experience with Skywatcher Newton DOB 6" f/8 (+ a piggyback question)

[jarolym]

Hello Stargazers!

I'm new here and I'd like to ask you if you have some experience with the scope in the subject.

Skywatcher Dobson telescope N 150/1200 Skyliner Classic DOB

I've zero experience in astronomy and I'd like to change it and, to that end, buy a telescope. I will use it (almost exclusively) on the terrace of my roof flat in a big city (Berlin). I've spent some time reading and I'm almost convinced that the scope in the subject is the one (150mm aperture, 1200mm focal length).

It is about the maximum price I'm willing to pay now (I can get it for 180 eur) and size I'm willing to store.

If you have some arguments against this telescope or suggestions for an alternative, I'll appreciate them!

Beside that, before I buy any telescope I'll spend a month in a place on the other hemisphere with (hopefully) more favorable light conditions and I'd like to make some stargazing there. The only tool I have is a terrible 10x32 monocular with which I see Jupiter as a dancing dot. Do you have any tip for a cheap binocular more suitable for watching the sky? I don't want to spend more money on that than necessary, you can probably understand why, by now. What are the reasonable parameters? In what respect are binoculars more suitable then monoculars?

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

Cheers,

Jan

[Peter Drew]

The 6" Skywatcher would be a great all round scope and you would love it!. It breaks down to 2 easily manageable parts or can be carried complete if you are fit. 10x50 binoculars, which can be bought quite cheaply these days would be much better for astronomy, they will have better performance than your monocular, will give an apparent "3D view and will probably be easier to hold still.

[ismangil]

Hi Jan,

Welcome!

I also live in a big city with light pollution.

I use 10x50 binoculars and quite happy with the view from my backyard. Good thing with this size it's considered 'standard' so lots of references and guides refer to it.

For example at a recent star parties Double Cluster looks the same or even better than some scopes.

The Dobsonian you chose is the same line as I concluded for when I eventually buy a scope. Probably the larger 200mm as I've been told the larger aperture will help in combating light pollution.

-- Perry Ismangil

[jarolym]

Thanks a lot for your advices!

I just managed to stabilize my monocular enough to see 3 Jupiter's moons, but after reading your comments I'm even more inclined to buying a 10x50 binocular.

[JimStan]

Mounting a monocular/binocular on a tripod or monopod vs handholding the same makes all the difference in the world ! You should easily see bands on Jupiter and the 4 moons will appear as little points of light in a line, on one side or both of the planet. If you only see two or three, it is because the others are either behind, or directly in front of the planet's disk. See if you can see when they "pop out" into view again. Have fun !

Jim S.

[jarolym]

Hello Jim,

I did some kludging and managed to mount my monocular on a mini-tripod. This time I could see all four months! But Jupiter itself was just a very blurry irregular dot - I guess I have to wait for the telescope to observe anything more detailed. Thanks for the tips!

Jan

[cantab]

In a good 10x binocular, Jupiter should appear as a very small disk; detail will almost certainly not be visible at such magnifications. Jupiter's brightness makes it show up optical flaws you don't notice on stars though; it never looks like a neat disk in my Bresser 10x50s for example.