First Upgrade

[TiTanecd]

Hello SGL

I have a Celestron 130EQ. I stay about 25km from Cape Town. My viewing is good, not great but I can see about 6 with the naked eye.

I was looking to by a new scope, and I have managed to get a few on the short list.

I was orginally looking at the SE4,5,6,8. But here with the poor rand it costs R8000, R12000, R16000 and R25000 ($750, $1150, $1400, $2450) and thats TOO much for those. So for people living here, a dob makes even more sense. 

But I want a goto with my dob. So tracking at around 160x - 240x is easier.

I can get the XT8G and XT10G here for R11000 and R16000 ($1000 and $14000).

Portability is not really an issue, a 8" or 10" on my back seat is not going to make a difference.

The main reason why I'm asking is the difference between the 8" and 10" in visual viewing difference. I have read the 5" to 8" and 10" to 12" is a big diff but is 8" to 10" worth (for my currency) 1/3rd extra?

I can get the 8" this month or 10" in 5 (stock levels)

Any feedback would help.

Tx guys

[NGC 1502]

So your main question is the viewing difference between 8" & 10".

For someone who already owns an 8" and is happy with it, then for me, I'd not bother to upgrade to a 10".

But if you haven't purchased yet and are deciding between an 8" or 10", I'd go for the 10" myself.  A 10" Dob is where I've settled at, portable for me, the tube fits across the back seat of my car, and I can lift the tube and mount as a single unit for short distances in my back garden, to avoid trees etc.

Comparing the views between 8" & 10"  ----   the difference is not huge, but is noticeable.

Other factors to think about perhaps, the 10" is likely to be a "faster" mirror, so will need better eyepieces for good edge correction, and collimation is a bit more fussy.

But see what others say, not just me, because as always, opinions will vary.

All the best with your decision, Ed.

[OscarTheGrouch]

I have the 130EQ too and it's been a great scope to start with.  I'm now looking to add a goto mount to my setup, but I'm looking at a smaller scope that's more portable (I'm disabled so the 130 is a bit big for me to take in my wheelchair!).  I know that eventually I will want to set up a permanent mount, but I'm still trying to persuade my wife that turning the flat roof of our extension into an observatory is a good idea - for some reason she feels that decorating the bathroom is more important.  Women - we live with them, but will we ever really understand them?

I think you may want to "go back to basics" and look at why you bought your first scope.  I went for the 130 because it was the one with the biggest aperture and greatest useable magnification that I could reasonably justify the cost of as a first scope.  Consider then what you hope for with your new scope and whether you can justify the costs.  Would the 8" sell well if you decide to upgrade again?  Can you justify waiting 5 months for the new scope when that's going to mean your winter (an therefore your short days and long observing opportunities) has come to an end?  What extras, such as new and better eyepieces, could you get by opting for the smaller scope?

In your position, I would certainly go for the 8" now and concentrate on replacing my eyepieces and peripheral kit with the money I saved.

[TiTanecd]

Tx guys for your feedback. I had both your thoughts going through before I posted, and wanted to see what the community would say.

It looks like I'd be getting the 8". BEcause there are some things I will need to buy along side the scope.

I'll get a laser collimator, eyepiece case and cables to connect to pc. The money I saved will go for a nice 12 or 17mm 2" EP later this year.

I feel like I made a good decision

[NGC 1502]

Tx guys for your feedback. I had both your thoughts going through before I posted, and wanted to see what the community would say.

It looks like I'd be getting the 8". BEcause there are some things I will need to buy along side the scope.

I'll get a laser collimator, eyepiece case and cables to connect to pc. The money I saved will go for a nice 12 or 17mm 2" EP later this year.

I feel like I made a good decision

An 8" scope is great, I've had two. One was an Astrosystems ( Peter Drew ) that I was completely barmy to sell.  The other was a SW Dob, super views, held collimation very well indeed.

Please let us know how you get on with the purchase and first light.

Regards, Ed.

Edit - I know you are in SA so this is not for you  http://stargazerslounge.com/classifieds/item/4058-85-inch-david-hind-mirrored-dobsonian/   

If anyone reading this is in the UK, I'd think very seriously about it.

[TiTanecd]

I'm sure a 10" will be great and it was the original one I wanted but makes more sense at the moment for me to get 8" with some extras.

My short list was: SE6 > SE5 > SE4 > SE6 (then i saw price ) > SW 8" Flex > SW 10" Flex > Orion 10" > 8"

Tx Ed and Oscar 

I'll keep you updated.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I have the 130EQ too and it's been a great scope to start with.  I'm now looking to add a goto mount to my setup, but I'm looking at a smaller scope that's more portable (I'm disabled so the 130 is a bit big for me to take in my wheelchair!).  I know that eventually I will want to set up a permanent mount, but I'm still trying to persuade my wife that turning the flat roof of our extension into an observatory is a good idea - for some reason she feels that decorating the bathroom is more important.  Women - we live with them, but will we ever really understand them?

I think you may want to "go back to basics" and look at why you bought your first scope.  I went for the 130 because it was the one with the biggest aperture and greatest useable magnification that I could reasonably justify the cost of as a first scope.  Consider then what you hope for with your new scope and whether you can justify the costs.  Would the 8" sell well if you decide to upgrade again?  Can you justify waiting 5 months for the new scope when that's going to mean your winter (an therefore your short days and long observing opportunities) has come to an end?  What extras, such as new and better eyepieces, could you get by opting for the smaller scope?

In your position, I would certainly go for the 8" now and concentrate on replacing my eyepieces and peripheral kit with the money I saved.

Hi Oscar (is that your real name?). I too am wheelchair bound*ish* and up until a couple of yrs ago, my largest scope was a 130mm (granted its the ever so compact Skywatcher Heritage 130P). I really wanted to go as big as i possibly could in aperture while keeping the scope as light as possible and easy for me to carry to the garden. I was led in the direction of the Celestron 8SE. It was within my budget and when i read the specs (and was told about just how light it is for an 8" scope), i wasted no time in purchasing. I couldnt be happier with my 8SE. I take it outside in 2 parts (the mount and tripod as one piece and the tube as another).

If the 8SE is out of your price range, then the 6SE is another safe bet. The SE range are so portable, and portability is the most important factor for me.  

*ish*~~i can and do also use crutches as well as the wheelchair but mostly the wheelchair

[TiTanecd]

A 10" might also now be coming into the country mid Aug, with that and my first M13 view last week with my 130EQ, I'm thinking, should I spend R3000 ($300) more for the 10".

I can just make out the grey smudge of M13 with my Celestron 130EQ with 32mm Plossel.

Will the 8" give it enough of a wow affect or will it still look more grey than white stars. Because if its still grey and dim than I guess I'm forced to go with them 10". Its just a lot of cash and don't want to spend a lot when its not visually worth it.

[TiTanecd]

Heard you should upgrade in 4" at a time to see a good improvement.

So 5.1" to 8" is only 2.9". Am I wasting my time with 8" than?

[Carina Lass]

Light intake equates to the square of the radius.

So 4x4 is 16

5x5 is 25

25/16 is about 1.5 times as much light in the 10 inch.

[NGC 1502]

A 10" might also now be coming into the country mid Aug, with that and my first M13 view last week with my 130EQ, I'm thinking, should I spend R3000 ($300) more for the 10".

I can just make out the grey smudge of M13 with my Celestron 130EQ with 32mm Plossel.

Will the 8" give it enough of a wow affect or will it still look more grey than white stars. Because if its still grey and dim than I guess I'm forced to go with them 10". Its just a lot of cash and don't want to spend a lot when its not visually worth it.

An 8" scope will show M13 as a ball of stars, not just a fuzzball.  Although I'm a fan of keeping the magnification modest, many deep sky objects, M13 included, look great at 100 - 200x.

With a 6" under a country sky, M13 is surprisingly satisfying too.

Of course, a larger scope will blow your socks off 

Regards, Ed.