How do you transport your 200mm dobson?

[dark_marc]

Hello all, hope to find some advise on best ways of moving around a 200mm dobsonian in a car.

I already know the basics :-)

1) Open the car

2) Load dobson into the car

3) Close the doors

4) Drive off

No seriously, this is more about creative ideas on how to secure it in the car. Do you have special boxes, mounts or other equipment to secure the tube in boot or on the back seat.

Thx.

[Scott]

If I'm on my own then the ota sits on the front seat with its seatbelt firmly fitted, otherwise, it's in the boot in it's origional box. not very creative sorry

[Laurie61]

When I have transported newt's in the past I have suspended the tube on bungee cords to isolate the scope from bumps but it will depend on your car and what else you need to get in as to how you could work this.

[umadog]

Hello all, hope to find some advise on best ways of moving around a 200mm dobsonian in a car.

I already know the basics :-)

1) Open the car

2) Load dobson into the car

3) Close the doors

4) Drive off.

Essentially that's it. Just make sure you stow the tube so that it won't roll around.

[ScottS]

Mine lies across the back seat with both seat belts around it. the base goes in the boot. I believe some people wrap the ota in a quilt/blanket for extra protection. Seems like a good idea. I drove out into the countryside and after about 20 mins travelling, the scope was still in near perfect collimation. Just take it easy at junctions etc, oh and watch out for potholes!

[ronin]

I wanted to post "Anti-grav disks".

[Avocette]

+1 for ScottS's approach. This also goes for the 250px Dob where the tube is the same length as the 200p (a couple of inches fatter), and the base external dimensions are similar. One great feature of the 250px is that you can stand the OTA 'safely' on its mirror end (OK on a carpet and not for too long) when you've separated it from the Dob base. Can't do that with the 200p if you use Bob's Knobs which protrude beyond the tube rim metalwork.

[AlexB67]

I'd imagine something like a Citroen with that hydraulic suspension would be perfect car for a Dob. If you drive a Ferrari don't press that performance button, that stiffens up everything. The Citroen suspension is that good, to put it the Clarkson way, "Some say you can film with it with a camera on the roof on a bumpy track and still get steady views, so on that bombshell, my creative contribution, buy an old Citroen".

Top gear top tip

[PlanetGazer]

If are you worried about the collimation only?

[Lorne]

I put the base into the boot and lay the OTA across the back seat on the original profiled foam blocks, these hold it quite steady so I never bother with seat belts. Collimation is never more than a slight tweak - being the flex tube I would check it anyway.

[PlanetGazer]

If are you worried about the collimation only?

Typed this in hurry, sorry.

I was trying to ask, What's the worse that can happen? few pumps will affect the telescope? Will it affect collimation only? because I'm considering to ship a telescope overseas.

[cotterless45]

I used to move around with the 200 Dob wedged whole between the 2 rear Scenic seats. I was followed home once by the police who must of thought that I had a WMD .

Nick.

[Schorhr]

...in a €60 kid-transport-bike-cart-thingy with shock absorbers and thirtt wheel to push it along when walking to the field...

Okey, I probably get disqualified now without a car.

[dark_marc]

...in a €60 kid-transport-bike-cart-thingy with shock absorbers and thirtt wheel to push it along when walking to the field...

Okey, I probably get disqualified now without a car.

:-)

[AgeingSuperhero]

I bought a pushchair bag off amazon for £15 that fits my 200mm OTA perfectly, added a bit of bubble wrap inside the bag. The OTA then gets strapped in on the back seat of my car with the mount going in the boot.

The bag makes it very easy to carry and can even be carried on my back with the handles of bag over my shoulder, if i need to walk any distance from the car once at a viewing location.