Big Ol' Smile - new 10" dob arrives

[ColHut]

Well it is nice to share! My 10" GSO SDX dob arrived on Wednesday from Andrews. It was easy to set up especially with an Orion manual from the web, and bless me it works fine after collimating, aligning finderscope, and focusing that too. Andrews kindly swapped most of the eyepieces (which I already had) for a 30mm SV, and total cost including freight to Perth was only $599. Now if only it would warm up a bit! My old 4.5" northstar has missile envy!

cheers

[Dog Star]

Congratulations ColHut.I bought the 12" SDX from Andrews just over 2 weeks ago. There's no feeling that you get like unpacking a new scope. May the Viewing continue.

[jjjnettie]

Congratulations to both of you on your new scopes.
Enjoy!

[seeker372011]

clear skies..alternately may the new scope curse drag all the cloud from sydney over to your neck of the woods ;)

[Earl]

Out of interest, what's new on the SDX models compared to the "older" style GSO models?

[ColHut]

I am not sure there is anything special about these Special deluxes from Andrews. They came with right angle correct view finderscopes instead of straight through and 10:1 crayford style focussers and fans etc, but they are not the "New heavy duty tension adjustable Dobsonians due soon!".

- Except that I love it - I just bought a trolley (pace Mr Salway) for $15.98 on special to drag it around the garden.

cheers

[ColHut]

I sat out last night to watch Jupiter through my old 4.5" Northstar and the new 10" Dob. It was great to sit down and look through the eyepiece for a change near the low down dob. The seeing was poor, and about X130 was as good as it got by 9.45pm. It may have improved later. Still I tried to moved the dob - a bit sticky in azimuth - and let the planet just drift across the eyepiece then nudge the scope back. The bands were clearly visible with a hint of colour, and the detail in the momments of steadiness was fantastic. The image was bright and clear and the finderscope was so easy use. I think a red-dot finderscope mounted with the 8X50 would allow easier targeting of different objects insteading of roughly lining up the whole dob like a rifle and then going straight to the 8X50. There was way too much light pollution to see much else But I am as happy as a pig in the proverbial. Nice bright crisp large images. Defocussing with a powerful eyepiece on stars showed good round shapes which distorted towrds the edge of the field of view - I suppose from coma. Anyway Now just to modify the the dob base a little to make it smoother. Oddly - and almost for the first time - the old Northstar stayed with Jupiter for half an hour although the views were not quite so good in the little telescope.

cheers

[Liz]

Hey ColHut - sounds like you are having fun with new scope, and seen some good sights despite poor skies. Keep us updated. I also bought this scope late last year, and had/have troubles with base, and hence havent used it as much. Have also recently had to clean mirror (interesting as all screws wouldnt go back in :doh:) as filthy despite minimal usage :( We have our Astronomy Group viewing this weekend so look forward to dragging it out again. I also have a trolley :) Hope for good skies this weekend, let me know how you go with the base.

[renormalised]

Liz, what sort of dob is it, a truss tube or full tube?? Either way, you most likely need a cap for the tube to keep the dust out.

[Liz]

It is a full tube, and always with cap on, and then a cover over the top as well, when not in use. Tis a mystery why so dirty, and mirror also has a few scratches!!! I had hardly used it ..... perhaps someone comes in and uses it when I'm asleep :shrug: I hope they had good viewing :rolleyes:

[renormalised]

Is the mirror cell and mount open to the air?? That could be where the dust is coming in. Damn stuff seems to be able to get into everywhere!!!!:eyepop:

Unless you hermetically seal your scope, you'd never keep it out.

[erick]

Shower cap over the mirror end, when not in use - a nice pastal shade - they don't seem to do black! Keeps the spiders and bugs out as well. Fits an 8", won't fit a 12" - should fit a 10"?

[Liz]

Ah, thanks guys, :thumbsup: shower cap on mirror end is worth a go, think I have one with green flowers that should look attractive, and be a means to an end. That dust is a tricky substance.

[renormalised]

Well, any dob worth her salt must have the latest in fashion:P:D

[bindibadgi]

I got a pack of eight clear shower caps from Big W for $2. I use one to cover my leather bicycle seat in the rain as well. Useful things, and they fit the GSO 10" very nicely.

[ColHut]

Dear Liz,

please explain!

cheers

[ColHut]

I was happily watching Jupiter drift pass when I noticed that the dob was getting springy. Very odd but it was hard to move and when nudged it nudged back. It was so cold that I took it inside for a look and I was suprised to see that the trunions were flexing and twisting on the dob. An inspection showed that each trunion was held on by two phillips' head bolts secured on the inside of the tube by a normal nut. Even as tall as I am I could not hold the nut with a spanner from the top (I laid the dob down to avoid death by gravity) and use a screwdriver. Thus the mirror cell had to come out which it did easilly and I could get to the pesky nuts from the short end. It did not take long but I discovered that the mirror cell only goes back in, in one position on the tube in my case to allow for the seam on the tube. If this problem recurrs I will loctite them. The alignment had not gone off which was a bonus when I checked with the Cheshire. Next stop some of those chair sliders for the base!

[bindibadgi]

Wow, maybe you should loctite them anyway. You wouldn't want one of the nuts falling off, although it wouldn't hit the mirror I guess, given the position.

[Liz]

Hi Col ... hopefully that has fixed your problem. Where are the 'trunions'? Not that I want to take mirror off again, after getting all the screws back in place. I think mine may be a bit 'springy' too :doh:. How do you like the focuser?

[ColHut]

The trunions are the round black plastic lumps on each side of the tube which sit in the sides of the dob base. Like a an old cannon is mounted on its wooden carriage. They enable it to elevate They are the point of rotation and are usually about the centre of gravity. The springs are attached to a stud between the trunions.

Mine came (said proudly and with much importance;) ) with a crayford style 10:1 I love it. It is magic. Smooth and adjustable. (Many thanks to the kind chap on this forum who long ago sugested I download the equivalent Orion Manual.) My old Northstar has a plastic rack & pinion type which was hopeless. I ended up getting an electric acufocuser to give me fine control. Still had lots of image shift when moving.

[ColHut]

You are right. I did not have it to hand, and must get some non-permanent.

cheers

Colin