Aperture rocks! A highly memorable observing 'blurb' through a Stargate 500p 20" dob.

[Ships and Stars]

Thanks again everyone, I'd definitely like to join the dobmob and although my observing report is on the basis side, hope it stirred some excitement. Thanks Ron! Scarp- Linn of Dee would be a great spot - there's a carpark by the Queen's picnic house I think it's called, can't recall the name of the stream that runs down there into the Dee but that would be nice. I have a small campervan with a night heater that uses little fuel and works well. I'm used to winter camping but the van has spoiled me considerably! I still bring lots of warm clothing, goose down if well below zero, or pile and synthetics if there's a chance things will get damp. I actually prefer about -5c, that's perfect! Things stay dry but does zap batteries much faster. Hoping to get out again soon during the next new moon. 

[estwing]

On 06/10/2019 at 09:57, Ships and Stars said:

Thanks Gus. A 250p under darker skies should reveal quite a lot I'd think! The OIII filter makes a huge difference, want to try a UHC and test the difference. I wish I had the time to go to a Star Party, but they are all quite far away.  One of these days!

Galloway end of October.....

[oldfruit]

Great read, loved your report and having recently acquired a 20 inch dob myself, I can totally relate to the experience. Aperture under the right conditions really does allow you to go deep and reveals structure and detail in objects that were smudges when observed previously.

A colleague from our local club remarked that he had never seen the Veil Nebula in such detail, I had to agree.

Wishing you many more cloud free nights.

 

Mark

[Ships and Stars]

11 hours ago, estwing said:

Galloway end of October.....

I'd love to but still a bit tricky - wife is expecting not long after that! It's about a 4.5hr drive for me down to Galloway. I won't say no 100% though quite yet. Would be nice to make it.

 

11 hours ago, oldfruit said:

Great read, loved your report and having recently acquired a 20 inch dob myself, I can totally relate to the experience. Aperture under the right conditions really does allow you to go deep and reveals structure and detail in objects that were smudges when observed previously.

A colleague from our local club remarked that he had never seen the Veil Nebula in such detail, I had to agree.

Wishing you many more cloud free nights.

 

Mark

Thanks Mark, it's a lot to move around sometimes, I'm still not happy with my wheelbarrow attachment but the scope is still portable. The Veil was amazing, I want to concentrate more on 6992 the next time. A 20" under decent skies just shows so much. Enjoy your new dob, they are great. If you have a home obsy, you are a lucky man. Hope you have some excellent nights as well.

[Lurcher]

This is a great thread to read through. I would love either the 450mm or of course, why not,  the 500mm version!

I remember reading a report on this scope in The Sky At Night Magazine and they said something along the lines of "this would be a great scope if you were a club that wanted to invest in one", which made me think I was being ridiculous for thinking it was the next scope for me one day, so it's great to read that individuals like yourself and "OldFruit" have got one and they're not just for clubs to own.

Got to love large dobs.

I look forward to hearing more. Oh I was going to ask, can you have a look and see if you can make out the central star in the ring nebula the next time you're out with your scope please? (Just been wondering that on the thread about a 350mm flextube). I've never been able to see it.

Cheers!

[Mike JW]

On 12/10/2019 at 16:22, Lurcher said:

This is a great thread to read through. I would love either the 450mm or of course, why not,  the 500mm version!

I remember reading a report on this scope in The Sky At Night Magazine and they said something along the lines of "this would be a great scope if you were a club that wanted to invest in one", which made me think I was being ridiculous for thinking it was the next scope for me one day, so it's great to read that individuals like yourself and "OldFruit" have got one and they're not just for clubs to own.

Got to love large dobs.

I look forward to hearing more. Oh I was going to ask, can you have a look and see if you can make out the central star in the ring nebula the next time you're out with your scope please? (Just been wondering that on the thread about a 350mm flextube). I've never been able to see it.

Cheers!

Hi Martin,

I use to own a 500mm Dob and using under Bortle 5 skies I saw the central star just twice in M57. In a 24 " it is somewhat easier. Under dark skies than the 20 would have picked it up much more regularly.  Mike (as in lunar sketching threads).

PS a 500mm scope will noticeably out perform a 450mm scope but will be harder to transport. My mates 600mm blows away the 500mm but is a beast to transport.

[Lurcher]

@Mike JW

Ahaa! Thanks for that Mike. I noticed you had a 15" Obsession, which is or was rather fantastic I should think, but didn't pick up that you had a 500mm Dobsonian! - And then you're friends with someone who can go one more than that!! Blimey. I was kind of hoping you might say that by the time you've gotten so big any more aperture doesn't really make too much difference, not that the 600mm can blow the 500mm away!  . . . Blimey. Where's that lottery ticket. . . . .

[mapstar]

Nice report fella and the pleasures of viewing the skies through big glass never diminish. 

I like the 21E for stuff like the veil with filtered views and you can just fall into the black expanse.

When I want to go deeper and pull detail out as others will confirm it's the 13E that spends most of its time in the focuser. A superb eyepiece.

Some of the best observers I've met use goto so you're not on your own. It is more efficient than star hopping for adding to the target tally and without it some would leave the hobby which is a shame. I personally like a good star chart and the thrill of the hunt. 

It will be Scotland for me in just over a weeks time so I hope to share the views and thanks for the heads up that the midges have bunked up for the winter. Nothing worse than finishing a session looking like you've got measles! 

 

Edited October 15, 2019 by mapstar

[cathalferris]

One solution to the power cord issue is to use a battery source and mount it on the base. I was using one of these https://www.lidl.de/de/ultimate-speed-powerbank-mit-starthilfefunktion-upbs-12000-a1/p288766 as my power source, and I had it taped to the altitude motor casing (with tape over the blue LED. This one gave enough power for about 5hr of observing. It did take a little time to cable-tie things up and out of the way so that the cables would not get sheared between the rotating parts of the base. One of the larger Celestron LiFePO4 batteries should give a few nights worth of observing. My plan-B power source was a 110Ah SUV battery with a fuse and 12v socket on it. That did the job but had the risk of dragging cables.

Having a power source on the scope mounting really removes one of the pain points of this type of scope, and makes for a less stressful observing session.

It's also worth noting that some other owners of Stargates have mounted their power source at the rear of the mirror cell, as part of the necessary extra counterweights that the scope design needs when used with a paracorr and Ethos eyepieces.