Quote:
Originally Posted by rayman888
I presume GSO stands for Guan Sheng optics, No?
Is the 8" GSO dob (A$399) better than their GS-500 6" f/5 150mm x 750mm reflector on SV1 equatorial mount with tripod at A$499 (from Andrews)? Having used an equatorial mount and looking at the pictured dob mount, I suspect I would prefer the EQ mount better. It seems to track better. I did use a celestron alt./az. mount (on their 50mm refractor at $58!) and find it very frustrating to point at a celestrial object, very jerky. Am I correct in that assumption about the eq mount? Does the dob mount track just as well, or indeed does it track at all? Note that I don't have a dob, so haven't used one yet. I need to make a decision whether to return my purchase soon.
Sorry, if I come across as a noob 'cos I'm indeed a noob here! LOL.
BTW, are those new collapsible dobs by Skywatcher any good. They have an 8" 200mm x 1200mm for A$599, $200 more than the GSO 8" dob!
|
Hi,
Yes GSO stands for Guan Sheng Optics. It is the scope sold by Andrews Communications, BINTEL etc.
You cannot compare a cheap flimsy alt/az mount to a dob mount. There is absolutely no comparison between the two, except they both have horizontal and vertical axes, as the direction in which the scope moves. The dob mount is infinitely easier to set up. It is easier to locate and aim to an object, and subsequently to steer the telescope. They are simplicity itself. They also make it very easy to hand track objects, which is quite difficult with the Celestron alt/az mount you are referring to.
Unfortunately a decent equatorial mount costs a lot of money. Over $1,000 plus for a decent chinese made one. $3,000 plus for a high quality US or Japanese made one. With the cheaper equatorial mounts which are packaged with the cheaper scopes, the mount quality is very poor and the mount is generally inadequate to properly carry the weight load of the telescope that's put on it. This makes them unstable and wobble for long periods every time you touch the scope to focus etc. It subsequently can put the object out of the FOV. In addition the 8"/F6 dob will show you infinitely more optically than the 6"/F5 telescope could ever hope to do. With the 8" dob package you have about $350 going into the scope and optics and about $50 into the mount. The mount is cheap because they can be mass produced on CNC machines from chipboard laminate and they are very simple, with minimal moving parts. With the 6"/F5 SV1 package you have about $200 going into the scope and optics and about $300 going into a very inadequte equatorial mount. A cheap poor quality equatorial mount is a lesson in frustration. Particularly when the scope is undermounted. That's what you get with a 6"/F5 newt on an SV1 mount. You would also find it infinitely more difficult to point any equatorial mount directly to a target (unless it has goto), than you will with any dob mount.
Having used both types of scope over many years, I would be buying the 8" dob in a flash.
Cheers,
John B