my High school and waited months to be allowed to take the scope home the first time. No technology then so it was all star hopping followed by setting circles which really is a dead art. That was 30 years ago and I am still obsessed and still learning. The more glass you buy now the more he will see and appreciate and importantly it wont cost you another scope when he decides to look at something other than the Moon and Jupiter.
There is one other option you might wish to consider, an Edmund Astroscan. They are not sold in Australia so you would need to order it off the net but they are purpose built for kids, right height, right size field of view, right amount of glass and finally the right amount of skill requirements which means nil. They pop up in Australia second about once a year, I just bought one from the US second hand for $380.00 AUD including shipping.

http://www.dansdata.com/images/astroscan/astroscan800.jpg

Paul Medcraft

[janoskiss]

8" dob is way to heavy for a 6yo. 6" dob may be too, but he will grow into it soon. At least he'll be able to reach the eyepiece without assistance.

[davidpretorius]

Hi Glenn, i have just bought a 10" dob (not even 1 week old). Here is my 5 yr old next to it as we were assembling. She is tallist for her age, but unless I go 60 degrees or higher, she can still see thru the 10" which is 1250mm long. Dobs seems to be the preferred option for everyone that has asked this similiar question.
It leaves you with some change left over to buy some extra special things. I have just bought a 30mm 80 degree ultrawide eye piece from Andrews Communications for $149. To be truthfully honest. Best $150 I have ever spent!!! Nice wide views of the skys and very clear. I was also able to invest in a Toucam (webcam) and an adapter and have started taking video and making pictures. Eventually I will invest in a proper equatorial mount or system for long exposure photography. But the best thing is that i will have had a large aperture all along! I might not be taking hubble shots, but gee i am having fun.

http://www.precons.com/iis/gallery/Movies/20050729-002-The%20girls%20and%20the%20telescope %20small.wmv

[slice of heaven]

That was my way of thinking too Steve.
Its a simple instrument and not overly bulky. At F8 he'll probably need a step.
With some guidance he should be able to operate it comfortably.

[Miaplacidus]

Hi Glenn and son, welcome to the club.

All excellent advice so far, but no one seems to have mentioned two important bits of advice commonly recommended to all beginners. Namely, seriously consider getting a pair of 7x50 or 10x50 binoculars first (ideally mounted on a tripod), plus a set of downloadable star charts or the Bright Star Atlas. Second, before thinking about telescopes, join your local astronomy club: chances are you'll be able to try the various options, pick people's brains, and get the best buying advice. (It's also fun.)

But if you've done all that, then I'd vote for the dob!

Good luck,

Brian

[iceman]

Brian is right, too..

The CAS (Canberra Astronomical Society) would likely be the closest to you, and there's a couple of other canberrans as members here (stringscope and BC) - between them they have a range of dobs (6", 8" and 10" dobs I think), so it might be a good idea to PM them, maybe arrange an observing session with them, or head along to a CAS observing night. I'm sure they'll be glad to help.

You can take your son as well, see how big the scopes are compared to him and whether with a bit of practise, he'll be able to "drive" it.

btw, :welcome: to the forum.. How did you hear about us?

[slice of heaven]

Binos are awkward for kids,I wouldnt recommend them.
The dob, setup properly is a stable platform. My 8yr old swings and aligns the 12" no problems. I could imagine my 6yr old swinging a 6" no probs.

[janoskiss]

Good point about the binos; you've gotta have binos. THey show you where to point the scope. But they'll never impress a child like that big shiny telescope would. (At least not until they've learnt to look through them and not just at them.)

The 6" Dob would be great, but it is still a huge scope for a child. I didn't even realise it was an f8. Pity they don't sell the 4.5" Dobs (http://www.telescope.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=364) in Australia (to my knowledge). That would really be a perfect child's scope. It's still big enough to impress the uninitiated by its sheer size, and it's also big enough to show plenty of heavenly wonders.

[slice of heaven]

Now that 4" would be perfect if light pollution isnt a problem. Nice kids sized scope.

[janoskiss]

The downside of that, of course, is that once your son sees just how big big scopes can get, ... he might not ever be happy until he gets his 25" Obsession. :eyepop: :wink2:

[rmcpb]

Glenn,

My 6 year old son is quite happy using my 8" dob with a step to have a look at zenith. He pushes it around like a pro and can easily locate many of the major views. Both he and his brother are really competitive when it comes to showing a friend around the sky as the younger one still uses my 8" scope but the older one uses a 6" scope we made and is really possessive about it.

My view would be for the dob, the 6" is easier for them to handle and would need a simple sturdy step made for your son to use when it is pointed at zenith.

Cheers

[Miaplacidus]

This link is a fairly useful starting point, too (if a little dated).

http://astronomy.trilobytes.com.au/scope.htm

Cheers,

Brian.

[elusiver]

i'll be giving my younger brothers, 6yo and 5yo a go on the dob tonight.. so I'll let you know how i go.

el :)

[Starkler]

Now this is a great kids scope. I would love to get one for myself but sadly this one isnt sold here either.

http://www.telescope.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=4644&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=4&iSubCat=8&iProductID=4644

[ving]

welcome aboard glen :)

that scope looks ok geoff :)

i'd go the 6" dob. it's cheap and easy to use, not too tall, and your 6yo can grow into it and still be happy with it for years after that... once he get the hang of it take him somewhere where the skies are really dark and have a look around. :)

[seeker372011]

The Orion Starblast that Geoff posted a link to has had absolute rave reviews from Sky and Telescope..unfortunately not available here-would have been a great travel scope or grab and go scope

[gss]

Many thanks for all the replies.

Looks like the dob is the way to go then. Still deciding on whether to go for the 6" or the 8" though and will be probably buying it through either Andrews Communications or Bintel.

Next questions though...what would be the best eyepieces to get to go with the dob (sizes/brands)? And would I need any other equipment to begin with?

Cheers,
Glenn

[Starkler]

Hi Glenn.

This forum is a great source of information and one of the ways to find such information is with the forum search function.

We get a lot of newcommers to the forum asking which scope to buy and as often as not they are pointed towards the GS dob. The same questions have been asked and answered many times before on this forum and a search will yield answers to many questions. If not , there are many helpful knowledgable people here who can help :)

[acropolite]

The Orion would be my choice as it's useful for all sorts of viewing, doesn't require a cool down period (remember kids are impatient) and with a tripod is manageable for a kid. :D

[davidpretorius]

Hi Glenn,

To give you an idea, I have set up my signature to show what i have spent, and what i intend to spend over the next 6 to 12 months. It will be the quickest way I know to inform new members.

I have the series 500 eye pieces (4 in all) that andrews communications sells for $99. He threw in for free with my 10" ltd dob. I have no problems with viewing threw these. No doubt as soon as I see thru a nagler ($$$$$) then I will want one.

The 30mm 80 deg ultrawide is really nice. nice wide views!. The toucam web camera is very good for taking video. As my dob does not turn with the earth ( a future expensive investment to fix ) the video give me a way to share what i see. The adapter for the toucam is a must. The long exposure mod is not useful until i invest in a heavy duty equatorial mount.

There a few threads comparing Bintel and Andrews Communication. Have a search. I believe that Andrews is the way to go.

That is about it for equipment apart from a chair to support you back and the step ladder for the lad, hope this helps.

[asimov]

Correct Starkler. That's why I requesting a thorough GS dob review by somebody here, then we only have to point them in the direction of the review part of the site.

[slice of heaven]

The gs review will still only answer some of the questions asked by a newbie.
Glenns question on eps for the 6"F8 or the 8"F6 and what other equipment he needs might be answered with a search, but it might be the wrong answer too.
Maybe an FAQ section in the beginners forum might be a better option.
Yes there's a lot of info buried in the threads , some answers are vague and some very thorough, for a total newbie there is a lot to grasp.

Glenn, the 500 series are junk, 2 gs eps and a barlow would be a better option.
Youll need a collimation tool/tools also.Theres a wide range of tools within a wider range of prices.
Thats the basic neccessities, but theres heaps more depending on how far your willing to stretch your budget.
Any questions feel free to ask.

[rmcpb]

Glenn,

Eyepieces depend a bit on which scope you select as they have different focal lengths and with produce differing magnifications and field of views on each lense. So a hint in that direction will help us to advise you a bit better.

As for other stuff a red torch, a planisphere, a chair for observing (I use a fold up camp stool), a step for the lad to use when the scope is too high for him, a cheshire eyepiece for collimation would be the basics. Also a box to throw it all in when disappearing out the back :)

[ving]

generally to start out with I sugest GSO eyepieces of 30mm, 20mm, 15mm and 9mm.... some might say the if you get a barlow you'd only need two of these... when it comes to the wide FOV eyepieces from andrews there are 2 options. I'd say the GSO superviews are probably better. the FOV isnt as big but the reviews i've seen show it to be better.

[Starkler]

I would go with Daves selection above but swap the 9mm for a 12mm if getting a barlow also.
The 12 is a good magnification for dso work, and a useful medium-high planetary mag when barlowed. The 15 makes a good lower planetary mag barlowed for nights of average seeing. It would be very rare that you could usefully barlow the 9mm


Agreed 100%

[slice of heaven]

Rather than purchasing extra eps , a good quality barlow would be a better choice for starters.
The gs dobs come with 2 gs eps,if you selected a 30 and a 20 and then purchase a good barlow to give you a range of 30..20..15..10 that would cover a nice range of mags without doubling up. Same range as Davids. Then you can add to that as needed.

[Miaplacidus]

Hi Glenn,

My only advice is don't go eyepiece crazy too quickly. There is a common observation that seems contradictory or paradoxical, but which is nonetheless frequently true. A. People tend to hang on to good quality eyepieces for a lot longer than they hang on to their scopes. B. They also tend to end up with a whole lot of (sometimes costly) eyepieces they seldom use. Get a good quality barlow to maximize whatever you have early on, then slowly build up your collection as you gain a better understanding of what your viewing preferences are and what your requirements become.

Cheers,

Brian.

[slice of heaven]

Nicely put Brian. Thats where I was leading with my post but you summed it up well.
The 2 standard gs eps and a good quality barlow would be the most economical way to start.

[wavelandscott]

Although well addressed already I'll add my 2 cents worth mostly to run up my post count...

The GSO DOB 8 or 6 inch are both good scopes...they are not "kiddie" scopes but the real deal. No moving parts and easy to use/understand I think they make good scopes to start with...I started with the 8...and while "size does matter" the best scope is the one that you (or your kids) will use...both my kids (4 and 7.5 enjoy using the scope with some supervision)

Eyepieces...as you have no doubt noticed everyone has an opinion and a strategy...in simpliest terms I believe as a beginner that you only "need" 3 to enjoy the hobby. Low power (magnification), Mid range power and on a few ocassions High power...there are two ways to fill these...one way is to choose 3 different eyepieces to me I'd say 25 mm, 15mm, 9mm Plossl (these will most likely come with the scope if you buy from Bintel and/or Andrews...I bought from Bintel and the provided eyepieces are good quality for a new person) alternatively you could choose 2 eyepieces and a Barlow this would give you basically 4 magnification ranges...

That should get you started and in fact give you more and better gear than most astronomers had not so many years ago...think about what Gallileo (and other early pioneers of astronomy) had for equipment versus what you can buy realtively inexpensively today!!!

I'd encourage you to hold off on buying anything else until after you have had a chance to use the scope above at least 3 times...this excludes any viewing nights with lots of other people...it must be 3 times with you and your scope...if you do that and still enjoy it, there are a whole bunch of additional "optional" gear that you will find useful...there is no shortage of "must have things"...


Good Luck!

[gss]

Latest update...

I've had a couple of emails from Lee @ Andrews and I can get the GS-680 with Crayford focuser, BK-7 glass & 2 of the 500 series ep's for $549. From the sounds of most of the posts, I'll upgrade the 500's for GS eps (30 & 20mm) and will also get the GS Barlow ($49) & Cheshire collimation eyepiece for $29. I think that should be enough to get me started although I may add one of the GS superviews also. :)

Now I just need to wait for a week or two until he gets them in stock!!!

Once again, thanks for all the helpful info...

[janoskiss]

The long focal length EPs (I'm thinking the 30mm inparticular) might not take well to being barlowed. A 10mm (or 9mm which is what I have) is better than a barlowed 20mm; clearer, brighter, more contrast. You should get at least one EP with FL < 20mm.

[Miaplacidus]

That sounds like a mighty sweet deal! Not so long ago you'd have had to pay twice that amount to get a set up as good as that. Would keep a lot of people happy for quite a few years, too.

Congratulations, and good luck with it all!

[slice of heaven]

What brand eps and barlow Steve?
I dont have gs eps or barlow, and havent barlowed the 500s as their not flash on their own,I'd like to hear someones thoughts.

[Starkler]

If limited to 2 eyepieces I would choose a 12 and a 30.
The collimation cheshire is a must have, but I would hold off on the barlow until you can afford a decent one like the Orion shorty plus which sells for around $150. Thats one you will keep forever and is far superior to the GS unit.

[janoskiss]

I have the Orion Shorty Plus. It does a decent job. I don't have anything to compare it to but there are a number of things I can pick on. Internal reflections on brighter targets (like Jupiter or bright stars), or with brighter objects not in but near FOV, are obvious. It has a blurry field stop, which amounts to usable AFOV reduction by at least 5 degrees (with good Ploessls). So I'm not at all sure that it's one to "keep forever". I just wasn't willing to spend much more on a barlow at this stage, but wanted an apo. Sirius optics sell them for $135, Bintel for $139. Apparently, to get anything significantly better, it's got to be a Powermate. At $300+, it's not for me.

[janoskiss]

Slice, to answer the rest of your question: My good EPs are 9 & 25mm GSO & 15mm Televue Ploessl. I also have the 20mm Andrews Series 500, which is a bit of a dud, but still usable. It produces a streak of light eminating from bright objects, much like one of the four diffraction spikes due to the spider. The difference is that this spike is brighter and rotates with the EP. My 4mm Ser. 500 is useless. I have the GSO Superview 30mm as well. I can't barlow that one with the shorty, it's a 2". Not too impressed with the SV. The 3 good ploessls are really good though.

The scary thing is that I'm not sure that the televue ploessl is better for $145 than the GSOs for $39. Last I used the TV on the full Moon, it produced quite unpleasant yellow fringing at the limb. Neither of the GSOs do that. Scope wasn't collimated well though. I'm thinking of buying a GSO Ploessl of the same focal length as the TV for comparison.

All my EPs are used with a GSO 200mm plate-glass Dob.

[ballaratdragons]

Glenn,

I may be jumping the gun with this statement but a Barlow is a good investment. You will buy less eyepeices if you have one.

But NOT any old Barlow. May I recommend a 2" Barlow. As some others have discovered too late, if they bought the 2" Barlow they could've Barlowed their 2" EP's as well as their 1.25".

They are a bit dearer (to be expected) but once you have a 2" Barlow you can use it on all EP's hence doubling your range. I use the GS 2" 2x Barlow and I am happy with it. It was only $79 from Andrews!!

I also have the GS 2" 30mm SuperView and I like it too. Barlowed it works fine.

I have a few 500 series EP's and they are terrible.

I have an un-named (un-branded) 9mm and it is terrific. Even barlowed in my f5 12" dobbie!

It is a lot to take in, but eventually you will filter down the suggestions made and make your own selections, but please try to avoid the 500 series. They are dissapointing!

[slice of heaven]

Steve, I have the Orion shorty + as well and dont have a problem with it.
I use a mixed bag of eps (nothing flash) with it and it works well, the most common eps I use barlowed are the 32 26 and 20 Meades .
But, like you I dont have another 2x to compare it with. I've a TV 3x which I use for the brighter objects.

[Starkler]

Reflections can happen between the barlow and the eyepiece you insert into it. The quality of coatings of both come into account. I dont have any problems with reflections with my Pentax eyepieces in this barlow.

I have compared the shorty plus to a 2 inch GSO barlow and the shorty plus came out noticeably ahead in sharpness and with much less light scatter.
You get what you pay for.

[RAJAH235]

FWIW, No-one has mentioned the 'Meade' barlows. I have the #140 telenegative & it is great with all my E/Pcs. (not the UWA 14mm tho!). I believe they are about $120.00 now. But then I haven't checked lately. :D L.

[ballaratdragons]

Laurie, is it a 1.25" or 2" Barlow?

I am of the belief that a 2" barlow is a much much better idea than it's little brother. Purely because it will take both size EP's.

[chunkylad]

Does anyone know what type of EPs Andrews is offering with their GSO Dob deals in the current Aussie Sky & Telescope? They mention (for the GS980) including "4 x Plossl" EPs. Are these the series 500 type, or GS?

It seems that one would need to negotiate further if they are the 500 series!

[RAJAH235]

I only have 1.25" E/Pcs. Ken. 'cept for the UWA 14mm, but then it's both sizes. :D L.
ps. Have mentioned this before; It's purely a personal choice as to what E/Pcs., barlows, etc. etc. to buy. I just don't like the 'views' thru 2" E/Pcs. & I've tried most. :shrug: L.

[davidpretorius]

i got 4 series 500 ep's 6.5, 12.5, 25mm, 40mm free with my 10" ltd from andrews.

i can't fault them, 6.5mm is ok for jupiter etc, but not much else. no doubt as i get to look thru the better ep's i will notice a difference and won't ever buy a series 500 again. but they are not crap!

[gss]

Dave W.

Here's a quote from an email from Lee which should help...

quote
In the case of you buying a GS-580 or GS-680 Dod. you may choose any two Andrews Series 500 Plossls from the range covering 4mm~40mm, although over 30/32mm is not recommended for any reflector.
In the case of the GS-880 and GS-980 Dobs. you may choose any FOUR Series 500 Plossls and you may also choose between a bonus 26mm or 32mm 2" dia. eyepiece!
unqoute

Hope this helps...

Cheers,
Glenn

[Starkler]

There are worse eyepieces you could get, but as far as plossls go they are bottom of the line and I would strongly recommend that anyone dealing with Andrews to buy a dob try to negotiate an upgrade to GS plossls.

The memebers of IIS have handed Andrews many GS dobs sales on a silver platter, so lets hope he realises this and "comes to the party".

[janoskiss]

I agree, as far as this: yes, definitely try to upgrade to GS EPs; they are much better.

But I disagree that the S-500s are the bottom of the line in Ploessls. Geoff, you obviously haven't had the displeasure of looking through one of the Super Ploessls that come with the Dork Smith 4.5" Newtonian. :eek: Compared to them the S. 500s are a work of art! :rofl:

[slice of heaven]

When I bought mine from Lee, the 500s had no cash back value if you wanted to upgrade to other eps . The price 'he' pays to put 4 500s on his shelf doesnt come close to the retail price of 1 gs ep. It's a big letdown in his package for a newbie with no other eps.

DaveP..That was a bold statement..re the 500s, compared to the 500s I have some very good Kellners. The 500s are good for public viewing and kids, but even my 8yr old will only use the 15 and 30 of the 500s when he's viewing with his friends as the views in the higher mag pieces arent good enough.

[davidpretorius]

shall we say they are bottom of the line of working ep's, you can use them, they work, but the only way is up.

[slice of heaven]

Thats better Dave :)

[chunkylad]

Just when you thought it was safe........


I thought I was ready to place my order with Lee Andrews, before I read this thread:scared2: that is. It seems the more you learn, the more there is to find out.........

Andrews is offering 4xseries 500 plossls for $99.oo. This may be a basis for some negotiating when I do order. Their range of 1.25" GS plossls 4mm - 25mm are selling for $39.oo each, and the 32mm and 40mm = $49.oo each, as are the 2" x 26, 32 & 40mm. I do hope he is open to a little "horse trading".:poke:

I'll keep you all informed.

Cheers

[slice of heaven]

Good luck with the bartering DaveW.
As I mentioned in the above post , the value of the 500s to Lee, puts them as a take it or leave it package.
Let us know how you go.

[Starkler]

I would accept any credit offered from not taking the 500's, assuming the budget allows the purchase of other eyepieces, but thats just me. The 500's have pretty much zero resale value.

[slice of heaven]

I tried that Geoff, but the choice was "take it or leave it". I couldnt even get the price he pays in an upgrade.

The original 2 free gs plossls would be a better deal than the 4 500s.

[Starkler]

I agree 100% . Not much has been said about this in the Andrews vs Bintel value equation.

The 500's really are a let down considering that the scope is worthy of premium eyepieces. They really hold this scope back.

The 26 and 32mm two inch "bonus eyepieces" arent much chop either. Although giving a much clearer view than the 500's , the abberations are shocking in fast scopes.

[chunkylad]

That leaves us with Bintel's offer of their 12" 'premium' Dob which includes a 2" X 32mm FMC EP, + 1.25" Bintel plossls (15mm and 9mm) for an extra $150.oo over Andrews' GS-980 Deluxe. Are there any major differences between these two OTAs, and if not, are these EPs worth the extra$$$?

Theees eees the question seeeenors:rofl:

[davidpretorius]

for the same scope, bintels freight to tassie was 200, andtews 75, the scope from bintels was more expensive due to mainly bintel dismantling and collimating etc.

not sure if you have read this thead

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=2956&highlight=australian

whether the dismantling is worth it, i think not as you have to collimate any way. The scopes are the same, the ep's may be closer to being the same so I suggest getting cheapest price and then save your money to start spending $50 - $100 of 1.25" eps or $150 - $200 for 2" barlows or ultra wides etc

[Starkler]

The OTAs are the same, the 32mm as I said isnt much chop at f5, so your getting 4xs500s at $0 vs 2 gso's +32mm for $150.
I would take the $150 saving and buy an Orion shorty plus barlow, then replace the s500's as you can.

[davidpretorius]

spot on sparkler!!!!

[chunkylad]

Thanks guys, for putting this all into perspective.

Cheers

Dave W

[chunkylad]

Hi everyone

WELL IT'S ON IT'S WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rofl:: love:
12" GSO Dob Deluxe, 4x colour filters,4xGS Plossl EPs,bonus binocs and a 26mm x 2"ep and aluminium Cheshire X hair EP. Delivered to Townsville: $1275.oo. Bargain!!!

Lee Andrews DID upgrade the four series 500 plossls, to four GS plossl eps. He did the upgrade for the difference in price between the two: ie he is selling the GS EPs for $39 each, and the series 500 Eps for $99 for four, so I paid the difference ($39x4=$156-$99=$57.oo). ;) :thumbsup: He says he only has limited stock of the GS plossls however.

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait,
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait............

Cheers

Dave W

[asimov]

Nice package (apart from the coloured filters) congratulations Chunks!

[slice of heaven]

Now thats a great starter package Dave ,WELL DONE!!!!
:thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Dave W,

Welcome to the 12" Dobbie Deluxe Club (better than the standard Dobbie Club! :D ).

Don't disregard the colour filters. Some can be useful. Once they arrive let us now the numbers on them and we can tell you what objects they will be good for.

Alternatively, you can check this site out and see what does what. It is a great site for info on filters and worth putting in your favourites for future reference!

http://sciastro.net/portia/advice/filters.htm

[davidpretorius]

i went the same but in 10", i had about 1300 to play with, so chose the 10" and then got the modified toucam, 30mm ultrawide.

it is soooooooo much fun!!!! you will enjoy!

[elusiver]

that's an AWESOME link BD! been thinking alot about filters lately.. and they're now officially on THE list.

el :)

[Starkler]

Well done to get the credit of $25ea on the s500's :thumbsup:

Time to start a campaign the rid the world of s500's :lol:

[chunkylad]

Thanks for all the good vibes guys and gals. I chose the 12" Dave P, because I had to modify my original budget of 2k, and ended up with around the same as you to spend - $1300.oo. So I went for the largest aperture I could for the money, and as I can, I'll build up my accessories from there. I'd like an apochromatic Barlow for starters, and a Telrad or Rigel quickfinder (anyone with an opinion on the Rigel BTW?); plus some really good EPs. Did I hear someone say "Nagler"??????...........

I have also downloaded Asimov's EQ mount plans for future reference.

I am rapt with the deal I got from Lee Andrews though. He mentioned that GS are working on the prototypes for the 16" Dob right now, with a view to release later this year. Pricing in the $2 -2.5k bracket.

I am soooooo excited, or couldn't you guess?:D

Cheers

Dave W

[ballaratdragons]

I know the feeling :thumbsup:

[asimov]

Hi Chunks. As I said before, nice package. I particularly like the way you rationalized your decision ie: the biggest aperture for your budget, Well done. Your right in saying the quality accessories can come later. Not sure of the FL of your new scope, but I would recommend a cheshire collimating eyepiece soon to go with that package of yours.

As far as nagler EPs go....well...if youv'e got the budget, I say go for it. But just get as much information & opinions as you can before jumping in the 500+ EP pool.

[chunkylad]

Hi John

I ordered a Cheshire Collimator with my OTA, which is F5, I believe. I'm reading up on collimating processes to make sure I get it right. There are numerous threads and links here which discuss it, so I'm sure (I mean I hope :prey: )it'l be no problem.

Cheers

Dave W

[asimov]

I really don't think it'll be a problem for you. You seem to research things well before diving in. Good to see. If you get into trouble though, all you have to do is ask in here & we'll help you out, no sweat! :thumbsup: Collimation can be as easy as a 3 step procedure.

[elusiver]

:confuse3: :confuse3: :confuse3:

el :)