niallk

Hi,

Sorry if I missed it already being mentioned, but a really critical topic is that a newtonian / dob requires collimating.  This can be daunting at the start, but it just requires the right tools and a little patience to learn.  Thankfully there are many great tutorials on-line!

Regarding tracking , there is always the option to purchase a tracking platform down the road - retaining the simplicity of the 'push-to' dob mount, without incurring the fuss of a full Equatorial mount.

Best of luck, 

-Niall

Hi,

I was going to buy an 8" Orion (US) dob as my first scope, when Wolfi in Telescope Service helpfully pointed out that I could get the 10" SW 250px for about the same price.

I'm so glad I went up the extra 2" in aperture: 56% more light.

The 250px is a great scope, but I have to say that nowadays the large altitude bearings on the Bresser 10" dob would be expected to be preferable.

Best of luck, 

-Niall

^^^ That's right, dobs rule! 🤣

(Sorry, wrong thread)

Just now, Captain Magenta said:

I too had my adult astronomy epiphany stumbling out of a pub in West Cork about 6 years ago. Having been used to SE England LP for most of my adult life, the blaze of stars against a sable backdrop that greeted me as I left Bushe’s in Baltimore blew my mind.

Jimmy's in Allihies for me 😂

Ah yes, I know Bushe's: I've 'missed' more than one ferry out to Cape Clear for the story telling festival, just to have one more Guinness there - great spot!!

Yeah, I get the feeling that others think I'm soft in the head getting excited by seeing the universe for myself with my very own eyes... there's definitely a stigma that astronomy is for nerdy kids.  My in-laws like to gently tease me for example

Thankfully as I get older (now 45) I kinda don't care what other people think - you get 1 life, and we're all different. But yup, I'd love to share it with my girls, but they have little interest.  My son is a bit young, but is showing an interest, so you never know! 😂

I always had an interest when younger,  then I came out of a pub in the darkest skies of West Cork, and was just awe struck by the sky as I stumbled back to our accommodation after a feed of pints.  It was late August- milky way majestically arching across the sky.  Fast forward 10 yrs and I've bought my dream scope for a lifetime of observing I hope.  To me its worth it

Nice one!

Got out myself for a first view of Jupiter and Saturn close to each other- weather has been appalling.  I knew going out that altitude would be ~8-9° and the jetstream forecast was not looking good either!  Unsurprisingly views were mushy - I had thrown the scope out earlier to cool with a fan for 1.5hr, but it was pretty special to see them both together within the fov of my 10E in my 15" dob, even if I was on my knees with the wind buffeting the scope 😂

Had a quick look at Mars (getting small!) and a sweep across the moon - impressive, but like looking through a river - jetstream definitely at play.

Nice to get out briefly though.  It was either seize the opportunity or never see it in in my life.

I particularly noticed this when i got a Lunt LS50DS - and the alt angle on my mount when observing - and how i have to observe from my front garden in winter.

My own effort at a solar graph

Superb

Congrats @John!

You are a cornerstone of what makes SGL a rare treasure and a wonderful resource.  Many of us are indebted to you for all your helpful, entertaining, enlightening and thoughtful posts.

Here's to the next 15!!

-Niall

Out of stock? Dammit.

Anyone know if they'll be getting more in??

Very cool 👍

Got a quick view of it earlier, though poor seeing.  Great to see activity picking up

Superb!

Fair play!!

It seemed to play an invaluable role in asteroid orbit estimation and imaging via radar. 

A real shame to hear of it's demise.  Could be costly to humanity...

I love looking back at really old encyclopaedias - I've one from 1930s which talks about the great Andromeda nebula, and how a passing star drew out a cigar shaped lobe of material from the sun which cooled to form the planets...

It's amazing to see the unbelievable progress in understanding over less than 100 yrs... and we're still learning!

Oh and I had a book which speculated that Venus might be hot  swampy and home to dinosaurs.

I came out of a pub in Allihies after a feed of pints, and walked back to the place we were staying in Bortle 3-2. Couldnt see the road This was August, and wow... the night sky with the Milky Way was incredible.  It's what triggered me to start considering buying a telescope, and I started finding places like SGL on-line 😂

Naked eye under truly dark conditions is something special - Andromeda so surprisingly huge and obvious down at the Skellig Star Party in Bortle 2 is an amazing memory.

This year, NEOWISE gave a lot of joy during lockdown when I finally saw it naked eye, and got my kids out of bed to come see it 😊

Don't say it's a con!! 😱

I've just sold my 15" dob to get one of these little optical wonders 😳😳

My only concern was would my hand be steady enough...

Yup 😕 used to enjoy getting out often just in the back garden... cannot any more.

If I couldn't have observed from the back garden at the start, I doubt I'd have purchased my first scope at all (250px)...

20yrs is not bad going

You'll have to post the 'after' pic too!!

20 minutes ago, faulksy said:

how did you find your secondary compared to your original obsession mirror ?

I haven't upgraded my original secondary (yet) - it came with a cert claiming 1/10 PV wavefront. I have visited the Antares website a few times, but thus far have resisted temptation!!  I'm thinking of an Astrocrumb filter slide as my next investment, but then I'll want to pick up a 2" H-beta... is there no end!! 😂😂

15 minutes ago, faulksy said:

hi niallk. utterly amazed. just fitting my nrw antares secondary to my dob thinking wow this mirror cost the same as my wifes dob 🤣

😄😆

yeah - i felt similarly buying an EP for my 15" which cost more than my 250px!!!

Enjoy that super precise secondary  

25 minutes ago, orions_boot said:

I am amazed something like that can separate out the trapezium so clearly when you think how far away and bright that core of stars is.

👍Aren't telescopes truly wonderful! - for a modest amount of money we can experience for ourselves such amazing things outside of the realm of the everyday.  It's really quite magical to step back from the EP, look up naked eye, and appreciate how a telescope makes these mysterious vistas visible to our eyes.

Glad your wife likes her new scope @faulksy - I do like the design of the Bresser dobs! I can't even entice my wife to look at the majestic rings of Saturn in my 15" 🙄😂

Nice review!  I love my LS50.

I find the dual speed Moonlight focuser a fantastic addition - really allows that super fine focusing that reveals wonderfully fine detail.

You are pushing impressively high mag with it! 😎

Nice we're getting some activity now!!

I dreaded the thought of cleaning my mirror, but it turned out to be a doddle!  Now I clean once per year.

Cool!