Quote:
Originally Posted by Killa
Hi all, Im a noob, yes, another one. .. lol
I've been trying to read the beginners stuff on here but it really goes over my head,
I've been using the national geographic table top telescope which has been fantastic as far as I can tell, I've been able to see Jupiter and it's moons, a few clusters and nebulae,
I really want to upgrade to 8 inch dobson,I like the stablity the table top one gives me, I'm a bit nervous about the purchase though. Where do I store it? I keep the table top one in the cupboard but this new one is too big for that, and I'd like to purchase filters too perhaps just the small kit with the blue and red filters along with a couple of extra eye pieces. .
If I store the telescope inside should I cover it with material? So dirt and dust doesnt get everywhere?
And do you think I'd get $800 worth of viewing from it? Can we put a price on viewing ability?
So far the pleiades are great viewing on the table top, I adore the nebula in orion. I'd like to see more hence the upgrade.
What do you seasoned viewers think?  |
Hi Shannon, and welcome. As someone who is (in my own mind at least) gradually approaching the end of my noobiness, I can attest to the fact that an 8" dob would be a great investment, having a goto 8" myself. If you're thinking $800 for the scope alone, I'd say you could probably shop around and get a better deal - somewhere between $500-$600 would be a more reasonable price for an 8" non go-to dob. As for storage, yeah you'd need either a deep cupboard or a dedicated corner of a room. They normally come with a solid cap for the lower part of the tube and a soft dust cap for the upper portion (assuming it's a collapsible dob- the solid tube versions will just have the solid cap I think) however you could certainly drape a sheet over it to keep more dust out, and I've heard some people use old sleeping bags.
Regarding eyepieces/filters, I've found I don't tend to use the coloured filters much, as I personally prefer not to have the artificial colour. A decent neutral density or polarizing filter is not a bad investment as it can take the glare off the moon/brighter planets to help show a bit more detail. If you wanted to get a bit more contrast with your nebula viewing you can get an OIII or similar narrow passband filter which will make a significant difference, although good quality filters can give the bank balance a right bollocking.
Best to ask your local purveyor of fine telescopes regarding eyepieces, but in the short term, probably run with the standard 10mm and 25mm which should come with the scope. You'll probably want a 4-6mm at some point and/or a barlow to get a bit more magnification, but I'd imagine the upgrade from table top to 8" scope will keep you quite pleased in the short term. A 30mm or 42mm 2" eyepiece can also provide great low-power widefield views for reasonably low cost. It'll depend a bit on what you want to see and how much you want to spend, but there are a myriad of different eyepieces to choose from. I bought a Baader MkIII zoom eyepiece, and while it was pricey compared to entry-level plossls, the views are great and you get multiple magnifications - it's my most used eyepiece. Anyway, take your time, ask plenty of questions, and enjoy - an 8" scope should serve you well (until you get aperture fever)...