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Please, help me decide, GSO 305 mm or SW 300PDS?


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Need some help. Which one?

GSO 305/1500 mm (f/5), Euro 745

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5846_GSO-305-1500mm-Newtonian---12--parabolic-Mirror---Steel-Tube---opt--tube.html

or

Sky Watcher Explorer-300PDS / 12"/1500 mm (f/5), Euro 799

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2805_Skywatcher-Explorer-300PDS---12--f-5-newtonian---2--1-10-crayfor.html

I'm a refractor addict, but I think I also need a Newtonian

/Mikael

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Hi Mikael,

What are you going to mount the 12" scope on ?.

Unless you are certain it has to be on an equatorial mount, I'd be considering a 12" dobsonian I think.

Even an EQ6 mount is pretty overwhelmed with a 12" F/5 newtonian on it !

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Hi Mikael,

What are you going to mount the 12" scope on ?.

Unless you are certain it has to be on an equatorial mount, I'd be considering a 12" dobsonian I think.

Even an EQ6 mount is pretty overwhelmed with a 12" F/5 newtonian on it !

Hi John,

I have an AZ-EQ6 GT mount. Your point about overloading the mount is probably true. I was thinking of the build quality and the optical quality of these two scopes.

/Mikael

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I have the Revelation 12" on a Dobsonian mount, which I believe is the same as the GSO 12".

The build quality is excellent but its a very big scope, the diameter of the tube is 14" and its shoulder high to my 6'3" height.

As John says, it going to be a real handfull on your mount.

Avtar

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Please be aware that these are both massive scopes and present something of a handling challenge! Mounting and demounting these every night is not recommended and they are really much better as semi permanent observatory instruments. If you can go and see one 'in the flesh' first to get an idea of how big they are.

The EQ6 mount will handle the weight okay- provided all is well balanced (you will need some additional counterweights- maybe six or seven depending on other accessories!) 

The other possibility is to buy a 12" F4 scope which is shorter (by 30cm), lighter and therefore marginally easier to handle:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4926_GSO-12--f-4-Imaging-Newtonian---94--reflectivity---3-3--focuser.html

I have one of these and it's proving to be a nice (and very fast) imaging scope. The huge 3" focuser is good and at F4 is super fast for wider field imaging. Coupled with one of these:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4685_ASA-2--Newtonian-Corrector---Reducer-0-73x.html

it becomes a ridiculously fast F2.9 astrograph- I'm getting deep images in minutes that take slower scopes hours (although I would add you need a dark sky site to take real advantage of F2.9)

M51 with just 140s single sub

DSIR6693_1024_zps8ed6f634.jpg

Even so the 12" F4 is a big heavy scope and I need to use a pulley system inside my observatory to get the scope on top of my 6 foot pier.

Dscf6816_1024_zps4c9afc45.jpg

I would also seriously consider only getting a 10" scope if you are going to be de-mounting the scope on a regular basis. I have just purchased the GSO 10" F4 (review coming soon) for my other observing site where I need to take the scope inside during the day.

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4763_GSO-10--f-4-Imaging-Newtonian---94--reflectivity---2--M-LRN-focuser.html

The scope I received yesterday is the same GSO based instrument as above but came with the much better 3" Revelation Astro focuser which at £399 is quite a bargain.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/info-BC186.html

I don't know if you can get these in Sweden? The 10" F4 is a lot easier to mount and dismount than the 12" F4, I don't feel like I'm always about to drop the thing - which would be a disaster. Also there are some 10" F4 scopes with carbon tubes which are lighter still.

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What do you want to do with this scope? This is the big question.

Olly

Hi,

Thanks to you all for your answers and suggestions.

I will only use it for visual. 10" or 12"? f/5 or faster? If my AZ-EQ6 can handle the weight, then it's up to me to dance (stumble) in the dark ...... I have a small gym at home! Perhaps I can build some kind of trolley for the docking manoeuvre. I really want a light bucket!

Best regards,

Mikael

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Hi,

Thanks to you all for your answers and suggestions.

I will only use it for visual. 10" or 12"? f/5 or faster? If my AZ-EQ6 can handle the weight, then it's up to me to dance (stumble) in the dark ...... I have a small gym at home! Perhaps I can build some kind of trolley for the docking manoeuvre. I really want a light bucket!

Best regards,

Mikael

If it's only for Visual, why not buy a dob instead?

A huge 10 or 12 inch Newt on an EQ Mount is going to frustrate you to no end, With the EP ending up on impossible Places.

EDIT: scratch that..... I see you have the AZ-EQ6 and not the regular EQ6. :rolleyes:  So you can put it in Alt-Az mode.

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If it's only for Visual, why not buy a dob instead?

A huge 10 or 12 inch Newt on an EQ Mount is going to frustrate you to no end, With the EP ending up on impossible Places.

EDIT: scratch that..... I see you have the AZ-EQ6 and not the regular EQ6. :rolleyes:  So you can put it in Alt-Az mode.

Yes, I use my stand in Alt-Az mode. Previous years I've only had cheaper mounts without motors. Those mounts were shaking in modest winds and every time I accidently touched them or when I tried to adjust the focus, they just wouldn't stop vibrating. On top of that was the manual tracking of objects. I found all that very frustrating as I spent more time on frustration than on observing. The AZ-EQ6 mount is the very best astro gear I have ever bought. Now I just bring it outside, do a 2-star alignment and after a few minutes I can start observing. Now I can really focus on what I see, relaxed and comfortable. My wish was to mount a quite large reflector to this stand. Aperture........ The weight and mounting to the stand I can handle with a trolley and a lifting device.

/Mikael

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Yes, I use my stand in Alt-Az mode. Previous years I've only had cheaper mounts without motors. Those mounts were shaking in modest winds and every time I accidently touched them or when I tried to adjust the focus, they just wouldn't stop vibrating. On top of that was the manual tracking of objects. I found all that very frustrating as I spent more time on frustration than on observing. The AZ-EQ6 mount is the very best astro gear I have ever bought. Now I just bring it outside, do a 2-star alignment and after a few minutes I can start observing. Now I can really focus on what I see, relaxed and comfortable. My wish was to mount a quite large reflector to this stand. Aperture........ The weight and mounting to the stand I can handle with a trolley and a lifting device.

/Mikael

Yes the EQ6 Mounts are very Nice. I just bought the N EQ6 Pro myself in february this year. Love it so far.

Was looking at the AZ-EQ6, but as I have no interest in the AZ function, I could not justify the extra 5000 NOK price increase.

Especially since it teleskop.ekpress.de had a "tilbud" on the N EQ6 Pro at the moment. Made it even more interesting.

I can do the belt mod conversation later on for around 1500 NOK later on and still save myself 3500 NOK :)

As you are in Sweden, have you checked Teleskopservice Norden (now owned by Astro Sweden). They sell the GSO reflectors as well. Including the 10 and 12 inch I see. :)

http://www.teleskop-service.se/sv/teleskop/spegelteleskop/

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