250px dob. How unwieldy is it?

[Ogri]

Well, I know I can tame the light grasp now, so it wouldn't bite me, after experience with the ST120, and it's time to think of getting a 'scope to go alongside the ST120 for long term use.

I was thinking of getting a goto mount for the ST120 and adding another OTA at a later date, but really, I get on well enough with the ST120's AZ3, am now avoiding the concept of AP like the plague (I really don't have the income to fund it - much as I love looking at others piccies), and I can pick it up 'under the arm' and have no issues getting it speedily set up.

As desirable as a 300p dob might be, I think I'd be struggling with it now, and increasingly struggling with it in the future.

Would a 250px be a significant improvement in this regard, or still a bit of a pain to lug around and set up? It seems a bit hard to find out just how much the thing weighs.

Also, if I got a 200p, which would obviously be lighter and easier to move around even than the 250px, how much viewing difference would I be losing, and would it be 'that' noticeable given the skies down here are pretty good (other than this darned high altitude haze recently - since mid-March pretty much - which has turned astronomy into looking through fog )?

X years down the road, if I were to get a 200p mirror 'trued up' and hilux coated by OO, might it kind of close the gap somewhat towards the 250px (of course I could always do that with a 250px mirror as well)? I could always add one of those aluminium dob bases from OO to either at some point too, which would likely improve the usability and lugability.

I was also thinking about a TAL 100RS at one point, but on reflection I think A_B was spot on when she said it wouldn't be that different from what I have now (I think it's obvious I'm really happy with how the ST120 has turned out). Of course a big dob would be a little different to say the least, and dad can also get some enjoyment out of a big dob as well (years ago he had a big lump of glass ready to be mirrored, got far too busy at work to get around to it, and it would be nice to have him looking through something with a big lump of glass in it - from which perspective if it gives dad some extra brilliant 'Wow!' moments, even if it got a bit much for me eventually to the point I had to downsize, leans me towards a 250 over the 200 for now).

Any insights into handling either, would be greatly appreciated.

[NGC 1502]

Hi, several points here, but personaly, I wouldn't go the route of getting a 200P

& then getting it Hi-luxed plus an O.O. mount. I think I'd either get a 200P and be

happy with it as is, or get an O.O. dob outright.

There is not a huge difference between views thru an 8" or 10", or on portability

either, same length tube, a bit heavier of course, but not by much. I think I'd

go for the 10. Best if you could try them, at a retailers or astronomy club.

HTH, Ed.

Edit : My 10" O.O. dob tube is 45" long, weighs 26 lbs.

[Ben Ritchie]

For back garden use I don't find a huge difference between 200p, 250px and even 300p - while the 200p can be lifted with OTA attached to the base, it's a cumbersome lift so really needs to be split into base and OTA to go any distance. It's obviously fairly light when split into two parts, but having to split into two components means it's not really any quicker to get up and running than the larger Dobs are.

The 300p is long and heavy, even in two parts, but even so not unmanageable and the extra aperture makes a significant difference. The 250px is a bit easier than the 300p due to its shorter length and I guess is a good compromise between the two. Alternatively, if you have no stairs, garden steps etc. then make a "wheelbarrow mod" and even the 300p becomes quite easy to move fully assembled.

Where the 200p wins is in portability - easier to fit it into a car than the 250px, and especially the longer 300p - and it's also more compact for storage around the house/shed/wherever.

[Ogri]

Thanks guys, a really great help!

"Edit : My 10" O.O. dob tube is 45" long, weighs 26 lbs. "

Oooohhhhhhhh! I don't know why, but I thought they were MUCH heavier than that!

Penny saving time for a 250px it is, along with a little cement to put a smooth ramp in to replace a step. *thumbs up*

[NGC 1502]

Hi Ogri, yes, all the OO tube sizes & weights are on their website, they are

very similar to SW, I've owned both a 250px and a 200p dobs.

But the weight can feel more than you may expect, especially if you have to

negotiate doorways/steps etc in the dark, which is why I think that it's a good

idea to try them at a retailers/astronomy club if at all poss.

Best regards, Ed.

[tooth_dr]

And the weigh is concentrated at one end, which make loading into a car particularly tricky imo.

[Starblazer]

Is a truss dob not an option?

I have the 250px which was mounted on the dob mount, now it sits on the eq6. On it's own i wouldn't say it's overly cumbersum, but getting it into the car can be entertaining

Still, doable and a nice scope all in all.

[Ogri]

Well the good news is, it won't be going in any cars.

That's what the ST120 is for - well, the motorbike, but I've become far too attatched to it to be hauling it around Europe on the motorbike *grins* - if I ever end up going anywhere by car to observe, it'll be the ST120 I take. By next Spring I think I may have to pick up an ST80 or something to take instead, hehe (any excuse! lol!).

Thanks again all, much appreciated.