10" Dob or Meade LXD 8" Schmit Newt????

davewaldo · #1 02-10-2006, 09:09 AM

Hi Guys,

I was considering buying Striker's 8" meade Schmit newt instead of the GSO 10" Dob which I have ordered.

What do you guys think?

To start with I will use the scope for mainly visual work and I hope to progress to a bit of imaging.

The main benifits I see to the meade are: Able to be easily EQ mounted, Beter built & is more suitable for imaging.

Benifits for Dob: More light grasp, comes as full kit with eyepieces, But not very suitable for imaging.

Also the dob is quite a bit cheaper.

I'm just a beginner so what does everyone think?

Cheers

Dave.

PS. I really need to know today because if I chose to go with the Meade I need to cancel my order for my dob.

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #2 02-10-2006, 09:19 AM

For visual work,go with the dob,nothing beats apature. The 10" can be mounted on platforms like Mike has (Iceman) or even equatorialy mounted on an EQ6 or G11. There are some mods you can do to the GSO to make it perform better like new focuser and cooling fans, but for starting out, you have gone the right direction. Stay with the 10". Imaging can get very expensive too.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 02-10-2006, 09:22 AM

As much as it pains me to say it Dave.....go the dob

If you are just starting out and are unsure whether astrophotography is your game then for visual work you will prefer the dob.

Another thing to think about as well is if you use a Dob then the eyepiece is always in a handy viewing position, using an eq mount the eyepiece can end up in some fairly awkward positions. You can of course loosen the rings and rotate the tube, but that's a bugbear, plus if the tube slips you will have to do your realignment (if you have goto)

The schmidt newt is a nice scope, fairly well respected for imaging (not the best, but not the worst by a long shot) but I don't think it compares to the 10" dob for visual.

Oh and you will have dew to contend with as well with the SN because of the corrector plate, so you will need either a dew shield or some form of dew heater

mick pinner · #4 02-10-2006, 09:23 AM

hi Dave, if you are going to eventually get into imaging start to plan now and save money in the long run.
Unless you only want to do a bit of planetary work then the Dob will be no good for you due to it's inability to track for any length of time.
The LXD will work ok for deep space imaging but not ideal for planetary work and will need to be mounted on a very stable EQ mount with a quality drive system.
If imaging does interest you then you will learn that a rather substantial budget will be required.

davewaldo · #5 02-10-2006, 09:24 AM

Thanks everyone!

Can a 10" GSO really be mounted on a EQ6?? I would have thought it too heavy. Especially once you add counter weights...

Does anyone know how heavy a 10" GSO OTA is?

Cheers

Dave.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #6 02-10-2006, 09:25 AM

15kg with finderscope Dave. We weighted Steve's out at Ron's last dark night.

EQ6 is designed to carry 18.6 kg. and a G11 about 28kg

Astroman (Andrew Wall) · #7 02-10-2006, 09:26 AM

Yes it can carry the 10", not much to spare but it can handle it.

mick pinner · #8 02-10-2006, 09:52 AM

the weight is not the critical issue although it does certainly matter, the big problem is the cantilever effect of a long tube.
The weight of the tube is in effect increased as it extends out from the point of it's mount, shorter tubes such as the LXD or SCT's will dampen much quicker.

h0ughy (David) · #9 02-10-2006, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davewaldo

Thanks everyone!

Can a 10" GSO really be mounted on a EQ6?? I would have thought it too heavy. Especially once you add counter weights...

Does anyone know how heavy a 10" GSO OTA is?

Cheers

Dave.

yes they can and you can even buy tube rings ready made for them from Andrews ETC... if you want a smaller portable scope then go the SN8, else go the 10" gso. BTW striker has proven the SN8 to be very good photographically, go searching for his posting of his one and only iage from it. itsa pearler

BTW, I am adding a Meade 12" SCT OTA to my EQ6 in the near future, so work that one out weight wise

Starkler (Geoff) · #10 02-10-2006, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick pinner

If imaging does interest you then you will learn that a rather substantial budget will be required.

Enough so that having a dob for visual, and another scope set up for imaging isnt really a big stretch. Dobs are cheap, and the scope you might choose for imaging might not be that good for visual anyway if its your only scope.

davewaldo · #11 02-10-2006, 11:37 AM

Cheers Everyone for all the great Help.

I have decided to stick with the Dob... It should arrive on Thursday or Friday!

I'll let everyone know how I go with it!

Dave.

Striker (Tony) · #12 02-10-2006, 11:51 AM

Dave I think you have made a wise choice for visual work sticking with the 10" Dob but if you were getting into photography and had the choice of putting a 10" F6 dob on a EQ6 or 8" F4 Schmit newt then it's a no brainer to me 8" F4 by 200%...the amount of flex and extra weight will highly increase movement destroying your images..then you have all the other accessoris as you will need to guide.

Summery.

10" DOB great for visuals but on a EQ6 not recommended.
8" F4 schmit newt far superior in performance on a EQ6

You will enjoy your dob there great value for money and easy to use.

EzyStyles (Eric) · #13 02-10-2006, 12:22 PM

I have to agree with Striker. If you are planning to do astrophotography work, go the 8" F/4. You will need a guidescope and other bits and pieces later down the track and weight wise, the 8" is the go. 10" + guidescope and bits and pieces on the EQ6 might be abit too heavy.