I'm a noob and have a problem. I've thought about getting a 6" Dob, but I live in a complex of townhouses and neighbours all leave lights on which shine into my garden so I'll need a scope that's easy to move, but I don't have a car only a motorbike and would need to carry it in a backpack or similar, 6 inchers I've seen seem too long and the smallest collapsible I can find is 8" and seem to weigh in at around 35-40+ kegs. I can't really afford or want a decent SCT.
Does anyone know if there are 6" collapsibles (it seems there used to be a lightbridge but they don't make them anymore) or a lightweight 8" inch collapsibles?
The biggest aperture "backpack-able" telescope that I know of would be something like the SkyWatcher 130 mm (5") collapsible table-top Dob, which collapses down to just 37 cm long: http://shop.australiangeographic.com...ope-P2006.aspx
Other options might include a short-tube refractor or a Mak with a light-weight tripod (Meade make an 80 mm scope kit complete with a backpack to carry it in http://store.meade.com/telescopes/et...-backpack.html ), but I'm not sure you'll have much luck finding a 6-incher that would go in a backpack.
My 10" Skywatcher flex dob weighed 14.6 kg for the scope, and about the same for the base, so total around 30kg, so an 8" version would probably weigh about 22-25kg; a bit more reasonable than the 35-40 that you
mentioned. What about the little 5" Celestron dob? That would be really
easy to carry around. Obviously it wouldn't have the light grasp of a 6 or
an 8, but a used 5 is better than an unused larger scope.
raymo
The biggest aperture "backpack-able" telescope that I know of would be something like the SkyWatcher 130 mm (5") collapsible table-top Dob, which collapses down to just 37 cm long: http://shop.australiangeographic.com...ope-P2006.aspx
That's the one I have and I chose it because I am in a situation similar to the OP. However back then I was also surprised that there was no 6" collapsible as they had the 5" and also bigger apertures than 6", just not 6". Maybe because the 5" was made in 2009 to commemorate the International Year of Astronomy and up to then all collapsible scopes were big...?
Last edited by OzStarGazer; 23-03-2014 at 08:31 PM.
The biggest aperture "backpack-able" telescope that I know of would be something like the SkyWatcher 130 mm (5") collapsible table-top Dob, which collapses down to just 37 cm long: http://shop.australiangeographic.com...ope-P2006.aspx
Other options might include a short-tube refractor or a Mak with a light-weight tripod (Meade make an 80 mm scope kit complete with a backpack to carry it in http://store.meade.com/telescopes/et...-backpack.html ), but I'm not sure you'll have much luck finding a 6-incher that would go in a backpack.
An 8" collapsible dob (eg.Skywatcher) is not something I would like to carry on a motorbike. A small trailer for the bike, like one of the camping trailers, would be an option. A 4" mak is still a fair weight to carry in a backpack on a bike. My "authority" for the opinions: I own an 8" collapsible and a 4" mak and ride a bike, but also have the luxury of a car to carry them around.
Good luck in your search for a solution.
just tell the neighbours to turn their lights off and offer them a beer or two. if that doesn't work turn the music up and they'll close their windows and blinds ...
The 5" one is good, as John said, particularly for its price and size/portability. Eyepieces also make a difference. If you want to improve your viewing experience you might want to buy a premium eyepiece (maybe at a later stage), but the default ones are not bad either. Good luck!
With mentioning that Meade you've also thrown refractors into the mix! For 400 bucks that comes computerised. There must be a cutback somewhere.
OK what would your refractor suggestions be for say around $500, as I haven't considered refractors so far. Even with the Dob I would still have started off with the moon, planets and local stars so what would be your suggestions maybe with a bit of photography of our local subjects,
