Neutrinosoup

No stairs: 1) site 1 = front garden on concrete slab (20-30m from storage) 2) site 2 = field behind house on levelled concrete platform ( 200m + small incline to get there)

Really enjoying my 8 inch Celestron Starsense Dobsonian. I’ve been covering all the nightly challenge targets. 1) is a 12 inch Dob manageable by 1 person (40s male, small build, 10k/5k runner)? 2) what are the mid and upper tier manufacturers for Dobsonians in the UK? p.s. I’m not going to immediately run out and buy a 12 inch but might as well get an idea of how much I need to save/put aside to get a decent one!!

I’ve never collimated a telescope before (refractors up until now). I bought a SvBony laser eyepiece collimator: It looked like my secondary mirror was slightly off centre (red dot outside the target) and the primary out to slightly larger degree. So I corrected the secondary, then when I moved to look at the primary it was now also in perfect alignment? Is it usually as easy as this! Just a small tweak to the secondary? (8 inch starsense explorer dobsonian)

Can I ask what Andromeda looks like through a 12 inch and 14 inch dobsonian? (Bortle 3 skies)

FINALLY a cloudless night in South Scotland (Bortle 3….my garden) —> First time I’ve used a Dobsonian/Reflector, plus my 13 year old daughter out with me in the cold. —> Saturn with rings nice a clear using a 4.5mm Delos eyepiece and one big moon (Titan?) —> Jupiter with several cloud bands & Galliean moons —> Pleiades & several star clusters —> Andromeda, just the fuzzy core but I didn’t need to use averted gaze like I do with my 4 inch apo. —> Uranus - tiny bluish circle, noticeable bit bigger than the surrounding stars but not by much (if I am right? Starsense help) Pretty cool……does make me want to get the 12 inch starsense dobsonian though!! I’m not sure what andromeda would look like at that size of scope…… Thanks NC

My limited expertise: If it’s for visual astronomy: An 8 inch Dobsonian like the Celestron Starsense or if he’s not likely to use a mobile phone the Bresser or Sky-Watcher equivalents (cheaper). Don’t be tempted by bigger Dobsonians as the extra weight makes it less likely to use (and more expensive). (A Dobsonian is just a Reflector on a simple mount). By far the best value for aperture (light grab). There are loads of other options but these depend on budget, what he prefers using it for (planets, deep sky? Visual vs Imaging) and where it’s going to be used e.g. the Dobsonian I mentioned isn’t going to be great travel scope….

Considering 1 or 2 for a small travel case when I visit my parents, Delos are big…..and I only have the 24mm panoptic Option 1 = Get the Baader zoom…. Option 2 = Take my Panoptic 24, and buy Delite 11/13 and Delite 5/7 (For use with a 72mm apo, focal length 430)

If my favourite two eyepiece designs for both comfort and experience are the TV Delos and Panoptic & I couldn’t stand the Radian eyepieces (which I sold) —> will I likely not get on with the Delite eyepieces? They seem closer to the Radians than Delos in terms of FOV… I’m not sure what makes an individual “enjoy” one eyepiece but hate another!

The Starsense (celestron) 8 inch Dob. Pretty light and fits under the stairs. The eyepiece that came with it is a basic 25mm Celestron eyepiece. I’ve got a TV Panoptic 24mm she can use when I’m there. I suppose one advantage of getting a Zoom eyepiece like the Baader/Sbvony/Pentax?? Is that she can use it if alone BUT also I can use it with my smallest refractor and tripod when we are on the road.

I’m going with Ecoflow 2 but haven’t bought yet……I broke my refractor monogamy to get an 8 inch Dobsonian first (to use with my teenage daughter who has a nice mix of traditional “girl” hobbies as well as male dominated ones like chess and stealing my refractors….).

My 3rd most used eyepiece is the 6mm Delos, it’s my planetary eyepiece and I love it!! (my most used is the Panoptic 24 and then Delos 10)

Back garden is Bortle 3 (rural south Scotland). I could travel for darker skies but don’t usually bother.

I’ve only ever owned refractors and have a nice range of eyepieces for them…(I think) all are 1.25 size TV Delos 17.3, 10, 6 and 4.5 TV Panoptic 24 TV Nagler 13 I’ve just ordered an 8 inch dobsonian to use with my 13 year old daughter and suspect I need to add to my eyepiece collection at the low power end? 1) Do I want 2 inch eyepieces for a dobsonian? And if so which ones? Or do I just want one additional TV Panoptic eyepiece? e.g. 35mm 2) Are there any midrange eyepieces (2 or 3) that I could get for my daughter to use when I’m not around? (She’s always a bit nervous handling the Delos eyepieces because she knows how much they cost). What I don’t want to do is get poor eyepieces for her though. When I ask her what she prefers using she likes parfocal eyepieces and likes not having too many choices! Thanks Niall

Hi, sorry for the second post on this subject, but I could do with some rapid advice as one of the two devices is on special offer for a few more hours only: (plus ive narrowed it down to two options) 1) Jackery Explorer 240 = cheaper with the reduction but looks like it has a shorter life expectancy 2) EcoFlow river 2 = a bit more expensive but 3000 charges at greater than 80%. And I think the correct DC output? 12.6v which of these two is best for an HEQ5 Pro? Thanks Niall

My Sky-Watcher mobile power station has died - it’s very old! I want to replace it with something less heavy/bulky (it had jump leads, radio etc etc…..unnecessary). It’s going to power an HEQ5 Pro mount and currently no astrophotography gear. is there a pin/link to what’s best here? Or any obvious suggestions? Thanks NC

Before I go ahead and buy the Tak FC-100DC for Xmas….can I ask a few questions: 1) It’s light but is it too big for my Vixen Porta 2? I’ll be using mainly TV Delos eyepieces (extra weight) 2) Is the Vixen Porta 2 head compatible with a better tripod? (does it need an adaptor?) or should I just get a better mount? 3) The focuser looks very basic….i like the two-speed feather touch on my WOptics scopes. Is this something that’s easy to upgrade and will reputable stores like FLO do this at the point of sale for me? Which two speed focuser would work best with this scope? sorry for so many rookie questions! Thanks Niall

Plus we live in D&Galloway - fairly dark skies at home, but a short drive to dark sky sites —> 8 inch dob might be best?

My teenage daughter regularly comes out and uses my apos with me - this is a three part question: she’s asked for a Dobsonian for Xmas. Which, as she masterfully points out, would also be used by me 😂 1) Are the StarSense Celestron’s worth the price extra price over the classic Skywatchers?? Id imagine the advantage of her using her iPhone on it might be?? Plus they are a bit shorter and she’s only 5foot 3 2) 8 or 10 inches?? The 10 inch Celestron is probably not too tall for her but costs a lot - equally I’d get to use it so don’t mind the extra cost if it’s not too big. 3) Eyepieces - mine are all 1.25 inch Delos 4.5 to 17.3. I’m guessing a couple of midrange 2 inch eyepieces for her?? But am not sure where price vs performance meets nicely? Many thanks Niall

The issue with the TV zoom was that I was using it on smaller aperture apos…..and found that I only ever really used the 4mm or 3.5mm setting. I sold it and replaced with a Delos 4.5 eyepiece. Maybe I’d have liked the 6-3mm version better.

The eyepiece part of the question: My usual favourite 2 eyepieces for my 4 inch apo are not high power: TV Panoptic 24 and Delos 10…..the Delos eyepieces are bulky!! I’d be thinking much the same for this smaller setup. I’d wondered if the more premium Leica/Baader zoom eyepieces might be a “one eyepiece” travel solution — saying that my only experience of a zoom eyepiece the TV 2-4mm zoom wasn’t great…..

I’d posted previously about switching my 2 existing apos over to scopes that best suit my needs (and time). For a fast grab and go setup at home I’m going for the Takahashi FC-100DC (mount to be decided….) But I also want something for travel…binoculars don’t suit me (lazy eye, no binocular vision). I wondered about a small 50-60mm apo with the Baader 24-8mm zoom lens eyepiece (my previous experience with the a zoom eyepiece wasn’t great though - TV 2-4mm zoom)? Or alternatively a decent monocular which I’ve struggled to find…. Do any non-binocular “sufferers” like me have any advice in this area?? (p.s. I’m guessing a little apo could also be used for astrophotography at a later stage)

Probably not what I want but where’s the “for sale” section? I don’t see it

Thanks!, that picture speaks a 1000 words!!!

Pretty much set on a the Tak FC-100DC (from a previous thread). Its low weight is a huge bonus for me. Before I go ahead….are there any apos in the 110 to 120 zone that are similarly light or does size and weight start to spiral significantly upwards at that stage? (Pretty sure the answer is yes…) Thanks Niall

Plus I’m a short long distance runner who skipped arm day…….