12" Dob First light - SATURN

[Coco]

Gave my newly enquired 12" Skywatcher 300P dob a first light for me..

OMG.... SATURN was awesome!!

We had clear skies right up to 11.40PM .. I 'imaged NGC 2175 whist looking at the Moon and Saturn... OUTSTANDING! views.... Am totally struck on observing now.. I had no idea it could get as good as this..

I dont have excotic eyepieces either, just a standard 10mm plossal & a 16mm WO UWAN (semi exotic) + only a cheapo barlow... still the site was breathtaking .. pass me that credit card!!!

Cheers

Guy

[Doc]

I agree it don't get better then a big dob and good eyepieces...

[themos]

Lovely, isn't it?

[DaveGibbons]

Guy ,Good to hear you had the 12" out last night , it really does have a great set of optics once fully cool ,seeing was also very good . I spent 3hours with the 8" dob and it was lots of fun. I've come to the conclusion you just can't beat a well collimated newt for visual astronomy. Flippin cold though the exterior of the tube was covered in a very hard frost. Can highly recommend University Optics orthoscopic eyepieces to go with the big dob coupled with a celestron ultima barlow . Some of the best views of Saturn I have ever had were last night through a 6mm uo and said barlow.

cheers

Dave

[bish]

It only takes one good view of Saturn and your hooked.

[Coco]

Guy ,Good to hear you had the 12" out last night , it really does have a great set of optics once fully cool ,seeing was also very good . I spent 3hours with the 8" dob and it was lots of fun. I've come to the conclusion you just can't beat a well collimated newt for visual astronomy. Flippin cold though the exterior of the tube was covered in a very hard frost. Can highly recommend University Optics orthoscopic eyepieces to go with the big dob coupled with a celestron ultima barlow . Some of the best views of Saturn I have ever had were last night through a 6mm uo and said barlow.

cheers

Dave

Yes indeed you sold me a Gem! thanks..

I ordered a barlow from the Irish seller on fleabay, just waiting for it now.

I'll look up that UO... thanks for the heads up..

Guy

[John]

Great report Guy - a 12" certainly delivers the goods - DSO's actually start looking a bit like the photos at times as well !.

Personally I'd class your UWAN as pretty "exotic" - you will have to spend a lot of dosh to better it and even then it will only be by a very small margin at most.

[albedo0.39]

Great report Guy and I can sense the excitement from your post. Don't you just love the "back to basics" approach of a large dob, cool skies, and a pretty view to gorge upon. Saturn looks the business eh ?