Dilemma

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Hi guys,

I've got a bit of a dilemma I wanted to put to you;  earlier in the year I started some threads on this forum regarding the purchase of my first telescope.  To cut a long story short, I ended up purchasing a Skywatcher 250 Dob.  I was extremely pleased with the views from it, even using the stock eyepieces, and had designs on purchasing upgraded eyepieces. 

Unfortunately, I have since suffered a back injury which has meant that it became impossible for me to lug the 250 Dob around with me due to its shear size and weight.  I've not done any sort of astronomy for many months now, but was out the other night and when I noticed how clear the sky was, I grabbed my Zeiss 10x42 and had a scan around to see what I could find.

This made me realise just how much I was missing star gazing, and I started thinking of ways I could get back into it, but with a more light weight alternative to the Dob.  Don't get me wrong.. I don't wish to sell the Dob, as I really do love it, and eventually hope to get it fitted with some wheels, to ease the load on my back, but I just want something I could use in  the mean time, which hopefully won't give me too disappointing results.

It needs to be something relatively inexpensive, as I only recently invested in the Dob, and so I can't really justify spending huge funds on something else (I don't think that would go down too well), and so I had in mind either a pair of giant binoculars (to be used on a tripod) or a small telescope?

I'm open to all suggestions, and I don't mind purchasing pre owned if necessary.  I have enjoyed viewing both deep sky and planets through the Dob, and I realise that I am going to have to compromise, but something that would do a bit of both would be great.

Thanks for taking the time to look, and any advice would be very much appreciated

Russ

[Davesellars]

I think binoculars on a tripod would be a really bad idea for your back in general - Although useful I find them uncomfortable to use on a tripod in general through the lack of a diagonal to give a comfortable viewing position and I can't imagine it would do your back any good at all.   A much more comfortable option would be a 4" refractor (light enough as a grab and go) on an Alt/Az mount and a good seat so you can relax your back.

[Qualia]

I'm sorry to hear about your back complaint, Russ and I hope you get better soon .

I won't tempt to give any medical advice but I feel it would be paramount to be as warm and as comfortable as possible. Seating is essential. Not only will you be more comfortable, relaxed and less shaky, enabling you to tweak more detail from the faint whisperings of deep space objects, but it will act as a good support for you back.

Now, depending on the gravity of your injury, the tripod legs of a frac, for example, may intrude, forcing you to sit farther from the scope and lean forward. This will reduce the amount of vertical eyepiece shift you can accommodate comfortably and may put untoward stress on your back.

Another idea would be to put together a simple dolly for your dob. Something like this. There's also some interesing ideas here and in my own case, when I'm taking my 10" to dark sites, I use

. It's an amazing bit of klt, extremely light, rugged and carries all my gear over just about any terrain imaginable.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Sorry to hear of your trouble. A good observing seat is a great way to make observing itself less f a back strain, I have found. Scope-wise a little mini-dob (like the Heritage 130) on a table could work well.

[laser_jock99]

Nice pair of bins- but good bins are not a cheap option.

[rowan46]

I don't know the extent of your injury but it strikes me that the binoculars are out. Viewing on a tripod with bins can be very uncomfortable especially whilst trying to each anywhere  near zenith. I would go for a startravel 100 on an az3 it has the advantages of being relatively cheap and lightweight. A mak may also be a good choice as the short tube may me easier to use if neck mobility is impaired. A good chair is almost certainly an essential

[scarp15]

I tend to follow what other do on here and mount my 15x70 binoculars on a monopod with trigger grip head and like to observe whilst seated on a standard garden chair, very relaxing and blissfully comfortable.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

+1 for the (reclining) garden chair. Very relaxing and easy on the back

[Bart]

I have a bad back (see signature). It was very bad some time ago after rupturing a disk. It still gives me trouble but after losing weight and now walking/running/gymming (no I'm not a triathlete, just less big) I can manage to move my 10" on a sack trolley no prob and even the 16" on wheelbarrow wheels. You might not be ready for that yet so I would guess the heritage 130 as previoulsy suggested might be the way to go. Sometimes its not the lifting in and out, but the creaking over the scope through the viewfinder etc that does the damage. Buy a good adjustable chair and get a RACI with Telrad to ease the bending etc with finding your target. Sit upright as much as you can. Use painkillers....I sometimes do when I'm out for hours. Lets face it, you won't develop a habit with the frequency of opportunities here.

Good luck

Barry

[AndyWB]

If you've a bad back, you'll probably want a table or something to set the Heritage 130p on. I use mine sitting on the ground, and then sit next to it on a camping seat, but it does involve an amount of leaning over. Alternatively, if you have something like an AZ4 mount, it fits nicely on that. The Heritage 130p doesn't take a Telrad / Rigel / RACI though - no space to fit one - but the red dot finder is okay to use, and with a 30mm eyepiece you'll get a 2 degree field of view, so it's only about being roughly accurate...

That said, I think if funds allowed it, I'd be thinking of small refractor with a diagonal on an alt-az, though.

[ronin]

Assuming a manual system then how about an 80mm or 90mm refractor on something like a Vixen porta mount ot the mini porta mount.

If you want ED then that adds to the cost but Rother Valley do an 80mm and 90mm achro at £200-250 area.

I would go for the 80/600 or the 90/800 for reduced CA.

If ED then not sure, the TS offerings seem to be getting more expensve maybe the Altair ED's would be worth considering.

[swamp thing]

 I use

. It's an amazing bit of klt, extremely light, rugged and carries all my gear over just about any terrain imaginable.`

That looks like a cool bit of kit Rob. 

[niallk]

Sorry to hear about your injury & wish you a speedy recovery.

I was wondering if big binos on one of those diy mounts where they angle down and you look at the sky reflected in a plain mirror would be of use? I'll find a pic or someone might be able to chime in with the proper name. I mean to make one for myself at some point. Looks like a table top, steady, comfortable and simple way to use biggish bins. I have a pair of 25 x 70s and cannot hold steady and a not so cheap camera tripod is useless tbh.

Best of luck -Niall

[niallk]

This is the kind of simple diy thing I meant: (apparently called a binocular mirror mount - doh! )

http://lyndongonzales.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/making-your-own-binocular-mirror-mount/

[niallk]

At the risk of being ridiculed by everyone this little beauty is worth every penny in my book for having a zero setup peep at all these cool sunspots we've been seeing of late, and it weighs nothing (probably my most used scope truth be told!!!):

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3288_SolarScope-standard-for-riskless-solar-observation-in-groups.html

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Thank you all so much for the advice and kind well wishes, it is very much appreciated.

I too had been concerned about the viewing angle which would be necessary for observing the night sky through a pair of tripod mounted binoculars, and so it really looks as though a light weight telescope is going to be the way forward.

I have had a look at some of your suggestions and have narrowed my options down to a shortlist of choices.  The Skywatcher Heritage 130p FlexTube Dob, the Skywatcher Startravel 102 or the Skywatcher Skymax MAK 90.  Also, regarding the Startravel 102 and the MAK 90, there is the option of either the AZ3 or the EQ1 mounts, which seem to be very similarly priced.

So out of those three scope options, could anyone advise me on which might be the best scope for all round general use please, and also which is the better of the two mounts, the AZ3 or the EQ1?

Thanks to you all again for taking the time to reply

Russ

[Bart]

Russ

In my opinion all equatorial mounts will be definitely out for you as you find yourself in some queer positions trying to access the eyepiece. An alt/az mount of whatever type is the only one for you I believe. I've had many an aching back with my first scope which was on an equatorial mount.

Again, good luck with your choice

Barry

[Moonshane]

The most comfortable scope I have ever used other than a large dob is a 6" newt on a giro mount on a mobile pedestal