Skyliner 150 or 200p?

[Stu]

38 minutes ago, Mr niall said:

Hi Stu - Thanks, yes just for visual use. Yes mostly planetary really, and then just general surfing over the winter, mostly messier hunting, lunar and showcase doubles. I’ve only got one good eyepiece - a vixen NPL 30mm, so maybe could justify another...

I was, ironically, going to get an eq35m for Christmas but in all honesty when I started doing the sums (power pack, laptop, scope, possibly guiding, possibly filters possibly a field flattener, possibly a new camera) it really hits home just how cripplingly expensive this hobby can be. ?? feel like I’m losing my way a bit and feeling a little depressed and overwhelmed.

I really just need something I can chuck out in the garden and enjoy the star stuff with - as simply as possible! And these two seem right up my street.

That's precisely why I don't do imaging :), way too much complication!

I guess either will do the trick. Storage wise there is not much in it when stored vertical.  The 150p is slightly more chuckable due to weight and will be a little quicker to cool, slightly easier to collimate, 200P will give better views ultimately. Not an easy decision, only you can decide really

[fiestazetecmk2]

If you have issues of how low a 200p dob is then do like I did  sit it  on a water butt base

[Charic]

In all the years Ive been observing with my 200P I've only really seen Jupiter in great detail, but planet killer, no, not for me!  because my image is extremely  small, really small, and I just wish it were bigger, much bigger, given what I already have.

I'm also poorly sited with obstacles, sodium street lights and weather systems, so to-date, the time and seeing conditions have not been great, nor has the placement of the Planets.

I've  seen Mars through the Trees, and the crescent  shape of Venus, but to date, the moon transit across Jupiter has been the best show so far. And even though I clearly saw the little pencil dot black  shadow  of Io's  Moon across the surface of Jupiter, the whole image should have been bigger, but it's not, down to the limitation of my scope.

That said, there has been some changes to the lighting here, and it looks like I could have a better season this time round, due to the darker site, but I'm not holding my breath.

The 8" Skyliner is manageable, and ready to lift outside at a moments notice, observing at low power initially, then  increasing the power whilst the scope cools to ambient. I've said this before, but if a 12" was sat next to my scope in my garden, and there was a big difference,  then it would be a no brainer to upgrade, but now that the street is darker, and my good neighbour a few doors away has lowered the angle of his  mega million watt security  light, there's a big improvement with the darkness at my site, and  If things work out the way I hope, the 8" Skyliner will stay with me indefinitely, if, what I see and achieve this season is better than my previous outings.

The Planets will still be small.

[Jimtheslim]

Sorry if it's likely to wind you up because it's out of price range, however the 250 with a good ortho in the 8-10mm range will have you looking at Jupiter for hours on end. A 250 on the used market isn't an awful lot more than a new 200. 

[JOC]

I came to the conclusion some time ago that unless you were really off to chase faint grey fuzzies there wasn't probably any huge reason to go larger than 8" as after a while I worked out that what gives you the increased size in the EP, is the EP focal length.  Now, yes a telescope with a longer F/L can take a higher mag EP, but when you are chasing things, particularly in the UK where conditions are often such that you can't get close to the theroretical highest mag. for a specific instrument, like planets there is probably not going to be an appreciable difference in what you see between a 8" and a 10" I only guessing, but I reckon you'd need take a significant jump to one of those super sized Dob mob Dob's before you got a huge difference for planet watching.

[ukuleledaveey]

Hello,im pretty much new onnthe scene and know next to nothing,ive alwaya asked the opinions and advice of the wonderful people on here.

I was in a similar predicament,i was going to buy a 150,then some one mentioned the 200,i checkednit out read the reviews and i was sold on the 200,i went down the 2nd hand route,i managed to get a skywatcher skyliner 200p dobsonian off ebay and no to gar away to pick up,i only have the 2 eye pieces that came with it at present, lovely views with the 25mm ,and i wasnt impressed with the 10mm the first couplenof times (later realised it was atmospherics and light pollution,but i kept trying the 10mm eyepiece and one night i got my 1st view of saturn oh boy it blew me way,even now thinking about it excites me, the 200 is slightly cumbersome but i jave to carry it down 2 flights of stairs and across a car oark and up some steps to the communal garden,bit it is worth it,the viewing angle can be slighlty painful sometimes,but im going to get a 2nd hand drumming stool with height adjustment and possibly a water butt base, i personally recommend the 200 dob and checknout 2nd hand ones,this will keep your budget down,ive finally got a barlow coming anfmd about to buy a new eyepiece soon.

Remeber the people on here are fab and so helpful,i got advice on a barlow and even told of a threaf selling a 2nd hand one so ive followed that up.

Best wishes and keep your chin up,dont get down hearted,there is always fab advice and tips on this great site.

Best wishes

Dave

[Charic]

45 minutes ago, ukuleledaveey said:

i wasnt impressed with the 10mm

Try an 8mm BST Starguider, it will blow that 10mm?

Their 12mm gets a lot of use on my scope too, and when 2x Barlowed, provides 200x which is well within the telescopes ability, when the seeing allows.

[cletrac1922]

Hi Stu

If in budget, go for 250 collapsible dob

Easy to store and transport

My first weapon of choice when doing school, scout/guide groups with club belong to 

Find when presenting to 7-9yo's, 17mm wide-angle eyepiece is ideal

 John

 

[Mr niall]

8 hours ago, cletrac1922 said:

Hi Stu

If in budget, go for 250 collapsible dob

Easy to store and transport

My first weapon of choice when doing school, scout/guide groups with club belong to 

Find when presenting to 7-9yo's, 17mm wide-angle eyepiece is ideal

 John

 

Hi there - yes they’re very cool. But sadly at least twice over budget haha!