[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

I would recommend you keep your 10". Mostly for ergonomics. Visually the 10" doesn't give much away to a 12". It's noticeable to an experience observer almost immediately but no one will flip out over it. I some times wish I never got a 12" and got a 10" instead. The size and weight difference is dramatic. If you have a certified good mirror, all the more reason to keep it. You have a number of options if you want to mount it in a Dobsonian configuration.

1# buy an Orion Optics Dobsonian mount and tube cradle. Mount your 10" in that. They look a bit flimsy though. They are all metal though so they may be stiffer then they look.

2# Get a Dobsonian mount custom made from Gondwana telescopes. The custom mount and cradles are well priced and I have personally seen and used Alexander's work for an 8" GSO tubed Dob which he made. Worked great.

3# If you have some serious cash to burn. You can get a STS 10" Dob mount from Teeter Telescopes in the USA and ship it here.


If you want GOTO though, you will probably have to pick up a Skywatcher or Orion Dob instead. You could always buy a 10" Skywatcher Goto dob. If you don't like the optics switch it out with your OOUK mirror. They are the same focal length. That is quite wasteful though. You'll probably find the Skywatcher has really good optics. I've never heard bad things about Skywatcher or Synta optics. My personal 12" is capable of at least 40x magnification per inch without image break down when the seeing cooperates.