Magazine Review of 200mm F/6 Dob

[John]

I had a look through the latest edition of a leading UK astro magazine and a review of the Omegon 200mm F/6 dobsonian caught my attention. This is the scope:

https://www.astroshop.eu/telescopes/omegon-dobson-telescope-prodob-n-203-1200/p,54680

It seems to be a re-branded GSO made scope to me. The review was complimentary which is not surprising - these are good scopes. Some of the descriptions of the visual performance of the scope did strike me as being rather uninspiring though, particularly where it was mentioned that the Veil Nebula was "glimpsed" when using an O-III filter. 

My experience of observing this target with a number of different aperture scopes over the years is that it shows well when an O-III filter is used from around 100mm aperture and upwards. It is "glimpsed" even with 70mm apertures and a UHC filter. I would have expected the Veil to be much more apparent with a 200mm aperture and an O-III filter in use ?. I certainly recall getting good views of it (E & W segments and Pickerings Wisp) when I had a Skywatcher 200mm F/6 dob and my skies here are fair to middling but not pitch black by any means.

I'm sure the reviewer was an experienced observer and I assume that the scope was tried under darkish skies before the report was compiled. The description rather sells the scope short though, or at least that how it seems to me.

Perhaps the scope was only available for a short period of time and the reviewer just had to make do with whatever clear skies were available within a short period of time ?

It can't be easy meeting publishing deadlines and having a chance to put astro equipment through it's paces, given the vagaries of the UK weather

[domstar]

Interesting. Are you saying that you think it's an indictment of the scope that it can only glimpse the Veil? Would it put you off?

[Mr Spock]

Nice scope. I'm not sure it's worth double the price of a Skywatcher though.

[John]

5 minutes ago, domstar said:

Interesting. Are you saying that you think it's an indictment of the scope that it can only glimpse the Veil? Would it put you off?

No - I think the scope will do much better than described. I've owned a GSO 200mm F/6 dob, albeit a few years back, and it was a good scope. I wish the review had pushed it's abilities a little more thats all. As I said though, if the observing time was limited then I guess the reviewer just had to make the best they could of it.

I agree that the version tested does seem a bit expensive compared to other branded versions of it. I seem to recall the Revelation branded version (which I think was the same scope) was around £299 ?

[johninderby]

Telescope Express does the GSO branded version dob a bit cheaper. About £443.00.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1191_GSO-8-inch-f-6-Dobsonian-Telescope-Deluxe-Version.html

[Stu]

I haven't seen the review John, did it give any comment on the quality of the skies when the review took place? You are right, if on a deadline it must be so frustrating if the skies don't play nicely at the time you need them too.

[DirkSteele]

13 minutes ago, Stu said:

I haven't seen the review John, did it give any comment on the quality of the skies when the review took place? You are right, if on a deadline it must be so frustrating if the skies don't play nicely at the time you need them too.

Yep. When I write a review for my site, I might own it for 2 years or more before putting fingers to keyboard. Review for the magazine, you might get 2-3 months, and then very much at the mercy of the weather gods, but also time of year, with regards sky darkness etc.

[John]

24 minutes ago, Stu said:

I haven't seen the review John, did it give any comment on the quality of the skies when the review took place? You are right, if on a deadline it must be so frustrating if the skies don't play nicely at the time you need them too.

Nothing specific about the observing conditions.

This is the limitation with published reviews like this - there is so little to go on in terms of making a choice in what is a crowded market place. I don't blame the reviewer at all but it's good that there are forums such as SGL where owner generated reports are available to compliment the published ones.

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

I just checked the link and the scope looks the same as my Revelation although mine is a 12". The focuser and mirror cell, with fan, is the same. I have had my 12" for just over 2 years and it cost less than £500 new from Telescope House. I have no complaints on the optics.

With regard to seeing the Veil I had a good view the other night with my 130P Heritage and O-III Astronomik filter so I would expect a slightly better view with the 8".

 

[John]

I wonder why they selected a more expensive version of the scope to review rather than a lower cost UK sourced one ?

 

[steppenwolf]

1 hour ago, DirkSteele said:

2-3 months, and then very much at the mercy of the weather gods, but also time of year, with regards sky darkness etc.

We wish!!!! A month is about it - sometimes maybe 5 weeks but that is rare. This is why reviewers have to devote so much of their own observing time to the current review.

P.S. The review in question wasn’t one of mine but the reviewer who did get the commission would have had to work with a similar time constraint.

[DirkSteele]

11 hours ago, steppenwolf said:

We wish!!!! A month is about it - sometimes maybe 5 weeks but that is rare. This is why reviewers have to devote so much of their own observing time to the current review.

P.S. The review in question wasn’t one of mine but the reviewer who did get the commission would have had to work with a similar time constraint.

Perhaps Astronomy Now has been nice to me so far.  Have had a couple of months so far for each.  Perhaps some bad news is coming with the next one....