Sorry for the Clouds, Sydney, Its my fault! :(

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #1 24-01-2009, 10:42 PM

Hi All,

Yes, you probably guessed from the title that I went and bought another scope today......

The Ministry of Finance (the good wife) had approved the purchase of the dream scope as I had no more drool left and I think she felt some pity for me...

So what did I do? Got up at 8:00 am this morning, raced over to Andrew's, paid for and picked up a.........12" Collapsible Skywatcher Dobsonian - Woooooohooooooooo!

Yeah baby!

Not the sexy black tube one but the sexy white tube one, hey, the proof is in the optics not the tube colour.

Got it back home at 10:00am and after some unpacking and laying out of all the bits for a check and a photo shoot for my upcoming review on this baby, I spent about 90 mins putting it all together, taking photos on the way for the guide.

I have attached a completed pic below of the newest member of my family. I am soooooo proud! Sorry for the focus, I couldnt find the digital camera so the Blackberry sufficed and I didnt hold it very still.

Once again, apologies for the clouds, the moment we had finished at the beach (with clear blue skies) and I started back home with the family and that familiar itch kicked in to get some photons, the southerly blew in and knocked out the sky. Hopefully

the clouds will clear soon and I can check out my woeful collimation skills and really test this sucker out.

Stay tuned, I will only get happier from here on in!

I think I might call it R2-D2 as it reminds me of him. Sure is a huge scope though, poifect for me!

Did I mention that I am stoked?

Anyway, gotta get back to staring at my dob, hee-hee.

Thanks for reading,

Cheers

Chris

renormalised (Carl) · #2 24-01-2009, 11:03 PM

That's a fine example of Skywatchersaurus dobsonii you've got there!!!

#3 24-01-2009, 11:08 PM

Niiice mate,

Ive got the 10" collapisbale.
love it!

Good choice!

jakob · #4 24-01-2009, 11:16 PM

Congratulations to your new toy.
Just had alook outside and there is enough clear sky to have fun with it!

Me , I was too lazy to pack up to go to the Pony Club, my loss

J.

Gama · #5 24-01-2009, 11:32 PM

Congrats on your new baby.
The size is just right for moving it around too.
Now time to find some spare time to go out and play with it.

Theo

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #6 24-01-2009, 11:36 PM

Hi All,

Thanks Jakob, I just dragged it outside (all 40KGs of it) as I popped my head out and it was CLEAR.

Got about 10 mins of clearish skies, enough time to see a GREEN M42 with my 2" 80deg wideview 30mm eyepiece at 50x.

AWESOME!

Got a quick squiz at M41 near Sirius and Sirius itself, couldnt find 47tuc before the clouds rolled in again.

So here I am, in the dark on Wifi, posting while I wait for some Sucker holes to open up.

Hope it doesnt rain on my new toy!

Cheers

Chris

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #7 24-01-2009, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by renormalised

That's a fine example of Skywatchersaurus dobsonii you've got there!!!

Ha HA HA, Love it, Renormalised. Its a bit jurassic in size hey? I think it stands about 5 foot 8 ( I really should measure it)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyinxz

Niiice mate,

Ive got the 10" collapisbale.
love it!

Good choice!

Hi Ash,

ALMOST went for the 10" at the cheaper price, but was ALWAYS going to be rueing not going for the 12" and as the missus said " what is going to shut you up once and for all?" and I replied " the 12" one" so I think its well worth it.

So far, the colours are AMAZING on Orion Neb.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakob

Congratulations to your new toy.
Just had alook outside and there is enough clear sky to have fun with it!

Me , I was too lazy to pack up to go to the Pony Club, my loss

J.

Hi Jakob,

fellow Kellyvillian! IIS says you are 3km from me!
I was going to pack it in the car and shoot off to Linden for a Dark Sky look, but it seems the clouds have one this round.

Thanks for the comments

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gama

Congrats on your new baby.
The size is just right for moving it around too.
Now time to find some spare time to go out and play with it.

Theo

Too true Theo,

Not so much spare time, but CLEAR skies, I may have doomed us all to "the Matrix" scorching of the skies with this purchase.

Cheers

Chris

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #8 24-01-2009, 11:57 PM

Just moved back inside, took me all of 30 seconds to unlock the truss tubes, slide down the secondary, pick up R2 and carry him down 5 stairs from next to the pool and back inside.

Gotta love collapsible design.

I was getting worried it might rain without notice and these freaking clouds seem to have settled in again.

Oh well, sad now, sniff,

R2 has been packed up for now......maybe....

Cheers

Chris

Matty P (Matt) · #9 25-01-2009, 12:04 AM

Congrats on your new toy Chris.

You're gonna get plently of amazing views through that beast I'm sure.

Great that you've already been able to use it before the new equipment curse sets in.

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #10 25-01-2009, 12:11 AM

Thanks Matty,

Yeah, short but sweet, hoping to get some more details on visual observing of Saturn and may even fire off a few Avi's for good measure, IF I can tear myself away from the eyepiece.

Damn Clouds!

Back to searching for setting circles etc.

Cheers

Chris

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #11 02-02-2009, 11:18 PM

Man, I looooooooooooooove aperture!

Went off to Linden on Saturday night, only had to wait 30 mins for the moon to set and while the scope cooled, set up with the kids for the first time there using the old SW135 for a spin around.

Once the dob was ready, oh my!

47 Tuc was JUMPING with stars, tight core resolved and sprinkling around with 2 or three colours, later when Omega Centauri was higher, the amount of stars resolved was UNCOUNTABLE!

Loved the green tinge on M42, swung over to Alnitak for a hopeful spy of the HH, I could definitely and easily see the flame nebula quite well to the left of Alnitak, and MAYBE got a quick dark glimpse of the HH, but not too sure.....hmmm, may have to wait longer next time. Used the excellent guide by Les Dalrymple for the techniques, only thing I didnt use coz I didnt have it was the Nebulae filter.

I ended up making a 40cm x 50cm x 60cm "crate" out of old scrap 4x2 that day as an elevation platform for the dob so I didnt have to bend over, and tell you what, it worked a TREAT! Variable height depending on the side of the box that I turned over and there is NOTHING like using a 12" Dobsonian Light Muncher when you are 6 foot 9 and STANDING straight up in front of the eyepiece. I might post an ATM thread after I take a few piccies tomorrow. Excellent idea even if I do say so myself.

Didnt stay long as the kids are back at school, but they had a blast and got absolutely smashed by the mozzies but were real impressed with the dark sky and the performance of the Flex Dob over the 5 incher. Still, had a nice swing around while the kids were "hogging" R2, the little SW135 aint too bad...

Definitely in love with the new toy, man, what a buzz to see the Flame nebula without needing averted vision. Sweeeeet.

Yet to look at the moon closely, as it waxes I might spend some time from home blowing my mind I think.

All in all, a great night, good to have the kids there and it was great to try out the "dob box" which made a huge difference to the enjoyment factor and the strain on my back. It was also great to have my eldest help me tweak the collimation knobs while I checked the eyepiece with a star test, made the collimation even better!

Tarantula was superb! Eta Carinae - wow!, too many M's to list em all, its a pity we couldnt hang around for Saturn... maybe next time.

Thanks for reading,

Cheers

Chris

renormalised (Carl) · #12 03-02-2009, 01:08 AM

Looks like this man has aperture fever....no cure, I'm afraid!!!

Glad to see you had a good time with the kids