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10" or 12"?


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Hi folks, new here & looking for advice. Have been a member of local AS for nearly 2 years & have been using my eyes & both large & small bins but now want a scope. I have sold some stuff on ebay & have some spare cash & permission to buy but it will be the only opportunity for some time I'm afraid so my decision has to be right. I live in suburbia with the usual LP issues but I work on the edge of a dark sky area & will have plenty of opportunity to use the scope on the night shift (& I have a large locker).

I like the look of the Skywatcher Goto Flextube Dob - either 10" or 12" & need to know:-

are they quick to set-up & put away?

are they easy to manhandle - I'm on my own?

would I notice any difference between the 10" & 12" when viewing given my inexperience anyway?

re: 1st two points - much difference between the two sizes?

I would really appreciate advice from any members particularly owners of said scopes but thankful for any help at all.

Thank you.

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Hi Andaroo and welcome to SGL :icon_salut:

The whole point of getting a dob is for the large aperture so the logical thing is to go as large as possible. I have the 12" Flextube and find it just manageable in two bits (ota and base) but each are are about as heavy as I'd want to go - being generally unfit, smoker, approaching 60 etc lol.

That said it's simple to set up and align- nothing to worry about at all once you are familiar with it. It's bulky though so make sure you see one in the flesh before buying and take dimensions to check against your locker, you might find you'd prefer wheels to move it round - there are many satisfactory designs.

Generally - it's an awesome scope - you won't be disappointed with the views - but you will need to collimate it - this scares a lot of folks but I've never really understood that - it's so easy :D

As for differences - the larger you go the more light you grasp and the deeper you can see into space. But you'd really need two scopes side by side on the same objects to fuly appreciate the differences - larger is allways better with dobs :)

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Hi

IMHO it depends what direction you see yourself going in this hobby.

If this is to be your big scope, later you may add maybe another smaller one. Then the 12" is the one to go for.

If however this is a stepping stone onto a large aperture then the 10" is the one to go for as it will make a great grab n go scope for times when using the large scope is impractical.

Regards Steve

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If you feel viewing deep sky objects will be your forte then bigger is better. This said I have a 250PX (10" dob) and I find myself constantly yearning the extra 2" of aperture of a 12" dob. BUT the difference in size between the two is not only the 50mm (2") diameter/aperture of the scope but also a further 300mm (12") on the length. While I know the additional light grasp of the 12" dob would pay off visually, having to man handle the larger scope from storage out into the garden or to dark site always has me hesitating when ever one comes up second hand. Aperture hunger is a side effect of star gazing and unfortunately what ever apertured scope you become accustomed to you will at some point want more. It is because of this aperture hunger that I would advise as Brantuk has that you really need to see the dobs before you buy and if possible try lifting one. While the flex tube design may be more compact for storage I hear they are heavier than the solid tube alternative. If you can comfortable carry the 12" and it fits OK in your locker/ car then this is makes deciding which scope to go for easier.

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I have a Skywatcher 10" and now would like to have a 12 or larger. The 10 & 12 are both big scopes, I would really try to have a hands on with at least one of them, preferably both and then make your decision. I have no problem handling my 10", it is in two pieces, tube and base and is easy to move around.

There are some telescope videos on Youtube (try searching for the ones you are considering) featuring various scopes, if you can't get to handle one yourself, you might get an idea there of the visual size.from the videos.

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Wow! Thanks for quick replies & advice. I looked at OVL's site & phoned the dealers in Scotland on it's distributors list - some were no longer involved with OVL, stocked their scopes, or weren't contactable at all - brill. I would really like to see & feel before I part with my cash & would be prepared to travel to the North of England / North Midlands - any good dealers?

Also, how quick are these scopes to deploy / put away?

Thanks Again.

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When I arrive at our dark site I unstrap the base - lift it out of the car, level it up, then get the ota out of the back seat and put it on - maybe five mins. A further 5mins to collimate, line up finder, set latitude, and do a two star align and it's ready for use.

It would be less if you were just rolling it out of the shed into the back yard on wheels - but should need no more than 10 or 12 mins in mosts situations :icon_salut:

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The good thing about dobs (manual anyway) is that you can theoretically be up and observing in minutes. Theoretically in that mirrors need to reach an equilibrium to the ambient temperature before they perform at their best which varies depending on where the scope has been stored. Even so low powers are still available to the eager observer. Goes with out saying that the smaller the scope the quicker it is to set up and cool/warm to the ambient temperature.

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I see you're asking about the difference in size. The 10" looks surprisingly smaller than the 12", but both are large telescopes. Can I just check that you have seen a 10" or a 12". It's the bit about your locker that has me worried. I've never seen a locker that could take even the 10". You really need to try and see one before you buy. Orion optics (uk) do nice compact dob bases but they are $$.

About the flextubes - they're great. If you're going to observe for an extended period of time you need a shroud to stop the secondary dewing. You wouldn't need to bother with that for the 10" solid tube but obviously you can't shrink it down in size. That said, I can't say I've ever regretted having a 12" when looking at those faint fuzzies. You need to move the 12" in 2 bits (but you can stagger a couple of yards with the handles screwed in on the manual version).

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I have the 10" SW Dob and my observing mate has the 12". Brandt's point about portability is valid. The 12" is certainly heavier and less easy to manoeuvre. I am happy that I chose the 10" over the 12" so if you can get a chance to see them in real life, do so.

A 10" that you use is better than a 12" that spends its life under cover.

Both are relatively quick to set up.

Simon

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I have a 10" newt and for me it is a size which is not especially portable. It needs two hands to carrry about, it needs to be carefully taken through doors, you have to think about how to get it into the car etc, so I would go the whole hog and get the 12" if I were you as the same considerations apply but you get the extra 2" of aperture which will definately make a difference.

Either scope is relatively large so you may as well get the 12".

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The 10" gives up very little to the 12" in terms of views. If portability is at all a concern then go for the 10" and never look back. Taking a scope to dark skies will make much, much, more difference than adding aperture.

Don't just blindly do the "bigger is better" thing. Bigger is only better until it's too big :icon_salut:

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I had this dilemma a while back and felt that if I'd gone for the 10" then I'd a;ways be wondering what the 12" would have been like. The 12" SW base is larger than my home made 16" dob base (yes, aperture fever got me) which is just 21" square. if I take out my front seat I can get all my gear for a weekend trip in my Rover 200 hatch. it may be the same with the 12" flex tube given the collapsible nature of the tube but not sure.

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would be prepared to travel to the North of England / North Midlands - any good dealers?

Green Witch have recently opened a new branch in Yorkshire -

Telescopes and Binoculars from Green Witch of Cambridge, the Astronomy Specialists

I have dealt with the original branch near Cambridge and found them excellent, no hard sell, just good advice. They list all the SW and other stuff.

All the best in making your choice, Ed.

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I have a 10" newt and for me it is a size which is not especially portable. It needs two hands to carrry about, it needs to be carefully taken through doors, you have to think about how to get it into the car etc, so I would go the whole hog and get the 12" if I were you as the same considerations apply but you get the extra 2" of aperture which will definately make a difference.

Either scope is relatively large so you may as well get the 12".

He is thinking of going for the Flextube which makes it much easier to get in the car. Having looked through both I am not sure there is a huge amount of difference. Go for the additional portability.

Simon

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He is thinking of going for the Flextube which makes it much easier to get in the car.

I stand corrected. My newt is about a metre long and its this that makes it a handful. The flextube looks about 700mm when its collapsed and that will make a big difference.

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I had a look through a neighbors newly aquired 12" solid tube and the difference in light gathering compared to my 8" is significant. Dso's are much brighter and detail is much more apparent in the bigger scope. The difference from 10" to 12" probably wont be as apparent but for me it will a 12" sometime next year for sure. Ssshhh, dont tell the wife :icon_salut:

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I have a solid tube 10" and love it.

I wasn't sure about 10" or 12" until I got to play with one of each at a star party. While the 12" gives a bit better views, the solid tube version is massive compared to the 10". Far bigger than I would be prepared to cope with. The 12" flex tube, at more than double the price of the solid 10", doesn't give enough of a visual improvement to justify the price.

My thoughts are go bigger in future, but still keep the 10" as a grab and go.

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I had a look through a neighbors newly aquired 12" solid tube and the difference in light gathering compared to my 8" is significant. Dso's are much brighter and detail is much more apparent in the bigger scope. The difference from 10" to 12" probably wont be as apparent but for me it will a 12" sometime next year for sure. Ssshhh, dont tell the wife :icon_salut:

Yes, a 4" jump is about right to get a meaningful improvement in the views. I went 6" --> 10" then in a couple of years time --> 16".

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