Just bought a Bresser 8 inch Dob and a BST star guider 8mm eyepiece. This will sound stupid, but will the telescope come with dust caps?

[OptymsticAlpaca]

Also, are there any other accessories that would be a good idea to get? I already have a few astronomy books.

Thanks, Owen

[Neil H]

Hi and welcome really nice scope  sorry can't answer the question on dust cap but if it does not you can use a shower cap , get a smart phone holder because once you have that WOW moment your want to take a photo also polarizing filter is handy , a solar filter to fit the scope so you can do white light visual, RACI finder scope of it has a straight through finder scope of target is high it's hard to see into a straight finder scope 

Cheshire collimation tool which is better than the cheap lazer

Bresser 1/10 upgrade for the focuser

Edited February 9, 2021 by Neil H

[johninderby]

Yes it has a dust cap for the top end. 

You will have to fit a Synta type mounting shoe to take a standard finder. This one has the right hole spacing to fit the Bresser. Standard Skywatcher finder shoes don’t fit without drilling a hole in your tube.

Finder mounting shoe

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-universal-quick-release-finder-shoe-base.html

RACI finder

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

A really usefull addition is the dual speed knob for the focuser.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-1-10-gear-set-for-hex-focuser.html

Bresser is now supplying a solar filter with their dobs.

This is my 10” Bresser on a custom base.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Stu1smartcookie]

it should come with a plastic dust cap ... if i remember it was quite a snug fit ... which is nice .

Really nice scope btw ...

Edited February 9, 2021 by Stu1smartcookie

[OptymsticAlpaca]

6 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Yes it has a dust cap for the top end. 

You will have to fit a Synta type mounting shoe to take a standard finder. This one has the right hole spacing to fit the Bresser. Standard Skywatcher finder shoes don’t fit without drilling a hole in your tube.

Finder mounting shoe

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-universal-quick-release-finder-shoe-base.html

RACI finder

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

Bresser is now supplying a solar filter with their dobs.

 

 

Thanks John, I couldn't find any information anywhere about dust caps! The scope and eyepiece should arrive sometime next week hopefully. 

[Neil H]

This is a good upgrade stops your eyepiece from getting marked

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=170860

[johninderby]

12 minutes ago, Neil H said:

This is a good upgrade stops your eyepiece from getting marked

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=170860

Not needed as the focuser has a proper compression type eyepiece holder.

Edited February 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Tiny Clanger]

Welcome,

Great 'scope and eyepiece choices,  you've done your due diligence !  Dust caps or plugs should be on every vulnerable aperture of 'scope and EP, if they do not arrive with the items, complain to the vendor.

Vital accessories : red light torch ( cheap options : led bike lights , diy option, bit of red acetate or sweet wrapper over existing torch, expensive options , medium option a headtorch with a red led option ) Nice notebook & pen  to keep a written observation diary in , I've only been doing this (semi) seriously for 7months, but it's already interesting to be able to  leaf back through my notes and compare what I can see now with my earlier observations. Warm clothing and footwear suitable for standing still outdoors in winter for a couple of hours , gloves especially important, tastes vary, I use the fingerless ones with a flip over mitten part ( sometimes called shooter's mitts)

Have a think about some support for your accessories/books/maps etc , a handy garden table which could be shifted , a picnic or camping table or chair you could press into service maybe, it's a lot easier to have a set place for such stuff, saves stumbling round in the dark trying to recall where you left the star map ...

My dob is the small heritage one, and in this damp (bit of an understatement, 'damp' 🙂  ) weather I've found a cheap small plastic tarpaulin a vital accessory to spread on the grass and ensure the feet of my scope stand stay dry and clean. Which reminds me, there's an accessory I use every time I put either of my 'scopes out to cool , which is a waterproof cover (in my case repurposed waterproof covers which came with some rucsacs , and which I've never used for the proper purpose. ) Maybe a tough rubble sack would work for your instrument.

If the astronomy books you already have do not include 'Turn Left at Orion' , it is an extremely practical text full of diagrams and help to actually get your dob pointing at  something interesting,

And then you just need clear skies ... 🙂

Heather

[OptymsticAlpaca]

23 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Welcome,

Great 'scope and eyepiece choices,  you've done your due diligence !  Dust caps or plugs should be on every vulnerable aperture of 'scope and EP, if they do not arrive with the items, complain to the vendor.

Vital accessories : red light torch ( cheap options : led bike lights , diy option, bit of red acetate or sweet wrapper over existing torch, expensive options , medium option a headtorch with a red led option ) Nice notebook & pen  to keep a written observation diary in , I've only been doing this (semi) seriously for 7months, but it's already interesting to be able to  leaf back through my notes and compare what I can see now with my earlier observations. Warm clothing and footwear suitable for standing still outdoors in winter for a couple of hours , gloves especially important, tastes vary, I use the fingerless ones with a flip over mitten part ( sometimes called shooter's mitts)

Have a think about some support for your accessories/books/maps etc , a handy garden table which could be shifted , a picnic or camping table or chair you could press into service maybe, it's a lot easier to have a set place for such stuff, saves stumbling round in the dark trying to recall where you left the star map ...

My dob is the small heritage one, and in this damp (bit of an understatement, 'damp' 🙂  ) weather I've found a cheap small plastic tarpaulin a vital accessory to spread on the grass and ensure the feet of my scope stand stay dry and clean. Which reminds me, there's an accessory I use every time I put either of my 'scopes out to cool , which is a waterproof cover (in my case repurposed waterproof covers which came with some rucsacs , and which I've never used for the proper purpose. ) Maybe a tough rubble sack would work for your instrument.

If the astronomy books you already have do not include 'Turn Left at Orion' , it is an extremely practical text full of diagrams and help to actually get your dob pointing at  something interesting,

And then you just need clear skies ... 🙂

Heather

Thanks so much for all your replies! This forum is extremely helpful. I have a dimmable red torch and turn left at Orion, also 2021 month by month guide. Thanks again for all your help!

Clear skies, 

Owen

[Tiny Clanger]

4 minutes ago, OptymsticAlpaca said:

Thanks so much for all your replies! This forum is extremely helpful. I have a dimmable red torch and turn left at Orion, also 2021 month by month guide. Thanks again for all your help!

Clear skies, 

Owen

Sounds like you are all set 🙂 , just waiting eagerly for the delivery van now.

 And, of course, the clear skies  ....       🌨️☃️🌨️

[Pixies]

Hi @OptymsticAlpaca

I've had one since May last year. It was my first scope, but I had several years' experience with binoculars.

As everyone has said, it comes with an end cap. One piece of advice for when it arrives: there is an extension tube for the focuser that is placed in the centre of the polystyrene packing for the base. Don't throw it out by mistake! You'll need it for visual observing, otherwise you won't be able to reach focus. It is removed when you are attaching a DSLR.

It's a great scope. The optics are of similar quality to the Skywatcher dobs, but the hardware is a significant level above, especially the focuser. Since getting it, I've had a few chances to use a Skywatcher dob, and it's a case of chalk and cheese with the focuser.

The one weak point is the little plastic finder. It's not great and if you want to use a better Synta/Vixen type, you'll need the Baader universal finder shoe, as John mentioned above. There's not rush to get that done, though. Sometimes you can't appreciate one without suffering with the other. You never know, you might like it! I, like many others here will recommend, went for a Telrad/RACI  combo. This was the single biggest improvement I've invested in since getting it.

I don't have the 8mm BST, but I do have the 12mm. These 2 are the best BST EPs in the range. I find the 12mm gives a useful x100 magnification plus the 2mm exit pupil it provides really gives a nice contrast between object and dark sky. Really good for globular clusters and bright nebulae. The 26mm EP that comes with the scope is of good quality and I still regularly use it.

 

I have a few spares that I can offer to you if you eventually need them. I got a bulk-load of thumbscrews to replace the 3 secondary mirror adjuster screws. If you ever decide to go for thumbscrews (like Bob's Knobs), drop me a line and I'll send you 3. Likewise, I have a load of black bolts/nuts for attaching the Baader universal finder shoe.

 

It's nice to have another 8" Bresser dob owner on here. There are quite a few 10"ers, though. Don't feel shy about getting in touch if you have any questions.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Pixies

[Pixies]

Oh - and when it arrives. Pop that dust cap off, stick your head in, and breath deep of that new scope smell!

[OptymsticAlpaca]

2 hours ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Sounds like you are all set 🙂 , just waiting eagerly for the delivery van now.

 And, of course, the clear skies  ....       🌨️☃️🌨️

Bought on the 15th Jan and was meant to come in 15-20 working days... No sign of it and now beginning of May at the earliest! At least I can finish Turn Left At Orion😂. Possibly a delivery tortoise rather than a van, certainly feels like it.

Clear skies and delivery tortoises!

[Stu1smartcookie]

1 minute ago, OptymsticAlpaca said:

Bought on the 15th Jan and was meant to come in 15-20 working days... No sign of it and now beginning of May at the earliest! At least I can finish Turn Left At Orion😂. Possibly a delivery tortoise rather than a van, certainly feels like it.

Clear skies and delivery tortoises!

It seems you have the patience of a saint... something i wish i had . It will be well worth the wait though 

[Sunshine]

Those Bresser dob's are sharp looking scopes and i get the impression they are built well, I am looking for a dob in the 8" range. Unfortunately, Bresser branded dobs are not readily available 

across the pond, it seems.

[johninderby]

5 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

Those Bresser dob's are sharp looking scopes and i get the impression they are built well, I am looking for a dob in the 8" range. Unfortunately, Bresser branded dobs are not readily available 

across the pond, it seems.

 Sold as the Explore FirstLight 8" Dobsonian Telescope.

https://khanscope.com/products/explore-scientific-firstlight-8-solid-tube-dobsonian-telescope-dob0806-01

Edited February 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Sunshine]

12 minutes ago, johninderby said:

 Sold as the Explore FirstLight 8" Dobsonian Telescope.

https://khanscope.com/products/explore-scientific-firstlight-8-solid-tube-dobsonian-telescope-dob0806-01

This i was aware of, thanks, I recall reading somewhere that those branded under ES are not the same as the Bresser branded ones across the pond, can anyone confirm this? there seems to be different focusers on them.

It makes me wonder what else was sacrificed in order to ramp up profit.

Edited February 9, 2021 by Sunshine

[Pixies]

7 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

This i was aware of, thanks, I recall reading somewhere that those branded under ES are not the same as the Bresser branded ones across the pond, can anyone confirm this? there seems to be different focusers on them.

It makes me wonder what else was sacrificed in order to ramp up profit.

That picture is of the 10". However, the description does say '2.5" HEX focuser' - which is the decent Bresser one.

[johninderby]

As far as I know they are the same. Uses the same hexafoc focuser.

https://explorescientificusa.com/products/firstlight-8-dobsonian

Edited February 9, 2021 by johninderby

[Tiny Clanger]

27 minutes ago, OptymsticAlpaca said:

Bought on the 15th Jan and was meant to come in 15-20 working days... No sign of it and now beginning of May at the earliest! At least I can finish Turn Left At Orion😂. Possibly a delivery tortoise rather than a van, certainly feels like it.

Clear skies and delivery tortoises!

Ah, did you order it from FLO ? If so, they operate a proper British orderly queue for anticipated stock. I had a similar situation where their projected 'in stock' date took a jump in the wrong direction. I emailed to ask and got a helpful reply to the effect that they assign the next delivery batch to folk pre ordering in strictly , um, ordering date order .

When the number of pre orders exceeds the number of that item expected in the next delivery , the delivery date thingy on the item's webpage rolls over to the expected delivery after that. Your order reserves your spot in the queue. So if you ordered with FLO the delivery date when you placed the order should hold.

Any other retailer .... your guess is as good as mine !

Heather

PS the tortoises will be hibernating for the winter, further delays may be inevitable  as the sloths struggle to take over the work. 🙂

[wibblefish]

As someone who is exceptionally curious (thinking of future telescopes) with a tripod base on wet grass / mud / snow I don't worry about it getting mucky, how does it work with a Dobsonian base? i.e. would it need drying if it gets wet / expand / suck up moisture etc. (I am assuming its made of MDF or some such material)

Edited February 9, 2021 by wibblefish

[Pixies]

4 minutes ago, wibblefish said:

As someone who is exceptionally curious (thinking of future telescopes) with a tripod base on wet grass / mud / snow I don't worry about it getting mucky, how does it work with a Dobsonian base? i.e. would it get wet / expand etc. (I am assuming its made of MDF or some such material)

It's got 3 little feet and is MDF with a laminate surface and will suffer if damp, I imagine.

Won't to use it tomorrow night if there's still 3-4" of snow around without putting down a thin sheet of marine-ply as a base. That's flexible enough in my garden to be stable enough for the dob to stand on.

[Tiny Clanger]

3 minutes ago, wibblefish said:

As someone who is exceptionally curious (thinking of future telescopes) with a tripod base on wet grass / mud / snow I don't worry about it getting mucky, how does it work with a Dobsonian base? i.e. would it get wet / expand etc. (I am assuming its made of MDF or some such material)

The heritage dob base is some sort of particle board stuff , and has  3 plastic (or possibly rubber) feet, each about 3cm long which should keep the board part of the base clear of the ground. I'm pretty sure the big skywatcher dobs would have a similar arrangement. My 'lawn' is sufficiently swamp like that I'd not want to place anything much on it at the moment which I then bring into the house . Mind you, the snow is doing a good job of levelling it off at the mo.

[johninderby]

Before I built a custom base I fitted steel bolt on furniture legs to the base to keep it out of the wet. Cheap and easy solution.

BTW what hapoened to all the snow we were supposed to get? No snow at all here.

Edited February 9, 2021 by johninderby

[OptymsticAlpaca]

48 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Ah, did you order it from FLO ? If so, they operate a proper British orderly queue for anticipated stock. I had a similar situation where their projected 'in stock' date took a jump in the wrong direction. I emailed to ask and got a helpful reply to the effect that they assign the next delivery batch to folk pre ordering in strictly , um, ordering date order .

When the number of pre orders exceeds the number of that item expected in the next delivery , the delivery date thingy on the item's webpage rolls over to the expected delivery after that. Your order reserves your spot in the queue. So if you ordered with FLO the delivery date when you placed the order should hold.

Any other retailer .... your guess is as good as mine !

Heather

PS the tortoises will be hibernating for the winter, further delays may be inevitable  as the sloths struggle to take over the work. 🙂

Yep FLO. Great customer service though. From when I emailed them:

"I just had a look into this for you, unfortunately it looks like our supplier have said Bresser are having trouble with their supply chain at the moment which is delaying the 8" Dob I'm afraid. The latest estimate as of yesterday is that the telescope won't be available until the beginning of May at the earliest."   Lots of business for them with lockdown I imagine! And the fact that everything is shut down, including 'scope factories I think...