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Hi from SunCoast (Spain) Dobson 12 vs 16?

CHAMACO

By CHAMACO
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CHAMACO

CHAMACO

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Hi guys, 

My first telescope is a small reflector TS 114/900 I bought 2 months ago, combined with medium quality rural skies. With that, some maps, the gift 25mm eyepiece, and a telrad, I have located and enjoyed during the past 2 months:

M81, M82, M51 & NGC5195, M63, M94, M104, M42, M3, M13, M61, M65, M66, M95, M96, M44, M67, M46, M47, M48, M45. I also enjoyed the 37 open cluster in Orion (NGC2169). In M42 I can see the 4 stars in the trapezium.

No way to see NGC3628 in Leo Triplet neither M101 in Ursa Major due to its low bright surface (around 15 in both objects). 

In 2 years I'm building my new home in a big private land (around 30,000 square meters) far away from light pollution. I'm planning to build my private observatory in the new home, with the 24" f5 dobson Romano Zen (Italy). I'm in love with that telescope.

That's will be in 2 years if everything is OK. In the meantime I want to enjoy the skies much better than now with my small reflector. With my current 114/900 i can locate a lot of objects and galaxies, but they are very dim, without spiral structure. That's why I'm thinking to buy a 12" f5 or 16" f4.5 mass producer reflector (i.e. GSO, Orion, Meade, ES, SkyWatcher, ...). I would like to enjoy DSOs much better than now for the next 2 years. Please keep in mind that this new telescope will be a provisional telescope until I buy the definitive one in 2 years (24" dobson f5).

So my evolution would be: 4.5 inches - X inches - 24 inches.

Now my place is not so big, but I can afford to enjoy a cheap mass produced 12" or 16" to train for the big one coming in 2 years. I'm also thinking to buy the best oculars possible, in order to be also valid for the definitive telescope:

Ethos 21, with exit pupil around 4-4.5 for 12"f5, 16" f4.5 and the future 24" f5. Ideal for finding and see big nebulas and open clusters.

Delos 10, with exit pupil around 2. Perfect for galaxies and most DSOs.

Delos 6, with exit pupil around 1.3, ideal for planetary nebulas and globular clusters.

Any suggestions which one should be my provisional dobson?? I would like to start seeing some spiral structure in galaxies.

Thanks in advance for your replies guys. You are the experts on this topic.

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damnut

damnut

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Hi Chamaco,

Welcome to SGL. WOW that is some setup you are going to have. You have done your research, as for your intermediate scope, it sounds as though you should go for as big as you can comfortably manage and setup. So you really need to go and see some of this kit before you purchase.

For your ep's for me you are missing a longer focal length just to deliver a low power wide angle view.

Good luck with all that you have  going on!!

Salud

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BobSki

BobSki

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WOW!

Hello Chamaco and a very warm welcome to the star-crazy gang. I hope you have a great time with your new friends you have found here on this wonderful forum. It seems like you will have the ideal setup when your'e finished.

All the best

Bob

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CHAMACO

CHAMACO

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Thanks for your reply Damian. My life is so busy right now, and I have found in amateur astronomy my relax and a new world full of new challenges. I love it.  

Yes, maybe I should add a bigger eyepiece around 5-6 exit pupil, to get around 1.5 degrees of field. With the Ethos 21 I would get 1.4 degrees @ 71x. In the 16" I would get 1.16 degrees @ 86x. If I choose the 16" as the provisional scope, I would add a bigger eyepiece to get M45 in the same FOV.

In both cases (either 12" or 16") I guess I should add a nice planetary eyepiece @ 0.8 exit pupil.

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CHAMACO

CHAMACO

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Please "mojaros" (Spanish expression) and indicate which one (either 12" full or 16" truss)you would like as intermediate scope. Remember the final one will be 24" f5 in 2 years.

I'm waiting also for the book "Concise catalog of deep-sky objects: astrophysical information for 550 galaxies, clusters and nebulae" (Warren Finlay, 2014 edition). I locate DSOs easy with maps and telrad, but I like to know what I'm seeing in the eyepiece. 

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laudropb

laudropb

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Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL Your choice of intermediate scope really depends on what size you can physically set up and handle and the amount of space you currently have. The amount of LP you currently work under also has to be considered. But all things being equal I would go for the larger mirror.

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CHAMACO

CHAMACO

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Hi Sara, I don't know where you are, but right now is very sunny and nice in my place ;-)  Even I hear the sound of some birds... BTW nice observatory you built. If you move to my place we have to build a bigger one, just for your image artwork and for my visual necessities ;-) 

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Ags

Ags

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I have a plan for a dark sky retreat in the next five years... those plans also include a 16" dob of some description. Either a mass-produced goto variant, or I would go the ATM route. Like you I also plan to have an intermediate scope, and my thinking is presently an 8" ATM dob.

If space is constrained (or if ease of setup has to be considered) then the 12" might be the better choice for you.

Welcome to SGL!

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Plouer

Plouer

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Hi and welcome to SGL

I have a skywatcher 12" truss tube dob, living by the sea On Tenerife, the seeing is not to great, too much warm air distorting the view, however I'm only an hours drive away from the Caldera which is at an altitude of 2200 metres and clear dark sky's having the truss tube dob allows me to transport it to dark sites, anything bigger and It would be to cumbersome to move easily.

Peter

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CHAMACO

CHAMACO

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You are so lucky Peter, viviendo en las Islas Canarias ;-) Nice weather, sun and beach all the whole year. That altitude is perfect to enjoy astronomy.

Try to stargaze on top of Montaña Guajara (2717 m) and Altavista (3250 m) on the slopes of Teide.

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