seven_legs

thanks, i always like the monthly thing on youtube

I see. Thanks 😊

When is sky at night supposed to be on? Thought it would be tonight. 

Yeah. I've the solid tube, non goto 200p skywatcher scope. That's not a problem moving around really. 

Scope is light enough to move around for me and i am a fit 53 year old. 

Sorry wrong topic😊

59 minutes ago, Beulah said:

The 200p is a great telescope! Also well within the sweet spot of decent aperture and portability! I wheeled mine a mile up the road to access some light pollution-free skies...

It's a bit of a strange experience when using scopes of smaller aperture. You initially feel disappointed with the decrease in size but as you become more experienced in observing, it's amazing what you can see. I have observing equipment of various apertures and gave had satisfying observing sessions with all of them, whether it's viewing a planet through a 20", seeing nebulae though 8, 12 or 16" of aperture,  right through to spotting M31 through 10x50 binoculars during a quick session. 

The only thing I can attribute to this is years of experience perhaps making me more adaptable? I don't know but is this some sort of recovery cycle from aperture fever? 😁

thanks Beulah,

I agree with everything you said.

Thanks all for the feedback. Just waiting for clear skies😊

So will all know what a crappy year it has been.

For myself frustration has been building up over many months not been able to take the "big" scope out to one of the dark sites for safety reason. 

My own garden is really to small for my 16" scope and I have limited view of the sky in a bad light polluted area. So I decided to invest in a small grab and go scope just for the back garden. I know some people will raise an eyebrow when I call a 8" dob a small grab and go scope but to me it is.

After doing a lot of research I thought the 8" Skywatcher would do the trick nicely. As most people know telescopes have become like gold dust during the last 6 months or so.

Anyway it must of been my lucky day because I noticed Trings Astronomy had one in stock, which I ordered on a Friday, came on the Monday. This was at the beginning of November and as with all good telescope stories it been cloudy ever since or clear when I have been working nights at the hospital😪.

The scope itself looks and feels solid. The focuser seems very basic but might change that later.

just really looking forward to using it and as often other people say that their smaller scope are often the most used scope.

Ordered a Skywatcher 200p Dobsonian mid afternoon on Friday was delivered by Monday 2pm.  

So nice to buy from a dealer and they do not charge for delivering. 

Great service, thanks🙂

just found this old Tread, my 200p coming on Monday😍

Yeah bit like that with my 16" dob as i can only use it when I go to a dark site. 

My garden bit small for that. 

10 or 12" dob more ideal really 

Nice scope. How come you got rid of it? 

Didn’t know that, thanks. I like blue as well.

what Orion Optics scope have you got John?

2 minutes ago, martin_h said:

I have passed a message on to Barry at beacon hill for you. He is pretty much retired now but I do know he still does the mounts.

Thanks Martin. 

It all depends on me selling my 16” explore scientific dob. Which I will put up for sale in the next day or two.

Yeah I know of David luckhurst scope. Very nice scopes but out of my price range at the moment. 

will probably go to Orion Optics uk, I thinks. As I’m after a 10 or 12” dob with 1/10 wave mirror.

thanks

Thinking of getting a Dob. I know of Orion Optics Uk but still waiting for a reply to my email I sent a couple of days ago.

so has anyone had any dealings with beacon hill telescopes lately?

i remember years ago my friend had a 10” dob from them and that was a great scope.

Sounds like a great scope. 

Would like some photos though.😀

Great scope. 

Look forward to a first light report. 

On 01/06/2019 at 15:37, Nobody special said:

Hi, sorry to reply to an older thread (I didn’t want to start a new one if it wasn’t necessary) but I have a question about the ES Ultralight 16” - is the mirror box light enough to be picked up and carried by one person? I’m looking at getting one of these but there’s no point if it’s going to be too heavy for one person to move around (I’d look at the 12” if that was the case). Btw, this person is late 40s, female and physically fit.

Thanks in advance.

Hi, thanks for the post. 

Sorry for the late reply.

i think you able ok with the mirror box if you’re fit. I’m 52 male but go to the gym all the time and I find it easy enough. A lot easier that lugging my old 14” skywatcher dob ota around.

i am a member of the East Midlands stargazers. We are having a observing session on the 6th of July. If your in the midlands area you would be more than welcome and have a test run with the scope.

check out the website.

any other questions let me know

Thanks,

i think that the whole scope weighs less that the 14” goto ota.

will do a part 2 tomorrow hopefully.

hi all,

just thought I put up a little post about my new the explore scientific ultra light 16" dob.

my previous scope was the skywatcher 14" goto dob, which I had for about four years. it is a great scope but for me has become to heavy and bulky to keep taking in and out to the car. in the end I've got to the stage were I could not be bothered anymore which is a shame because it is a great scope. anyway about 8 months ago I started to think about getting something smaller and easier to carry around. my first thought was to get an Orion Uk 12" dob with a 1/10 wave. then a month or two ago I noticed that a newer version of the 16" dob had been released. I read about the older version awhile back on various forums and to be honest was never really interested in the scope. but for some reason the generation 2 version got me thinking. I thought to myself, do I lose two inches off aperture for a good mirror or spend or few more quid and gain two more inches.

so after reading lots of forum post and watching some youtube videos . I watched a guy with the older 12" version, Dakota Starry Nights and liked what I saw. yes  I read about minor niggles and stuff. but to be honest I have read Orion UK dobs having issues on forums. I believe that most scope have small issues..  the day I ordered the scope I read in  the Sky at night magazine review and it gave it 3.5 out 5. I thought oh dear.  seems like they marked it down for the manual being rubbish, which I have read on forums.

after ordering the scope from Rother Valley Optics it came a week later.

after unpacking and looking at the manual I thought everyone is right, it is rubbish.. as for assembly the Sky at night people said that they had to check online pictures to see how it all went together. now I'm not the most mechanically minded person in the world but there's nothing to it lol. you have four long screws which they can only go in one place. two skinny screws in a plastic tube type thingy which can only go in once place. finally you have four small screws, again can only go one place. I thought that they was smart at Sky at night magazine lol.

anyway a few pictures

couple of days after the scope came it was clear, so managed to take it out to darkish skies with a few people. it took less time to assemble that the 14" skywatcher and wasn't as back breaking. I reckon it took about ten minutes to setup and collimate. note I have a shroud as well now.

first light was great. I always worry on a first light wondering if the optics are poor. I needed  worried, the views are great through this scope. even though its only a two inch increase in aperture the views are some much better than my old skywatcher.

anyway running out of time. will write a proper first light tomorrow or sunday.

thanks for reading.