PatrickM Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Hello All,I was told this is where to come to post my thoughts on what Iwant and looking to do so I can get some useful feedback on if I'mheading in the right direction.First I will say, that the last few days have been pretty confusing tosay the least, as I have been checking into my options on atelescope in the 12" to 16" range (DOB), and the options and info isincredibly overwhelming.With everything I'm wanting to accomplish my first thought was Ihad it licked with the purchase of the Orion SkyQuest XX12g GoTosetup. After doing more research and confusing myself more I havesteered away from that option and am looking at other ideas.My latest thoughts are this...Meade LightBridge 16" DOB outfitted with the JMI Train-n-Tracksetup. I've also considered the Dob-Tracker III as a different optionto the JMI setup, along with a few other upgrades for theLightBridge as well as an DSI III.What I would like to accomplish?First, I want to be able to see these fascinating Nebula's, Galaxies,and other things of interest that just can't happen with a smallerscope, unless I'm mistaken (and I may be).Secondly, I would really like to get into being able to photographwhat I see from time to time as well. Hookup to my laptop issomething else I'd love to be able to do (which I believe goes hand-n-hand with photographing).I would like to keep my initial investment below $3000 if at allpossible.Am I thinking in the right direction or am I all wet?All advice and input would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan46 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Hi patrick you are correct that you need apparture to see nebulas and galaxys and a dob is the cheapest way to go for that, however imaging those things with a dob is pretty much impossible. To image deep space objects you need a gem mount that is capable of being guided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capricorn Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Dobsonian mounts are Alt/Az so you get field rotation which foul up astrophotography.!6" dobs are heavy and give you a bad back. The weight also tends to mean they don't actually get used much,. They have to be very fast so reckon on recollimating quite a lot, you will need good eyepieces for what will have to be f/4, and owing to be mass of glass they take longer to cool down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnac Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Dollar sign says American so lets have a looksie and see whats whatthis would be good for imaging and observingOrion Telescopes: Orion Sirius 8 EQ-G Reflector Telescope with GoTo Controllerlets go bigger Orion Telescopes: Orion Atlas 10 EQ-G Reflector Telescope with GoTo Controller10 inch, good light grasp and again with a good mount for the imagingi dont think you would go wrong with either of these and both are under budget leaving cash for extra'sboth of these will tick the boxes, great visual and imaging updates when you can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swamp thing Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Hi PatrickA big Dob is not the right tool for AP. That's best done by small Apo's on GEM'sHowever a large Dob is the right tool for visual DS observing but there are some drawbacks:They're big and heavy. make sure you have the room and the strength to handle one BEFORE you order.Go and check out a couple of 12"-16" scopes at your local society.If you can house it and use it without having to assemble/disassemble it every time you use it that would make it much easier to live with.That said a 16" telescope Won't give you a bad back if lifted properly and I personally use mine a great deal more than my 10" grab n go.IMO As they are visual scopes there is little point in all the electric add ons best to use the money to buy more aperture or better quality eyepieces to use with one.Its hard to beat the view through a good wide field eyepiece in a big Dob.Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickM Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 Thanks for the reply folks, I appreciate it.What do you think about the Meade LX90-SC 10" and/or 12" for myuses? I've been reading up on them in the last few hours, and theyare presented as good for astrophotography.What are your thoughts on these models, if any?Thanks again,PatrickP.S. I am seeing pictures from people using the 8" version, and theyare looking pretty amazing indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnac Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 well regarded telescopes but i see them as planetary, as i see things "a fast telescope can do any thing a slow one can, its harder to say the same in return"the two telescopes i posted links to above would be, im my view, great all-rounder general use telescopes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickM Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 Looking at the Orion Atlas 10 EQ-G right now, looks promising forsure. Thanks Nick.PatrickP.S. Just a little more info for all:We live out in the country so not much "city" light or backgroundlightening to worry about.I have a very large garage where I can store the telescope andkeep it assembled and safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnac Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 out in the sticks eh?, a great place to be with regards to this hobby/interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion_the_Hunter Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Hi PatrickA big Dob is not the right tool for AP. That's best done by small Apo's on GEM'sHowever a large Dob is the right tool for visual DS observing but there are some drawbacks:They're big and heavy. make sure you have the room and the strength to handle one BEFORE you order.Its hard to beat the view through a good wide field eyepiece in a big Dob.Regards SteveTo kind of agree, with your budget I would buy a 12" Dob (non go to) + some good eyepieces;and still have change for a reasonable starter imaging setup.A Dob is the way to go for observing, but not for imaging DSO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickM Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 Sorry to keep going on here, but I'd also like to know more aboutfocal length. Do I understand correctly, the larger/bigger the focallength, the deeper into space we can see or the more light it willpickup?Just looking at these, seen a youtube video on this, and the guywas saying something to this effect if I understood him correctly.I guess what I'm wondering here, is for like the Meade 16"Lightbridge, the focal length is advertised as 1829mm, while saythe Celestron CGEM 1100 telescope is an advertised 2800mm.Would not the Celestron see deeper space objects? What am Imissing here?Thanks,Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan46 Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Sorry to keep going on here, but I'd also like to know more aboutfocal length. Do I understand correctly, the larger/bigger the focallength, the deeper into space we can see or the more light it willpickup?Just looking at these, seen a youtube video on this, and the guywas saying something to this effect if I understood him correctly.I guess what I'm wondering here, is for like the Meade 16"Lightbridge, the focal length is advertised as 1829mm, while saythe Celestron CGEM 1100 telescope is an advertised 2800mm.Would not the Celestron see deeper space objects? What am Imissing here?Thanks,Patrickno patrick how much you see is dependant on apparture ie the hole in the front. focal length affects manification and field of view. Essentially a scope works by how much light it collects the larger the apparture the more light it collect. the focal length decides the magnification the longer the focal length in relation to its apparture the greater the magnification it seems counter intuitive but its not magnification thats needed to see dso's its apparture to see a dim object you need more loght not more magnification Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickM Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 OK, I think I got it. So a 16" will always out perform a 12" in thatrespect, keeping all else equal. Then magnification can be handledvia eye pieces, correct?OK, that helps a lot. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicnac Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 mags with the EPs = yepfocal ratio, low is fast (5), widefieldslow telescopes , high numbers (10,15) tight, great for planets and moon, not so great but can still be good on some DSOsfor me, well i go for wide field (f5), a decent barlow can increase my focal length for planets and moon."a fast scope can do anything a slow one can, the same cannot be said in return" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickM Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 Great info Nick, Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stardad Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Patrick.As was pointed out to me think of a scope as a light catching bucket. The bigger the bucket the more light it catches. If your going for a 16in Dob its a two man 'set up' so they are best left 'set up' if you catch my drift purely because of there size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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