Accessories (and choosing the right dob)

[Alexgopro]

Hello everyone! 

I am so excited to get started on something I probably should have done a long time ago. Always been in love with the cosmos and now I get to explore it.

I don't want to drag on so I will get to the point!

I have a couple telescopes on my mind. The primary suspect being: The Meade Lightbridge 12" truss

The other ones in my sights are the skywatcher 12" and the Orion XT12I inteliscope. 

(please feel free to throw out some suggestions.) I plan on loading this scope into my hatchback and driving out to a dark site on the weekends. I live in town (red zone) on a light pollution map. 

My secondary question is what type of accessories will be good to have right off the bat? 

I planned on getting some different filters, maybe an eye piece? I really am not too sure where to start so I can have a quality view at the start. I guess I should mention that I primarily want to look at DSO's and looking at things that catch my eye. Maybe I'll find out the names after I discover them. Of course I won't be able to resist looking at all the beautiful planets in the night sky. 

To sum it up: Do you approve of my choice in a dob (about 1,200 budget) and do you recommend any additional accessories to aid in my having a good time.

Thanks guys! 

Can't wait to start getting involved. 

[BeanerSA]

I wouldn't bother with eyepieces and filters until you've used the ones that come with it. I'd but a good book or some charts.

[Paul73]

Good luck with the scope purchase. Any of those mentioned will be fine. Obviously, if you we transporting your scope, dimensions of the are important. My 10" sky watcher Flexitube (collapsible) is particularly good and is up and running in seconds.

Other things to get:

- red touch to preserve night vision

- map or iPad app (Stellarium or Sky Safari Pro are good) use on night setting with a dimmed screen as a map

- Something to sit on at the scope (avoiding a bad back and additional stability)

- Binoculars (no bigger than 10x50 - a real help to navigate)

Then, after a couple of trips, have a look at eyepieces. Don't worry about fitters for the moment.

Good luck.

Paul

[Alexgopro]

Wouldn't I need a laser collimator, and a sight scope of some sort?  iphone will have some apps so I'm good there....

Making a list before I order everthing over the weekend. 

Which bino's would you recommend or is it less critical?

[Paul73]

Good point. Don't know how I forgot that!

I use a standard Cheshire collimator. Dead easy to use. But get the hang of it at home before going out into the field.

Paul

[Alexgopro]

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-94182-Collimation-Eyepiece-1-25/dp/B00009R7RJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1435905263&sr=1-1&keywords=Cheshire+collimator&pebp=1435905252285&perid=10FGJA5HBPD5N6TEGW64

That good for a collimator? Not sure about adjusting both primary and secondary.. 

Added a shroud to my order (meade uses the truss design), I forgot that it comes with a red dot sight so that should do fine. 

As far as the flashlight goes, going to get a cheapo from walmart and put some red nail polish on it.

Paul, how do you like the pentax PCF WP II? They have amazing reviews on amazon. 

[Dom1961]

Yeah, try to stay away from laser collimator, some people get on with them, most don't. Get a Cheshire and if you're good at DIY you could make a collimation cap out of the focuser dust cap. Nail polish may be a bit too opaque, I just used a red sharpie with a few layers over a normal led head torch. You'll find lots of guides on here about how to collimator your scope, and lots of videos on YouTube. But yeah, that Cheshire should be fine. A Telrad may be useful, it is a red dot finder but it has rings to aim with and is very easy to use!

[Dendroica]

I've recently got serious about stargazing and it's easy to get sucked in to spending loads (like I have!)

But my best two purchases to date are relatively cheap:

1. Telrad. Not only a finder but with the scaled circles it's a great aid to star hopping. It's like a ruler in the sky!

2. SkySafari Pro. Simple to use and got everything you'll need to help you find, record and structure your observing. You can set it for your scope, Telrad and eyepiece combo so what's in your ep is what's on the screen (flipped inverted as you like) Object info at touch of the screen and easy to make lists of your targets and record them.

[Alexgopro]

I've recently got serious about stargazing and it's easy to get sucked in to spending loads (like I have!)

But my best two purchases to date are relatively cheap:

1. Telrad. Not only a finder but with the scaled circles it's a great aid to star hopping. It's like a ruler in the sky!

2. SkySafari Pro. Simple to use and got everything you'll need to help you find, record and structure your observing. You can set it for your scope, Telrad and eyepiece combo so what's in your ep is what's on the screen (flipped inverted as you like) Object info at touch of the screen and easy to make lists of your targets and record them.

I am having trouble finding more info on setting up SkySafari Pro. What you just described sounds like a godsend. 

[triton1]

+1 for the telrad very handy for finding your way around and getting the target in the ball park area.

[Dendroica]

I am having trouble finding more info on setting up SkySafari Pro. What you just described sounds like a godsend.

SkySafari 4Pro works on your iPhone IPad Android or tablet. The iPhone screen would be a bit small for me. Info here SkySafari 4 Pro on iOS https://appsto.re/gb/jnPTT.i

Attached are two screenshots. First with Telrad circles, the second with the field of two of my eyepieces suitably flipped and inverted to show the actual orientation in your Dob. You can customise this view to show your own eyepiece view.

[Paul73]

Paul, how do you like the pentax PCF WP II? They have amazing reviews on amazon.

Great Binos in my book! They are a tad heavier than some. But the image is great and they are pretty robust.

I was amazed how much I could see through them.

Paul

Ps. Don't be afraid of columation. You rarely have to touch the secondary and the primary is a doodle once you get the hang of it.