Skywatcher 200 Solid Tube or Flex

[ahernep]

Hi All,

First off let me say thank you to everyone here, this is probably the best forum I've come across for any topic!

I've been playing around with my friends 5" Celestron and getting fascinated so on the brink of taking the plunge. In looking around there seems to be nothing but praise for the Skywatcher. I was thinking that the 200 Dobsonian would be my choice so now I'm wondering on the flex or solid tube. As far as I can see the only advantage to the flex is storage so maybe not so important since it will only add weight and limit options as I believe that the solid tube can go on a HEQ5 later if I wanted to go that way. Looking at the dimensions I think it's just about as big as I can go and still be portable (in the loosest sense of the word!) enough to take on a taxi ride. Since I live in Singapore it will either just be carried outside or stuck in a cab for a short journey.

Can anyone advise me on whether there is any reason I should go for a flex? Is adding the solid tube to a HEQ5 later a good upgrade for viewing & another level of choice for AP?

Am I just totally wrong and should go in a completely different direction?

Thanks all for a great forum and loking forward to joining the ranks of astrophiles here!

Peter.

[ahernep]

OK,

So I realised I've asked a question that's pretty much already been answered. The only advantage is storage/transport (but the solid fits across back seats anyway so dont see much advantage here).

Once I move further into things, what limitations might I find? Assuming the best upgrade path would be to eventually add a HEQ mount to the collection, is there anything that a solid 200p could never do well enough for a beginner?

Bottom line here is I'm trying my best to avoid replacing things but rather upgrade as my needs evolve.

Thanks,
Peter.

[swamp thing]

HI Peter 

First off welcome to the stargazers lounge

Is there anywhere you can go to have a look at a 200p before laying any money down?

I could say "Yeah it'll be fine" but we are all different and whats easy for one person is a major effort for another. I can't see anyone wanting to take an EQ mounted 8" scope in a taxi myself. The dob might be doable, but I can't see an EQ mount as a realistic upgrade TBH. 

[ahernep]

Hi Swamp Thing,

Thanks! Good to be here

Unfortunately nowhere here to wander into and have a look though I'm waiting for a local star party I can make to see if anyone there has a similar setup.

So, outside the transport question, is the 200p on an EQ a good combination?

On the transport side, I actually thought a taxi may have been less inclined to take someone walking up with a DOB than an EQ (assuming the scope is separate already!). The DOB is lighter but I thought more awkward/bulky than an EQ.

Cheers,

Peter.

[swamp thing]

"So, outside the transport question, is the 200p on an EQ a good combination?"

Depends what you want it for. 

For me any mobile set up should ideally be, quick and easy to set up. IMO large heavy EQ's mountings aren't. Add to that the awkward positions that the eyepiece can get in and one may find using a newt on an EQ for visual observing can be a frustrating prospect. I did it for years and many times I found myself failing to bother observing an object because I couldn't be bothered to twist the tube around in the tube rings, again. I discovered that after using said EQ mount for many yeas that a Dob mounting was a breath of fresh air for visual observing and truly an upgrade in this matter.

I guess that when I was using an EQ mount for visual work I tended to be feeling like I was fighting with the scope all night rather than it fighting with me. I love to be able to swap targets quickly and move the scope about from one side of the sky to the next with ease. Dob's allow this, EQ's don't. That said if you wish to adapt your observing style to an EQ this isn't so much of a problem. If you are a keen planetary observer most seem to like the tracking benefits that an EQ permits. Of course there are  the goto tracking Dobs that will also permit this too. 

This is not to say you'll see any of this above as a problem yourself. You might be quite happy with twisting the tube around. You may feel it's a small price to pay for having the convenience of tracking and the same could be said for the extended set up time. Everyone is different. 

​My old EQ had tracking and for me it couldn't ,make up for these set backs. This is of course just my opinion. Others mileage may vary, as they say

​For AP an EQ is really you're only option though. 

​For the transport situation have you considered a SCT as an option as these are less bulky than a newt. 

[ahernep]

Hi Steve,

Thanks, I think we're on pretty much the same page, I would only be considering the EQ if & when I wanted to get into more serious AP and even then I start by adding goto to the Dob first. I had looked at SCT's but came to the conclusion that the newt offered the best bang for my buck with the 8" being about as far as I could go and still stay "portable".

Cheers,
Peter,

[ahernep]

Of course if I get that into AP I may at that stage just replace the whole kit, but I'd like to have the choice not to