I'm new & so is my GSO 16" dob

[Groboz (Gino)]

Hi there my name is Gino, I'm from Darwin, in my 40's and I've been lurking here for about 4 months.

After doing some research, attending a local astronomy course and joining the DAGs (Darwin Astronomy Group) for a couple of nights viewing, I decided to splash out and buy my first serious telescope. It's a GSO 16" truss tube dobsonian from Andrews Communications and boy is it big. I was originally going to get a Skywatcher 14" GOTO but my research indicated that the GSOs had slightly better optics. I also weighed up the convenience of the goto compared with the less complicated (less to go wrong), cheaper and bigger aperture of the GSO and the big, black bad-boy won. Besides, I can always add Argo Navis later if I really need GOTO.

Now some will argue that my first scope should be of a more manageable size etc but I'll qualify my decision by stating that I made sure it would fit in the car before ordering it and that I'm 6'3 , 110kgs and go to the gym 3 times a week. But having said that, the 16 is a beast even for me.... but manageable and boy those views

First light was about 3 weeks ago and I've had it out twice since. Our dark site is located Just 60 kms out of Darwin and the skies are generally pretty good this time of year apart from the odd bit of smoke haze. The wet season however will see the dob hibernate for almost half the year I suspect.

First objects viewed were Saturn (easily saw 4 moons), Omega centauri Alpha Centauri double and the Sombrero galaxy. I've since seen the triffid nebula, more globular clusters than I could count as well as familiarizing myself with the moon. A goto would have found more items once set up but I doubt the set up would have been faster than the GSO which takes me about 20 minutes including collimation with a laser collimator. Besides I'm rather proud that I found the triffid all by myself with a little help from Stellarium.

I've got one GSO wide view 30mm 2" eye piece and 1.25s in 25mm, 15mm 9mm and 6mm. I'm having fun with those and to my inexperienced eyes the views are pretty good. Only problem I'm having at the moment is finding things with the 30mm before scrambling with the adapter ring to fit the appropriate 1.25 eyepiece. Not in a hurry just yet, but I'm thinking of getting a TV 24mm Panoptic for lower power viewing with the new 10mm Delos helping to keep the planets in the FOV for longer. What do people think

I should also point out that the savings I made going for the 16 ($700) has been spent on freight, a Telrad, a lazer (using the DAGs as my personal biological GOTOs), a star-wheel and several books.

Below are some pics of the beast and I'd just like to finish off by saying that I'm really looking forward to learning as much as I can from the people here who have been doing this for much longer than I. What a great resource to have.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1792.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1796.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1793.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1795.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1801.jpg

[erick (Eric)]

16"! Yep, that is getting serious, Gino! Congratulations!

I hope that you have a nice dry place to store it and the eyepieces during the Wet. Looks like indoors under the stairs is the plan - good move.

I haven't checked the maths on magnification, exit pupil etc., but I like the Panoptic 27mm. 10mm Delos should be good. Something in between? If you find you like the Panoptic, get a 19mm is a suggestion.

[M54 (Molly)]

Hi Gino,

to IIS.

Wow, what a great scope!

This is certainly the right place to come. Lot's of smart cookies here (not me) to answer your questions and share your experiences with.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Hello Gino.... I remember you .. so you have lashed out and bought " The Monster " ... good on you mate. Should see some very nice wide field views with that .... awesome . I have yet to look through a 16" Scope.

I own a 10" LightBridge and I am pleased with it ..... a 16" would be " out of this world " ... nice choice Gino.

Flash ....

[Groboz (Gino)]

Thanks for the welcome guys. Yep the humidity will certainly be a challenge but I'm planning on doing the 15w light globe over the mirror trick and keep the eyepieces either at work (24hr AC) or buy a small dehumidifier.

Picked up a light shroud (as you can see) mainly to keep the dust and dew off the mirrors. Unfortunately once you buy a couple of accessories, it's only too easy to buy the shop. Oh, and that's the CFO sitting next to the scope. Only right that she should get to enjoy her half of the investment.

If you have any questions about the scope just ask. I can't however guarantee the accuracy of any answers I provide.

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Hadn't heard of anyone with the GSO 16", I guess pretty much the same at the Lightbridge, but still interested to hear your comments.

On EPs, I have a 24 Pan for my 12" and love it, how it would go in a 16" I don't know but it is a great EP.


Oh and welcome!

Malcolm

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Good onya Gino.

Welcome to the 16" club.
Your ep.s will change in time as i now really only use a 14mm Meade.

Wont belong before you want to pimp that scope out.
Lots of stuff to pimp it out and make it a wee bit stronger.

Take a look at a bit of pimpin here.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...light=makeover

Again great choice .

Cheers Kev.

[gary]

Hi Gino,

Welcome to IceInSpace and enjoy the new 16".

Best regards

Gary Kopff
Mt Kuring-Gai NSW

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Welcome Gino 16" scope, NT skies. Got to be happy with that

Regards,
Stephen

[Derek Klepp]

Nice scope Gino. Is the light shroud the same as the Meade one? The reason I ask is I just purchased the Skywatcher 16" GOTO and there is no specific aftermarket Shroud available yet. Can anyone suggest a good fabric to make one out of.
Gino for eyepieces I have some Meades and Vixens and find the 22mm & 17mm Vixen LVWs to be very good almost to the edge of the FOV.Anything over 22mm and the view begins to distort towards the edges. Anything under 17mm and I have to let the scope cool down I can see the heat shimmer.As for the scrambling for the adapter that is one benefit of the goto system I have the same problem when moving from the 30mm to the 22mm.
Look foward to your updates

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Oooo, a 16" 'bad-boy' as a first scope!

to IIS too, Gino.

The $700 you saved, is still in your pocket, believe it or not. You still would have had to frieght the Go-To scope as well, and still get some of the gear you mentioned, .

Stick with the eyepieces you have for a time, and learn with them. You may be able to borrow different EPs from your mates at DAG. You don't need to go all out on the Tel-Vue range for quality either. Some folks seem to have tunnel vision with them and look at nothing else eyepiece wise. They are good, but it doesn't mean everything else is useless. I quite enjoy the GSO Superview eyepieces I use in my 17.5" dob.

I think you've made a brilliant choice in your push-pull selection rather than go-to. You'll learn your way around the sky a whole lot better, and quicker too. I think you'll also learn to use the scope a whole lot more intimately too in searching out targets this way too. And, like you said, you can add Argo-Navis & Servo-Cat systems down the track (Argo-Navis does the guidance, Servo-Cat gives the motors. On its own, Argo-Navis is a 'push-to' system).

Mental.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Originally Posted by Derek Klepp

Anything under 17mm and I have to let the scope cool down I can see the heat shimmer.

You are going to get that "heat shimmer" no matter what scope you use if the atmospheric conditions are poor. Typical conditions will allow a maximum of 150X before the image degrades, usually less. Good conditions will allow upto 250X. Get exceptional conditions, and the best you can do is around 400X.

The 2" to 1.25" scramble is something we all need to live with. You'll soon work out your own system to make it as seemless as possible. Keeping the adaptor in your pocket is a good one.

Shroud wise, if a dark site the only reason you'd need it is if there is a bit of dust in the air. In light polluted urban areas, that's another matter. I've made some light baffles for my 17.5" scope. They work well, but have their limitations. I too am on the look out for a suitable material for a shroud. The only stuff I've found is a light weight Ripstop material that is used in making sails. At around 70g per sq. metre, it is exceptionally light. But it has no stretch. So you need to think carefully about how you design a shroud with this stuff. But it is very water tight so dew won't seep through it and drop onto your optics.

I'm don't know what other shrouds are made of. I'll be able to tell a bit better next week after going to a dark site this week end with some other folks.

[Groboz (Gino)]

Hi again

Just to answer some questions, the light shroud is from Astrozap bought from Scopestuff and is designed for the Lightbridge. It fits the GSO really well with the ridged bands assisting in keeping the material from falling inwards. I don't need the shroud at the dark site for errant photons but to keep as much dust and ash as possible from collecting on the mirror. It's my baby so I'm trying to be gentle with it. It however is a little rough on me with it pinching my pinky between the base and a side knob. That's why it's a bad boy.

I don't know why it would need additional strengthening but I have seen other GSO 16"s with cables to add rigidity but they appear to be home dobs that don't get transported as much. The last time I assembled it the collimation lazer had the red dot just outside of the donut on the primary. A half turn of one screw and quarter turn of another and she was spot on.

I am down $300 for freight however Mental as the GOTO I was considering was with free delivery. I was surprised when delivery only took a week, usually we have to wait a lot longer for the camel train to arrive up here Below is a pic of one of the 3 boxes when it arrived. As you can see they are packed well.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1724.jpg

As for new eyepieces, I can wait for now but if a good deal or 2nd hand TV should beg to come live with me and the bad-boy.... well, I can only resist so much. Besides I just read on cloudy-nights that the Delos series wont make an appearance until August now.

Even though the mirror has a fan attached I don't think I need to use it. I did however last week but there didn't appear to be any difference from the week before when I didn't. The house isn't heated and I usually pull it out from an air-conditioned car so I guess it's cool already. Besides there isn't a lot of variation in temperature up here.... it's hot nearly always!

Anyway thanks for the warm welcomes, I know every week on here several newbies (like me) introduce themselves yet people still take the time to say hi. I hope to be a regular contributer here once I have anything to genuinely to contribute. At the moment it's just relating a layman's experience with a new hobby and new toy. I'm taking the bad boy out again tomorrow so will take some additional pics of it sans shroud and how it's secured in the x-trail for transport (should anyone be interested).

Cheers

Gino

[Groboz (Gino)]

I went out again last night (had the whole place to myself) and as promised took some more pics. Without the other DAGs I had to find things for myself with a little help from Stellarium at the beginning and a star wheel later.

Below are pics of the scope about to be transported. Plenty of room in a soft-roader or similar.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1807.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1808.jpg

Here are some pics before the shroud goes up. Some of them a bit arty with the sunset etc. My first object for the evening was Mercury before it set but with the smoke haze and atmospheric conditions at that time of day the most I could see was a shimmering brown and white orb.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1810.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1814.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1813.jpg

Here is another with shy old me added for scale. As you can see the bad-boy was made for someone like me. I don't think I would have gone much bigger.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1817.jpg

Below is a pic of my EP and accessories case. Note how I've left some room for future new arrivals. Might be interested in a 6mm TV Ethos for planetary viewing but still happy to research for the moment (and save up some $$$).

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1818.jpg

As for the viewing last night, besides Mercury, I checked out most of the objects I'd seen earlier including Saturn. Since the Lagoon Nebular was close by I checked it out soon after the Trifid. I was surprised how quickly I found it. Found the jewel box also as quick. Whilst I was busy just traveling the Milky Way, Stellarium was busy draining my computer battery. But this gave me an opportunity to use the star wheel and familiarize myself with a few constellations. That's easier said than done when you have so many stars to choose from. However I did seek out and find M13 in Hercules so a little victory there. Things started to get a bit dewey at about midnight and I decided to call it a night. The Telrad was the main thing to fog up but the scope mirrors were still good. Another benefit of the shroud I imagine.

Anyway, some lunar viewing from home in the coming weeks before I get back out there and try and find the Vesta asteroid.

[Osirisra (Ken)]

Very nice indeed and what a way to go for a first scope!!

Have you got a ipad, ipod touch, Iphone or android phone? that would be a way to go with software to find things instead as they last a lot longer and easier to use at the eyepeice than a lappy. Around 10 hours for example with an ipad.

There are many great charts that you can download and then print out as well that make it easyier. Try the awsome charts that Robh from the forum has made, very good.

http://sites.google.com/site/southernastronomer/

Have fun with that awesome bit of kit

[Groboz (Gino)]

Thanks for the link Ken, I downloaded those charts. As for an Ipad, I almost bought an Ipad2 last month but there was no stock in Darwin. May wait for the Ipad 3 now.

Bought myself a Dry Box in preparation for the wet season. I like the gauge on the front which shows the level of humidity inside. My eyepieces should be well protected.

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1821.jpg

Also, I couldn't hold out any longer and ordered some eyepiece goodness
Should be getting the following next week.
Paracorr (type 1)
Tele Vue 24mm Panoptic
Tele Vue 13mm Type 6 Nagler
Astronomik UHC filter

I want to try out the 12mm of ER in the Nagler before I commit to any higher powered EPs. I'm also hesitant to buy a barlow as when combined with the eyepiece and Paracorr it may stick out too far from the focuser.
What I'm really looking to do is use all parfocal 1 1/4 eyepieces so all I have to do is change the eyepiece whenever I want to change magnification. Is this achievable or am I missing something?

If ER is OK then maybe a TV Nagler 9mm and 7mm will be next. If not I might look at a 8mm Ethos or the new Delos line. Decisions decisions

[Groboz (Gino)]

I took the scope out last Saturday with mixed results. I concentrated on finding points of interest in Scorpius's tail, finding M7 fairly quickly but had trouble discerning any nebula nearby. I did see an unknown galaxy half way between it's body and stinger though. I think I found Vesta as well, well I looked in the area Stellarium was telling me Vesta should be. An upside down image through the newt had me confused more than once. The most likely candidate to be Vesta was a yellowish thing but I can't be certain and it was slightly off where Stellarium was showing me. Oh well, I might try again next Saturday.

In the mean time my new Paracorr type 1, Nagler 13T6, 24mm Panoptic and UHC filter arrived today. That should help with those illusive nebula (although just more time at the eyepiece training my eyes would help too).

Some pics of the new arrivals and their place in the carry case. Hmmmm still room for one or two more eyepieces....

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1861.jpg

http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/v...f/SAM_1862.jpg

Saturday can't come quick enough!

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

That is one nice scope Gino. Just beautiful. Nice eyepieces too, .

I've got the same laser collimation tool too. I'm glad you've got a cheshire eyepiece too. You'll find it handy as you may find that there is too much slop in the fit of the laser in the 1.25" focuser. Even when the laser is held in tight in the focuser, you can still move the thing quite easily. Sadly it is a common problem with it. Happens with mine, and with every other one I've seen.

Solution is easy. You'll need to use a permanent marker pen to mark the centre of you secondary mirror. This won't affect the performance - don't forget, the secondary mirror is a larger obstruction to the incoming light than any tiny texta mark could be. With the Cheshire check that your secondary is in its opitmal position, then swap with the laser and make sure that the laser is pointed at this tiny dot. The rest of the collimation process is no different.

I've had to do this to my own 17.5" secondary. This process also showed me that the focuser on my scope wasn't truely square as it should have been. I've now got as good a collimation proceedure as I'm ever likely to have, regardless of the collimation tools I may use.

You may also need to collimate your laser collimator too! Mine was out by 0.18 degrees. Not much, but it makes a difference at the wavelengths of light. That's not difficult either. Here's a link to collimating your GSO laser collimation tool.

Mental.

[Groboz (Gino)]

Thanks Alex and you're not wrong about the slop. After 4 - 5 hours of star gazing on Saturday I decided to see if in that time my collimation had moved and I was surprised to see the red dot just outside the donut. I gave the lazer a little wriggle and twist and it was dead centre again.

I was thinking of getting a Glatter but will give your mods a shot. I especially like the idea for tightening the lazer aperture. As for putting a little black dot on my brand new secondary mirror.... I might have to build up some courage first.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Get all that observing in before the wet season starts Gino

Cheers Kev.