GoTo Rocks!!!!!

[Telescope40]

Celestron ED100 on a Meade Goto. Does that mean I am sat on a fence ??

Bit tricky focussing if so

John

[lukebl]

I agree, but I think it is down to them non-goto users...

Light the blue touch-paper...

[Kef9]

Celestron ED100 on a Meade Goto. Does that mean I am sat on a fence ??

Bit tricky focussing if so

John

LOL

I just can't put my meade electronic eyepiece into the diagonal of the C100ED. I've tried it but the gear just starts shouting at me and begging me to stop! My C100ED got so angry once that it spun around on it's mount and hit me in the face. I won't be trying that again.

[LukeSkywatcher]

LOL

I just can't put my meade electronic eyepiece into the diagonal of the C100ED. I've tried it but the gear just starts shouting at me and begging me to stop! My C100ED got so angry once that it spun around on it's mount and hit me in the face. I won't be trying that again.

One word:

Rubber mallet.

[Astro_Baby]

Well I dont see lugging a powertank as an issue, even before the mount was upgraded to GoTo it still needed power, its tough to mount a largish newt on a non powered EQ unless you want to be carting a BC&F mark 2 around which would be an instant hernia.

The scope alone, plus the moung and two boxes of eyepieces was quite a hefty amount of gear, a powertank doesnt add much to it.

If I was buying today I'd get a GoTo Dob most likely.

[Kef9]

One word:

Rubber mallet.

Thats 2 words. Wheres the fun gone?

Regarding what astro baby said. I can understand the point if you have to lug a load of gear up and down stairs anyway and your observing time is limited but for me personally I like to keep it simple.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Being in a wheelchair i HAVE to keep it simple and keep the weight down to a minimum. Most if not all Go-To scopes i have seen have the EP at the wrong end for me to use. For me, the EP has to be down at the end of the scope closest to me (such as on refractors). The heritage 130P Dob that i have is GREAT. Its so light to carry and small/compact enough that the EP being on the wrong end for me is not a problem as i can use the scope from a seated position.

I'm limited to the scopes i can use. Small refracs on EQ mounts (i struggle with my 90EQ),or the SW Heritage 130P.

Go-To require battery packs etc and that just isnt practical for me. I have been observing for 30 yrs now with bins and small manual scopes. Trust me.......if i could use a Go-To scope then i would have bought one.

[Nexus 6]

Really good thread. Points for and against as you would expect. I wanted a scope that I could see the stars and planets with. As a bit of a nerd, when it came to Home Cinema at least, I decided straight away that GO TO was the way to try. I aready knew that the weather was going to be a thorn in the side of my interest and was warned so by a friend who had given up due to said weather! . I have learnt so much using kit like this, now using my second sct, and am now about to purchase a second scope. Only thing that matters to me is....all the wonderful sights I have seen have been down to my Telescope, whether I found it or a computer did it for me I don't care I was and still am only interested in observing them and will of course never see them all I am certain given any amount of money we would all have half a dozen scopes and they would no doubt be a mixture of types.

As a newish member here I have viewed a few posts which are anti this or that...why? who cares how we observe the Universe or what you use to observe it with, image it, or how ever you find it, the point is, its up there waiting for us and that to me is a glorious thing

Clear Skies

Alan

[LukeSkywatcher]

who cares how we observe the Universe or what you use to observe it with, image it, or how ever you find it, the point is, its up there waiting for us and that to me is a glorious thing

There you go. That is the final volley in this "argument". It usually is.

Who cares how or what we do. Lets all just get on with it and enjoy it.

[Kef9]

Good post Alan!

Regarding the weather - that is one reason why I like to keep it simple and a quick start setup is crucial. A clear night and pick up the mount with the telescope attached and off we go. I normally only give my scopes 10 mins cool down before observing. There have been times though where the sky has been clear and then in those 10 mins the clouds have swarmed in. It must be a nightmare for those who have to wait hours!

[Nexus 6]

Good post Alan!

Regarding the weather - that is one reason why I like to keep it simple and a quick start setup is crucial. A clear night and pick up the mount with the telescope attached and off we go. I normally only give my scopes 10 mins cool down before observing. There have been times though where the sky has been clear and then in those 10 mins the clouds have swarmed in. It must be a nightmare for those who have to wait hours!

I wonder now why I sold the 6se, knew I'd regret it. Really handy to set up ok for grab and go. Now am gonna have to get a new grab and go !

Alan

[LukeSkywatcher]

Kef...

If i am not mistaken, both of your scopes are refractors?

Refractors really dont need any cooling time (AFAIK). I have heard though that a few mins outside with the star diag removed is a good thing as it allows any warm air inside the tube to escape.

I have 2 refracs also and i have never bothered letting them cool down. I just take them out and off i go. I must try the cooling down thing with them to see if there is a difference. But then again any difference in the view could be down to "seeing" etc and nothing to do with cooling.

Regarding my Dob (yeah i KNOW it is SMALL but it is STILL a DOB). I dont think i use it to its best. I hardly give it any cooling down time outside. I keep my scopes in an outside garage (solid concrete building) so i reckon the ambient temp inside the garage is pretty close to the outside temp.

[Nexus 6]

who cares how we observe the Universe or what you use to observe it with, image it, or how ever you find it, the point is, its up there waiting for us and that to me is a glorious thing

There you go. That is the final volley in this "argument". It usually is.

Who cares how or what we do. Lets all just get on with it and enjoy it.

Ye, I think that just about covers it Paul

Alan

[Kef9]

Kef...

If i am not mistaken, both of your scopes are refractors?

Refractors really dont need any cooling time (AFAIK). I have heard though that a few mins outside with the star diag removed is a good thing as it allows any warm air inside the tube to escape.

I have 2 refracs also and i have never bothered letting them cool down. I just take them out and off i go. I must try the cooling down thing with them to see if there is a difference. But then again any difference in the view could be down to "seeing" etc and nothing to do with cooling.

Regarding my Dob (yeah i KNOW it is SMALL but it is STILL a DOB). I dont think i use it to its best. I hardly give it any cooling down time outside. I keep my scopes in an outside garage (solid concrete building) so i reckon the ambient temp inside the garage is pretty close to the outside temp.

Yep they are. I don't know why I leave them outside for 10 mins but I just do. I don't even know if there is a difference to be honest. It's just habit.

I reckon if you keep your scopes in an outside garage then I would say that it would pretty much be at the ambient temp already.

[Kef9]

I wonder now why I sold the 6se, knew I'd regret it. Really handy to set up ok for grab and go. Now am gonna have to get a new grab and go !

Alan

How long do you leave the CPC 925 to cool for and can you tell the difference without sufficient cool down time?

[Nexus 6]

How long do you leave the CPC 925 to cool for and can you tell the difference without sufficient cool down time?

Hi Kev, ye it does need around an hour to be on the safe side, when I have used it to soon Coma and CA are all to obvious.

Alan

[saturn5]

Well i'm off to the Indian for a Vindaloo :cya:before things get to hot.....

Will catch up later.

The meal was magic, 2 hours in a restaraunt stuffing my face with nans, kebabs,popadoms and a Vindaloo,just heaven.(a few pints of cider too)

I see the debate is still ongoing.

[JamesM]

Goto is certainly quicker and more efficient at finding objects particularly if you have limited time. Also when its cloudy, I can wait for the gaps in the clouds to set it up and then proceed to 'find' objects when the cloud rolls back in but then observe when an opening in the cloud appears again. If you don't have GOTO, cloudy evenings are a non starter and we know how rare it is to get a perfectly clear sky at this time of year. For those of us with smaller apertures, GOTO is also important in understanding the limitations of your kit. I spent ages without success star hopping to find M51 using a 4" Newt in a light polluted sky - that is, until I attached it to GOTO and realized that I was never going to see it.

Having said that, star hopping is a better educator of the night's sky. If you take ages to find an object you are more likely to stay around and look at it for longer which also improves observing and training the eye. All of us (I include myself) have all been guilty of just 'dialing' in the next object - and the next one perhaps not giving enough 'respect' to what we're looking at. For some observers, the challenge is actually finding these objects and of course there are some objects like comets that don't have an address to dial up and a good knowledge of the sky without the need for a PC or power supply will help you locate things very quickly.

Each to their own is what I would say and as I regularly observe with people some of whom have it and others don't have GOTO, it hasn't made a difference to the enjoyment we all have by being out there. Although, if I'm honest, I do afford myself a little smile when I'm asked on the odd occasion to use my GOTO (& laser) to help point out some obscure object that the 'manual' guys are having trouble with! :D:D

Overall if you have GOTO, you can always switch it off but you can't switch on what you don't have.

Clear skies

James