DOB...10" with pushto (Orion xt10i) or 12" dob and learn to starhop

[Bigwings]

Agonizing over choice and I WILL place an order this week.

Im used to motorized goto SCT and now going Dob. My problem is which scope will I be happiest with.

A 10" which will guide me to objects or a 12" where I have to star hop. Limiting factor is cost. Is the view from a 12" that much better than a 10" or is a 10" Dob jaw dropping in its own right.

Having never used anything bigger than an 8" SCT I would like the opinion of those that have used big dobs.

This will be a new scope as the pre loved ones are just to far from Newark.

Thanks for your advice.....

Clear Skies

Mike

[Timebandit]

Hello. As i understand you have been using an an 8" aperture scope anyway. If you are going up in aperture then go up in aperture. Personally I would not just go up an extra 2" as I do not think you will get the woow factor you are after. A 2" inch aperture will give you more surface area and therefore more light gathering ability, but not to the extent IMO to make a large difference. If it was me and I had a 8 aperture scope,then I would go up to the 12" to make the transition a worthwhile experience, so much more surface area, light gathering ability and therefore an increase in magnification, so you can get to see those DSO ect so much better. You can always add a push to system navigation system on your dob at a later date for a manual goto when funds allow. Go from the 8" to the 12" in my opinion, otherwise you will just have the what if factor if you do not go for the largest aperture you can afford and manage

I hope the above helps and you like it , by the way I have a 14" dob and no regrets in going large?

 

[Scooot]

What are your skies like? Push to is a great help in light pollution.

[Bigwings]

2 minutes ago, Scooot said:

What are your skies like? Push to is a great help in light pollution.

Not to bad living on the edge of a village but the street lights get killed at 11pm and my back garden is usually OK.

Timebandit mentioned a pushto system that could be retrofitted...anyone able to give me a product mane and a view as to how easy it is to fit.

Thanks

 

[Scooot]

Have a look at this thread. 

Personally the other factor i'd consider 12" v 10" is the size and manoeuvrability. To some a 10" is comfortable but a 12" is stretching that comfort zone. Depends on the person & make. A 12" OO scope for example is probably as easy as a 10" from another make.

[scarp15]

A 12" manual scope such as a Skywatcher Flextube is quite alright to handle, motors will increase the weight. I use to have an 8" SCT although it was not go-to. Based on cost I considered between an OOUK 10" dob or 12" Flextube. Either of these options will be a good choice.

[Paul73]

Nexus is great. I don't have it but have used it on others scopes.

I would definitely go for the after market add on and spend the money on the optics.

Paul

[Peter Drew]

Ditto as per post by Paul73.  

 

 

 

[wheresthetorch?]

12", Wixey on the tube and Stellarium for the degrees of elevation - you'll find anything you want with a low mag eyepiece. 

[Bigwings]

1 hour ago, wheresthetorch? said:

12", Wixey on the tube and Stellarium for the degrees of elevation - you'll find anything you want with a low mag eyepiece. 

That sounds interesting. Would you care to expand on how you use the Wixey, presumably you have to set up some sort of level to start with.

Must say Im beginning to be seduced to the hopping side lol

[Rick Towns]

5 hours ago, Bigwings said:

Must say Im beginning to be seduced to the hopping side lol

Yes... give in to the dark side! LOL!

Seriously, I wholeheartedly recommend learning how to star hop vs. using GoTo. I had a GoTo mount for many years (a Meade LXD-75 with a 10" SCT and a Meade ETX 90/EC) and I gave it all up to star hop. All of my scopes since have been manual scopes - admittedly some with motorized drives to keep the object in view (like my current 1982-vintage Meade 2080). Learning the sky is IMHO an invaluable part of being an amateur astronomer. I find it so much more fun and rewarding to track down a faint fuzzy and realize that I've bagged it. Usually I find interesting objects on the way that I wind up looking up in my star atlas (paper, of course!). The whole process is much more fulfilling than pressing some buttons on a keypad and then looking through the eyepiece. To each their own, tho - I do understand those that say they'd rather spend time looking AT things than looking FOR things.

[wheresthetorch?]

5 hours ago, Bigwings said:

That sounds interesting. Would you care to expand on how you use the Wixey, presumably you have to set up some sort of level to start with.

Must say Im beginning to be seduced to the hopping side lol

You can set the Wixey using a spirit level, and some have one built in for this purpose. Alternatively, point the scope at a star at a known altitude (say 45°) and set the Wixey at 0°. Then move the scope down until the Wixey reads -45°; you are now horizontal, so set the Wixey to 0°.

Stellarium gives you 'real time' co-ordinates in Altitude and Azimuth. If you have a rough idea of the Azimuth and use the Wixey to get the Altitude spot on, you will generally find the object with just a gentle side-to-side sweep with the Dob. People sometimes also add an Azimuth scale to the base of the Dob, for greater accuracy. If you search 'Dob setting circles' on this forum, you should find a number of threads on the subject. 

Well worth a go - you convert your dob to a push-to for only a few pounds. 

[niallk]

+1 for biggest aperture that is practical for you, and adding Push-To afterwards

[Bigwings]

Firstly let me say thanks for the advice all of which is valid in its own way.

Aperture as big as possible.

Learn to Star Hop

Be careful you can handle it (Im 69 and going to have knee surgery)

Wixsey to find your degree....

As they say on X-factor which I hate lol. I have made a decision.

I must master star hopping

I like the idea of Wixsey...or is that WHISKY with my observing

I would like a pushto system for those quick moments when I dont have lots of time and I'm failing to locate.

The winner is......Orion 10" xt10i.... ITS ORDERED

I am going to buy a whiksey and I am going to master all the skills...sound as if it could be fun and the fitted pushto for backup and quickies.

Thanks again.

Clear Skies (for all of you outside my area, if your in it...rain for a month)

Mike

[wheresthetorch?]

Congrats, and a good choice. Look forward to the unboxing and first light reports! 

[Bigwings]

3 hours ago, wheresthetorch? said:

Congrats, and a good choice. Look forward to the unboxing and first light reports! 

Be delighted... the scope will be here in about 4 days.

a day to build the base so first light report will be around Christmas if the new scope weather is also delivered with the boxes.

[Andyb90]

21 hours ago, wheresthetorch? said:

point the scope at a star at a known altitude (say 45°) and set the Wixey at 0°. Then move the scope down until the Wixey reads -45°; you are now horizontal, so set the Wixey to 0°.

Stellarium gives you 'real time' co-ordinates in Altitude and Azimuth. If you have a rough idea of the Azimuth and use the Wixey to get the Altitude spot on, you will generally find the object with just a gentle side-to-side sweep with the Dob.

I love this method it's very simple and quick. I use a Telrad to get roughly the correct Azimuth position and then do the sweep.

Andy.

[wheresthetorch?]

1 hour ago, Andyb90 said:

I love this method it's very simple and quick. I use a Telrad to get roughly the correct Azimuth position and then do the sweep.

Andy.

Yes, likewise. Telrad for rough position then the Wixey. Also have a RACI for when I feel like star hopping. I'm considering an Azimuth scale for the base. 

[scarp15]

23 hours ago, Rick Towns said:

Yes... give in to the dark side! LOL!

Seriously, I wholeheartedly recommend learning how to star hop vs. using GoTo. I had a GoTo mount for many years (a Meade LXD-75 with a 10" SCT and a Meade ETX 90/EC) and I gave it all up to star hop. All of my scopes since have been manual scopes - admittedly some with motorized drives to keep the object in view (like my current 1982-vintage Meade 2080). Learning the sky is IMHO an invaluable part of being an amateur astronomer. I find it so much more fun and rewarding to track down a faint fuzzy and realize that I've bagged it. Usually I find interesting objects on the way that I wind up looking up in my star atlas (paper, of course!). The whole process is much more fulfilling than pressing some buttons on a keypad and then looking through the eyepiece. To each their own, tho - I do understand those that say they'd rather spend time looking AT things than looking FOR things.

Its also good to make some mistakes, become a bit disorientated and get a little lost (perhaps as you say making a surprise encounter on the way) , each time I become a bit rusty and had omitted to take my planisphere, I feel that I am starting out again on a renewed learning curve, a humbling experience. Having a pair of binoculars to hand assists in re-gaining clarity once more. 

[Rick Towns]

1 hour ago, scarp15 said:

Its also good to make some mistakes, become a bit disorientated and get a little lost (perhaps as you say making a surprise encounter on the way) , each time I become a bit rusty and had omitted to take my planisphere, I feel that I am starting out again on a renewed learning curve, a humbling experience. Having a pair of binoculars to hand assists in re-gaining clarity once more. 

Usually star hopping for me is 1) Telrad, 2) 8x50 finder, 3) low-power 32mm Plössl, 4) finally, the proper eyepiece to view the object. Most times, this is a quick process as I can find just about anything from my Jumbo Pocket Atlas. However, I totally agree that sometimes using binocs (I have a pair of Celestron Cometron 8x50's) helps figure out where the jumping-off point is. There are parts of the sky I know really well (ie: Cynus, Lyra, Hercules, Ursa Major, Leo, Coma Berenices, etc) that I can often just jump from my Telrad into my 32mm. But there's plenty of sky I am not overly familiar with. Like you say, I feel a bit lost and certainly humbled. I think that's part of the connection we get to the universe - and it was that connection that I felt was missing when I was using the GoTo. Thanks!