Da Vinci

24 minutes ago, Ricochet said:

When you arrive at the location, how far will you need to carry the telescope from the car? Can it be done safely in more than one trip? (i.e. can you carry the base to the location and then go and get the OTA?) 

If you are only going to observe a short distance from the car so that you can carry the telescope in a couple of trips, or if the ground is flat and even so that you can safely carry in one piece I would definitely go for the 8". If you need to carry the telescope quite far or the ground is uneven and difficult to walk over, a smaller, more transportable telescope is going to be better. 

I could easily do two trips for the OTA and the base, as the location is not that far from car parking. 

I have been saving for last 4 months and have saved enough for a 6" f8. Now I can't wait to get my hands on it.  May be after couple of months I could buy some decent EPs as well. If I am going for an 8" f6, I would have to save for couple of months, and I am dying to hold a telescope, sir. 

But I am aslo concerned about the optical performance of 6" f8. Is it good enough for a decent telescope? Is 6" too small an aperture for faint objects?

Hello everyone. 

I have been studying the sky for last six months through my 7x50 Nikon acculon binoculars, and now I wish to buy my first telescope. 

After a LOT of research on the internet I have narrowed it down to two options :  A 6" 1200mm dobsonian and an 8" 1200mm dobsonian. But now I am stuck.

Since I have never owned a telescope I am not sure what to expect from a 6" dob as against an 8" dob. Will I be missing too much if I opt for a 6" dob instead of 8"? Or should I go for a 6" dob and save some money to invest in some eye pieces later? I wish to have a balanced telescope to see some deep sky objects, and occasionally some planets or the moon. I should mention that I intend to drive up to a nearby mountain for my weekend observation sessions. Will it be too much to carry an 8" dob?