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300P and back seat of a car ?

spaceboy

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I was able to have a sleep on it last night and all I can think is how good the views would be but as much as it pains me I should have gone with the flexdob when I had the chance. It would have been more ideal with the transport I have and also for storage between SP's. I guess I could have had to learned to live with all the reservations I have for a truss dob but it will teach me not to underestimate the increase in OTA for such a small increase in aperture. I have seen a solid tube 300P in person so I knew they were big but I had a 250PX and that fit across the back seat no problem at all.

I have seriously come to the conclusion there is no winning with aperture hunger. I am more than happy using my 60mm frak at home but I just wanted the biggest dob I could manage to really make the best of weekends away at SP's.

Thanks as always to everyone for the advice but I'm going to have to wait in the hope a flexdob comes up again in my budget.

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brucen

brucen

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Could you not put both seats down and then put your other equipment (carefully) around the OTA? My logic tells me that the tube will take up the same amount of space no matter how you fit it in so there should be the same amount of 'spare room' left.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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f/4 is out of the question for my current EP collection and a coma correctors can't work miracles.

In an effort not the mess the seller around anymore than I already have I'm going to have to plum for a flexdob as being the sure bet. I'm embarrassed to say I over looked checking before contacting the seller but we live and learn. Although there is a good chance the dob will fit in the car (albeit not how I'd planned it) I'm not sure much else will. I have only taken in to account the size of the OTA in my measurements but as another member pointed out it's not just the OTA that increases in size. Having had a 250PX I'm well aware SW's rocker boxes are large & cumbersome.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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Hi Nick

I could just get my old 12" f5.3 OOUK dob into the back of my Golf with the rear seats folded and still with adequate room (just) for the passenger seat to be up. It had to be pretty far forward (the passenger seat) but it did work. I have a different problem on the way back - fitting my 16", camping gear and also a 12" f4 OTA that I am collecting at the event into my Rover 214. Thankfully no passengers and I love more locally so can possibly do two trips.

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scarp15

scarp15

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As others have said you will have no problems with fitting a 300p flextube across the back seat and the base should fit in the boot. I fit mine into some of the foam packaging for additional support and this also leaves a space to attaching two seat belts. You will need the light shroud but as has been said collimation holds out quite well and will be made easy by fitting bobs knobs on the secondary.

Seen them on ebay every so often.

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acey

acey

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Mine's a 12" flextube and I'm glad it's not a solid tube. Even if the solid tube could fit on the back seat of your car, think about the procedure of getting it in and out of the rear door. If you're worried about a flextube holding collimation then imagine what all that heaving and bumping would do to the collimation of the solid tube. And imagine what all the leverage would do to your back.

The flextube goes in the boot of my Vectra, the base unit goes on the back seat. Getting the base unit in and out of the rear door is the most awkward part of the whole procedure - it fits, but has to go in at the right angle. Would probably be easier getting it onto the front seat but that's where my flask and biscuits go. :smiley:

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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good luck with it SB, hope you have it sorted for PSP

Can't see it happening Jules. I'm on a tight budget that's getting tighter by the day. I blew it not having the flexdob when I had the chance. :(

I will just have to do with my 8" or stand in line for a quick look through Shanes 16" nudge, nudge, wink, wink ;):)

Plus I'm still waiting to see what the views are like through a 100RS

Hi Nick

I could just get my old 12" f5.3 OOUK dob into the back of my Golf with the rear seats folded and still with adequate room (just) for the passenger seat to be up. It had to be pretty far forward (the passenger seat) but it did work. I have a different problem on the way back - fitting my 16", camping gear and also a 12" f4 OTA that I am collecting at the event into my Rover 214. Thankfully no passengers and I love more locally so can possibly do two trips.

Will always regret not having your OO when it was up for grabs. Lack of cash due to a TV addiction to blame for that one. You getting another 12" then Shane ?

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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No longer makes a difference now Steve as it looks like the boat has already sailed on the solid tube. Happy for the seller getting the sale but would have liked another night to sleep on it in case I chose to throw caution in to the wind and just gone for it. The forecast was looking good for tomorrow as well so would have been a nice ride out. You snooze you loose! :cry:

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I will just have to do with my 8" or stand in line for a quick look through Shanes 16" nudge, nudge, wink, wink ;):)

Will always regret not having your OO when it was up for grabs. Lack of cash due to a TV addiction to blame for that one. You getting another 12" then Shane ?

you'll be welcome matey. yes, I am going to sell a couple of things and make a 12" f4 travel dob.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I bet buying that Paracorr really paid off for you as you can go as fast as you want with no worries.

Will we be seeing another build thread soon ?

Thanks Shane! I am really looking forward to looking through the 16" again. Veil being top of the menu. I still can't get M15 out of my head from PSP 2011. That was ridiculously bright!

I have to admit I'm gutted at the out come with the 12" but it will be interesting to see how my 8" performs under dark skies as I have never had the pleasure.

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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hi Nick yes, the paracorr was a great buy. when I'm flush again (yeah right) I may try and get another used one if one ever comes up. I'll be starting a thread for the 12" I think but will also be making a 10" travel dob before PSP 2012.

I have been surprised at recent views through my 6" travel dob in N Wales. OK it does not go anywhere near as deep as my larger scope but the widefield views of the Veil and NA Nebula, Crescent and Pelican Nebulae were spectacular. I reckon you'll be happy with the views in the 8" if you don't source a 12" before then.

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spaceboy

spaceboy

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I'll be happy with the views in the 8" until I look through your dob that is LOL.

I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed the first visit with my 150P to dark site. I'm reserving judgement on it for the time being as I know in the past I've been disappointed with the views in my old 250PX under dark skies yet the next time I've been it blew my socks off. The trouble I have found coming from a LP town and going to dark skies it's hard to tell just how clear the skies really are as there are far more stars than I would ever see at home. When I go outside at home I can easily tell if transparency is good or bad as it makes the difference between seeing more than just constellations.

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acey

acey

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I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed the first visit with my 150P to dark site. I'm reserving judgement on it for the time being as I know in the past I've been disappointed with the views in my old 250PX under dark skies yet the next time I've been it blew my socks off. The trouble I have found coming from a LP town and going to dark skies it's hard to tell just how clear the skies really are as there are far more stars than I would ever see at home. When I go outside at home I can easily tell if transparency is good or bad as it makes the difference between seeing more than just constellations.

Use limiting magnitude as your guide: the stars of Ursa Minor are particularly useful for this because they never set and are always at approximately the same altitude in the sky. Make a chart of the constellation and mark in the magnitudes using Stellarium or equivalent (go down to 6.5 or whatever you think your dark-site limit might be). In time you'll memorise particular stars that serve as indicators of sky quality. At my dark site I can have times when the Milky Way is brightly visible but by looking for familiar stars I can see that transparency is poor. Also note that at a dark site it can be very hard to see cloud because it isn't reflecting light from the ground, so the sky will look very black when it's covered with haze or cloud (possibly blacker than a clear sky). Often you can only tell if clouds are present because of the dimming or extinction of stars. But even in a hazy sky it's possible to see more at a dark site than you'd ever manage at a light-polluted one, because your eyes can adapt so much better.

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Mr Flibble

Mr Flibble

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That sounds really handy to use Ursa Minor as a guide to conditions. I often use it as a very rough guide to how dark the skies are but I've never used it in that manner for transparency, etc. I'll definitely utilise that from now on :grin:

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