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Hi from Quebec

GregoryL

By GregoryL
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GregoryL

GregoryL

Posted
Posted

Hi!

Thanks for letting me join!

I’m located in a small town in Quebec, south of Montreal.

I recently purchased a Celestron 80AZS. I’ve been out almost every night (weather permitting) and really enjoy the hobby. Most of the viewing is done with the included 20mm eyepiece and for the most part, I think it does a great job. The 4mm eyepiece is somewhat underwhelming. And the 3x Barlow must be defective because I cannot get it to focus properly — even in daylight.

Some random thoughts involving the use of my new 80AZS…

Moon: I’ve enjoyed looking at the craters. Sometimes the image seems too bright and I can now understand why filters are a good idea.

Mars: The image is bright but lacking any detail. I think I saw a polar cap with the 4mm.

Jupiter: I can view the planet in addition to some moons but alas, no distinctive colors.

Saturn: This was a tough one to find, considering my neighbor’s oak trees. The rings were barely perceptible.

I’m thinking about my next telescope. In addition to planets, I’m also interested in DSO. Should I be looking at something like an Orion XT8 or XT6 Dobsonian? (I should add that I’m not interested in photography or a computer-assisted mount.)

Again, thank you for letting me join the group.

Gregory

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Sunshine

Sunshine

Posted
Posted

Welcome to SGL from Ontario, you would really enjoy a dobsonian, i would always opt for buying used, and getting more aperture, that doesn't mean that an XT8 wouldn't  do a great job of revealing DSO's and planets of course.

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Charic

Charic

Posted
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4 hours ago, GregoryL said:

 (1) I recently purchased a Celestron 80AZS. The 4mm eyepiece is somewhat underwhelming. And the 3x Barlow must be defective because I cannot get it to focus properly — even in daylight.
 

(2)I’m thinking about my next telescope. In addition to planets, I’m also interested in DSO. Should I be looking at something like an Orion XT8 or XT6 Dobsonian? (I should add that I’m not interested in photography or a computer-assisted mount.)
 

(1)Your  present scope has a focal ratio of f/5, your using a 4mm which is already  pushing the scopes limit somewhat, then trying to 3X Barlow just wont work, or shouldn't! You might have a better chance Barlowing the longest focal length eyepiece, 

You mentioned a Moon filter!  Just wear sunglasses, which you probably own anyway! After all, the Moons brightness is just reflected sunlight.

(2) Can I suggest you start with an 8", or bigger. For visual use, more aperture will provide better detail. You will do no wrong with either scope, but go big!
 

I once owned the Celestron 127EQ Powerseeker, but don't tell everyone ?.......Enough said! 
It was pants, in most respects, however, the move to my Skyliner which is some  5 Years now, was the best thing.
Think the Moons good on your 80AZ ? think again!
You may need glasses on an 8" or a Moon filter, but I often just remove the 2" aperture cap on the 8" dust cover? This does affect the scopes overall ability (aperture reduction) but nothing that you would notice  just viewing the Moon, except the reduction in the Moons brightness. For everything else, remove the big old 8" dust cap. Sometimes even a thin layer of cloud can provide good  filtration for  the  Moon.

You're not interested (yet) in Astrophotography, or any expensive GoTo Auto-tracking system, with all the other paraphernalia that you need to  get  your system set up, therefore your choice in getting a Manual Newtonian scope, Dobsonian (Dob) mounted is a no brainer,sound decision. Go for it.

 

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Demonperformer

Demonperformer

Posted
Posted

Hi, Gregory, and welcome to SGL.

As others have said, for purely visual a dob is a great choice. My one caution on "going big" would be to say make sure you see the scope "in the flesh" before you buy. I once owned a 10" that sat in the corner gathering dust rather than photons because (in my situation) it was just too big physically for me to handle (others have a different experience of it). With that one caveat, I would agree that bigger is better.

Enjoy the journey.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Kn4fty

Kn4fty

Posted
Posted

Howdy from Kentucky! Welcome to the site! You'll find a wealth of information and knowledge on this site. Like everyone else says go as big as you can handle. How comfortable are you with finding your way around the sky? If you are still trying to figure it out, then consider a pair of binoculars before upgrading your scope. Use your current scope , binos, and a good sky atlas to get comfortable with the sky. Both will also give some amazing views of things out there. As to what kind of mount will be up to you. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Nothing wrong with either. All depends on your liking. Personally, I'm an equatorial guy. EQs can seem a little complicated, but are actually quite easy once you figure them out and do it a couple times. One down side is they require a little more set up time. But for me that's not really an issue. I'm usually set up and polar aligned in ten minutes. 

But whatever you get, enjoy. This is truly a field for all. There will always be something to learn and see. This hobby (I don't like calling it a hobby, more like an obsession) brings folks from all walks of life and places together. 

Rob

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George Jones

George Jones

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Posted

Welcome from British Columbia.

 

As others have said, you should get as big a scope a possible, subject to two criteria:

1) you are willing to pay for it;

2) the size of the scope will not physically limit its use (if you consider big, think hard and realistically about this)

I am thinking about getting a larger scope subject to 2) and a modifified

1') the Commander-In-Chief is willing to let me pay for it.

 

I have made the trip between Ontario and New Brunswick many times. This summer, on the way to New Brunswick, my wife, daughter, and I stayed one night in Levis, and, on the way back to Toronto, we stayed two nights in Quebec (City), and one night in Trois-Rivieres. My daughter, who is in French immersion at school, has gone shopping for French novels at malls in Levi and Drummondville. Also, 20 years ago, I lived for 18 months in Lennoxville (Sherbrooke).

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JRM

JRM

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Posted

Welcome to the lounge Gregory from New Brunswick.

If you do decide to upgrade remember one thing, a nice big telescope (10-12" or more) is great, they do give nicer and brighter views the bigger you get, but a big telescope

sitting in the corner gathering dust because you don't have the time or energy to hall it out and set it up is a waste really.

The perfect telescope is an easy grab and go telescope like the 8" dob, it is a nice size, not heavy and easy to move around, and bound to get a lot of use, sure maybe later when

you have seen everything the is to see in the 8 and you know the sky more, and really feel like you need bigger, jump to the 16" truss telescope,the 16 will give you four times the light

gathering and you will see a ton of more things then with the 8". something to think about ;)

 

Rick M

p.s. I have a 12" dob that has gathered dust for well over a year now, bigger dobs get heavy to move around.

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