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Somebody stop me!

Paul M

By Paul M
in Discussions - Scopes / Whole setups

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Paul M

Paul M

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Well, today I visited a real telescope shop!

After a field trip to Bury for my school work I got an early dart and headed round the M60 to Opticstar in Sale.

The assistant, whose name I didn't get, remembered my phone enquiry from last week and gave me a tour of the showroom display scopes.

As expected, I was impressed with the NEQ6 Pro mount. Quite a big thing too!

There was a 200pds on display but it actually seemed less bulky than I imagined.

So I'm very nearly settled on a 250 :)

My trembling finger can't quite hit the "order" button. I still need the pink pass before I dare do that anyway :D

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athornett

athornett

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So much in astronomy is personal preference isn't it?

However, some consensus appears to be coming out of the comments above - for imaging buy an imaging scope, for observing buy an observing scope. I agree with this view. Very difficult to get a singe scope to cover anything, and anyway, whilst you are waiting for those subs to be taken you can take a look through your Dob!

Not point me trying to advise on the imaging set-up as I have no idea. However when it comes to Dobs I own 4 - 16", 12", 10", 8.6".

The 16"....well I hardly ever use it....too much hastle to set-up - we have a long term plan to build a Pete Lawrence style Wendy house in the garden and then it can stay there all ready to go on a little JMI-style cart and I can roll it in and out and it will come into its own.

12" vs 10" - we have demonstrated time and again that it takes a dark sky for significant improvement in image in 12" over 10" - generally 10" shows much the same especially before midnight. On a good clear night the 12" comes into its own - do you get many of those where you live? The extra weight on the 12" is shocking and really hits portability.

My 8.6" is a bespoke F7.2 David Lukehurst so is a rather specialist instrument and difficult to compare to the others as a result. Mr pride and joy. Several members of Rosliston Astronomy Group have 8" and 10" Skywatcher Dobs. Both perform really well so it surprises me that so many come up for sale on Astro buy and Sell - I don't know why. I could happily use a Skywatcher 8" or 10" as a lifetime visual instrument. The 10" have nearly 2x light gathering of the 8" but the 8" is a very portable instrument, which we all know means it will get used more often....especially for those quick half hour sessions.

I guess, having said that, I'd still go for a 10". Happy with 10" Skywatcher, but if I had the dosh I'd get an Orion 10" Dob - even though the guys in Newcastle are a grumpy bunch.

Then again if another David Lukehurst came up for sale second hand I'd snap it up in a shot!

NB My 12" and 16" are Lightbridges - be careful of wobble on the trusses with these - its isn't much but makes collimation more tricky; the 10" is a solid tube and extremely robust old scope - I re-silvered the mirrors and the Airy disc is very good. Don't ignore a good old scope!

Andy

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Paul M

Paul M

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Oh well, I did it!

250PDS Newtonian on a NEQ6Pro + some bits and bobs :D

Should be with me early next week. I'm glad you all didn't stop me :)

Should have got one that can see through clouds though, because there won't be another clear night ever again!

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jnb

jnb

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Even just looking at a 12" newt on a NEQ6 makes me think it's an accident waiting to happen. 

Is that because of the mount or because of the tripod? How stable would a 12" newt on an NEQ6 on a fixed pier be?

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jnb

jnb

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I think it's more down to the fact that it looks massively top-heavy.

James

It looks top heavy on the tripod which is why I'm wondering if the combination would work on a fixed pier. Basically if the wind gets hold of that is it the mount or the tripod which wobbles. If the latter then putting it on a pier would work, if the former then it's a case of get a much more expensive mount (or an observatory).

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Paul M

Paul M

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So with the new scope on order I've started dropping hints that we'll have to start using our caravan more over the winter to access those dark winter nights in rural Cumbria.

It's an old van in an exposed location and is almost impossible to keep warm after October. Plus the plumbing would freeze if not "wintered"

Should have kept me gob shut. The MD is already looking at newer "all year" caravans :o

This stargazing really is a dear do...

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MartinB

MartinB

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When I spot a few breaks in the cloud I can be up and running with my 12" dob within 5 mins (helps that it's kept at ambient temp inside a shed).  Sticking my 10" LX200 onto my CGEM mount and getting everything set up, 30mins at best.  Putting my ED120 on a Super Polaris, 15mins.  If I'm at all pushed for time or sky conditions are marginal it's the dob every time.

You will get more work out of your dob than any other set up.  

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Paul M

Paul M

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I didn't go to bed this morning after my night shift.

I was waiting for the bits and bobs outstanding from my telescope order.

I assumed the interlink tracking number I had was for that.

So it arrived:

Posted Image

Where does that go? Some sort of dew shield I imagine?

Anyway, it transpires that my bits & bobs are being held ransome by Her Majesty's postal service.

What's the bets it'll come as soon as I take the dog out?

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Paul M

Paul M

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I'm suspecting that my new wetsuit will see action before my new scope !

Off on our jollies to Tenerife early next week and I'll be doing some diving as usual :)

I'll have a play with the scope a bit later, once I've recovered from my night shift and lack of sleep thereafter :(

I can play with the gadgets even if it's cloudy :)

 

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