Another and probably totally unnecessary noob thread

[Tredelerch79]

I think it's better I pass you over to the Sith Lords from the dark side at this point as there are a number of ways to go.

I've stayed away from imaging up until now having looked into it and realised the costs of doing it reasonably well but as a basic shopping list for Deep sky imaging I'd guess you'd at least want (if you don't want to be upgrading within 6 months of starting)...

A HEQ5 or EQ6 mount (Unless you go for an SCT on a heavy duty wedge mount)

The biggest Apochromatic refractor you can afford or an astrograph reflector or a 10" SCT

A method for guiding it - possibly a 2nd scope fitted on guide scope rings or an off axis guider. A 2nd camera for guiding

Something to take images with (Maybe a DSLR - preferably modified to be more sensitive or at least a grand's worth of CCD camera)

A laptop to control everything and put the images on.

Possibly some narrowband filters depending on your light pollution

Good quality RGBL filters if using a mono CCD.

An observatory to keep it all in if you don't want to spend more time putting it up or taking it down than using it.

A scope to look through to pass the time whilst that set up is imaging

Lots of time to spend in front of a computer screen processing images

A patient partner

Ha!! Jebus!

Okay nice one mate, all good advice.

[haitch]

Ha!! Jebus!

Okay nice one mate, all good advice.

You did ask!

There were actually 2 reasons I decided to avoid the dark side (imaging). The obvious one (cost) and also because I observe to relax after spending a working day stuck in front of a pc - the last thing I want to do it spend more time in front of it.

The great thing about a dob is you just plonk it where you want it, give a bit of time to cool down to ambient temperature (if it's been stored indoors) and observe.

No levelling or polar aligning to worry about, no goto to setup. No cables, no motors, just me and the sky.

[cootuk]

With a dob you could get a large aperture scope for your money and if you later wanted to get into imaging couldn't you discard the base, add tube rings, and plonk it on an eq5/eq6 mount?

[John]

With a dob you could get a large aperture scope for your money and if you later wanted to get into imaging couldn't you discard the base, add tube rings, and plonk it on an eq5/eq6 mount?

Yep

[Tredelerch79]

Okay, so if I got a Dob not only would it be easier to set up and take with me if I went camping down the Gower or something, but at some stage in a year or so i'd be able to adapt it for imaging? If so then i'll prob get one of those.

Also, a dob, what do they sit on? Sorry to ask what seems like such a silly question but i've never seen one before.

[haitch]

Yes, for their aperture they are pretty portable. That said they do have to be as long as their focal length (My 14" only just fits in the back of my SAAB 9-5 estate with the seats down but once you get to that size there is usually a way to collapse it down for transport). The only way round that is with folded optics (look up SCT or Mak) but they in turn need bulkier mounts. The great benefit when you are out camping on the Gower is that the only setting up is plonking it on a roughly level surface.

The Dob or Dobsonian, invented by a guy called John Dobson I believe, basically sits in a u shaped cradle which allows it to pivot up and down. The cradle itself is on a kind of lazy susan type bearing that allows it to swing round in the horizontal. The whole thing sits on the floor. You just manouvre the tube with your hand to where you want in the sky.

If you get a 6" dob a couple of things you might want to add as funds allow are a red dot finder (RDF) which makes the rough lining up in the sky easier and an adjustable height seat (try a search of the DIY Astronomer section)

as the eyepiece height will vary depending where you are looking in the sky (low or high).

[Tredelerch79]

Yes, for their aperture they are pretty portable. That said they do have to be as long as their focal length (My 14" only just fits in the back of my SAAB 9-5 estate with the seats down but once you get to that size there is usually a way to collapse it down for transport). The only way round that is with folded optics (look up SCT or Mak) but they in turn need bulkier mounts. The great benefit when you are out camping on the Gower is that the only setting up is plonking it on a roughly level surface.

The Dob or Dobsonian, invented by a guy called John Dobson I believe, basically sits in a u shaped cradle which allows it to pivot up and down. The cradle itself is on a kind of lazy susan type bearing that allows it to swing round in the horizontal. The whole thing sits on the floor. You just manouvre the tube with your hand to where you want in the sky.

If you get a 6" dob a couple of things you might want to add as funds allow are a red dot finder (RDF) which makes the rough lining up in the sky easier and an adjustable height seat (try a search of the DIY Astronomer section)

as the eyepiece height will vary depending where you are looking in the sky (low or high).

Ah okay I get it now, I can see that in the picture. So i'm guessing it isn't actually that 'tall' and I could just plonk it on the garden table or something?

EDIT: Sorry! Just seen that you said to put it on the floor. Okay it's looking like a Dob now.

[haitch]

Ah okay I get it now, I can see that in the picture. So i'm guessing it isn't actually that 'tall' and I could just plonk it on the garden table or something?

EDIT: Sorry! Just seen that you said to put it on the floor. Okay it's looking like a Dob now.

Well the focal length of that one is 1200mm i.e. 4ft in old money so that's about how tall it is when pointing straight up (take off a bit as it diverts the light out the side, add on a bit for a bit of tube beyond the mirror and the height of the base - pretty much evens) so sitting on a normal chair with it on the floor is probably comfortable for the higher parts of the sky (which is where most observing tends to be because thats' usually where the best sky conditions are). You might want to raise up the base or get yourself lower to view nearer the horizon.

Mine's a bit bigger - You need to be 6ft and stand on tiptoe to view the zenith! See the pic - the little one was my first scope and was 6" aperture - you'll soon find out about aperture fever!

[the_laughing_crow]

If you want a dob to occaisionally take camping, the (skywatcher) heritage 130p is your scope.

And as for imaging with it, Im currently learning how to image the planets on mine

[Tredelerch79]

Well the focal length of that one is 1200mm i.e. 4ft in old money so that's about how tall it is when pointing straight up (take off a bit as it diverts the light out the side, add on a bit for a bit of tube beyond the mirror and the height of the base - pretty much evens) so sitting on a normal chair with it on the floor is probably comfortable for the higher parts of the sky (which is where most observing tends to be because thats' usually where the best sky conditions are). You might want to raise up the base or get yourself lower to view nearer the horizon.

Mine's a bit bigger - You need to be 6ft and stand on tiptoe to view the zenith! See the pic - the little one was my first scope and was 6" aperture - you'll soon find out about aperture fever!

Haha!!!! Jebus!! Look at the size of that Must.....get.....huge.....telescope....

I'm going to get looking at dobs I think, work out what i'm going to get ready for when the credit card is empty.

[Moonshane]

it's definitely a good idea if you can to get out to a few local astronomers and see their gear if you can - put something in the wanted section (when you have 50+ posts) or the lounge and I bet there will be someone reasonably close with a 6-12" dob.

you are definitely doing the right thing asking a few questions on here and checking out options before you dive in. do save some money for extras like a telrad, and a better barlow and eyepieces than the scope comes with (although the 25mm will be OK for a bit I'd wager.)

good luck with your choice.

[Tredelerch79]

it's definitely a good idea if you can to get out to a few local astronomers and see their gear if you can - put something in the wanted section (when you have 50+ posts) or the lounge and I bet there will be someone reasonably close with a 6-12" dob.

you are definitely doing the right thing asking a few questions on here and checking out options before you dive in. do save some money for extras like a telrad, and a better barlow and eyepieces than the scope comes with (although the 25mm will be OK for a bit I'd wager.)

good luck with your choice.

Cheers Shane, I need to find out what these things actually are and why they're important before I start buying them I'm going to do a lot of research though and make sure I get the right thing.

[Moonshane]

Cheers Shane, I need to find out what these things actually are and why they're important before I start buying them I'm going to do a lot of research though and make sure I get the right thing.

here you go

Telrad Red Dot Finder

Finders - Rigel QuikFinder Compact Reflex Sight

Tal - Tal 2x and 3x Barlows

there are other choices but the first above are the same really, I prefer the Telrad. they superimpose a target on the sky to enable you to line things up roughly in the right spot.

there are lots of Barlows but the 2x Tal is reckoned by many to be the best budget one around. what a barlow does is double the size of the image therefore with a 25mm eyepiece and a 10mm eyepiece you also get a 12.5mm and a 5mm when using them with the barlow.

if you are not sure of anything just ask away

[Tredelerch79]

what a barlow does is double the size of the image therefore with a 25mm eyepiece and a 10mm eyepiece you also get a 12.5mm and a 5mm when using them with the barlow.

if you are not sure of anything just ask away

Funnily enough I just found that out on this video

Very interesting and put in layman's terms.

[Moonshane]

nice summary! not sure it would achieve 260x magnification though

[Tredelerch79]

nice summary! not sure it would achieve 260x magnification though

Yeah nice video I thought, very easy for a dullard like me to understand.

I think i'ts going to be either that one or the one haitch suggested. Need to look at budget. Excited now, almost there

[Moonshane]

although the 130p is very capable, the 150 dob is a serious step up and great for the price. keep posting like this and you'll get to 50 soon and can then see the for sale section here. there's regularly smaller dobs on there. you might even get a used 8" for the same money and this would be a seriously good start scope. also Ebay sometimes eg 8" sky-watcher dobsonian telescope on eBay (end time 16-Sep-10 14:42:50 BST) but if you can take someone with you then it would be better.

[haitch]

If you want a dob to occaisionally take camping, the (skywatcher) heritage 130p is your scope.

And as for imaging with it, Im currently learning how to image the planets on mine

A 14" is fine to take camping so long as you can get the car next to the tent and you leave the wife and kids at home!

[Tredelerch79]

although the 130p is very capable, the 150 dob is a serious step up and great for the price. keep posting like this and you'll get to 50 soon and can then see the for sale section here. there's regularly smaller dobs on there. you might even get a used 8" for the same money and this would be a seriously good start scope. also Ebay sometimes eg 8" sky-watcher dobsonian telescope on eBay (end time 16-Sep-10 14:42:50 BST) but if you can take someone with you then it would be better.

Oooh blumming hell, that's less than 2 hours from me!

[haitch]

Oooh blumming hell, that's less than 2 hours from me!

ROFL..Not a very smooth talker if he can't get round his missus over an 8" Dob he bought in secret. Imagine my wife's face when she 1st caught sight of the pumpkin cannon... :(

[haitch]

Have to say 8" is a nice size too. If you find it too big for camping trips you can always get a second scope later on.

[Tredelerch79]

ROFL..Not a very smooth talker if he can't get round his missus over an 8" Dob he bought in secret. Imagine my wife's face when she 1st caught sight of the pumpkin cannon... :(

Ha! That's what I thought If my girlfriend kicked up a fuss about me spending my hard earned on something like that I think i'd tell her where to go and I think she knows that

[Sirius_Starseed]

ROFL..Not a very smooth talker if he can't get round his missus over an 8" Dob he bought in secret. Imagine my wife's face when she 1st caught sight of the pumpkin cannon...

'Pumpkin cannon' LMAO Love it!!!

[the_laughing_crow]

The Heritage 130p achieves x260 very nicely with a barlowed TS planetary 5mm.

[Moonshane]

The Heritage 130p achieves x260 very nicely with a barlowed TS planetary 5mm.

wow - impressive! I'm surprised but maybe I shouldn't be as newts are in my view far better at higher mags than the cheaper refractors.