Lovely Third Light for my OO/Helmerichs 12"

[wookie1965]

Great report Magnus I keep telling myself I dont need a big scope but posts like these always make me think, although with my light pollution a big dob is not worth it I would only manage get it out 2/3 times a year when and if I can get to a dark site.

[Stardaze]

21 hours ago, John said:

A few years ago I had some time at the eyepiece of a 20 inch dob under a reasonably dark sky and the view of the Messier 13 globular cluster and the Messier 51 galaxy (my choices) were jaw dropping 

At home (where I mostly observe) the practical maximum aperture I've found is 12 inches but that is with an Orion Optics based dob which weighs about the same as the Skywatcher / Meade / GSO 10 inch dobs.

I found 10 inches of aperture was where the brighter globular clusters really "came alive" for me

Having the scope well collimated and cooled is important as well to ensure that you get the best resolution of stars both at the periphery of the cluster and deep into it's core.

A nice observational target when viewing Messier 13 with a decent aperture is to pick up the nearby small galaxy NGC 6207 about 1 degree to the NE of the cluster. Lovely sight in one of those new fangled ~20mm / 100 degree eyepiece thingies

I’d love to have a look through a bigger dob than my 10”. Practically a 12” Orion is probably what I’ll aim for in the years to come, anything larger would need to be for darker trips out m, which wouldn’t be often enough to justify the expense.  I was looking at the new Stellar Lyra 16” for the same money as the OO 12 with 1/10 mirror…

All that said, I’m a realist and my 10” is more than enough right now, there’s plenty of hours of experience I need to gain before I’ve graduated to such kit. 

 

[John]

11 hours ago, Stardaze said:

I’d love to have a look through a bigger dob than my 10”. Practically a 12” Orion is probably what I’ll aim for in the years to come, anything larger would need to be for darker trips out m, which wouldn’t be often enough to justify the expense.  I was looking at the new Stellar Lyra 16” for the same money as the OO 12 with 1/10 mirror…

All that said, I’m a realist and my 10” is more than enough right now, there’s plenty of hours of experience I need to gain before I’ve graduated to such kit. 

 

We have an 18 inch newtonian at the Bristol AS observatory that is gradually being put back into service. I expect public viewing sessions will re-start again at some point so others will be able to share the views 😀

12 inches is the practical limit for me at home, where I do 99% of my observing.

 

[RobertI]

3 minutes ago, John said:

12 inches is the practical limit for me at home, where I do 99% of my observing.

Is this limit due to the size of the scope John, or the limitations of the skies?

[John]

1 minute ago, RobertI said:

Is this limit due to the size of the scope John, or the limitations of the skies?

Scope size / weight / mobility. If it wasn't an Orion Optics (quite light) I'd have to settle at 10 inches.

 

 

[Stardaze]

2 hours ago, John said:

We have an 18 inch newtonian at the Bristol AS observatory that is gradually being put back into service. I expect public viewing sessions will re-start again at some point so others will be able to share the views 😀

12 inches is the practical limit for me at home, where I do 99% of my observing.

 

I’d have a drive down the M5 for that 😀

[faulksy]

this is brilliant topic. love the opinions. and as you said @Piero lifting the dobs dress makes a amazing difference