[-George-]

Hello, I am looking at buying myself a Telescope. I was part of the Cloudynights forum, but they told me I may find more relevant information here since I am In NSW - Australia.

So here I am.

Basically I have 1 question for myself and one for a friend of mine who already owns a telescope.

1: I want to buy a 12" telescope (maybe a 16"). I live on a farm, past Lithgow in NSW, where it is pretty dark and to naked eye I can see a 1000s of stars.

Having said this, I have seen the Mead Light Bridge 12", is this good?

Are there better things worth looking into/investing in?

I want something that I can get nice planet views with and everything else. I understand more aperture allows for more magnification without losing detail and thus contrast etc is greater (greater detail available to view). Same time I also understand the quality of the mirror is highly important as well otherwise, there is not much to magnify on that will look 'wow'.

Anyways I did not want to buy something that later I will feel ripped off on because I should have got 'the other thing' which was a little more $.

So how is the Meade Light Bridge 12"?

Are there any other ones (LIke Orion) that perhaps offer better stuff?

The Lightbridge is Bk-7 the Orions offer the faster cooling mirrors (pyrrex, or low dispersion) something rather... *scratches head*.

And, would a 16" be worth looking at, or start with the 12 and perhaps later as I gain experience, look into a 16? The 16 Mead Lightbrige as example is $1000 more than the 12". 12" good started, but same time, If I do love what I am doing, the 16" could have avoided a 'needed upgrade' later... so I am considering that as an option. However, If I get a 12" later I can buy a very high quality mirror 16" rather than have wasted it on a cheaper sort... so perhaps the 12" is good to start on from this angle rather than having a 16" to upgrade to a better quality 16".


I hope you get where I am coming from.


Next: Friends question.

My friend has a 10" Dobsonion mounted SAXON reflector telescope.

Optical Design Newtonian (Parabolic)
Diameter 254mm
Focal Length 1200mm
Secondary Mirror Diameter 58mm
F/Ratio f 4.7
Highest Practical Power 508x
Faintest Steller Magnitude 14.7
Resolving Power 0.56
Finderscope 9x50 Finderscope
Focuser Diameter 2" with 1.25" adapter
Focuser Crayford
Eyepieces Plossl 25mm and 10mm (1.25")
Solid Tube style
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He wanted to know what eye piece can he buy that will give him the maximum magnification without losing quality... wants something for good planetary viewing, such as mars etc without it being a 'dot' in the sky (like binoculars) but also not being a haze because he over-shot the magnification where all detail is lost. So a balance between surface detail and size. Kind of like what you see in pictures, to get that 'wow' sensation rather than buy the eye piece, look at the sky and go 'hmmmm yeah its oooooo k" and feel bummed out.

Help appreciated.

He lives in Melbourne, he usually drives out of Melbourne to view in the country, I live myself as said out past lithgow, in a nice dark area.