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upgrading from my first scope :)

jared clark

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jared clark

jared clark

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I have spent many hours in my back yard peering through my eyepiece into the vast expanse of beauty that the Texas night sky has to offer, and since my first look through my mediocre at best Celestron Telemaster 130eq, I have wanted to see more and see more clearly at that!

After doing some research and reading the backyard astronomers guide I have my next scope narrowed down to two options...the Orien 10" dob or the 12" dob. I doubted that the 12" would even be an option, but the size is actually smaller than I thought it would be. I have no interest in astro imaging, so either one of these scopes should keep me content for years to come.

It will still be a bit longer before I purchase my next scope, and when I buy one there will be significant research into eyepieces, upgraded star finder, filters and cases for transport so that it will be a satisfying one time purchase!!! I am super pumped and I can't wait until I have a scope that will help me peer a little deeper into the night sky!

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jared clark

jared clark

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It is hard to restrain, BUT, my wife is making me wait because I have only had my first scope for right at a month she says that I am being a bit excessive now and it will soon wear off. Plus I want to go to some local astronomers meetings to look through one and make my next purchase count

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crazyjedi

crazyjedi

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My wife sometimes even joins me in the garden. She always seems amazed by the space-time/distance facts. Her favourite question- 'so if an alien is looking at us from Andromeda they're seeing us as we were more than two million years ago??? Wow!'

Astronomy, the game the whole family can play!

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jared clark

jared clark

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My family joins me AFTER I fund something that is "cool" or "awesome" enough to bring them out of the warm house....and then they run back in the house! They enjoy it, but not enough to bundle up and stay outside for hours like I do.

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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I say keep the 130mm scope and get to know it. A month is NOT a long time. Apeture fever is a very real thing with astronomers and there is no cure, although budget does stem the flow.

IF you MUST upgrade so soon..........and can afford it and move it around and store it..........the 12 " Dob is obviously the one to go for.

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jonathan

jonathan

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I would agree - have you really seen all that you can through the 130? I'm sure there will be a number of targets you wish you could see in more detail, a bit sharper, or bigger, and that's when you start looking at the bigger scopes, but there are also plenty of wide field objects to be enjoyed in a 130 or even just binoculars, ones that you would not want to use a larger scope to view. Make sure you get as much as you can out of that 130 before moving up, you will no doubt use the 130 again (or maybe trade it for a wide field 80mm refractor) but it will be the large investment in a big scope that will force your focus away from the 130 for a while.

The seasons are different too - you may see new things through the 130 in a couple of month's time that you thought were only viewable through a much larger telescope. I'd say give the 130 at least a season, unless there's a bargain going on a big scope that's a limited time thing.

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pallas15

pallas15

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I agree with waiting a bit.After the initial excitement wears off its natural to want more,bigger,better.It takes time to learn the sky and actually know what your looking at. I've only a 130 and was getting frustrated about not seeing things i wanted to ,but after more experience i realized that it was my observing that needed an upgrade ,not the scope.Things such as nebulas and galaxies become apparent when you learn the various techniques needed to view them,averted vision being one of them,that helped me no end. Sure with a 130 your not going to see real structure in the M objects,just patches of wispy light, but until i realized that i must have missed loads of them.For example until i purchased a telrad and began to learn the sky I continuously missed the great cluster in hercules and other big hitters.Slowing down my viewing and really looking,giving my eyes time to acclimatize,things appeared i previously missed.Upgrading will give bigger better views but with only a months experience im sure you,as i did, will miss lots of wonderful objects,even splitting alcor and mizar whilst viewing ursa major astounded me as i never knew that there was a double star in this constellation.There is nothing wrong with upgrading if you have the cash but its not a quick answer to viewing stuff you think you cant view.

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jared clark

jared clark

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Thanks for the help guys! I really appreciate the advice, and its actually these exact words that the guy at the local telescope store told me yesterday when I went back to purchase the 12" dob. He said he wouldn't have a problem selling me the scope, but he talked me into a few different ep's that would help my viewing as I became more familiar with the nights sky. I have continued reading the backyard astronomers guide, and I will be the first one to admit that I have aperature fever, but I am okay with that :).

I have the budget for the upgrade, and even though I wouldn't get rid of my smaller more portable scope, the man yesterday as well as you all on the forum have presented some very solid reasons why I should hold off a little longer before an upgrade! I will no doubt upgrade, but another couple of months won't fo me any harm!

Thanks for the help everyone!

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Pappy Nick

Pappy Nick

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My Name is Nick and I'm an Astroholic ....

I borrowed my Brother-in-Law's 75mm newt last January, loved it so much that I bought myself a Heritage 130p in February. Then a 150PL in March, because "it was bigger and it had an equatorial mount". Then the Evostar 90 in May (I think) because I needed a refractor and it was too cheap to turn down. I've just celebrated this Christmas by buying a 127 Mak because I might as well have the full set and it came with a whizzy Goto mount. Oh, and I got myself some hooooooj bino's (what the hell).

I'm now wondering whether or not I'm missing something by not owning a short tube refractor ..........

You are on a slippery slope my son ;)

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