Skywatcher 6"dob

[cakemaster5000]

hi all. i'm currently looking to buy my first scope. have never used one before so i'm really unsure of what to buy. i'm interested in tracking down some of the messier objects plus planets. ideally i'd buy a big dob but my budget dictates that i'd only be able to afford the 6". what do you guys think? is a 6" dob a good place to start or would i be better with a 130p on an eq mount? or to complicate further theres always the option of a 130p on an alt-az supatrak mount? im so confused! please help!

cheers

[CGolder]

I personally would save a little longer and get the 200, its pretty much the same size as the 150 but gives better performance for not a lot more money

[cakemaster5000]

FLO have the 200 for roughly £90 more. i could maybe stretch to that but wont have much left for any eyepeices or other accessories. perhaps i need to sell another guitar!

thanks for the advice

[bcfcciderhead]

I started with the good old trusty 130P!, a great scope, and went from EQ2 to supatrak and now goto.

I now have the 200P dob, and boy what a difference, if you can i would go the extra few pounds and get the 200P, your have the standard 10mm and 25mm EP with the scope which will get you started or until you have saved a few pounds for better ones.

[cakemaster5000]

cheers dave. how did you get on with the supatrak mount? can't find many reviews of it. would it be suitable for a novice stargazer?

[DeejayP999]

Don't discount the 6" Dob - remember that it's an f8 as opposed to the f6 of the 8". That means that the 6" will be easier on eyepieces and have inherently less coma.

I went through the same decision and went for the same scope on an EQ mount (the Explorer 150PL).

I don't regret buying the 6" one bit - it's a superb telescope and handles surprisingly high mag with ease. That said, I am mainly a Lunar & Planetary observer (which is what the f8 was designed for) so, as ever, Your Mileage May Vary!

[Httetal]

I had the very same conundrum last month, I went for the dob over anything on a mount as it was the most scope for the money and I'm not into imaging, and although I very nearly went for the 8" I stuck to my original budget of £200 and got the 6". The 8" might be only £90 more, but that's nearly 50% more. I decided if I really enjoy this new hobby then there's plenty of time to upgrade later (and remember that you get good value selling 2nd hand). The images I've seen so far have be great - but of course I cannot compare with what I would have seen with an 8"

Must go it's getting dark and the sky is threatening to clear....

[swamp thing]

Hi

IMO i would go for the cheaper 6" Dob seeing as it is your first scope.

The 6" is an f/8 telescope which will make it a good all rounder, so you check out which area of astronomy floats ya boat.

Then adjust your next purchase accordingly.

I started with only a 4.5" f/8 scope and it whetted my appetite for DS observing nicely. The 6" scope your looking at is considerably more powerful than that.

Regards Steve

[cakemaster5000]

thanks for the advice guys i think i'll go for the 6" dob and see how i go. i get the feeling that i'll be pleased with whatever i get as a view of the orion nebula through 12x50 bins got me over excited last night! theres always time to save up for a bigger scope in the future...maybe even a 12"!

[Httetal]

Hi

IMO i would go for the cheaper 6" Dob seeing as it is your first scope.

The 6" is an f/8 telescope which will make it a good all rounder, so you check out which area of astronomy floats ya boat.

Then adjust your next purchase accordingly.

I started with only a 4.5" f/8 scope and it whetted my appetite for DS observing nicely. The 6" scope your looking at is considerably more powerful than that.

Regards Steve

Thanks for your support of a 6" Steve, I would have worried I had made the wrong choice if there had only been support for the 8" from more experienced folk.

Enjoy your scope cakemaster - I was looking at orions nebula last night and it looked fab, an ethereal green - maybe I'm just getting used to the scope but it looked clearer than before despite the bright moon nearby