To buy or not to buy this is the question?

[brantuk]

It ain't exactly grab and go but I voted for the 200P flextube auto. Portability won't be a problem though cos it goes in two bits and will satisfy your observing criteria best imho. It's upgradeable to goto at a later date should you decide, and it'll bring out more in dso's as well as giveing great views of the planets/moon.

Go second hand and save around 30% leaving enough budget for some good eyepieces

[rowan46]

I think Dobs are portable. They will stand vertically and take up only their footprint, but don't put any optics in a caravan because they bounce like crazy. Put them in the car. Tripods, counterweights and EQ aligning are a bit of a faff.

The key thing is to have the right expectations but the antidote to your first experience of gimmicky toys (and I agree with your assesment) would be aperture above all else. Much of the pleasure is learning the sky so don't deny yourself that. There is no instant gratification in astronomy once you have seen Saturn! The rest needs more input from the observer.

Olly

In defence of gimmicky goto's I like to see things I am not a big fan of spending half my precious session. looking for something. I am sure there is plenty of gratification in finding something but I know I get plenty of gratification by seeing something. I get precious little time to see something especially with the weather how it is lately. I don't consider a goto a gimmick, for me in my washed out sky's its a must have. it may not be a must have for you but neither is it a gimmick. by all means a larger dob will enable you to see more but plenty of people get by on a 6inch scope. The nexstar is easier to transport rarely needs collimation and a goto doesn't stop you learning the sky. it can however be a big advantage to finding things. A lightbucket is fine if you have the space. I don't imagine you have that much space in a caravan I'm sorry but I don't agree that there is something more worthy about finding the object yourself. I like to see not search

[GazofCorra]

In defence of gimmicky goto's I like to see things I am not a big fan of spending half my precious session. looking for something. I am sure there is plenty of gratification in finding something but I know I get plenty of gratification by seeing something. I get precious little time to see something especially with the weather how it is lately. I don't consider a goto a gimmick, for me in my washed out sky's its a must have. it may not be a must have for you but neither is it a gimmick. by all means a larger dob will enable you to see more but plenty of people get by on a 6inch scope. The nexstar is easier to transport rarely needs collimation and a goto doesn't stop you learning the sky. it can however be a big advantage to finding things. A lightbucket is fine if you have the space. I don't imagine you have that much space in a caravan I'm sorry but I don't agree that there is something more worthy about finding the object yourself. I like to see not search

Rowan, the reference to the so called gimmicky toys was in reference to the Meade ETX80 which i have returned to the shop because it was more like a toy than a precision optical instrument, the tripod was pathetic, the 2x built in barlow was nasty and the optics were poor quality Bak7 glass.

But like you and i expect many others, i too like the idea of computerised GoTo systems as they are there to help make things easier, so you can get seeing ASAP, the other thing is that it also teaches you where objects of interest are rather than looking at just any star (not saying stars are not interesting but a billion or so stars that look the same is not my cup of tea) i want to GoTo messiers objects or nebulars in minutes and enjoy what it took 10's of years for early astronomers to find.

I like reading a few books and have a planisphere and Stellarium and star charts and i am learning my way around the sky, but add a GoTo to it all and for me it makes the evening a whole lot better.

BTW it looks like i am buying the Nexstar 6SE, cheers guys for all you input. And a dob will come later.

[GazofCorra]

Plenty of comments from 6se users here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/beginners-help-advice/130388-8-dob-6se-8-dob-6se-8-dob-6se.html

Thanks for the link a very good post that helped me decide on what scope to buy.

[GazofCorra]

As a mad idea have you thought of asking FLO on here there thoughts.......

At first i though "who the **** is FLO" with images in my mind of a mad looking woman with big blonde hair with rollers in and a fag hanging out of her mouth i then remember seeing other posts about this mysterious FLO woman and then it dawned on me First Light Optics

But if FLO wants to give me some advice i would be more than happy to recieve it.

[rowan46]

In defence of gimmicky goto's I like to see things I am not a big fan of spending half my precious session. looking for something. I am sure there is plenty of gratification in finding something but I know I get plenty of gratification by seeing something. I get precious little time to see something especially with the weather how it is lately. I don't consider a goto a gimmick, for me in my washed out sky's its a must have. it may not be a must have for you but neither is it a gimmick. by all means a larger dob will enable you to see more but plenty of people get by on a 6inch scope. The nexstar is easier to transport rarely needs collimation and a goto doesn't stop you learning the sky. it can however be a big advantage to finding things. A lightbucket is fine if you have the space. I don't imagine you have that much space in a caravan I'm sorry but I don't agree that there is something more worthy about finding the object yourself. I like to see not search

An apology to mr penrice is in order I think my only defence is my crankiness at not being able to see anything this year. This of course is no defence at all, so I heartily apologise for going off half cocked, the fault and the misunderstanding were all mine as I missed reading a post somewhere.

[GazofCorra]

Still have not purchased yet....

Following this post and the poll that i have running the SW Skyliner 200P comes 1st with 51% of the votes and the Celestron 6SE came 2nd with 29%.

Finally i was set on buying the 6SE due to it's GoTo capability and the fact that it is easier to transport and it seems it does not need to be collimated to often.

Yet something in my head keeps on saying buy the 200P it is less than half the price of the 6SE and then i can spend the difference on eyepieces, filters etc....The 200P does not need batteries or a powertank, it is portable and is better suited to DSO's and planetry viewing. I will miss the GoTo of the 6SE, but i can learn my way around the sky with stellarium, maps & a planispere.

But i fear the so called collimation process and the 200P seems to need more collimation, i have read that one chap had to collimate his scope when it arrived as it was already out and it was brand new, are my fears unfounded? How easy is it to collimate the 200P? How often would it need collimating (on average)? will it need collimating after transporting to a site?

Ummmmm what am i to do?

[Si W]

Im a fan of the ETX , but a bigger fan of newtonian's on eq mounts:D, only one choice.

Skywatcher Explorer 150PDS & EQ5 Pro GoTo mount?

[Rob L]

Still have not purchased yet....

Ummmmm what am i to do?

It's not easy is it I too went around in circles for several weeks trying to decide.

I'm biased towards the Dob, I love mine. I agonised over GOTO, in the end decided I didn't need it and saved a lot of money that I've spent elsewhere.

However GOTO may be the difference between you loving your new scope or giving up in frustration.

Sorry, that doesn't help much does it?

[GazofCorra]

No it's not easy and i have learnt that it should not be rushed, read a bit first and get a better understanding of what you can expect to see and how you are going to go about finding those chosen objects, 1. hard work learning what is where and using maps/planisheres etc or 2. you are impatient and just want to get some viewing under your belt (as the GoTo scope will tell you what you are looking at) as what is the point on looking at something if you do not know what it is, plus you will learn as you go along.

I was going to go with option 2. but have since decided to wait a bit longer and read a bit more before i take the plunge, i have some great interesting books and a planishere as well as my helios 10x50WA binoculars and the more i read the more i realise that i need to make a good first choice or risk the chance of spoiling my new found hobby.

[todd8137]

Skywatcher 200P Flextube Auto Tracking Dobsonian, ya might have more fun and more interest if ya go for the dob i have a goto and it hardlt gets used only when my daughter drags it out side,i would sooner spen a hour looking for some thing than a hour looking at 50 things but thats just me

go for the 200p imho

[Orion_the_Hunter]

i would sooner spen a hour looking for some thing than a hour looking at 50 things but thats just me

i totally agree.

[GazofCorra]

Dob it is then, Skywatcher Skyliner 200P as i am not bothering with flextube auto tracking version which costs £475 compared to the £275 of the standard Skyliner 200P, as i want more eyepieces.

Cheers