hi all..been a member for a while and sorry if im just lurking around... now that i have more free time i can do my childhood obssecion with astronomy or stargazing. been to some shops lately and looking for well... i think i will go for the 10" dob for my first telescope. actually been stalking the forums ads if theres any from WA or perth are selling their telescope... anyway..
any advice to come with the 10" dob or should i go for an 10" ota.. collapsable or not.. those are the question running to me right now..but definately 10" so i can be more flexible on my stargazing.
The 10" dob is a great first choice and you will see plenty with it. Really the main difference between the solid tube and collapsible will be portability. Will you just be using it in your backyard all the time or are you likely to be travelling a lot?
The solid tube will still fit in a car more than likely but not as easily.
You've certainly "lurked around" before your first posting, .
A dob is a very sound choice as a first scope. A 10" is a fantastic aperture to start with. It has plenty of grunt for pulling detail out of faint DSO's, and will provide fantastic views of the Moon and planets.
Looks good. A lot of extra kit comes with it too which is excellent to start off with.
If you can, try to inspect it before you buy. Ask the seller to assemble it and take it down for you. You'll notice very quickly by how gentle they are with it if its been well looked after - it should never be forced. All the assembly and take down should be smooth and unrushed. If it is hurried and forced be cautious as the scope may not like to play ball for too long.
Look at the primary mirror. Dust is OK. Finger prints, water marks, animal hair, all are eyebrow lifters but not deal killers, but gives room for negotiation, and patchy or flaking coating is a no-no.
I had insisted on inspecting one scope a couple of years back that was listed on ebay. I'm glad I had as it was a bio-hazard it had so much fungus on it. Bits were broken, moving parts jammed and the seller used so much force to move them I thought the scope would break. None of this was noted on the description, and who ended up buying it would have done their money big time.
On the other hand, another scope I inspected ended up being a "comet" - dirty, but what a screamer of a scope!!! The grime allowed me to negotiate a great price. It did require some time and care to clean up, but WOW, what a scope it is.
Jose!
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