Hi there guys,
This is my first post on iis! This must be the shortest time I've ever lurked on a forum before joining and posting.
Anyway, I'm a new astronomer with effectively zero practical experience with scopes. (I've observed during a university astro course and at Uluru but never operated my own.) I've learned some things from the many beginners' guides online, but there's a lot I still don't know. What I do know is that I'd like to have my own scope sooner rather than later!
I'm looking at the 12" Skywatcher Dob (non-collapsible) at around $800. The
12" collapsible is too pricey - even Andrews are selling it for $1500. The
10" collapsible is around $850, and for completeness I'll mention that the
10" Dob (non-collapsible) is, well, also an option, and by far the cheapest. So the options I'm currently looking at are the 10" collapsible and non-collapsible, and the 12" non-collapsible (I'm sure there's a better term for non-collapsible, like tube assembly or something.)
I should add that I also have my eye on a used 6" Guang Sheng reflector with motor drive on an equatorial mount. Also, I'm on the coast here in Sydney and have clear eastern skies from my balcony, so I'll be observing here, but I'll also want to take my scope out occasionally for observing sessions which will require lugging it down a flight of stairs and into the car and then out into a field ... you know the drill.
That said, I have a few questions for you:
1.Do any of you have any experience with these Dobs? Are there any disadvantages to the collapsible models (dew/ambient light interference/etc)? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both - is it just portability vs price, or are there other factors? What do you suggest?
2. I don't know much about things like collimation, diffraction limited, and various other practical/optical issues. What is there to know about these Skywatcher/Bintel scopes in this regard?
3. Eyepieces: what do I need, to begin with? And filters: what should I start with, apart from a decent moon filter?
4. Are these scopes simply too heavy? This is the only thing that keeps going through my mind! Are the collapsible Dobs a good compromise?
5. Any other suggestions?
Thanks guys - can't wait to hear from you!
- darkskybondi
