Newbie Dobsonian Delima....

[jjz (Joe)]

Hi All first post,

After reading as much as possible on this great forum, and playing around with possibly one of the worst telescopes ever made I have decided to take the plunge and buy my first serious Telescope.

I am looking purchasing a Dobsonian and have narrowed it down to either the Orion GoTo Trust Dobs, or the Skywatcher Flextube Dobs.

My question is should I fork out the extra for the GoTo System now on say the Orion XX12G or should I get the larger Skywatcher 14" Flex Dob and just add GoTo at a later stage???

Also what accessories should I also be getting, are there any beginners sets of lenses/filters that would be a great choice? I noticed Andrews sell a Celestron Eye Peice and Filter kit...

I am based in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne and I drive a ute, so carting around a larger Telescope isnt an issue, but honestly 95% of the usage would be in my backyard.



Thanks


JJZ

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Hi Joe,
Welcome to IceInSpace
You have selected two great scopes to pick from.
I own a Skywatcher Flex DOB 12"GoTo and am very happy with it.

However, I believe the Orion to be slightly better quality, but the SW Flex DOB (collapsible) is significantly quicker and easier to set up each time then the removable Truss system.

Tough decision.

I think if you intend to move to GoTo eventually, it is better to have the purpose built unit than to "upgrade" a manual unit later. (Just my opinion).

The eyepieces that come with both of these are good standard eyepieces and should keep you happy for a while.

Other accessories could include a light shroud to cover the open tube; a collimator; an adjustable height observing seat; and a red LED headlight or torch.
My DOB came with a straight through finder scope, I bought a right angle finder ASAP and a Red Dot finder also to make quick and easy changes to object selection. (The SW DOB can be used as a standard push to for easy find objects without disturbing the alignment).

[colls (Michael)]

Hi joe there is a 14" skywatcher for sale in the iceinspace classifieds good luck what ever you do.

[madwayne (Wayne)]

Hi Joe

You are asking all the right questions and Allan has given you all the answers.

I have just purchased a 12" solid tube from Bintel in Sydney, I would suggest a visit to their store in Melbourne. My initial idea was like you with the truss tube but Michael at Bintel in Sydney changed my mind to the solid tube. Only set back with a 12" solid tube is they are huge, luckily so am I. The beauty of the solid tube is it holds its collimation very nicely. Not much to collimating once you get the grasp so don't be put off by that. No need for shrouds and dew hasn't been an issue with it and where I live it rains dew most nights.

Don't discount a solid tube and perhaps a trolley if you think you will have trouble moving it. It is more awkward than heavy, picture a hot water tank with a big mirror in the bottom without a top on the tank and that is best description I can give to a 12" solid tube.

Good luck with your decision and welcome to the best astronomy forum there is.

Wayne

[Renato1 (Renato)]

Interesting question. I've never used a GOTO, but I've always had a Telrad and 8X50 Erect Image finder scope on my dob to make finding objects simple. I also shrank Sky Atlas 2000, Uranometria and Herald Bobroff to A4 size and put them in those clear plastic display books to have handy maps.

With a GOTO I imagine that when set up properly you can find lots of objects all over the sky. But with my method I can do that, albeit more slowly, but I still do see an awful lot of objects, as minimize jumping around the sky and instead try to knock over all the objects on whichever map page I have in my hand.

A straight through 8X50 finder is workable, providing you remember to keep both eyes open when trying to find a bright star on your map, and you then remember to turn your map upside down.
Regards,
Renato

[Chard (Richard)]

You may want to consider getting a moon filter if you plan on looking at the moon. It is nearly unbearably bright in my 8" dob without a filter.

Richard

[Paddy (Patrick)]

I wouldn't worry about eyepieces til you get used to the scope and work out which magnifications you use most. I also would avoid a set and contemplate saving for a small number of premium eyepieces.

Regarding whether to go for bigger scope or go to, I am a bit of a passionate star hopper and would go for the bigger scope. But I have dark skies where I can see lots of fainter stars to guide me and also lots of time under them to fluff around and find things. You will be able to see a lot more objects per session with go to, but you will not end up learning the sky much. To be honest, I think the difference between a 12" and 14" is not huge.

Main thing is to get the scope that you will use most.

[Allan]

As Allan said, you should decide if you want GOTO now, as it is much easier to buy the scope fitted with it, rather than retrofit later.

The size and weight of the 14" mass produced GOTO Dobs is a huge jump up from the 12" size. I can carry my 12" around to set it up, but I wouldn't be able to do that with a 14", I would need some kind of trolley setup. I think mobility is a significant factor to consider.

I would happily recommend a 12" GOTO Dob as a great lifetime scope.

[Allan]

Originally Posted by Chard

You may want to consider getting a moon filter if you plan on looking at the moon. It is nearly unbearably bright in my 8" dob without a filter.

Richard

Richard, you should try observing the moon with some ambient light around, such as house lights or outdoor lights, so your eyes don't get fully dark adapted. Then you will be able to observe without using your moon filter. Filters, no matter how good they are, will rob you of some of the small, fine surface detail.

Same applies to planetary observing. Some of the clearest, most colourful observing I have done has been in the evening and morning twilight when my eyes aren't dark adapted.

[Marios (Marios)]

Get a Go to scope Joe and save yourself allot of frustration.

[Chard (Richard)]

Originally Posted by Allan

Richard, you should try observing the moon with some ambient light around, such as house lights or outdoor lights, so your eyes don't get fully dark adapted. Then you will be able to observe without using your moon filter. Filters, no matter how good they are, will rob you of some of the small, fine surface detail.

Same applies to planetary observing. Some of the clearest, most colourful observing I have done has been in the evening and morning twilight when my eyes aren't dark adapted.

Thanks for the tip Allan, I usually do target the moon and planets at the start of an observing session while my eyes are adjusting, but I don't have a lot of ambient light close by. I will give the moon a try without a filter with more ambient light around, particularly with the eclipse tonight .

I just thought it would be an idea for JJZ to consider a moon filter going in, especially when the scope mentioned has a larger aperture than mine (14" vs 8") which has about 3 times the light gathering capability if I've done the maths right.

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Originally Posted by Allan

Richard, you should try observing the moon with some ambient light around, such as house lights or outdoor lights, so your eyes don't get fully dark adapted. Then you will be able to observe without using your moon filter. Filters, no matter how good they are, will rob you of some of the small, fine surface detail.

Same applies to planetary observing. Some of the clearest, most colourful observing I have done has been in the evening and morning twilight when my eyes aren't dark adapted.

Really? Observe the moon without a filter with a 12" scope? Mirror seeing, and local atmospheric conditions will rob detail from the moon before a moon filter does. If anything a moon filter dulls the brightness so you can concentrate to actually look for lower contrast features better. Even if your eye's are not dark adapted, a 40% moon without a filter is temporary retina burning material.

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by AG Hybrid

Even if your eye's are not dark adapted, a 40% moon without a filter is temporary retina burning material.

The Moon in your telescope is no brighter than it appears in your telescope in the daytime. The brightness will ensure your pupil stops down to a couple of mm just as it does in the daylight. You may see a bit of an after image due to the contrast , but you certainly can't damage your eyes looking at the Moon through any aperture telescope.

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

I know when I look away from the moon using my 10" dob the moon is burnt into my vision for some time when blinking etc.

defiently a burning image

matt

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Originally Posted by Satchmo

The Moon in your telescope is no brighter than it appears in your telescope in the daytime. The brightness will ensure your pupil stops down to a couple of mm just as it does in the daylight. You may see a bit of an after image due to the contrast , but you certainly can't damage your eyes looking at the Moon through any aperture telescope.

I did say temporary burn. Its still uncomfortable.

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by AG Hybrid

I did say temporary burn. Its still uncomfortable.

Burn probable sends the wrong message - `bedazzled ' ?

[sn1987a (Barry)]

I look at the moon with my 28 all the time with no problems

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Originally Posted by sn1987a

I look at the moon with my 28 all the time with no problems

Without a filter? Hardcore.

[sn1987a (Barry)]

Nah it's not that bad and usually it's in my backyard and I'm flitting between moon, planet, coffee and IIS. I'll admit the full moon in the 28 is bright but also very interesting.

[raymo]

You only have to look at the moon from about 6"[150mm] from the
EP, and move closer over a period of about 10 secs. The eye adjusts quickly. I've never used a filter.
raymo