Yep, an 8" kept me happy for ....well, almost a whole year ........ and then this 12" became available.
Alan, go the second-hand market. Much the same as new, for significantly less money.
Yeah the only problem with that is, because i am new to the biz i won't be 100% what im looking at in terms of quality and even if all the parts are there lol.
But i guess it can't hurt to look lol, i checked the classifieds forum on here, but there was not what i was looking for.
Alan, aside from the ol' "aperture rules" line, everyone here will also agree that, the best telescope for you is the one you will use the most and receive the most enjoyment out of, regardless of size, features etc.
I used to have a 10" and downsized, am now quite happy using my 8" for both visual and for AF.
What you need to do is cultivate friendships with people who own big scopes and get your aperture fix that way.
I was going to recommend the resale arguement Alan, but it looks like you've already done the convincing! Anyway, Astro gear usually only depreciates about 30% if you look after it (which most people do very carefully), so you can always get most of your money back - not so with most hobbies.
In fact, don't forget to keep watching the classifieds here - if you buy a quality 2nd hand scope, its unlikely to lose much more value at all......
In fact, you MIGHT say it then cost nothing at all......
I might get the fever, but that wont matter because i won't be allowed to upgrade until a birthday or xmas lol and 8' for a first scope is pretty decent.
Hi Alan,
I've had an 8" Dob for a couple of weeks now and I have been blown away by how much I can see with it. Wrinkle ridges standing out like veins on the side of the moon, a whole galaxy 13 million light years away which gave me goosebumps when I realised what it was and of course countless double stars, open clusters and nebulas.
Of course, if I had 2 or 4 more inches I would see more and see the closer things in more detail. However, I'm still learning, and at the moment every night I go out I see something different or the same thing in more detail than before. My Dob is relatively easy to move, transport and carry and takes next to no time for the mirror to cool down (with a fan) before I can use it.
Sure, somewhere down the track I might get a bigger one, but I think there is gonna be a lot of stuff for me to see with this one for a while yet
p.s, I'm a little bloke and looking at solid tube Dobs online the other day I was a bit shocked to realise that a 12" one would be almost as tall as me and weigh half as much
I might have to factor in the cost of a pack donkey if I buy one
Alan Come and join us at Cambroon Next Week or the "Barambah Dark Sky camp" the weekend after,to try before you buy
Ha ha well next weekend is out as the other half has a friend coming up from Melbourne, so im trying to all supportive lol
Not sure about the following one, as i may have found a scope that is perfect for me and great value. but i might need the assistance of a Sydney based IIS member to check it out for me before i buy.
But i checked out the area on the map, looks like a nice place away from the CBD lights im used to lol
I've had an 8" Dob for a couple of weeks now and I have been blown away by how much I can see with it. Wrinkle ridges standing out like veins on the side of the moon, a whole galaxy 13 million light years away which gave me goosebumps when I realised what it was
You shame me, Sir. I had my 8" dob for about 5 weeks and saw this list of DSO objects:
47 tuc.
Makes the aperture fever all the more impressive - didn't even see anything worth complaining about before selling.
Esseth, bare in mind that any scope sold to you from elsewhere will incur quite substantial shipping (it would have been 50 to ship my 8 to melbourne).
In that event - and you consider new, it might be worth remembering that star optics on the gold coast have 8's at 550 and 600 respectively (solid tube, collapsible).
Another option is the andrews price of a guan sheng 8". I bring this up because now that I think of it, their 8, whilst 499 plus 50+shipping comes with accessories making it possibly worth it (5 eyepieces and crucially, a RIGHT IMAGE finder which would likely help a lot at the start).
In that event - and you consider new, it might be worth remembering that star optics on the gold coast have 8's at 550 and 600 respectively (solid tube, collapsible).
Another option is the andrews price of a guan sheng 8". I bring this up because now that I think of it, their 8, whilst 499 plus 50+shipping comes with accessories making it possibly worth it (5 eyepieces and crucially, a RIGHT IMAGE finder which would likely help a lot at the start).
Yeah, i've been looking at york optical have a skywatcher 8' dob for 539, and they are only a block down the road from me lol
Yeah, i've been looking at york optical have a skywatcher 8' dob for 539, and they are only a block down the road from me lol
Yeah, but I bet that york optical deal doesn't have 5 eyepieces, and likely comes with an inverted image finder
Despite the fact that they aren't great quality eyepieces coming with the scope, it's worth factoring in that you're likely to spend 30-150$ on cheap eyepieces just to begin with. With a skywatcher, you tend to get a 10 and a 25mm.
Yeah, but I bet that york optical deal doesn't have 5 eyepieces, and likely comes with an inverted image finder
Despite the fact that they aren't great quality eyepieces coming with the scope, it's worth factoring in that you're likely to spend 30-150$ on cheap eyepieces just to begin with. With a skywatcher, you tend to get a 10 and a 25mm.
I thought i was getting pretty up on the jargon, but i have not heard of "inverted image finder", damn it lol
Yeah im pretty sure it comes with the 10 and 25, now if i have done my math right that would make it 48x and 120x?
haha maths was so not my favorite subject in school
I thought i was getting pretty up on the jargon, but i have not heard of "inverted image finder", damn it lol
Yeah im pretty sure it comes with the 10 and 25, now if i have done my math right that would make it 48x and 120x?
haha maths was so not my favorite subject in school
Yep. I'm only a beginner, myself. I just know I took one look at jupiter at 120x and said "show me more". This required further hip pocket investment So, factor that into your cost. If you go second hand, you should go second hand because the price, along with the accessories make it a good deal.
Because, at the very least you're going to be compelled to buy a cheap barlow or something like a 6mm EP which runs you $30 minimum from andrews.
The reason I point out that right image is quite handy is that it can be very difficult for a newbie to look into an "inverted image" finder, which is mini telescope in itself and have all that patient studying of the night sky (ie, the stars and constellations) with the naked eye go out of the window when suddenly, you see a magnified inverted image containing a great number more stars than you saw unaided. A difficult adjustment, just when you think you're making headway.
Probably the worst thing, for me, through my skywatcher finder was that the really bright stars you see naked eye don't quite "stand out" as much as you'd hope, compared to ones only seen in the finder. This was the crux of my confusion, I basically "lost" the visable stars that I'd worked hard to isolate naked eye. I think that is just a confidence thing, though.
Anyway, I feel like a naysayer, my point really is only this: this is a money hole and if you're going to have trouble buying further accessories, best you get full disclosure on some items that will likely be desired. You will definitely crave more eyepieces. You will find the finder is a great mini telescope, but maybe not a great finder for a newbie.
In one way, when looking at the sky, image orientation doesn't matter - stars look like stars however you look at them. But looking at things down on earth, image orientation does matter. An upside down mountain/tree/car/surfer befuddles the brain.
Hence something can be added to the light path to correct that image so that the orientation that you see with the scope is the same as you see with unaided eye. This is the "erect image prism". It is often built into a "diagonal" which also bends the light path through 90 deg. But it can also be a "straight-through" prism.
Binoculars might look like a couple of joined refractors but, whether porro prism or roof prism design, they have prisms in them that "erect" the image and provide it "straight-through" so the image is the orientation that you see by unaided eye.
Where erect image is useful in telescopes is when you are searching through the sky. Then the image moves in the eyepiece as the "non-experienced" brain expects it to move. When starting out, this is much easier than an uncorrected finderscope - otherwise you find yourself pushing and pulling the scope the wrong way.
As I mentioned, an erect image prism is commonly used in conjunction with a 90 deg diagonal. This is the other common (and becoming more common) finderscope being supplied (called a "right-angle"). The 90 deg bend means it is easier to see the image at higher elevations - no twisting and turning the back to get your eye onto that straight-through finderscope.
Now, some find it hard to get the area of interest into the field of view of the finderscope (let alone the telescope!). This is where a straight-through finderscope is very useful. The clever method of use is to keep both eyes open. Then, as you train your brain, your eye looking at the sky also "sees" the finderscope cross hairs superimposed on the sky and you can move the scope to bring a bright star close to the cross hairs. When you do that, the star should have appeared in the field of view of the finderscope. My experience is that it sometimes very close and sometimes a bit off (depending on the internal alignment of the finderscope crosshairs and other bits) but you can soon learn how to get the first star of a "starhop" into the finderscope field of view. Of course, one can not use this technique with a right-angle finderscope.
I have an erect image straight-through finderscope which I find to be the best for me, except when trying to point the telescope at high elevations - ouch!
I have an erect image straight-through finderscope which I find to be the best for me, except when trying to point the telescope at high elevations - ouch!
I use an erect image finder but used to use a straight through one (inverted image). Intuitively, they are so easy to use. What I find amusing is when users of straight thru finders get all twisted up trying to use mine.
I too am a straight-through user. However, when I got my first 'big' apeture finder (40mm & over), the higher number of visible stars prooved overwhelming. Made my own erect image straight through out of a chopped pair of 7X50 binos, including adding the crosshairs to it. Did it after finding out the price of the off the shelf unit. This unit ended being cheaper than an inverted image of 50mm.
I also use an RDF mounted to a 76mm reflector finder in turn mounted to the back-end of my big dob. Very quick, for me anyway.
Both of these set-ups are on my dob.
Last edited by mental4astro; 06-09-2009 at 08:40 PM.
Reason: added pics
and of course countless double stars, open clusters and nebulas.
