Did i make a huge mistake??

[Cosmicnaut913]

Hello everyone, in my other post i talk sbout my first purchase i made a month ago, it was a meade lightbride dob 12" . I have never look through a scope before but bc of the price, i was eager to buy it! Well amonth pass by and i havent used it once. The thought of lugging that beast up and down a flight of apartment stairs would drive my back nuts. I decided to take it back and instead i went with a vixen r130sf with porta II mount. I also picked up a vixen nlv 9mm lens. I can definately see myself using this scope alot more, but did i make a right move, i figure down the line i can build my own dob when i own a home. Thanks guys and gals for any feedback

[rory]

Hey, there is a saying that I've read several times since starting in this hobby.

" The best scope for you , is one that you'll use"

So I'd say non you've made no mistake .

[Stu]

Totally agree. Get something you use, and can take to dark sites to really see stuff. You can always get something bigger later

Good move

Stu

[Cosmicnaut913]

Thanks fellas, any suggestions on accessaries or lens?

[great_bear]

i went with a vixen r130sf with porta II mount.

Excellent choice.

Our 5" Newt is still my favourite scope overall because of the portability.

[matsey]

Exactly what Rory said - absolutely no point having a huge light bucket of a scope if you're not going to use it so definitely you've made the right decision.

I had exactly the same dilemma when I was searching for my first scope a few months ago - my initial scope choice I was lucky enough to come across a picture of a huge guy standing next to the same model and it dwarfed him! I'm a not particularly tall female so I knew I wouldn't have a chance in hell of managing that myself! So started looking at more portable options and eventually chose the 6" SCT - I've had so much use out of it mainly because I can easily carry the whole thing outside in one go and set up in no time at all, so now four months on I know I made the right decision.

Sure you'll get lots of use out of your new scope and will love it.

Matsey

[perrin6]

I think you should buy another 12" and keep it in your living room as a talking point for parties and as a piece of art cos it looks nice

[Cosmicnaut913]

Hehe my gfs intial reaction when she saw the dob in the living room was ; is that a F&$?! robot?? lol

[cantab]

Assuming there wasn't any chance of the 12" becoming more usable in the near future (ie you weren't thinking of moving to a ground floor property), and since you say you took it back (so assuming you didn't lose much money), then yeah, probably was best to go with the scope you'll use.

[M4lcs67]

Me too.....

I bought my first scope back in April. Orion XT8 Intellescope. Big, big mistake. Not the scopes fault but mine. I had never seen one in the flesh before I bought it, so did not realise how big it was. I have a very small house so could not live with it on a day-to-day basis so I sent it back before I had even used the thing. I finally settled for my current scope (Celestron Nexstar 127 SLT). Much more compact and is set up in my garden very quickly. Well happy now:)

[cantab]

Someone with a large selection of scopes (maybe a retailer) should put up photos of themselves standing by all the various scopes, so we can see how big they all are.

[rory]

Why would you need to know the height of the sales assistant. ?

)

[haitch]

Someone with a large selection of scopes (maybe a retailer) should put up photos of themselves standing by all the various scopes, so we can see how big they all are.

Try this thread...

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/128173-look-size-thing.html

[haitch]

Why would you need to know the height of the sales assista

)

ROFL

[spaceboy]

I have a 10" dob and I'm currently suffering aperture hunger. I can afford the bigger 12" dob but it's not going to be just 2" wider on the diameter but also a further 12" on the length. This not only means it will be more of a handful to carry but it will not be able to fit across the back seat of the car for traveling to dark skies like the 10" dose. Despite the improvement in views from the extra aperture I doubt the extra hassle of a larger OTA and rocker box would be worth it. Even with a craving for aperture I agree it's some times better to stick with a smaller scope that you will use than have a large scope that your less likely to.

[Charon]

Hey, there is a saying that I've read several times since starting in this hobby.

" The best scope for you , is one that you'll use"

So I'd say non you've made no mistake .

I agree 100%.

[Macavity]

Whichever way, few of us will ever be totally happy?

For years (decades) I hankered after an observatory. Now I have one, I get the maintenance (and still the various setup) hassles. A modest sized scope? An easy to use mount? If you want greater magnitude penetration, video astronomy, maybe...

[John]

I used to have a Lightbridge 12". It was a good scope but I struggled just to move it out of our french windows and into the garden. I would have never considered taking it, even in sections, up and down stairs. I've "downsized" that scope to an Orion Optics 10" newtonian which is much lighter and therefore gets much more use. So you have done the right thing I reckon.

[Capricorn]

What's the problem?

Before hand you had an orniment, now you have a telescope.

[Cosmicnaut913]

Thanks for the feedback! Im really excited to try out the scope tonight! Anyone ever try thr televue possl ep's? Im thinkingnof purchasing some good eps

[sabana]

A good rule of thumb is don't go beyond 8" if you want portability.

[great_bear]

Anyone ever try thr televue possl ep's?

Yes the Tele Vue Plossls are great and a good match for your smaller scope. However, since you're using a manual Alt-Az mount (probably the nicest way to use a small Newt in my opinion!) you may prefer the wider field afforded by either the 1.25" Celestron Ultima LX eyepieces, or the newer Celestron XCel-LX eyepieces.

Note the LX in both the above - it's important!

Of course, there are lots of other excellent eyepieces available too.

[Astro Imp]

You certainly made the correct decision, as others have already said a scope is no use if you can't use it.

[moriniboy]

I agree, good decision, my 12" stays indoors and the 6" is out at every opportunity as its so portable.

The views through the 12" are amazing though when I can make the effort.

[Cosmicnaut913]

Wow this is some great advice! Im planning a christmas trip to solvang ,ca thr skies are clear there compair to los angeles. Right now i have a vixen 9mm nlv, what should the next size up be? Ive neve looked through a scope before nor have i seen nebulae and planets so the moon is what in gonna be focused on for awhile lol