Perpetual beginner disheartened with 12" dob

[peteyak (Peter)]

The inclinometer idea is brilliant Mark! Good to hear how you have moved from where I am at now to somewhere much much better. Will consider those tips.

[peteyak (Peter)]

Barry, I have a laser collimator which to my shame I haven't tried yet, but I will keep that Glatter Barlow in mind as it does look simpler to use. Any tips on where to get cheap aluminium folding ramps?

Thanks astro for the Bunnings inclinometer tip. Will have a look next time I am there (to get a trolley for the Dob - I'm going to take the base to check it out, and get the biggest pneumatic wheels they have as standard).

Damien: I can actually fit the telescope in the back of my car with the seats down - the Honda Jazz has a stunning amount of length and space (with the base as well, sitting on a trolley??? - hmmmm...will have to do some serious measuring). Beautiful astrophotos by the way. I'm still tossing up SCT against keeping my dob and making it more useable with trolley and Argo Navis (or maybe even trying setting circles to start). The latter course is much cheaper so not a big risk if it doesn't work out.

Paul I liked your comment re CPC925GPS "It is big enough that it has shown me plenty" - given how restricted my viewing has been, I will be really happy to see just a lot more things, and ultimate aperture may be less of an issue for me than just getting to see stuff. It is encouraging that both you and Damien have SCTs around the 10" mark and find them useable in the field in terms of weight and setup.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

Transport wise I have taken mine to a couple of star parties and elsewhere. I put mine in the back of an Xtrail and for an overnighter I have room to put the scope and tripod and tent bag (Decent sized tent) and a bag for me in the back of the Xtrail with a doona wrapped around it all to keep things seperated. I don't even need to drop the back seat.

a 9" or bigger SCT will show you HEAPS. A limiting factor there is that the long focal length of an SCT translates into a smaller FOV so really extended objects will not fit in a single field.

It is a pity, if you were closer I could meet you one night to set it up and let you see how they perform. Hopefully the IIS'er who has contacted you from this thread can help you out.

[sn1987a (Barry)]

Peter,

Most auto stores or motorbike outlets carry aluminium folding ramps or they can get them in. Also plenty on Ebay, gumtree and other online suppliers direct.

Some of these pictures may give you some inspiration for wheelbarrow handles which are a very svelte removable transport solution for Dobs.

The first photo of a white Lightbridge belongs to Harold Pollner on Cloudynights forum and was the inspiration for my own Lightbridge modifications. As you can see it is a very simple mod to instal.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

I'd definitely echo the sentiments about getting out and seeing other folks scopes, those that are similar to yours are just as important just to see how different people tackle the challenge. Sounds like you've got a good scope already, but it often helps to get hands-on experience and a little help from others.

Moving to a SCT is an expensive exercise from where you are now...I say this as a SCT owner and user, with a Nexstar 8 and a C11 that I (occasionally!) mount on an EQ6. The 8" is great for grab and go, it's light, easy to setup (like the CPC) and has decent light grasp. I've always wanted a CPC but they're expensive and heavy. I use the EQ6 for the 11" because it breaks down into more manageable sizes and weights, but the setup is a little more complex and takes a few minutes more...the views are usually worth the effort though

Regarding focal length, it only matters if it matters depending on the objects you're interested in, it may not be of detriment, but you would probably need to add/remove an eyepiece or two because of the difference in focal length. With a longer focal length eyepiece, you can get about a 1.1 degree FOV from a C9.25, more if you bung the reducer on the end as the focal length becomes more like your Dob. For really big objects, a pair of binos or a short focal length refractor is most likely a better fit, and also doubles as true grab and go

[sn1987a (Barry)]

If you follow this link http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea.../o/all/fpart/8 and scroll down to nearly the bottom you will see a great example of simple wheelbarrow handles on a 12" solid tube Dob by Tristan Mcmannis post #6069387.

[MichaelSW (Michael)]

Peter,

G'day.

I went along to Queensland Astrofest 2009 to "try before I buy". There I met , "Star-Hopper" (GlenC) and was given two amazing tours of the sky. The first night was through a 16" Lightbridge and the second through the 25" SDM #004 - and all objects found without any electronic aids. This experience set me on my particular path into Astronomy - buy the biggest aperture I could afford, and learn to star-hop.

Glen's advice was the same back then as now - start with learning the 20 brightest stars. My list of "usual suspects" is growing steadily, though not all are locked away in long term memory - I still have to get my books out sometimes.

If you are not inclined to start with a constellation map and FIND objects by working it out for yourself, then as a starting point, I highly recommend, "Star Watch - The Amateur Astronomer's Guide To Finding, Observing, and Learning about Over 125 Celestial Objects" by Philip S. Harrington.

This book presents star charts for each of the Seasons with clear instructions for star-hopping you way to targets. And once you realise you can do it .....well the sky is the limit.

Happy hunting.

Michael.