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After certainty comes doubt...


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After weeks of research and elimination of options I thought I had come to a decision what to buy. Based on budget and knowledge I had whittled things down to the 130p synscan goto. However over the last couple of days I find myself swaying toward the 200p dob.

I had even gone out and bought the power unit from maplins in advance of me getting the goto, now Im not so sure.

The things putting me off the dob were its size as I havent a great deal of space to store it, and the fact Im still very much a novice when it comes to finding things in the sky.

Was looking to order one today and Im :) as I really am in two minds once again after thinking i was so sure on the 130p goto

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Well Daz - only you can make the decision really - I can just point out some of the pros and cons to help you.

130P Synscan will store nice and compactly, it'll be light and easy to carry, but you may get some vibration and it won't show as many objects. The goto will have an extensive database of objects and you'll see all the popular, brighter ones, but a lot won't be visible due to the aperture. It has the advantage of having tracking which is a must for some folks.

The dob is manual - and you'll have to "nudge" to track and "push to" to find stuff. It'll be easy to use but will depend very much on your knowledge of the sky. The big advantage is the aperture which will show you a lot more stuff and it will be more stable - but on the down side it's a bit bigger to store - they are light enough to transport easily in two bits if necessary (to fit in car etc).

The mount types and apertures are the big things that separate these two scopes. Personally - I would rather push a thing that shows me more than automatically see a limited set of objects. You will still need to swot up whichever you go for. Alternatively a 150P on an EQ3-2 would be a reasonable compromise. The rest is down to your good self :)

HTH

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personally, i started out on a 130p, al be-it on an eq2, 1 year later i have spent more money out and upgraded to a 150 on an eq5, i loved the 130 but found myself wishing i could see see more and found some objects a bit under-whelming.

what clinched it for me was seeing saturn in an 8in scope. i opted for a 150 pl as i did not have the funds to buy the 8in. i actually bought my scope second hand from a member of the forum.

imho the 130p goto will show you lots and allow you to explore the sky easily but i think you may find the 200 dob more rewarding in the long run.

but ultimately you have to chose what is right for you

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Tonight, 8 Oct, Letchworth have a public meteor watch on, I would hald suspect thata few scopes will be in attendance, but perhaps an email to ask could be useful.

Next one is anothe meteor watch on Oct 21 and then a public star party on the 22nd. There will be several scopes at that one.

I would suggest enquiring of what they will have at any and a visit if the information sounds relevant.

Don't know when the Hertford group meet and if you could get along to one of their gatherings, the other one being St Neots on the first Monday of every month as that is when they hold public viewing nights, so again scopes will be in attendance.

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Hi Daz

The power unit will always be useful (powering a hair dryer to remove dew from eyepieces, finders etc) so don't worry about that.

Don't rush into buying a scope, it's not a race. Check out a few at a local society meet. Have a gander at the various sizes, hell take a tape measure, most won't mind you measuring their scope.

Get some bins they really are a great starting block, and you will continue to use them long after the scope arrives.

The old saying that some objects look best through them is very true, trust me my bins sometimes kick my big Dobs butt.

When it comes down to which scope for a certain price the toss up is normally between. Goto and aperture.

The following points are the what you've gotta decide.

Goto is a very handy tool to have for finding stuff.

Aperture is a very handy tool to have for observing stuff.

Finding stuff in the sky is a learning curve. Make no mistake about that.

Setting up a Goto is also a learning curve make no mistake about that either.

Neither is quite as "falling off a log" as some maintain.

There are many posts on this forum by people that have bought Dobs and struggle to find stuff.

There are also just as many posts by people that try as they might they cannot get their Goto to work.

What I am getting at is, be prepared to learn stuff whatever path you choose.

I used a 114mm Newt for many years, and it showed me more than I deserved to see in the sky. So a 130mm could well keep you amused for years.

An 8" On the other hand is where observing really starts to go up a notch. Detail is starting to become apparent in DSO's.

Good luck with your decision.

Regards Steve

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I started out with a SW130PM.

Used it for a couple of years before finally upgrading to a SW200P.

For the size,a 130 is a great scope.

I used to take mine down to Cornwall all the time,when visiting the in-laws.

Wayne

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Thanks all for your thoughts.

Brantuk, you have hit the nail on the head with your comments and they are the exact points I am weighing up.

Capricorn, I have just popped down to the town centre and had a chat with Jerry & John. I met them last week at the farm for the public viewing session and will be popping along on the 22nd (cant make it this evening)

Portability is a big factor. My in-laws also live in Cornwall and from where they live (up on a farm on a hill in perranporth) it would be a great location to go sky watching.

Thanks everyone else, Ive taken on board all your comments and appreciate your input.

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Thanks all, Ive read what everyone has to say and I have made my decision.

Im gonna go with the 130p goto as my first telescope and the upgrade path will be to aim to go to the 200p dob at a later date. Hopefully in a year or so I'll be in a position where a larger dob can be accomodated and by then i can find my way around the sky a lot better.

Ive found the 130p online at a great price with opticstar, the order is being placed shortly.

Game on!!

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Is that the 130P AZ Synscan Goto Daz?

If so it's a smashing start to the hobby and will give you all you'll need to know to decide if astronomy is for you without blowing enormous loads of cash.

Bear in mind you will want a power pack - batteries will only last a finite time - especially in the colder weather. And watch the voltage - most run on 12V DC but I seem to remember that mount runs on 6V (I could be wrong but do check). :)

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the key thing with any scope is that you use it and enjoy it. don't be constantly fretting about what ifs. I have a 16" dob and a 6" dob and am thinking about getting a used 130p f5 as I want a small scope I can convert to a little truss dob as a travel scope so I can pack it away in the camping gear without an issue.

as others have said, it's a good aperture and 20 years or so ago would have been the envy of many amateur astronomers, especially with tracking or GOTO!

eventually you might want more and you can then go onto bigger aperture but you may well find you retain this scope in the future for reasons similar to those dictating my current thinking.

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Just to say that the Hertford Astronomy Group have a viewing session on Wednesday 12th October.

Hertford Astronomy Group

Perhaps you might be able to see and compare similar scopes to the ones you have been thinking about. In case of cloud the website says that there will be a talk on “Starting Astrophotography”.

dag123

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