First night out with my new scope --- what a disaster..

Hey guys so I got my new scope yesterday a 10" Collapisable Dob by Skywatcher.

Luckily tonight the clouds lifted and the skies were not too bad so set out for a astronomical adventure. I had very high expectations for this new scope as I have previsously been using a 4.5" Reflector on a German EQ mount which prooved to be a mathmatical geometrical puzzle!!

I thought the dob would be easy.. but.... haha

It took me about 40minutes to fit the huge thing into my car, off to pick my little brother.
30minutes into the drive to my observing spot I realize I had forgotten the finderscope.. no big hassel so went back for it.

When we arrived at the spot... DOH!!! I realize when trying to set the scope up I had left the two holding bars at home!
So unwillingly convience my little 17year old brother to stay at the spot in pitch black by him self while I treked 1hr back home to get the holding bars.

Finally get back and start setting up the scope..
Was extremely shocked to see that collimination was soo bad.
I had perfected it before I had left for the night and had driven so slow and gentle to the observation spot so was shocked to see how badly out it was.

I then also realize one of the three screw nuts that locked/freed the extension bars of the optical tube assembly was missing/broken off!!!

Spent a long time trying to find the peice and unfortently it seems its lost forever! The piece is quite important as it locks the rods when the optical tube is opened up. I am going need to find out where I can get a replacement.. sigh.

After collimiation in the dark and searching for the missing peice, It was getting very late and I knew I only had about a hr viewing time.

There was not much out as Jupiter and venus were blocked by trees, and there was too mich light pollution for the majority of the galaxies and nebulae. So I set my self onto the Orion Nebula.

The focusing on the finderscope is quite bad i noticed. Seems very cheap.

When I got the Orion Nebula in sight on the finderscope, It always seemed to move too quickly through the EP. I had only a 18mm EP in there so field of view was quite big.
I have the feeling that the base does not hold the tube sturdy when tilted. I will need to confirm this when I take it out next time for a longer period.

From what I did see of Orion it was quite good, I could make out the stars inside the neblua and the 18mm EP seemed perfect for viewing as the Neblua consumed about 40% of the field of view.
The details and qaulity was quite nice and clear, I think when i figure out how to get the scope to stay nice and still It would be awsome to stare at.

After using a EQ mount, I think I much prefer EQ than the DOBs mount.
The EQ mount with slow motion cables lets you patrol the sky so much easier than star hopping which becomes extremely painfull if you dont know the night sky!!

Also the dob being so slow makes viewing unconfortable if you dont have the "right" size chair. An EQ mount is great as it can be extended to your standing position.

Well i wont drag the post on forever, but overall the scope seems good for what little use I got from it tonight, I look forward to a more organized and proper session next weekend. Tonight was a faliure indeed! hahaha

[Smirnoff]

Sorry to hear that you had a poor night, but think of it this way...it can only get better from now on
It'll take you a few nights to get used to the scope, work out its kinks etc, but before long you'll be cruisin the skies like a pro

With the finderscope, on those GSO models, there is a locking ring between the tube and the lens assembly (the bit at the very front) loosen that and you can adjust focus by rotating the lens assembly. Tighten the locking ring up when you've found optimum focus.

[Davros (Lauren)]

G'day Ash
Some handy dob hints. Grab yourself a green laser while you still can. Mount the laser beside your focuser (velcro) and use it to quickly point your scope close to objects that you know in the sky. Make sure there are no planes around though. Or people conducting astrophotography.
Secondly have a search around on 'setting circles' by using these and a level scope base you will be accurately swinging that dob in no time.

Thanks smirnoff, I didnt realize there was a focuser for the finderscope!
thats 1 problem solved


Davros, excellent idea and luckily enough i still have my 25MW green laser pointer with me that i bought ages ago!

I think it will take some time to figure out how everything on the scope works, thanks for the replies guys

[norm]

Good writeup Ash !!!

As someone mentioned, things can only improve. Will be interesting to see how you go next time around.

Cheers Norm

[leon]

It only gets better from here on in Ash, we all have been in your position when we started, but it is worth the hassels
\
Leon

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Well, you know the answer Ash. Build an OBs at home, araldite every thing on the dob, mount it on a PME, fit an electric-automaticlly-adajustable viewing chair, wait for perfect dark skies, and presto... nirvana . Easy as.

[AlexN]

Fred, was that your offer to start funding forum member PME purchases? If so, I'll take one for sure!! LOL

Good write up, No doubt you'll love your dob in a few months... I loved my EQ mount like nothing else when I first got it, after having the dob I thought the EQ was the coolest thing since sliced bread... A few months down the track, I miss the simplicity of my Dob...

[BLiTZWiNG (Trent)]

25MW ????? ? ?? ? !!!!

I think the military just found their lost laser!

oops accedintly put a 2 there, its a "MAX" 5MW output.

Fred, i like this idea!!! Think i need me a house in rural country with a nice big 50" dob! hell might as well make it 100"

Thanks Leon, your right I guess i am just going through the hard yards of learning and it will pay off (hopefully soon )

Thanks for reading my post guys

Cheers,
Ash

[BLiTZWiNG (Trent)]

I was actually referring to the capital 'M' ... M for Mega....

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

I have to say i still have dud nights here and there. Living in the middle of perth and observing from a crosswalk 3 stories up in the middle of curtin university i need goto as there are very few visible stars. and when your go to isn't "going to" your stuffed, combine that with a small FOV... 5x7seconds finding something like the triffid neb becomes a mission! Some days it works. others..... you want to have a touch of office rage Keep it up because those dim fuzzies often give warm fuzzy feelings. ehhehe

[hector (Andrew)]

Hi All
Welcome to the wonderful world of telescope use. I know that I have left numerous things behind when I have gone observing. Eyepieces on a trip to Narrabri, The truse poles when I have driven to Ilford or the finder and Telrad when I have driven to Coonabarrabran. Wait till you have been set alight by a scope, or gotten stopped by police wanting to know what that is in the back of the car.
One the other hand
Welcome to the wonderful world of telescope use. You will have a FANTASTIC time observing the universe from where ever you happen to be. Your first site of Saturn with excelent seeing or the colours of the Orion Nebula which you should see with a 10" are well worth the setbacks of travel and forgetfullness. I have found that a check list left on the scope which I go thru just before loading into the car has reduced the number of times I have forgotten something.
Enjoy your observing
Andrew

[BLiTZWiNG (Trent)]

Bugger... so you mean that things in the sky are actually different colours as depicted by NASA other than bluish white, but I need more than 8" to see it?? BUGGER!

[Smirnoff]

You won't see colour visually in most DSOs, regardless of telescope size.

Only the very brightest emission nebulae (m42, eta Carina) will show a greenish hue in larger scopes, and many brighter planetaries are a blue or green colour.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by BLiTZWiNG

Bugger... so you mean that things in the sky are actually different colours as depicted by NASA other than bluish white, but I need more than 8" to see it?? BUGGER!

There are pretty colour stars you can look at - so not all is lost!

Look for a faintish deep red star not too far from Mimosa (Beta Crux)! Look at the coloured star in the Jewel Box. At this time of year, you might have to wait to the early hours of the morning for both to rise sufficiently.

[Screwdriverone (Chris)]

Originally Posted by BLiTZWiNG

25MW ????? ? ?? ? !!!!

I think the military just found their lost laser!

Yes, and I have attached it to the head of a shark!

If you want it back, you will have to pay me................................. ...............

ONE MILLION DOLLARS!

Muwuhahahahahahaha.

Now, where is my medication......?

Chris

[BLiTZWiNG (Trent)]

Well that's better than nothing then! Unfortunately my scope is packed away until at least the middle of April :/ Moving can suck. Specially 3 or 4 times including interstate...



Smithers, retrieve my wallet from my front left pocket...

[hector (Andrew)]

It is actually suprising what colours are visible in the telescope.
IC418 The crimson Planetary and it does have a red hue.
Homonculus around Eta Carina is BRIGHT orange and stays that colour even at medium magnification.
47 Tuc has an golden hue in the core of the cluster.
The stars in the Gem cluster.
Andrew

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

The saturn nebula is another one that has colour to it, and it is a bright greeny blue. check it out sometime (the colour was observable in a 5" ETX meade).