New entrant to the amatuer league...

[Vartigy]

Hi everyone!

I've been looking at getting my first telescope for a couple months now.
I realise it's a capital intensive investment, thus I'm taking my time, researching, reading and I've finally found these forums!



At first I was looking at the 150mm newt reflectors (skywatchers, tasco range...). Sounded like what I wanted, deeper space looking.
Then speaking with a shop owner in Perth, he opened my eyes to this Dobsonian style. I had mistakenly overlooked them as they looked like the hobby style small table mounted ones you see in the attic of every american kids bedroom.
After realising what they truly were, seeing a photo of a guy using one. I came to appreciate how powerful they could be.

Now I'm leaning towards an 8" collapsible dob (skywatcher series).
I've a few queries for any current users/owners or anyone thats used one.
- Does the eyepiece really only stand around 1.3m off the ground?
-- Does this then introduce uncomfortable long evening viewing? Backstrains etc?

- The mounting base. The pictures I've seen only show a flat 500mm dia base plate. How stable are they? What are they like if you take them out bush/camping? Is there an all terrain mounting for them?

- User Friendly? Ok, by the sounds of it, it's easy to use. But what about servicing/collimation/cleaning? How often do these need to be done? Are these acts easy to accomplish with this scope?

- The push pull mechanism of changing your targets. Is it smooth movements? Or really jerky? How does the new tension screw go with this?

- Are there any other parts / accessories I should also know that I will need, before actually arriving to a store and putting down the dough on the desk? Focusers/Lens'/Filters?

And finally.
Is anyone on here from Kalgoorlie, or know if there is a club in Kalgoorlie?
And can anyone recommend some shops to contact in Perth?



Cheers,

Aaron.

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

Too bad you wernt in perth Arron, ide say come out with me and i can show you a whole heap of gear,

I have the 10" dob though now i have the Eq6 German Equitorial Mount to run it on.

The dob in its standard gize is just fine, there are tweaks and little things to do to them but this is exactly that. Tweaks.

My golden advice to a newbie is sit down and think about what you like to do. because there are 2 main streams when it comes to astro, those who like Visual and those who go Photography. They are both as expensive as each other, though in the grand picture are cheap as a hobbie! keep on haveing a look though the forums you will see many posts with people just like yourself. oh and if you are in perth PM me and i can show you a few things.

[Vartigy]

Thanks for the info Brendan. Might make it down for a meetngreet some time in the future if I get into this gig heavily, assuming I aint working... lol.

So has anyone out there got a collapsible SW Dob?
Or anyone know if they are a pain in the bum?
Do they hold their length when out? Is it lock set? Or will I be continually adjusting them?
Or should I just go for straight 8" sw dob?

And is there any major differences between the manufacturers dobs? Guan Sheng to SW etc.

[Tallstock (Peter)]

Hi Anfo,
I purchased my 8" collapsible SW Dob on Friday 19 Jan. Easy to assemble, easy to use and very pleased with viewing to date.
I am 200cm tall and find that sitting on a chair gives an acceptable relaxed position whilst viewing.
The extension tubes "hold their length" without moving. There are three tightening screws to secure the tube at its' correct length. It actually clicks into position. I can't see you ever needing to adjust them. Straight out of the box I didn't need to collimate the SW Dob either.
The tube length of the "straight" 8" dob is obviously permanently longer whilst the advantage for me of the collapsible dob was it's shorter length when stored away or when travelling. Either way they both take up a lot of room and this aspect should not be overlooked.
When I go camping with my new dob I will put down a ground sheet for dust protection. The base is stable and the whole unit is well balanced.
The "push/pull" mechanism is actually smoother than I imagined.
In my package was 2 eyepieces --- a 25mm (gives 48x magnification) and a 10mm (120x). To date I have spent all my time using the 48x ep looking at the moon. Now ready to move up to 120x on next clear night.
I only went to one shop when looking at a Dob so I am unable to comment on different manufacturers. The quality control on the SW impressed me but I did have stars in my eyes!

[Vartigy]

Thanks Peter!
Good to hear yours is working a charm.
Did you need to pick up any extra gear for it?
Collimator?
I've seen in some photos from collapsible owners that they have a sock/bag that can be fitted over the extended void of the cylinder. Did yours come with one?
Or would they be best to be left uncovered for ventilation purposes? (anyone)

[Tallstock (Peter)]

Hi,
I did not see the need for any extra gear whilst in the shop and the sales staff didn't push any.
I haven't needed to collimate my SW dob and I have moved it around a bit since I pulled it out of the box. I will wait until somebody says I need to collimate. The User Manual indicates that collimation should not be too hard.
There must be a good reason why socks/bags are used but I haven't seen discussions.
After a seeing session my dob is about ambient temperature (I haven't gone feeling around for fear of breaking something) so I don't know how hot the mirror gets. Ventilation had not crossed my mind.
Good luck with your search.
Peter

[stevoggo (Stephen)]

Hi Anfo,
I am super new to astronomy, started at christmas when i bought a second hand (non collapsible) 8"dob off a member here in the gear forum.
I cleaned the mirror (gasp!! i hear you all say, but it needed it) using advice i garnered from an article on this website.
And i started viewing, after another newbie asked for viewing advice on this website and i followed it.

So far it has been awesome, a friend of mine who has been in to astronomy a while took me out the other night and it was great, my dob...his lenses...what a partnership.
From my limited experience I would say dobs are great. Yes they have basic mounts, but when you start out, maybe thats not such a bad thing. They are easy to use mounts that for sure. And comfortable with a stool, but you do get up and move them around a lot!
From my VERY limited experience I would be wary of collapsible, truss dobs, if you do not have an EXtremely dark place to view from.
Until I started i didn't realise how little light pollution is needed to affect viewing. My take is that you would need a "sock" unless you have a very dark area. Even the meade ad in the back of AUSTSKYANDTEL..says...."so you can take one of these massive windows on the universe out to your favorite DARK sky location with ease...." (my emphasis)
Where are you most likely to be using it? back garden or driving somewhere? how much storage room do you have.
The best newb advice ever given "the best telescope for you is the one you are going to use the most!"
hope this helps..this site is awesome and the people on here rock... take all their advice, but feel free to ignore mine as I have never even seen one of these in action.
Cheers
Steve

[Vartigy]

Mmm.. Good point about the light polution. That's perhaps why the few people in the photos have the sock around the extended void area.
Theres a street lamp that shines indirectly into the best spot in my front yard, where I think ill be setting it up mostly.

Otherwise i'll be taking a 2 minute drive down to the cricket oval and setting up on the pitch.

Also. I think the only reason I may have been going for a collapsible is for the extra room. Even though my car can fit a solid tube across the back seat with ease.

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Hi Aaron,

Kalgoorlie ... not great for most pastimes, but 5km out of town, and you have some of the best gazing sites in the country.

I remember when I lived there back in the 90's, we would go out at night to somewhere like White Feather, or even near Ora Banda, and the only thing you could see would be stars - and lots of them.

No matter which scope you get, you are really going to get an eyeful, even if you just head 10-15 minutes north of town. Or at least that far from the Super Pit!

I think I speak for everyone here, when I say that we expect some stunning images from your neck of the woods!

Shano

[Kevnool (Kev)]

G day anfo ...is your choice of name there for being in Kalgoorlie ...Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil...i,m just curious.
Cheers Kev.

[Vartigy]

Hi Shano,

Yeh found a potential good spot, Lake Douglas, nice high point too. Fair bit south of Super Pit, so light shouldnt be an issue.

Just arrived home after a weekend down in perth. Picked up a SW 8" collapsible. Looks awesome. Feels awesome. Can't wait for it to get to 10pm and later. Damn daylight savings, puts our hobby behind! How dare they.
And yes, been heavily thinking about beginning DS imaging and planetary imaging later this year once I get the hang of cruising the infinite beyond.

Hey Kev. Yeh ANFO for that reason. Is my online gaming Nick. Plus I work for the manufacturing company .

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

you made the wrong choice of dob if you want to get into DS imaging. the truss tube will give you no end of trouble and just short of impossible to mount. but if your really keen you could always go Argo navis and servo cat.

[Vartigy]

yeh had a feeling i'd need to get another, especially an eq mount.

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

bugger DS imaging is addictive! trust me. im all but 1 step away from taking guided photos. just need to save up for the DSLR.

10"
4.5"
Eq6
Meade DSI 1
Missing - DSLR

[Shano592 (Shane)]

Yeah, Brendan, I know how you feel.

Myself, I just need the scope, a solid gear-driven mount, camera, lenses, the correct filters, a cloudless, moonless sky, and I'm set !

As it is, I have reefed an enormously powerless 60mm Celestron Powersearch (or something like that) from the in-laws. I can still see quite a bit it with it, but I think something with at least 5x the aperture will be a nice start.

Maybe a standard 12-inch Dobsonian first up, then perhaps something along the lines of the Orion SkyQuest XX12 (drool drool !).

Then simply lift the boss's (wife's) EOS5D while she is distracted, and mwahahahahaha!

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

keep the power seeker as a good guide scope slap it on a SBS (side by side) mount along with a 10" Dob tube. get a 350d/450d cannon eos dslr and a guide ccd cam. a EQ6 and a MPCC (Multi Purp Coma Corrector) and youll take some stunning images! use that as your base and move up from there.!