Torn between

[daiwelly]

I am torn between purchasing skywatcher 127 and a skywatcher dobson 200,I have a skywatcher 130 az goto synscan so i could use this mount with the 127 what are your thoughts?

[Laurie61]

The 127 will not show you any more than your 130 scope, if you want a performance increase the dob is the way to go 

[emadmoussa]

Not a brainer...Dobson 200 of course...more power, more field of view and less maintenance and more ease of use.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

reverse question.What are you trying to achieve with the new scope? your 130P is a small lovely dob what you can chuck into car or caravan when you travel and use it anywhere,will not take up much space either.under dark skies will show you sufficient detail to start with.you have 100 Messier objects to look at to start with and another bunch of other object before you will require some serious instrument.

Mak 127 will give you much narrower field of view,will cool longer,you will need a quality diagonal and some other bits and bobs to get it up and running.Will fit on your Az mount and will give you great planetary images but will be surpassed even by your 130P on DSO (deepsky)

on another hand 200P will surpass both of these scopes in both planetary and DSO,but will be bulkier if space is an issue and will not fit on your existing mount so it will have to be either Az mounted or EQ mounted.

Firstly decide what you want this new scope to do would be my advise.Different scopes for different courses

As for plain comparison 130P vs 127 vs 200P.winner will be 200P purely because bigger mirror and as such more light grasp. 

[daiwelly]

The decision is made I go for the Dobson, I want to use it for DSO and Nebula work.

[stevetynant]

Welcome to the Dob Mob Dai (S Wales chapter) - good call

[daiwelly]

I may even goto a 250 or 300 flexi, if i can find a decent 2nd hand one, but i also want a crayford and nebula filters it depends on my slush fund mid July anyway there will be a dob mid July if it hammers down you know who to blame.

[daiwelly]

Welcome to the Dob Mob Dai (S Wales chapter) - good call

Thanks Steve had some cracking nights at you know where

[emadmoussa]

I may even goto a 250 or 300 flexi, if i can find a decent 2nd hand one, but i also want a crayford and nebula filters it depends on my slush fund mid July anyway there will be a dob mid July if it hammers down you know who to blame.

Things to bear in mind: 8" Dobsonian will show you stuff for years to come - however won't be as bright as a 12" or 16", neither will it show very faint objects visible under dark good skies or through larger aperture. All   is not a big deal...8" is still a relatively big aperture and you'll enjoy it a lot. 10" solid tube is a bit awkward to move around..not very heavy though. 12"  more so - unless you decide to go for a Flextube.

For better portability, decent views and value for money the 8" Dobsonian is the way to go.

[stevetynant]

Its a bit of a trade off really Dai - the more aperature the brighter the objects you will observe but once you go past 8 Inches the less forgiving the scope will be with eye pieces and obviously the portability factor reduces but if you were thinking of siting it at your park its a pretty good spot so perhaps portability not such an issue - goofd luck with your decisions David

[daiwelly]

That was the idea steve sited at the park, but then where am i going to store it through the winter so size does matter so I will stick with the 200 dob,I can use the park through the winter stay the odd night  (normally closed between end of October till March National park restrictions the owner have said he will book it as park maintenance if they ask).

I have just ordered a Skywatcher OIII Filter I know this is not recommended for the 130 but will be fine with the 200, so expect a change in the weather.

[L8-Nite]

I'm not a Dob person (yet), but the 200 sounds like a nice scope Dai, 

[daiwelly]

Fri 20th cracking night at you know where was out till 2 am 100% clear, tried the above filter out today which I received from FLO today waste of time on the 130 will have to wait till next month for the dob, cant wait  

[daiwelly]

I have had a 19" setting circle printed out which i will laminate to the base using clear Fablon the type they use for covering maps, also I have ordered a digital spirit level which is magnetic here it is http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Inclinometer-Angle-Meter-Gauge-Spirit-Level-Upright-LCD-Magnetic-Base-/201114193523?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item2ed3570e73  and will sit nicely on the scope.

[L8-Nite]

I have had a 19" setting circle printed out which i will laminate to the base using clear Fablon the type they use for covering maps, also I have ordered a digital spirit level which is magnetic here it is http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Inclinometer-Angle-Meter-Gauge-Spirit-Level-Upright-LCD-Magnetic-Base-/201114193523?pt=UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item2ed3570e73  and will sit nicely on the scope.

Nice, an Inclinometer is a handy item to have. 

[texaspete1973]

That's exactly what I did daiwelly and to be honest, its not the easiest thing to do, but with a bit of patience you will sort it.

[daiwelly]

One week to go, I have also found a sign printer in Brecon he will print directly on vynl the type you use on signs for cars sticky back so will have the setting circle done on that.

[stevetynant]

which way are you printing the degrees on your setting circle David- if I remember right-if  your setting circle stays fixed to the bottom plate but the pointer moves its clockwise- if the setting circle is on the top plate and moves but the pointer sits still its anti clockwise numbering - think thats right

[daiwelly]

The setting circle i have found it has both black outer clockwise and blue inner anti clockwise not sure yet if i will put it on top plate or bottom any advice would be welcome, not sure if I want to cut holes in the top plate.setting circle for 200mm dobson.pdf this is the one I have got

[lennylovit]

Dai if you put the scale on the top you can bend a pointer out of thin bar  from the bottom up and over the two plates and attach it on the underside with Velcro and its adjustable

make it a bit longer than needed so if you do a lazy bearing mod it will still fit

Lenny

[daiwelly]

Thanks Lenny I think that is the way I will go

[stevetynant]

Thats pretty much what I do Dai as well - although I didn't velcro it just used a thick paperclip between 2 small blocks of wood- no cutting into the Dob required although others have done it and done a good job - I'm pretty sure Rhys is one of them.

[daiwelly]

I like that steve, may add a flourescent 8mm fish bead to the pointer and nice clear numbers on the scale.

[daiwelly]

Sorted, cant wait for delivery ruddy hell gone black here haha

[daiwelly]

A big Thank you to Martin at FLO, for the quick turn around of my order which I received this morning less than 24hrs, from placing the order.