what would you buy?

[garethmob]

im going to poll a question to the whole world of astronomers as i will be getting my first proper wage from my apprentiship and i want to buy somthing astro related

the choices are

10" TS dob

canon 1100D (with or with out lens)

a new tripod head for the astrotrac.... heavy duty thing

anything else but will comment on this

if you choose one can you write the logic behind it

gaz

[stargazerslivingroom]

If the 10" Dob is this........http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p5665_TS-10--f-5-Dobson-Gitterrohr-Teleskop---GSO-Optik---Mechanik-von-MF-Dobson.html

Then that would be my choice. Not ready for AP yet so the Canon is out. I would then be only doing visual so the heavy duty mount is redundant. Yep...Definitely that scope...

Looks great to me.

[garethmob]

sadly its not that scope, with i could afford it tho.... its this one http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p42_GSO-Dobsonian-250C---10--f-5-Dobsonian-Telescope---OFFER.html

[stargazerslivingroom]

Oh OK.....Still looks like a quality piece of kit so my logic still says the scope. Look forward to other's views.

[garethmob]

keep em coming guys!

[jonathan]

I'll say some high quality upgrades to your existing kit - eyepieces, focuser, etc. These things may be usable on another telescope that you later purchase, especially eyepieces, so will be a long term investment. I can't comment on the 10" dobsonian (the website is all foreign to me!) but I would be inclined to save up for a top quality one.

[ronin]

Nothing.

You seem to have a fair bit of kit, 8" dob, Megrez 72 astrotrac, 2 sets of binoculars etc, a goto mount and a spare 130mm scope.

Stop spending the money, use the kit you have.

[garethmob]

well heres my logic..

the 8" dob is very old, needs recoating, moving the mirror for focusing to point needs a new tube and work out how to change from a sling collinator base to more modern, so id rather for the time being till i have more time as im working 7 days a week to get somthing a little eaiser to use thats bigger than the megrez

astrotrac is currently useless as i need a new tripod head to attach anything on it hence heavy duty head.

and out of my 2 sets of bins my optricons are the best but id like to see more deeper objects than the widefield that i can see in my yard

i want somthing around 8 - 10" that i can put a simple mod so 2 sets of corords and i found it. my other scope, my prinz is "acting" only as a solar white light scope but since i had my first PST i much preferd HA

[Lorne]

Wow, things HAVE changed, my first take home wage when I started my apprenticeship was £47!! (1984)

[garethmob]

Lol I'm doing one with my local government but the wage is pretty good. It's twice as much as 40 hours a week in my local supermarket. I'm working both jobs ATM so I want to buy something I can have fun with

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lguise]

Its the 10" Dob for me, so easy to use and gives you a fantastic range of objects to study. Easy to get to a dark site in a car. The skywatcher version from FLO may be worth a look.

[ChrisRichmond]

I voted for the coronado pst as you already have an 8" dob which is a pretty god scope, so I figure you may as well get something you havent got yet to increase the satisfaction and enjoyment you get out of the hobby.

[Luke]

Well done on your impending first proper apprenticeship wage!

If it was me, I'd find it hard to wait but would try to hang on for paypacket #2 and look at 12 inch dobs, if the size and weight would not be an issue, as you already have an 8 inch dob. I think 8 to 10 is a worthwhile step up, but 8 to 12 is massive. They are big, but the footprint is not too crazy, less than our HEQ5 mount!

Have fun spending!

[garethmob]

thanks guys, it seems for the moment its between the coronado and a 8/10"

[kirkster501]

I am not going to advise you what to buy Gaz. But many congrats on your first wage from you apprenticeship Heady days! I well remember my first pay cheque as an apprentice electrician in 1983 and it is a feeling you never forget.

[SteveNickolls]

A nice pair of Helios Apollo 15x70's and tripod.

Cheers,

Steve