Progress With The Dob

[cloudsweeper]

I've only had the 10" Bresser a couple of weeks, and we're still getting acquainted.  I am thoroughly enjoying the experience; it's quite different to using the widefield frac and the GoTo cat.

Seeing more through experience

Having set up last night, I stood about impatiently waiting for Jupiter to appear, which he did at about 10pm.  Good and clear x144 - four belts, with some swirling detail in NEB(?)  Mrs. Sweeper wanted to try out the Dob, so took a look and reported seeing only two belts.  That's the experience thing, no doubt!  Less clear x159.

Coma

I don't fancy a corrector (cost, more glass and weight), so focused on a starfield in Cygnus and had a good look.  At low power, the "fanning out" of stars was hardly an issue except at the edges - more for brighter stars.  At higher power, less so.  So all-in-all, no problem for my visual-only approach, using an f/5 reflecting telescope.

Hopping

The Rigel serves mostly as a means of getting a starting point, then I use the RACI finder to track and (if "guide stars" are clear) to hop.  It is this process that is trickier with this 'scope than the others, especially at this time of year, when fewer guide stars are on show.  However, I went for Eta Herculis, then a hop to M13.  A popular albeit easy target I know, but it looked especially good in the 10" aperture - lovely, clear, with some more "shape", plus a great many stars standing out across the view.

I continue to be very pleased with this purchase in terms of usage and performance, and expect even greater enjoyment as the nights draw in.

Doug.

[Stu]

Good news Doug, an excellent purchase, glad it is working out well.

I confess I do struggle to find things with a dob vs a frac on an alt az. It’s just what you are more used to I think, not that one is any better than the other.

I guess it was too bright to nab the propeller in M13? Should be pretty clear when the skies get darker.

[Knighty2112]

Nice write up Doug. Which do you find gives better planetary or Lunar details? The Dob of the C8 if you’ve done any comparable side by side views yet? 

[cloudsweeper]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Good news Doug, an excellent purchase, glad it is working out well.

I confess I do struggle to find things with a dob vs a frac on an alt az. It’s just what you are more used to I think, not that one is any better than the other.

I guess it was too bright to nab the propeller in M13? Should be pretty clear when the skies get darker.

Thanks Stu.  Yes - hopping is somewhat easier with the frac (mine giving not much shy of 5deg TFOV), but it should get better with practice - and darker skies!

No propellor yet - one of many delights in store. 

Doug.

[cloudsweeper]

2 hours ago, Knighty2112 said:

Nice write up Doug. Which do you find gives better planetary or Lunar details? The Dob of the C8 if you’ve done any comparable side by side views yet? 

Thanks Gus.  I've not done a side-by-side comparison with the Dob and 8SE, but looking through my log, I can say they have both performed really well with the Moon, and both give good detail/clarity with Jupiter, inc. hints of colour.  If pressed, I might suggest that so far, the Dob has a slight edge - Jovian detail/GRS was clear almost straight away, but that would depend on the prevailing conditions of course. 

Doug.

[mark81]

Nice update on this dob. I have looked at it a number of times since you got it and really will be tempted when the time comes..?

[cloudsweeper]

2 hours ago, mark81 said:

Nice update on this dob. I have looked at it a number of times since you got it and really will be tempted when the time comes..?

It's great.  (Have I already said that?)  Rings make it easy to re-balance, and to rotate around its own axis.  Good focuser - not slack.  Just needs a reflex and RACI finder.  (And a home-made base!)  Storage? - I'm looking at sheds, but that's another story.........

Doug.

[cloudsweeper]

Progress continues..... 

Out last night either side of midnight, before the Moon rose.  Jupiter; Lyra's Delta Twins; Albireo (yellow, blue/white - very attractive); M57 Ring Nebula  easily located (between Sheliak and Sulafat, both in the FOV) and showing as a very clear ring, clearer than I have seen this before; and M29 the Cooling Tower OC, which was easily spotted from a start with Sadr.

So some rather better views, and more practice at using the Dob.  One other thing worthy of note was OC NGC 6910 in Cygnus, a very pretty cluster consisting mainly of a couple of brighter stars along with a tight chain of about eight faint stars, in the same FOV as Sadr.  The latest version of Stellarium (on the laptop) does not make it at all clear, employing a section of a more detailed image.  However, Sky Safari has a more useful display, better reflecting the eyepiece view to aid identification.

The rich starfields in Cygnus (and elsewhere) do look good in this 'scope!

Doug.

 

 

 

 

[niallk]

Nice report! That scope is going to show you loads