Additions to a 10inch auto tracking dob

[AverageNova]

Hello all,
Im lucky enough to have Santa bringing me a collapsible 10inch Skywatcher auto tracking dob for my first scope.

My question is that i've also got an extra $300 or so to spend on it and would like to know what would be the best thing to buy straight away to improve this particular scope setup.

Should i be getting extra EP's or a barlow, or maybe a right angle attachment for the finderscope, or go straight to a telrad???

I realize i'm probly being a bit greedy and will be blown away with the stock setup straight out of the box anyway, but surely it cant hurt trying to get even better views and use out of the scope straight away, can it...?

Also can anyone give me their personal views on this type of dob, e.g. ease of use, does it stay steady enough while tracking for photography etc?

your help is very much appreciated.

thanks

[barx1963]

Hmmm. tough one that. The SW comes with only 25 and 10mm EPs, and they are not bad, but a good barlow will double your EP collection straight away. Maybe also go for a really widefield EP 30mm +.
Or spend it on some atlases. These will be off huge value to you once you start observing.
Don't get excited about photography. You may be able to do a bit of planetary stuff, but not DSO's. Enjoy the visual experience first, the scope you are getting is a fine piece of equipment,

[rastis95]

A collimation tool of some variety, say a Cheshire eyepiece or a laser is a must. When I bought my dob it was close to alignment but over time of dragging it outside and back again it soon shifts. Good luck :thumbsup:

Cheers
Scott :D

[PCH]

Get a binoviewer - your views of the planets and the moon will amaze you :thumbsup:

[Kevnool]

I,m with scott,Collimation is a must every time you observe.
Pick yourself some collimation gear or you will be dissapointed.
There are Cheshires and Lasers for the picking.
Cheers Kev.

[mozzie]

yep collmination its a must simple gso laser easy to use and a quick align its very important and the images will stay crisp in the eyepiece
mozzie

[mental4astro]

Hi AverageNova, :welcome: to IIS,

10" auto tracking dobbie for a first scope! Santa must think very highly of you!!

$300 to spend, I'd suggest these:

*GSO laser or cheshire collimating tool, the laser is a little easier to use with your size scope (from Andrews)

*GSO Superview 30mm 2" EP, at f/5, this is as long a focal length eyepiece as practical for your scope. Any longer and the shadow of the secondary can become too dominant. I have one of these EP's, great wide view EP until you have more to spend. It really is a good EP for this price. I have not seen anything to touch it until you dump $300 on an EP alone, and they also weigh a whole lot more too (from Andrews & Bintel)

*Meade Series 5000 5.5mm Plossl eyepiece. An excellent high power EP at a good price. It will be a much better proposition than a cheap barlow with a cheap eyepiece. Wider field of view, longer eyerelief, and much sharper image (from Bintel)

*The balance on an atlas ,The Cambridge Sky Atlas (Bintel) is excellent, or a planisphere. The Beginners forum has some sticky threads with fantastic links to planispheres and atlases. I've used these to print my own.

Use what you have first. These suggestions are for items I use. They do me fine.
Mental.

[dclnmurray]

Hiya

Collimation
cheshire and a laser (just be mindful I sent my GSO laser back as it was a slit and not a dot, All of them they had were like that so got a refund but I am sure they will get a different batch in now they are aware) I bought a deluxe laser from Sirius Optics and is perfect.

Book's
Get yourself the Atlas of Southern Sky or something similar.

Eyepiece's
Get a good barlow

That should be around $250 for that lot.

cheers

Dave