Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceaxe
For me 10" dobsonian, mid next year EQ6 Pro mount (by then I would have leant enough from the club to understand it, & not get frustrated), by the end of next year astrophotography.
Small steps, less distance to fall.
Joe  |
Welcome Greg!
I agree with Iceaxe, and I myself am following a similiar path.. small steps, learn as you go. I too have a dob. (lots of aperture, easy and no fuss, esp. for beginners). Beginners already have a lot to learn, without the added complications of learning the technicalities of higher end scopes.
When I first got my scope I really had no clue the path I would be on now, I just wanted to see objects in the sky. I was completely unprepared that my scope would show me such magnificence. I didn't even expect Saturn to look anywhere near as stunning as it does. When you gain more knowledge, you have a better idea of where you want to be and how best you want the scope to perform.
For example, as a newcomer, I am focusing on learning the sky with books, not electronic guides (some prefer having electonic guides and they say this helps them learn.. each to their own, though bare in mind this is expensive and often at the cost of losing aperture). I want to challenge myself in this area as much as I can. I have learned a whole lot regarding the technicalities of the scope and eye piece performances. Now, I am involved in pushing my eyes to their limits regarding detail on objects and I have books that will help me to notice and look for this fine detail. I see so much more now than I ever did, and am still improving. My next step is sketching. In time, my list of new experiences to learn will grow as my knowledge grows. When I get well trained in the skies, I will more than likely get an electronic finding device, so I can dedicate more time to the study rather than finding objects. I still don't own a Telrad, but I will someday soon (after I get over the fun and challenge of star hopping to find objects), as currently I'm still on the curve of challenging myself. To me at this stage of learning, is challenging and rewarding what I can do and achieve myself. The journey is so much fun. In a nutshell, I believe in starting off simple and allowing myself to grow and work/aim towards adding on accessories or buying other telescopes, once I'm in a better position of knowing what that is. This is just my opinion. What suits you could be very different.
Please take the time to read this article, it really is full of terrific information to help you. It's titled "Buying the Best Telescope".
http://www.fvastro.org/beginners/Buy...tTelescope.pdf