Skywatcher or Meade?

[pastiche]

I am nearly ready to upgrade my Meade 105 ETX and I have been sitting here wondering which one to go for. Do I choose the Skywatcher Skyliner 250PX Flex Tube Auto Tracking Dobsonian or the Meade 10" Lightbridge?

If anyone has knowledge of these two telescopes I would appreciate your help.

[CGolder]

i think optically they will be the same, the flextube auto would ofc be nice if you want tracking, i imagine the lightbridge would pack up smaller than the flex but then would take a lot longer to setup and collimate.

with my money i would get the Solid tube for 10" or 12" as its lighter

[RikM]

I was thinking along the same lines earlier this year. I went for the solid tube 250PX and don't regret it for a moment.

Truss tubes are a pain to set up and the solid 10" is nice and light, easily fits in the car (Honda Civic) and actually holds collimation quite well. Not expensive either. I would think about a truss tube design for a bigger scope like a LB16, but for these mid size Dobs isn't worth the hassle.

The auto tracking option might be nice, but I don't find it difficult to track manually even at 250x.

[John]

I've owned a Lightbridge 12" and I'd go for a Skywatcher next time. Optically the LB was fine but there were too many mods needed "out of the box" to get the best out of it, in my opinion. I'd also go for a solid tube over a Flex-tube in the 10" aperture size.

[swamp thing]

Truss tubes are a pain to set up

I wouldn't go that far. They're not even remotely a pain. They always fit correctly first time every time. They just are not as quick. The shroud on the other hand can be a pain.

Regards Steve

[RikM]

I wouldn't go that far. They're not even remotely a pain. They always fit correctly first time every time. They just are not as quick. The shroud on the other hand can be a pain.

Regards Steve

Better if you label them A, B, C or something, so you always put them back in the same place I grant you but I still wouldn't bother for a little 10" scope. I just love the fact that I can cart it out to the garden, take the dust cap off and start observing.

[swamp thing]

Better if you label them A, B, C or something, so you always put them back in the same place I grant you but I still wouldn't bother for a little 10" scope. I just love the fact that I can cart it out to the garden, take the dust cap off and start observing.

Oh for sure. Completely agree.

[pastiche]

Thanks guys for the advice. I think I will now go and have a look at solid tubes as well.

[cyborg421]

I've got a SW 250px Flextube and I'm delighted with it. I did a fair bit of research (and questioning on SGL!) and wouldn't change my choice. I love the Dob for aperture and tracking so you spend more time observing. I use a laser for collimation (although I have followed Astrobaby's collimation guide first with a Cheshire).

Hope that helps

Simon

[pastiche]

Hi Simon,

Thank's for the information. Do you find the scope easy to move around and to store?

[cyborg421]

Hi Pastiche

Base is 20Kg , OTA 15Kg.

I find the OTA very easy to move around. I have put wheels on the base to minimize lifting. Both will fit in the boot of my Nissan Note, next to each other.

I keep it in my dining room (missus is understanding!) and it take me about 20 mins (without rushing) to get it out into back garden, collimate with laser and then 2 star align it ready for observing.

One of my mates at South Leicester Observers was impressed with mine and has got the 300 Flextube. He is well pleased with it. I couldn't handle the weight of that one so I think I made the right choice.

I have to say though I'm no expert and would recommend going to a local observing group and have a look at the range of scopes there. What you want to do with a scope will influence which one you go for. I'm into visual observing.

Simon

[pastiche]

Hi Simon,

That's really useful, thank you. Like you I am into mainly visual observing so your choicce of telescope sounds good for me too.

20 mins setup doesn't sound too bad and it is not too heavy either.

I will probably cheat when finding my way around the night sky by using the GOTO on my small scope. (sacrilege, I know!!)

Thanks again for your help,

Paul

[Moonshane]

you need to wait at least an hour for it to cool off properly/warm up properly anyway so this starts when you start setting up if taking outside from indoors. take your time!

[pastiche]

Good point, Moonshane. I hadn't thought of that.

[Moonshane]

ps I'd go for either the solid tube SW or the auto SW. tracking is useful but not essential. if it were a choice of tracking and not much budget left or no tracking plus a telrad and maybe a couple of eyepieces, then I'd go for the latter every time.

the cooling issue is one reason I have a small frac too as I can use this while the bigger scope is cooling and until I drag it all back in when the clouds appear

[cyborg421]

I live in a city, cooling time is the least of my worries-light pollution is worse!

I like the tracking, one less thing to worry about.

I do have a light shroud BTW.

(Fair point about cooling)

Simon