Guang Sheng 10" Dob

[PrideKnight]

Hey All,

I was in a couple of months ago getting advise for a scope as a gift for my partner. I am pretty sold on the 10" dob scope from Andrew's for $899, seems to have everything he will need to get started (especially if I can get em to chuck in a moon filter)

I just wanted to find out if anyone here has one, if there is anything I need to know and what he can expect to see when I have it set up for him on the night of his birthday.

Cheers
PK

[erick]

Sounds good, Chris. Getting a collimation tool - a Cheshire tool or a laser collimating tool (Andrews sell both) would be a good idea to get the mirrors aligned for best view.

Hopefully his birthday is about 5-7 days after new Moon :P Then you can start on the Moon, then move to Saturn when you tire of the Moon, and after that, when the Moon is setting, go looking for other wonders of the sky - open star clusters, globular star clusters - even galaxies. Of course, this pre-supposes that you have dark(ish) skies. If you will be setting it up in the middle of a bright city, your targets will be limited.

[Paddy]

Hi Chris,

Ditto to Eric's reply. A couple of other points to add are that he won't see colour in deep sky objects like nebulae and galaxies. Whilst colour show up on images, our eyes can't collect enough light to see colour on faint objects. He will see coloured stars and colour on planets. What he will see will greatly increase over time.

Will he/you know how to find your way around the sky?

You have certainly bought him (and yourself) a wonderful telescope which should keep you discovering for a very long time.

[PrideKnight]

Cheers for that mate, I had not even considered the light/colour thing! THat being said, I am Deuteranopic, so my colour vision is skewed anyhow.

I think eventually Stu would like to get into astrophotography and so will obviously buy a GEM or more likely a motorised Cassegrain, and see the universe in colour that way.

I think I have a fairly good idea of how to scout around and whatnot, from my understanding, one of the beauties of the Dob is that you can pretty much point and view, and that is how we will start, i may buy him a skyscout or something for our anniversary.

When you say what he will see will increase over time, do you mean that our eyes become more sensitive to faint light and hence see colour, or just the incalculable amount of things out there to see?

The other part of his present (I am a massive fan of the Bait and Switch gift) is a Title deed on mars, after which he receives I will say "and you will need this to see it....in about 2014"

Appreciate the comments :D

[Paddy]

Oh, yes! pointing and looking is a great way to start. I found it, and still do. a very useful exercise to look at the sky with binoculars of any sort until I see something a bit different and then point the scope at it and see what's there. Usually this will turn up nebulae, open clusters etc.

Seeing more over time is more about learning to observe - to notice more subtleties through experience. I find I revisit objects that I have looked at many times and still see more each time. One other thing about looking at faint objects is to use averted vision so that your rod cells (low light vision) are doing the work, not the cone cells (full light vision)at your fovea. You will see much more detail on faint nebulae, planetary nebulae and galaxies. Bright nebulae like M42 and Eta Carinae will not need this treatment. You will also find more objects over time, there is a lot out there!

Hope you both have a great time!

[JethroB76]

clouds :lol::bashcomp: