First Scope

[Steve Morgan]

Hi there, My names Steve and im from Cardiff, S.Wales.

Im looking to purchase my first scope inthe next couple of weeks, the only problem I have is which one! Iv been looking at getting a dobsoinan type scope and have about 600 to play with and maybe a little extra for accessories.

Iv looked at 10'' scopes from skywatcher, meade, and orion but im a bit stupmed as to which is the best value for money. Any sugestions as to which scope is the the better option and a piont in the right direction with regards to a few starter accessories would be greatly appriciated!

[Black Knight]

Well, this Skywatcher comes in at £440, which gives you some change to buy a cheshire collimator and perhaps a Telrad finder (much more convenient than a standard finder on dobs).

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-250px-dobsonian.html

Collimator: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/collimation/premium-cheshire-collimating-eyepiece.html

Telrad: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/telrad-finder-astronomy.html

It comes with 2 eyepieces, the 25mm is OK, the 10mm not so good, but enough to get you started. No barlow though.

[DOBBY]

Hi Steve... & welcome to the forum

The 250/10inch is a great choice

[todd8137]

Hi and welcome from me ,the 10" is a great scope I have a 12" they built like tanks my mate who I view with a lot ,I always like a look with that ,some good eyepieces and your away .if ou have some where real dark to go to then this scope will really shine,mine still gives great views from the back garden and I have a bit of street light hassle but still see them

Enjoy the new scope Pat,

[JamesM]

Hi Steve and welcome to the forum. Well I have had a look for you and there are some differences. Skywatcher provides a choice between the solid tubed Skyliner (£440) or the FlexTubed version (£525) the latter making storage and transportation to a dark site easier whilst also being quick and simple to extend to its full working length without loss of collimation. The Meade (£605) is a truss design which although makes it light to move around compared to the solid tube, is a little more awkward to store or transport than the FlexTube in that you will need to 'deconstruct' it to reduce it to its smallest size. However, the Meade does come with an inbuilt fan on the underside of the mirror (which will require a power supply) and will certainly help reduce the cool down time of the mirror. Allowing the mirror to reach ambient temperature is necessary on all newtonian type scopes irrespective of brand. This cooling in turn allows the warmer surface thermals to recede from the mirrored surface in order to facilitate optimum performance. In addition, the Meade does not use a straight through optical finder like the Skywatchers, but instead uses the more popular red dot finder which you can dim to help preserve your night vision. I have to be honest, I couldn't find much information on the Orion though I believe this is the american variant of the Skywatcher and what I could find was linked to the more expensive GOTO versions.

If it was me I would go for the cheapest option (Skyliner) as it represents the best value for money. The difference of £200 when compared to the Meade can easily purchase a red dot finder with enough left over for a really nice eyepiece and accessories. This is my personal view and no doubt others will offer you a different picture. Hope that helps you along a little further.

Clear skies

James

[stevetynant]

Hi Steve - I think that's pretty good advice from James - you won't go wrong with which ever one you chose to be honest - you'll have a great time with a 10" Dob. The only thing I would say is don't underestimate the cost of add ons.

I bought an 8 Inch Skyliner (Dob) which was just shy of £300 but would guess within 6 short months I must be close to a grand spend on eye pieces, Collimators, Cases and various other bits of kit. Not to scare you with this because you absolutely do not have to spend that type of cash to enjoy your new scope but it can get away with you once you see and understand the options. - just to reiterate - you don't have to do this and for £600 you will get some superb kit that could last you a lifetime

If you have some time why not check out the S Wales user group we hold informal meetings once a month - usually in Blaenavon - theres already a few who travel up from Cardiff - its a great way to meet new people and try out different kit and share ideas with like minded folk - they really are a friendly bunch - would be nice to see you there if you fancy it.

Welcome to SGL, good luck with your choice and let us know how you get on

Steve

[tjr]

I would go along with Andy. A collimator will prove almost essential, and a telrad finder will be a nice upgrade on the finderscope. The stock eyepieces can be replaced/ supplemented in time but are fine to get you going. It's generally accepted that the 25mm is ok but the 10mm is on the poor side.

Enjoy your scope, it's a very nice one!

[tjr]

Oh, and a good star map or app so you can find your way around the night sky is a must too. Stellarium for mac or PC is good and free. There are plenty of good smartphone apps out there too. 'Turn Left at Orion' is a very good book and highly recommended.