Dob Dob Dob

[Avocette]

Hi starwonder.

I just picked up on your posting and was reading through and sympathising entirely with your dilemma! I see that you and I joined SGL about the same time, but perhaps I more quickly read through postings about Dobs and EQs and started buying. I've actually now had three Dobs and an EQ. Although I read up on everything, in the end I probably needed to learn the hard way by trying examples myself. I started with the SW 200p, then bought a rather old SW 250px which needed cleaning, a new focuser, and some TLC to cure the effects of a little swelling in the lower parts of the mount. My next buy was the SW 150p on the EQ3-2 from which I learned what I do and don't like about EQ mounts. So far I haven't added motor drives (£90) on the basis that I'd be better off replacing the EQ3-2 with  the HEQ-5 as a much better motorised mount and a sound investment in case I really take to AP. Finally I bought my SW 300p flextube. It's at the limit of portability for me but is manageable and I no longer itch for a little more aperture to see better! My experience in practice is that the variability and limits of the 'seeing' are much more of an influence than the actual scope aperture.

I'm sure your new scope will be brilliant, and don't spare a thought for what more you might see with a 12"!

Of course after a few months of aperture fever and finding a cure (at least for a while), I'm on the slippery slope of a new astro infection - eyepiece envy - and that's a whole fresh steep learning curve!

[starwonder]

"...don't spare a thought for what more you might see with a 12!"  - I know, the 12" would have been great, I may have even seen dust lanes of galaxies but I had trouble physically lifting Shane's and I doubt it would fit in the car with the family camping stuff anyway so I've made a compromise with the 10".  

Am sure the 10" will give me a little bit more detail over an 8" but that depends really on the LP, at a dark site I should image the difference is significant.  But the main thing is the dob for me is more manageable/practical and I can lift it comfortably.  If I can see dust lanes of a galaxy with it fantastic but even if not I'm sure I'll be amazed at what I can see.   

[Moonshane]

at your lakes site you may well see dust lanes in M51 but there's plenty more to see and with a 10" scope, you won't ever run out of targets.

[RikM]

I saw some structure in M51 with a 10" SkyWatcher Dob at the SGL8 starparty, so with darker skies and the higher quality mirrors in the OOUK you should be very happy. Many people (mainly people with 10" Dobs ), say that 10" is the Goldilocks size. Big enough to show you good views of lots of interesting things, yet small enough to be easily portable by one person.

[starwonder]

I'd like to try it at a star party or dark site but I don't think it'll arrive for a few weeks yet so might miss the one in the Peak District and must admit it is a bit of a trek for me.  Isn't there one in Lancashire?  I've not found one advertised anywhere near me.  However as long as the mild weather holds up I might get another camping trip in and pop up to The Lakes, late season.  But there are some darker sites not far from where I live but I don't know yet whether just because it's darker means that LP is lower or that it's the same.  I guess I'll have to experiment.

[Stargazer_00]

I saw some structure in M51 with a 10" SkyWatcher Dob at the SGL8 starparty, so with darker skies and the higher quality mirrors in the OOUK you should be very happy. Many people (mainly people with 10" Dobs ), say that 10" is the Goldilocks size. Big enough to show you good views of lots of interesting things, yet small enough to be easily portable by one person.

This is exactly how I see my 350p.  It is the same setup time as my old 250px.  Take the scope off the base.  Carry the base to the garden, carry the OTA to the base.  The only difference is I now collimate before use whereas the 10" rarely needed it.   The 350p is at the limit of my ability to safely carry it but within my limit is fine by me   Don't regret the move to a larger scope one bit.

[vlebo]

This is exactly how I see my 350p.  It is the same setup time as my old 250px.  Take the scope off the base.  Carry the base to the garden, carry the OTA to the base.  The only difference is I now collimate before use whereas the 10" rarely needed it.   The 350p is at the limit of my ability to safely carry it but within my limit is fine by me   Don't regret the move to a larger scope one bit.

On a slight aside have you had much use out of your 350p yet ?

[AlexB67]

"...don't spare a thought for what more you might see with a 12!"  - I know, the 12" would have been great, I may have even seen dust lanes of galaxies but I had trouble physically lifting Shane's and I doubt it would fit in the car with the family camping stuff anyway so I've made a compromise with the 10".  

Am sure the 10" will give me a little bit more detail over an 8" but that depends really on the LP, at a dark site I should image the difference is significant.  But the main thing is the dob for me is more manageable/practical and I can lift it comfortably.  If I can see dust lanes of a galaxy with it fantastic but even if not I'm sure I'll be amazed at what I can see.   

I think that is worth bearing in mind and a good choice to take portability into consideration. Before I got my 10 inch I had some expectations how much some deep sky targets improve and so it proved to be. I can tell you that you can't beat a dark sky, not that I've been to one yet with the 10 inch, but from my backyard and a few sessions with it hammered home that point.

If you can't carry your scope so it does not fit in a car IMO it is partly a waste, but if you can all good . It is the one reason I entirely ruled out a 12 inch scope. The 10 inch flextube fits in my car very easily with room to spare for other stuff.  A 10 inch on a good dark site will still outperform  a 12 inch by a long way with poor skies. I've been to darker skies with my smaller scope ( 5 inch ) and even that performs better on galaxies compared to my 10 inch at home. 

Good luck with your purchase and may the depletion of the wallet commence :0) 

[starwonder]

I think that is worth bearing in mind and a good choice to take portability into consideration. Before I got my 10 inch I had some expectations how much some deep sky targets improve and so it proved to be. I can tell you that you can't beat a dark sky, not that I've been to one yet with the 10 inch, but from my backyard and a few sessions with it hammered home that point.

If you can't carry your scope so it does not fit in a car IMO it is partly a waste, but if you can all good . It is the one reason I entirely ruled out a 12 inch scope. The 10 inch flextube fits in my car very easily with room to spare for other stuff.  A 10 inch on a good dark site will still outperform  a 12 inch by a long way with poor skies. I've been to darker skies with my smaller scope ( 5 inch ) and even that performs better on galaxies compared to my 10 inch at home. 

Good luck with your purchase and may the depletion of the wallet commence :0) 

The portability factor was quite important, I didn't want to be saddled with a scope I couldn't move or take to a dark site.  Fortunately after seeing Shane's 12" dob and visiting the OO factory I gauged the 10", like others advised, was a good compromise.  I had trouble lifting the 12" so immediately realised that was out and I'd tried an 8" and that was no problem, hence the reason for the 10", just right for what I was trying to achieve!   It will also easily fit into my Octavia even with family camping stuff in.