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OK, 10" really is better than 6...

jamespels

By jamespels
in The Astro Lounge

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jamespels

jamespels

Posted
Posted

I have finally realised why I "traded in" my beautiful Tal2 for what I have been cursing as mass-produced Chinese junk for the last 18 months...

Some may remember but I bought a used SW250P on an EQ6 about 18 months ago for my 40th; I was allowed to get it on the proviso I sell the Tal and put the money towards the new scope. Long story short, my wife has dusted the 250 every week for the last year and a half but the scope never actually made it outside due to DIY and other commitments (and a fair bit of "I'm too tired tonight, maybe tomorrow", if I'm honest).

Anyway, I bought a slightly shorter focuser extension last week so it would achieve focus with my EPs and got the chance to take it out this evening. Skies were Ok for around here - about 5 or 6 stars visible in UMi and the Milky Way a feint streak.

All I can say is "wow". The SW kit may fall well short of the Tal in build quality but the jump from 6 to 10 inches made a staggering difference. I went out with no real plan and started out finding the double cluster in Cass; that looked far better than I have ever seen it before so I paid Andromeda a visit. M31 was still just an oval smudge but SO much brighter than I have seen it before. I even managed to track down M32 and NGC205 (I didn't realise just how huge M31 is until tonight - only saw the core, of course, but seeing the other two effectively mark it's extent...). By now, I was convinced the scope was a big step forward and tried for the Ring nebula - found that with surprising ease though I could not get any clarity without averted vision. Next I had a quick look on Stellarium for another interesting target above 30 degrees (nasty layer of orange staying to build around the horizon) and settled on M103 back in Cass, then across the sky to M42. Very good clarity in both, just about resolving stars in M42 with a X2 barlowed 25mm.

I have just packed up, MUCH happier with the 250 than I was expecting and practically doubling my Messier count in one night!!! The biggest problem I now have? Realising that the f4.7 of the 250 is way less forgiving than the Tal's F8 and that the only EP I have that is up to the job is my Tal 25mm Plossl. Even that is pushing it with the x2 Tal barlow, with a lot of kidney beaning going on. I tried my TMB 6mm a couple of times but it was practically unusable so at least I know what I want Santa to bring this year!!!

Grinning a bit more than I probably should be but very happy to have finally got some observing in...

James.

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MadamCaptain

MadamCaptain

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I must say I agree, 10 " is much better than 6 ". I started off with a 6 " dob but I never really liked the mount - the tube was held in place with handles that screwed into the mount and I was never able to get it to sit right. It was okay for a first scope but when I upgraded to a 10 " I was really impressed! I've had the 10 " (Meade Lightbridge) for 7 or 8 years now and I'm very happy with it. Its easy to put together and take apart. It fits perfectly in my car. If I was ever going to go bigger, I would go for a 16 " but it wouldn't fit in my car. 

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Grotemobile

Grotemobile

Posted
Posted

More aperture is good.

Know what saying about M31. When you see how far out those satelite galaxies are- you realise how much you're missing visually!

Sometimes it is.I went from a C11 to this.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/cpc-deluxe-hd/celestron-cpc-deluxe-800-hd.html

All   through it is 3" smaller,it performs a lot better

because of the optics.I live in a town, so this

might have a lot to do with it.Best scope I have

ever had.Big scopes, do need dark sites, to perform

really good.

Steve

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jamespels

jamespels

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Calvin, can't remember if you have booked (oops!) but you just HAVE to bring that dob to PSP!!! I'll drive you myself if necessary and stuff the red light rules if we need to take it up in the dark! 

Grotemobile - very nice scopes - the pair of them. Somehow look the part as well, if you know what I mean.

laser_jock - what gets me is there is NOTHING visible by eye. Might be because of LP but I spent a while looking for even a hint.

MamadCaptain - fully agree. I can get the 250 in the back of my car (OK, I can get most things in the back as it is a Mondeo estate!) and this size is nicely manageable. I can hold and lift the OTA with one hand while I undo the dovetail bolts and wouldn't want to try this with anything bigger. I have a DIY wooden dob base for it but am now able to leave the EQ6 outside - with the clutches loose, it functions OK as a dob base, even if you do have to bend yourself to fit every now and again - and it hadn't occurred to be just how high the EP can get! The dob base is a lot easier to move around than the EQ6 but, being DIY, can be a bit "lumpy" in motion. Trying to decide if I invest in a set of decent bearings or just it gather dust.

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swamp thing

swamp thing

Posted
Posted

Glad your enjoying the 10" :)

Know what saying about M31. When you see how far out those satelite galaxies are- you realise how much you're missing visually!

Try it from a really dark sky.

Seeing it with your own eyes in all its glory, you're not missing a thing visually. 

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astronymonkey

astronymonkey

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6 to 10 inched is about a 2.8 times increase in surface area so it it:a big ump in real terms.

10inch is about optimal for a scope as its small enough to move and transport easily but large enough to have good light grasp.

I went from 6 to 16 which is a 7times increase and was blown away.

Enjoy the 10 inch, they are great scopes but get it to a dark site like steve says to let it really stretch its legs.

Cheers

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Charic

Charic

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If/when I make the jump to something bigger, my research tells me that I'll be aiming for a Skyliner 300P Solid tube.   I`ll either sell the 200P in order to offset the cost, or strap the 200 to the 300 and use it as a finder scope. Thats how much difference, I`d like  there to be?   Lol?

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LeeB

LeeB

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definately go to a dark site , I popped down to lucksall on a lovelly clear weekend, and took a six with me and even that was great, anyway I treated myself to a 300 "OO" not to long ago to replace the 250 "OO" and cant wait till peak. However can't bring myself to lose the 250mm now as its so light and 200 or 250mm is, or are  perfect weight v performance machines, The 300mm is alot bigger and you then need a real effort to take it anywhere.

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jamespels

jamespels

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Just realised I have probably managed to offend half the people on here with references to cheap Chinese junk - oops, sorry!

Comment meant in reference to relative build quality and I really will stop going on about the Tal now! That OTA was something special but I cannot in all honesty really even compare the mount to the EQ6...

Anyway, now very happy to be owning 10" of Chinese junk and will get on with modding if after winter. First thing I need to fix is the secondary which I simply cannot collimate at the moment - the three steel adjusting screws have made a mess of the (ali, I think) secondary mounting block so there is no finesse in rotating it at the moment and I can see it is a teensy bit out! A steel washer and filing the back of the block flat will fix this. Some how the secondary itself has picked up some scratches so I might just swap the whole block.

What I really need now, though, is a new c12mm EP but a nice letter from HM Constabulary asking if I was driving a vehicle registered to me as it drove past a camera last week might have taken care of what budget there was!

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Astro Imp

Astro Imp

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Posted

Just realised I have probably managed to offend half the people on here with references to cheap Chinese junk - oops, sorry!

Comment meant in reference to relative build quality and I really will stop going on about the Tal now! That OTA was something special but I cannot in all honesty really even compare the mount to the EQ6...

Anyway, now very happy to be owning 10" of Chinese junk and will get on with modding if after winter. First thing I need to fix is the secondary which I simply cannot collimate at the moment - the three steel adjusting screws have made a mess of the (ali, I think) secondary mounting block so there is no finesse in rotating it at the moment and I can see it is a teensy bit out! A steel washer and filing the back of the block flat will fix this. Some how the secondary itself has picked up some scratches so I might just swap the whole block.

What I really need now, though, is a new c12mm EP but a nice letter from HM Constabulary asking if I was driving a vehicle registered to me as it drove past a camera last week might have taken care of what budget there was!

If this is your first offence you may be offered a speed awareness course in lieu of a fine.

Good luck.

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