Whats best for me to move up to?

[russ]

Nexstar 6SE would be good.

[philsail1]

Yes, I think, if you can handle (and have somewhere to store) one, go for a 10" to 12" Dobsonian. I have an 8" Newt (on HEQ5 Mount), and it's a good scope, but visually, deep sky stuff not so great with it. 12" should show you things significantly better.

Unlees you fir some kind of tracking device, a Dob will be now good for imaging.

Best wishes,

philsail1

[thing]

Yes, I think, if you can handle (and have somewhere to store) one, go for a 10" to 12" Dobsonian. I have an 8" Newt (on HEQ5 Mount), and it's a good scope, but visually, deep sky stuff not so great with it. 12" should show you things significantly better.

Unlees you fir some kind of tracking device, a Dob will be now good for imaging.

Best wishes,

philsail1

I had a look through an observatory 12" reflector Phil and TBH didn't see much difference between that and my amateur 8" Newt. Much to my amazement of course.

[Keagle]

On the 10" and EQ6 front...I warn you, unless you have a easy-accessable spot where you setup or a permenant setup it's a pain in the back. Lifting the newt onto the tube rings is not something you want to be doing often. I find it also needs 3 counterweights to balance.

Kurt

[GazOC]

What objects were you looking at Dave? I went straight from a 8" Dob to a 12" and was blown away by the difference.

[thing]

Galaxies mainly, I thought I would see more detail, I just saw more and brighter of the same. Don't get me wrong, it was obviously better than the 8" but I just thought it would be something amazing and it wasn't. IMO of course.

[Doc]

I think alot of it has to do with how dark your skies are.

I went from a 10" to a 16" and I can see double the galaxies but not much more detail. Yes they are brighter and larger but still very hard to see detail.

One day I'll take it to a dark site and see what the difference is.

[RobH]

My 10 inch SCT from a really dark site easily outperformed the 14 inch from home visually.

It really does make a big difference.

Cheers

Rob

[ngc2403]

If you're reasonably fit, it's portable, certainly easier to move than a 10 inch Newt, and will fit on the back seat of a car easily.

i would have to disagree over this rob,

i have used both and find that the 10'' newt is light and although bigger it is easier to get on the mount than a 10'' SCT onto the tripod. the alignment of the sct mount bases on the tripod or wedge is difficult plus the sct is heavier by some way (twice might be a good guess) and the hands are on one side making it difficult to lift easily.

on fitting into a car i got; me, a passenger, 10'' OO in the box, mount, tripod, power packs, three counter weights, cameras, box of eye pieces, ST80, 5'' achro 700mm and there was still one other free seat in the back. i had to put down two of the three back seats but it is just a ford focus. I don't think the tall 10'' sct would fit in the car because it is a hatch back (unless you put it on it's back which i don't think is a good idea)

My budge is small so i have started to buy only thing i will use for years to come, not have way items

ally

[RobH]

Hi Ally,

I agree, a 10 inch newt OTA is undoubtedly lighter than an SCT with mount.

You can get a really useful thing called a mounting assistant which makes it dead easy to put the SCT on a tripod.

I used to lay my SCT down on the back seat. You just use a rubber bungy cord to stop the tube moving (never use the locks)

Plus.....do a bit of weight training :)

Cheers

Rob

[dave1978]

Have had a good look around FLO and the Skywatcher Explorer 150P OTA for £89 sounds fantastic for me! I think this is the way i will move forward, i will try on the NExstar mount and if needs be upgrade to a better 2nd hand mount. I could enquire about the 200 but i think that would be pushing my mount too far!

[russ]

Dave, you can't go wrong for £89. The 150P is a great tube and a step up from the 102 for Deepsky and Planets. You could place a wanted ad for an EQ3 and should pick one up for £50 (with drives if you are very lucky).

Russ

[philsail1]

Ah! so it's the darkness of the skies that make all the difference Dave & Rob?

Has "Ally" managed to choose an upgrade scope yet?

Regards,

philsail1

[dave1978]

What is the difference with these EQ mounts, EQ3, EQ3-2, EQ5, EQ6 and so on?

As i understand it i would need one of these mounts if i was to move into imaging?

[russ]

well price is a big difference for starters. Ranging from £80 to £850. Like anything else in life, the more you pay the more you get.

So the EQ3 (same as EQ3-2) will be fine for visual work with the 150 and also as a camera platform for widefield imaging. And would also be fine to do some lunar/planetary imaging with the 150.

But if you want to get serious about the imaging, then you'll be looking at £650 for the HEQ5 Pro or £850 for the EQ6 Pro.

Of course secondhand prices are significantly lower. Secondhand HEQ5 Pro for £400-500 or EQ6 Pro for £600-650.

I wouldn't get too tied up in all the different mount types. Get your 150, look for a secondhand EQ3 or EQ5 and learn the ropes of simple imaging. Both those mounts will be fine for widefield imaging with a DSLR or lunar/planets with a webcam.

[RobH]

Good advice from Rus, the 150 will be great, stick it on a secondhand EQ5 and you'll be away!

Cheers

Rob

[ngc2403]

Ah! so it's the darkness of the skies that make all the difference Dave & Rob?

Has "Ally" managed to choose an upgrade scope yet?

Regards,

philsail1

not yet am still trying to decide on my own upgrades,

one of those things, you wait for the equipment to arrive then as soon as you have used it you think about the next thing, i would be happiest if i had a running order of stuff i was waiting to receive.

but money cuts this down and so does space. when you fill a room is it time to stop or move house?

[chrisdg1968]

Dave,

I don't think your Nexstar mount will support an Explorer 150p OTA.

Just to throw in my pennies worth, I have a Skyliner 8" Dob. which is great for DSO's and this is what I spend most of my observing time on, but it also provides great lunar and planetary views and can be placed on an EQ mount in the future.

But ultimately, whilst we all do our best, the quality of the dark skies in your area makes such a huge difference and usually we have no control over this aspect!

Chris

[jamieren]

I see your point with the above comments! think i shall look for an 8" newtonian or a Nexstar 6SE.

IMHO, I think you nailed it here, Dave. I had an 8" on a dob and traded up to a 12. It's hard not to regret sometimes when I wrestle that beast out of the garage or into the van for a night out, whereas I could lift the 8 with dob and all (no disassembly required) into my caravan and off I went. I also suggest the views will be only modestly improved in a 10". No offense I hope guys, but I've found in astronomical circles the improvements in aperture increases are exaggerated ...or is it because I listened too much to the retailer? :oops: