Goto or not goto?

[happy-kat]

You need to fully understand the co-ordinate system, and align the Dobsonian in order for the settings to work.

Not strictly correct.

All that is needed is the dob on a level surface, setting circles and a Wixey.

You can use this setup using relative coordinates as well as absolute the later does need to be aligned.

I have added them to my heritage 130p.

They are a DIY project and can be mounted on the top board using anticlockwise degrees or the bottom board clockwise degrees.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/203723-setting-circle/page-1

[ollypenrice]

GoTo is like SatNav. You can use it intelligently or you can let it turn you into a moron. (It said Turn left so I did and now I'm drowning in the Thames.)

Once you've 'gone to' you can look at where the scope is pointing, look at your charts, make mental pictures of where things are, and it can be a powerful learning tool. Or you can bury yourself in the electronic wonders of your handset and learn nothing.

Personally I'd advocate an intelligent use of GoTo. Make it your tutor but not your master.

Olly

[LukeSkywatcher]

I rarely use the Go-To on my 8se. I mainly bought the scope for the aperture and portability. Its nice to have Go-To etc if you want it.

[Moonshane]

I think goto comes into its own when there are few guide stars or time is short - eg when there's a bank of impending cloud at that dark sky star party.

[Drop Of Sun]

Personal choice really, I use and enjoy both. For me the big question for a beginner is, goto or bigger scope (more aperture)? Beginner budgets often do not stretch to large scope AND goto. If it were me then if budget allowed I would get goto and big scope, if not I would go big scope and no goto. My 16 inch dob has goto and I do appreciate how I can whizz around the sky and take in a lot of targets quickly. Like Moonshane says, imagine you're at a star party and there is patchy cloud and limited opportunity. At home sometimes I only have an hour to observe. I like to take in a lot of targets fast. I enjoy manual as well (my 10 inch dob is manual), it can encourage you to study the sky a little more.

Main thing is, have fun, what do you think would give you the most fun?

[scotttumsh]

I have just bought a goto setup and i have to say it is fantastic, easy to use and great for locating objects and tracking them. i also have a manual set up with a big refractor and i love that as well, it takes more effort to set up and use but in my opinion every bit as much fun!.

[popeye85]

The Skywatcher discovery 150 has freedom find on it so can be moved manually with out loosing its alignment. tis is looking to be top of my list from santa!

[popeye85]

Aeajr that is great advice and answered a few questions for me aswell! cheers!

[kendg]

I'm very happy I went with a goto scope. It has helped me a lot in learning to spot things visually. 

I can actually identify a lot more stars now. 

When imaging, I use binoculars so that I can at least look around and see things while my scope it tied up

[Astro Imp]

The Skywatcher GOTO dobs have dual encoders so know where they are if manually moved, they then track the object located.